Moungi Bawendi, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov have won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on quantum dots, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said on Wednesday.
They were awarded the prize "for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots," the academy said in a statement.
A quantum dot is a nanometer-sized semiconductor particle traditionally with a core-shell structure.
Quantum dots are widely used for their unique optical properties, as they emit light of specific wavelengths if energy is applied to them.
They can be found in modern screens, LED lamps and are also used in tumour surgery, among a broad range of applications.
"Independently of each other, Ekimov and Brus succeeded in creating quantum dots, and Bawendi revolutionised the chemical production," the academy said.
