Scientists Solve Problem of Quantum Dot 'Blinking'

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JILA scientists have found a way to suppress the blinking problem in quantum dots by bathing them in a chemical solution. This animated image which demonstrates the basic blinking phenomenon is made from a series of 40 images taken about one minute a ...
JILA scientists have found a way to suppress the blinking problem in quantum dots by bathing them in a chemical solution. This animated image, which demonstrates the basic blinking phenomenon, is made from a series of 40 images taken about one minute apart. Quantum dots actually blink on time scales ranging from millionths of a second to tens of seconds or longer. Credit: K Kuno/JILA

Quantum dots—tiny, intense, tunable sources of colorful light—are illuminating new opportunities in biomedical research, cryptography and other fields. But these semiconductor nanocrystals also have a secret problem, a kind of nervous tic. They mysteriously tend to “blink” on and off like Christmas tree lights, which can reduce their usefulness.


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