This year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Soviet-born physicist Alexey Ekimov, as well as scientists Moungi Bawendi and Louis Brus for the discovery and development of the semiconductor nanoparticles known as quantum dots, which have multiple applications, including in medicine, the Nobel Committee said on Wednesday.
"The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has decided to award the 2023 #NobelPrize in Chemistry to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov 'for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots,'" the Nobel Committee said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Academy explained that "These smallest components of nanotechnology now spread their light from televisions and LED lamps, and can also guide surgeons when they remove tumour tissue, among many other things."
In 1981, Ekimov first created quantum dots as nanocrystals of copper chloride entombed in glass while working at the Vavilov State Optical Institute in Leningrad (modern St. Petersburg).