richardjgray

Quantum dots (QDs) are a highly promising class of fluorescent reporter molecule. These are minute semiconductor nanocrystals with diameters ranging from 2 to 10 nanometres. They possess unique electronic properties that lie between those of bulk semiconductors and discrete molecules, partly due to their high specific surface area. The most intuitive manifestation of this is the phenomenon of fluorescence, whereby the nanocrystals emit different colours depending on their size.