2023年诺贝尔化学奖揭晓：量子点技术获奖！
北京时间2023年10月4日17时45分（斯德哥尔摩时间2023年10月4日11时45分），2023年度诺贝尔化学奖获奖名单公布，获奖者为：Moungi Bawendi、Louis Brus和 Alexei Ekimov，他们因“量子点的发现和合成”而获奖。
获奖成果
They planted an important seed for nanotechnology
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 rewards the discovery and development of quantum dots, nanoparticles so tiny that their size determines their properties. These smallest components of nanotechnology now spread their light from televisions and LED lamps, and can also guide surgeons when they remove tumour tissue, among many other things.
Everyone who studies chemistry learns that an element’s properties are governed by how many electrons it has. However, when matter shrinks to nano-dimensions quantum phenomena arise; these are governed by the size of the matter. The Nobel Laureates in Chemistry 2023 have succeeded in producing particles so small that their properties are determined by quantum phenomena. The particles, which are called quantum dots, are now of great importance in nanotechnology.
“Quantum dots have many fascinating and unusual properties. Importantly, they have different colours depending on their size,” says Johan Åqvist, Chair of the Nobel Committee for Chemistry.
Physicists had long known that in theory size-dependent quantum effects could arise in nanoparticles, but at that time it was almost impossible to sculpt in nanodimensions. Therefore, few people believed that this knowledge would be put to practical use.
However, in the early 1980s, Alexei Ekimov succeeded in creating size-dependent quantum effects in coloured glass. The colour came from nanoparticles of copper chloride and Ekimov demonstrated that the particle size affected the colour of the glass via quantum effects.
A few years later, Louis Brus was the first scientist in the world to prove size-dependent quantum effects in particles floating freely in a fluid.
In 1993, Moungi Bawendi revolutionised the chemical production of quantum dots, resulting in almost perfect particles. This high quality was necessary for them to be utilised in applications.
Quantum dots now illuminate computer monitors and television screens based on QLED technology. They also add nuance to the light of some LED lamps, and biochemists and doctors use them to map biological tissue.
Quantum dots are thus bringing the greatest benefit to humankind. Researchers believe that in the future they could contribute to flexible electronics, tiny sensors, thinner solar cells and encrypted quantum communication – so we have just started exploring the potential of these tiny particles.
诺贝尔化学奖旨在奖励那些在化学领域里作出突出贡献的科学家。自1901-2021年，诺贝尔化学奖已授予188位获奖者，其中，弗雷德里克·桑格（Frederick Sanger）是唯一一位获得过两次诺贝尔化学奖的人，分别在1958年和1980年。因此1901年以来共187人获得诺贝尔化学奖，其中7位是女性。2022年诺贝尔化学奖的获奖者为：Carolyn R. Bertozzi，Morten Meldal 和 K. Barry Sharpless，他们因“对点击化学和生物正交化学发展作出的贡献”而获奖。
诺贝尔奖是以瑞典著名化学家、硝化甘油炸药发明人阿尔弗雷德·贝恩哈德·诺贝尔的部分遗产作为基金创立的，诺贝尔奖包括金质奖章、证书和奖金支票。在遗嘱中他提出，将部分遗产（920万美元）作为基金，以其利息分设物理、化学、生理或医学、文学及和平（后添加了‘经济’奖）5种奖金，授予世界各国在这些领域对人类做出重大贡献的学者。
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