what is quantum dot

Quantum dots are man-made nanoscale crystals that exhibit unique optical and electronic properties. They are essentially nanoparticles that have semiconductor properties and are a few nanometers in size. Quantum dots are sometimes referred to as artificial atoms because their electronic wave functions resemble those in real atoms. They are valued for displays because they emit light in very specific Gaussian distributions, which can be used to create high-quality images. Quantum dots are used in a variety of applications, including developing all-optical systems, implementing qubits for quantum information processing, and as active elements for thermoelectrics. They can be used as active materials in single-electron transistors and can be used to study cell processes at the level of a single molecule. Quantum dot manufacturing relies on a process called high-temperature dual injection, which has been scaled by multiple companies for commercial applications that require large quantities of quantum dots. Quantum dots are particularly promising for optical applications due to their high extinction coefficient and ultrafast optical nonlinearities.