When you buy through links on our site , we may earn an affiliate commission . Here ’s how it works .
The 2023Nobel prizein chemical science has been award to three scientists for the discovery and development of quantum dots — super - midget semiconductors that can be used in light-emitting diode spark and TV screens , as well as to help doctors in the remotion of cancer tissue .
Moungi Bawendi , prof of chemistry at MIT , Louis Brus , professor emeritus at Columbia University , andAlexei Ekimov , a physicist at Nanocrystals Technology Inc. in New York , will share the 11 million Swedish Swedish krona ( around $ 1 million ) prize for their part as " innovator in the geographic expedition of the nanoworld , " the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm said at a newsworthiness league Wednesday ( Oct. 4 ) .

An artist’s illustration of Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov.
" For a long time , nobody believe you could ever really make such small particles , " Johan Åqvist , the chair of the Nobel citizens committee for chemistry , said at a intelligence group discussion announcing the 2023 laureate . " But this class ’s laureates succeed . "
Related : Quantum ' yin - yang ' shows two photon being entangled in real - time
— Schrödinger ’s CT : The favorite , misunderstood favorite of quantum mechanics

— Otherworldly ' time crystal ' made inside Google quantum figurer could change physic forever
— China claims fastest quantum computer in the humankind
Quantum dots are crystal of lead sulfide or Cd selenide consisting of just a few thousand atoms , and are as little as one-10,000th the breadth of a human fuzz .

The tiny size of it of these molecule means they sit somewhere between the quantum realm and the macro existence , giving them a weird jumble of semi - quantum properties . For instance , if you change a quantum dit ’s sizing by swapping out atoms , it will dead change color .
This flakey quantum behavior intend the dot are stark for project engineering , making LCD sieve more vibrant and medical procedures more accurate .
Bawendi was " sound asleep " when he got the call that he had won the prize and felt " very surprised , sleepy , shocked , unexpected and very honored , " he pronounce over the phone at the news conference .















