What is a quantum dot?
A quantum dot is really small assembly of atoms (just a few thousand) around a few nanometers wide. The ‘quantum’ in its name comes from the fact that the electrons in these atoms have very little space to move around, so the crystal as a whole displays the quirky effects of quantum mechanics — effects that otherwise would be hard to ‘see’ without more sophisticated instruments. Quantum dots have also been called ‘artificial atoms’ because the dot as a whole behaves like an atom in some circumstances.
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[…] At their core, quantum dots are like artificial atoms. Imagine clusters of atoms so small that their electrons become trapped, confined to discrete energy levels. When illuminated by light or radiation, these trapped electrons can emit light, resulting in a phenomenon known as photoluminescence. The color of this emitted light depends on the energy difference between the conductance band and the valence band within the quantum dot structure. […]