Quantum dots can replace silicon
Colloidal quantum dots, as well as similar crystalline quantum dots, have their functioning governed by quantum mechanics . Nanoparticles grouped in a nucleus surrounded by organic molecules, are semiconductors and, therefore, chosen by researchers at the University of California and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) to make their use in circuits an alternative to silicon-based microelectronics. The two teams used quantum dot transistors to create circuits capable of performing logical operations, combining inorganic semiconductors with the chemical processability of molecular systems. The result was a functional CMOS circuit - a low-cost and ideal alternative for complicated electronic devices, but which can be manufactured using simple techniques based on alternative solutions. Because they have inorganic and organic parts, colloidal quantum dots combine the qualities of semiconductors with the versatility of molecular systems. Because they have inorganic and organic par...