He discovered the semiconductor nanocrystals known as quantum dots in 1981, while working at the Vavilov State Optical Institute.

[6] When the glasses were heated and then cooled, copper chloride crystals formed, as revealed by X-rays,[6] creating blue colors.

During his time at the institute he further investigated these system and developed the theory of quantum confinement with Alexander Efros.

[15][16] Ekimov was awarded the 1975 USSR State Prize in Science and Engineering for work on electron spin orientation in semiconductors.

[17] Ekimov, Brus and Moungi Bawendi were the recipients of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots".