Discovery of 'doping' mechanism in semiconductor nanocrystals

Novel electronic devices based upon nanotechnology may soon be realized due to a new understanding of how impurities, or 'dopants,' can be intentionally incorporated into semiconductor nanocrystals. This understanding, announced today by researchers at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) and the University of Minnesota (UMN), should help enable a variety of new technologies ranging from high-efficiency solar-cells and lasers to futuristic 'spintronic' and ultra-sensitive biodetection devices. The complete findings of the study are published in the July 7, 2005, issue of the journal Nature.