In quantum-confined semiconductor nanostructures, electrons exhibit distinctive behavior compared with that in bulk solids. This enables the design of materials with tunable chemical, physical, electrical, and optical properties. Zero-dimensional semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) offer strong light absorption and bright narrowband emission across the visible and infrared wavelengths and have been engineered to exhibit optical gain and lasing. These properties are of interest for imaging, solar energy harvesting, displays, and communications. Here, we offer an overview of advances in the synthesis and understanding of QD nanomaterials, with a focus on colloidal QDs, and discuss their prospects in technologies such as displays and lighting, lasers, sensing, electronics, solar energy conversion, photocatalysis, and quantum information.

在量子限制的半导体纳米结构中，电子表现出与散装固体中不同的行为。这使得设计具有可调化学、物理、电学和光学特性的材料成为可能。零维半导体量子点 (QD) 在可见光和红外波长范围内提供强大的光吸收和明亮的窄带发射，并经过设计以展示光学增益和激光。这些特性对成像、太阳能收集、显示和通信很重要。在这里，我们概述了 QD 纳米材料的合成和理解进展，重点是胶体 QD，并讨论了它们在显示和照明、激光、传感、电子、太阳能转换、光催化和量子等技术中的前景。信息。