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Nanophotonics

Making the most of photons

Nature Nanotechnology volume 4, pages 548–549 (2009)Cite this article

The performance of photodetectors based on quantum dots may be improved by exploiting a process called multiple exciton generation.

Although the detection and characterization of MEG has been the subject of much recent research, it has not yet been shown to improve the efficiency of a photovoltaic device5. Now in Science, Edward Sargent and colleagues at the University of Toronto have reported a different approach to measuring MEG in quantum dots6. Their data lends support to previous spectroscopic measurements, while using a simpler experimental system.

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Figure 1: Multiple exciton generation (MEG) in a quantum dot.

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  1. Arthur J. Nozik is a Senior Research Fellow at the US Department of Energy (DOE) National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), USA and Professor Adjoint in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Colorado, 1671 Cole Boulevard, Golden, Colorado 80401, Boulder, Colorado 80309, USA. arthur.nozik@nrel.gov,

    Arthur J. Nozik

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Nozik, A. Making the most of photons. Nature Nanotech 4, 548–549 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2009.253

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