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Researchers make an RGB laser with a regular laser and quantum dots

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 01 May 2012 06:06:00 EST

The problem with lasers is, they tend to generate just a single color or light.To get more than one hue requires actually combining more than one type of laser to produce red, green and blue. But researchers at Brown University have figured out a solution to creating small RGB lasers by using colloidal quantum dots, or CQDs. The idea of leveraging the properties of the thin film isn't new, but past attempts to use CQDs in semiconductor lasers have failed because the necessary energy tends to wind up as heat instead of light. The work around scientists found was to excite the various dot sizes with a laser then filter out original light source. Unfortunately, the solution is far from practical for use in commercial products, but it does represent a milestone in the march towards a single-material multi-wavelength laser. For more details check out the source link.

Researchers make an RGB laser with a regular laser and quantum dots originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 06:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)

Mat Smith — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:05:00 EST

Nothing screams World of Tomorrow quite like quantum dots. Alongside the possibility of paint-on solar cells, the technology could also multiply optic fiber bandwidth by up to ten times. The Photonic Network Research Institute at NICT has been able to crank up the capacity of the data transmission system by combining a light source and photonic crystal fiber. The quantum dots act as the light source, and via the NICT's new "sandwiched sub-nano separator structure" [above], they can be tweaked to work at 70THz -- far in excess of the 10THz frequencies typically used. Aside from optical communications, the potency of these high frequencies allow it to pass beyond skin, opening up the use of quantum dots to medical scanning and high resolution cell imaging. Is there anything these dots can't do? Catch a slightly more technical explanation in the video right after the break.

Continue reading Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video)

Quantum dots could increase fiber optic bandwidth up to 10 times (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Notre Dame heralds paint-on solar cells, wants to smear your home with its goop (video)

Zachary Lutz — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:22:00 EST

Leave it to the Fighting Irish to take a stab at solving the world's energy woes. Notre Dame researchers have successfully developed solar cells that can be easily painted on to any conductive surface. Imagine, for a moment, applying this solution to your home rather than attaching solar panels to the roof. The paint mixture incorporates quantum dots of titanium dioxide, which is then coated with either cadmium sulfide or cadmium selenide, and is then suspended in mixture of water and alcohol to create a spreadable compound that's capable of generating electricity. While its efficiency isn't currently much to crow home about -- which hovers around one-percent -- scientists are now actively pursuing ways to improve this aspect while making a more stable compound. Most importantly, the paint can be made cheaply and in large quantities, which suggests that even if efficiency remains in the doldrums, it may be a very worthwhile pursuit. Touchdown Jesus is already watching the video after the break.

Continue reading Notre Dame heralds paint-on solar cells, wants to smear your home with its goop (video)

Notre Dame heralds paint-on solar cells, wants to smear your home with its goop (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aluminum oxide 'egg-carton' could improve quantum dot efficiency

Terrence O'Brien — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:22:00 EST

Quantum dots have been deemed the future of everything from light bulbs, to displays and solar panels. Yet, one thing has been keeping them down -- a lack of efficiency. Current has a tendency to leak in between the dots, instead of passing straight through all the time. But, researchers at Harvard have found a possible solution. By surrounding the dots with an insulating layer of aluminum oxide, which hugs them like an egg carton, they were able to direct the current, greatly increasing the light-emission yield and reducing wasted electricity. Of course, this only applies to light-producing quantum dots at the moment, but it's possible it could eventually be applied to solar panels and increase the amount of energy harvested from the sun's rays. If you're scientifically inclined, check out the latest issue of Advanced Materials for the complete research paper.

Aluminum oxide 'egg-carton' could improve quantum dot efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 03:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quantum dots could coat the world in nano-sized solar panels

Sharif Sakr — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:59:00 EST

We've long believed in the mystical power of quantum dots, so it makes perfect sense to us that one day they'll be used to fully harness the Sun God's rays and thereby save the planet. The nano-particles turn light into electricity, and could potentially be manufactured cheaply and abundantly enough to coat surfaces in current-generating paint. The main obstacle to this has so far been efficiency: the clever little dots just don't work very hard. However, scientists at the University of Toronto now claim to have discovered a fix. Instead of using a single layer of particles, which can only harvest one meager wavelength from the full gamut of solar light, they added a second coat on top and configured it to be sensitive to an additional part of the spectrum. By adding third and fourth layers, the researchers hope to achieve a commercially viable efficiency of 10-percent within the next five years. We humbly call on Ra to be pleased with their efforts.

Quantum dots could coat the world in nano-sized solar panels originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung creates first full-color quantum dot display, threatens to make Dippin' Dots obsolete

Tim Stevens — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:19:00 EST

We haven't been serving up quantum dots news for quite as long as we've been regaling you with tales of quantum computers, which is just as good because we're about to tell you the technology is still at least three years away from showing up in something you can buy. But, it is getting closer, with Samsung demonstrating a four-inch quantum dot display with full color. Quantum dots are nanocrystals that emit light when they get excited, perhaps on Christmas morning or when waiting for the list of school cancellations on a snowy morn. The size of the crystal dictates the wavelength of light emitted, and by laying precise grids of different sized crystals Samsung creates RGB pixels of the sort needed to make a display. Pixels can be applied directly to glass or to a flexible surface, and in theory they'll be far more efficient than an LCD while brighter and longer-lasting than OLED. Right now, however, they don't achieve any of those benchmarks, which is unfortunately where we circle back to the whole "three years away" thing.

