A Brighter, Whiter Light

Nanocrystals made from InP/GaP/ZnS quantum dots can emit bright, white light with a maximum quantum yield of 85 % according to Sang-Wook Kim, Seoul National University, Korea, and colleagues. The materials glow with a light equivalent to a temperature of 7864 K.

The great potential of quantum dots (QDs) lies in the fact that their electronic bandgap can be tuned simply by changing the size of the QD. This gives them great potential in light-emitting diodes (LEDs), as photovoltaic devices, and in biolabeling where they sidestep some of the stability issues associated with organic materials. However, the commonly used cadmium selenide QDs have toxicity and environmental problems associated with their use. The current combination of inorganic materials — avoiding cadmium — in these QD LEDs also precludes toxicity issues.

• Highly Luminescent InP/GaP/ZnS Nanocrystals and Their Application to White Light-Emitting Diodes,
  S. Kim, T. Kim, M. Kang, S. K. Kwak, T. W. Yoo, L. S. Park, I. Yang, S. Hwang, J. E. Lee, S. K. Kim, S.-W. Kim,
  J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012.
  DOI: 10.1021/ja210211z

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