Cadmium Telluride Quantum Dots

Book excerpt: In the last two decades, semiconductor quantum dots—small colloidal nanoparticles—have garnered a great deal of scientific interest because of their unique properties. Among nanomaterials, CdTe holds special technological importance as the only known II–VI material that can form conventional p–n junctions. This makes CdTe very important for the development of novel optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and lasers. Moreover, the demand for water-compatible light emitters and the most common biological buffers give CdTe quantum dots fields a veritable edge in biolabeling and bioimaging. Cadmium Telluride Quantum Dots: Advances and Applications focuses on CdTe quantum dots and addresses their synthesis, assembly, optical properties, and applications in biology and medicine. It makes for a very informative reading for anyone involved in nanotechnology and will also benefit those scientists who are looking for a comprehensive account on the current state of quantum dot–related research.