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| Colloidal quantum dots irradiated with a UV light. Different sized quantum dots emit different color light due to quantum confinement. (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
Tech Love
May, 2012
Amazing things come in small packages. For this month’s Tech Love article we will be
discussing the potential of some incredibly tiny dots. Not the kind of dots
that have you searching for the Shout, instead I am talking about a beautiful, young,
tiny technology that has my heart thumping and my palms sweating. Quantum Dots
are nanostructures of a semiconducting nature; effectively speaking they are like
microscopically small batteries and lights.
Without getting into the specifics of a field that requires
more game than Bernie Mac, let’s discuss the properties and its current
applications as we satisfy our love for knowledge. These dots store energy and
can omit them in different wavelengths based on their size. According to NanocoGroup PLC, a world leader in the
mass production of high quality quantum dots: “The smaller the dot, the closer
it is to the blue end of the spectrum, and the larger the dot, the closer to
the red end. Dots can even be tuned beyond visible light, into the infra-red or
into the ultra-violet.” [reference] This storage and delivery system allows for an amazing array
of applications, these dots are like the Kama-Sutra for energy storing and
delivery.
Now I know you
neo-nerds are probably wanton to say: “So now that we have seen some of that
hot technological allure, please tell me how we can put it to use.” Well hold
onto your optical mouse this next peek at these dots potential is going to
drive you beyond control! The University of Buffalo has been studying the effects of quantum dots in the bloodstream of primates for
over a year.
This takes us yet another step closer to nanomeds becoming a reality. I simply
salivate at the idea of an injection of microscopic antibodies that could guarantee
a cancer-free life or heal a mortal wound before my very eyes! Now just imagine a world where you can rest easier knowing your child is unlikely to come home with scrapes and cuts that need tending!
While research is still being done on the many different ways that this technology can be implemented it is most commonly used in the production of various photovoltaic cells, which you might remember from our previous article. Photovoltaic Cells are used in the production of solar panels.
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