Montreal Gazette - McGill researchers make 'quantum dot' leap with electronic devices

Consumers could be buying even smaller iPods, cellphones and computers in less than a decade as new research from McGill University suggests nearly invisible nano-particles will transform everyday electronics. Scientists in Montreal are the first in the world to look at "quantum dots" - tiny particles discovered about a decade ago by U.S. researchers - and their effect on electronic devices.

Their complete findings appeared in the most recent issue of the scientific journal Nano Letters. Experts assumed the minute dots, which are about a million times smaller than an ant, would be perfect for solar technology, but the McGill University team discovered the particles are capable of creating large voltages to keep compact electronics running.

"We're the first to discover this effect, the first to analyze it, and the range of possibilities is very, very exciting," said researcher Pooja Tyagi, who spearheaded the investigation for the last year. "Nano-particles are so small and we need to understand their properties if we want to control nano devices."