Fluorescence intermittency in colloidal nanocrystals

[1] Colloidal nanocrystals are a new class of optical materials that essentially constitute a new form of matter that can be considered as "artificial atoms."

Like atoms, they have discrete optical energy spectra that are tunable over a wide range of wavelengths.

For example, to change the emission from one visible wavelength to another simply use a larger or smaller grown crystal.

Practical device applications range from low-threshold lasers to solar cells and biological imaging and tracking.

[3][4] Studies of single colloidal nanocrystals show that they randomly turn their photoluminescence on and off even under continuous light illumination.

This tends to hinder progress for engineers and scientists who study single colloidal nanocrystals and try to use their fluorescent properties for biological imaging or lasing.

Another method uses ensembles or large quantities of quantum dots and develops statistical information.