Samsung creates first full-color quantum dot display, threatens to make Dippin' Dots obsolete originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 16:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fujitsu's quantum dot laser fires data at 25Gbps, not just for show

Sean Hollister — Fri, 21 May 2010 06:50:00 EST

Fujitsu just announced what's reportedly the world's first quantum dot laser capable of 25 gigabits per second of data transmission. Go on -- there's no need to hold your applause. Now, we've seen lasers beam packets at 1.2 terabits per second over miles of open ground, and up to 15.5Tbps through a fat optical pipe, so why would a measly 25Gbps attract our attention? Only because we hear that the IEEE is hoping to create a 100Gbps ethernet standard by 2010 (that's now!) and four of Fujitsu's new nanocrystal lasers bundled together just so happen to fulfill that requirement. It also doesn't hurt that the company's quantum dot solution reportedly uses less electricity than the competition, and that Fujitsu has a spin-off firm -- QD Laser -- champing at the bit to commercialize the technology. All in all, this tech seems like it might actually take off... assuming early adopters are more successful than major corporations at deploying the requisite fiber. Either that, or we'll just enjoy some seriously speedy displays and external drives, both of which sound downright delightful in their own right.

Fujitsu's quantum dot laser fires data at 25Gbps, not just for show originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 21 May 2010 06:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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InVisage envisions a world where cell phone cameras don't suck, embraces quantum dots

Sean Hollister — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:42:00 EST

The invention of nanocrystal semiconductors -- more commonly called quantum dots -- has spurred scientists to create everything from precisely-colored LED lamps to higher-density flash memory. There's also been some talk of applying a solution of the tiny crystals to create higher sensitivity cameras, and according to a company named InVisage, that latter utility is almost ready for commercial production. By smearing light-amplifying quantum dots onto the existing CMOS sensors used in cell phone cameras like so much strawberry jam, InVisage claims it will offer smartphone sensors that have four times the performance and twice the dynamic range of existing chips by the end of the year, and roll out the conveyor belts in late 2011, just in time for the contract to end on your terrible new cameraphone.

[Thanks, Matt]

InVisage envisions a world where cell phone cameras don't suck, embraces quantum dots originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Mar 2010 02:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nanosys and LG Innotek agree deal for newfangled LED-backlit displays

Vlad Savov — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:49:00 EST

For the nitty gritty of how Nanosys' proprietary LED backlighting technology works, check out our earlier coverage here -- what you really need to know is that the company promises a significantly wider color gamut from its displays, while reducing power consumption by up to 50 percent. Quantum dot LEDs have shown their faces before, but now there's the big hulking heft of LG Innotek -- LG's component manufacturing arm -- behind what Nanosys is offering, which indicates we might actually see the release of nanotech-infused displays within the first half of this year as promised. The early focus appears to be on mobile phones, which gives us yet another next-gen feature to add to our list of requirements for our next phone. Check out the full PR after the break.

Continue reading Nanosys and LG Innotek agree deal for newfangled LED-backlit displays

Nanosys and LG Innotek agree deal for newfangled LED-backlit displays originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 22 Jan 2010 21:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Quantum dots make for more pleasing LED lamps

Tim Stevens — Wed, 06 May 2009 07:21:00 EST

Many who grew up beneath a warm, inefficient incandescent or halogen glow are having a hard time coming to grips with the stale, stiff, efficient illumination provided by CFL or LED bulbs. Two companies, Nexxus Lighting and QD Vision, have paired up to change that, with the former providing an 8 watt (75 watt equivalent) LED bulb, and the latter providing a thin film of quantum dots that can precisely control its color. The dots are microscopic particles that filter light into different colors depending on their size, from red to blue as the dots get smaller -- some only 10 atoms in diameter. The first bulbs are due later this year, and while no word on price is given, Nexxus's current LED bulb costs $100 on its own and surely that layer of dots won't come cheap. Also, no word on whether you'll need to use a Handlink to turn the thing on and off.

[Via Physorg]

Filed under: Household

Quantum dots make for more pleasing LED lamps originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 06 May 2009 07:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Nanoco shows off quantum dot displays, no flux capacitors needed

Steven Kim — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:31:00 EST

The first question thrown at any new technological development around Engadget HD is, "can it be used to make better HDTVs?" Nanomaterial producer Nanoco Technologies is answering "hopefully soon," by putting its quantum dots to use in OLED displays going under the "QD Technocolour" name. Using the teensy-tiny crystals in displays has been a longtime promise for quantum dots, where the high color purity holds great promise. Like so many nanomaterials, though, the challenge will be scaling up to production (especially to the 50-inch range); hopefully the ability to use inorganic solvents will come in handy for production engineers, because we like the promise of pure colors with long lifetimes. We'll file this under "speculative" for now and look forward to seeing pictures of the prototypes emerge.

Filed under: Displays, Others, OLED

Nanoco shows off quantum dot displays, no flux capacitors needed originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 20 Feb 2009 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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