quantum dot

noun

: a semiconductor nanocrystal exhibiting quantum mechanical effects that allow it to mimic the properties of an atom
The quantum dot is a semiconducting (or metallic) region so tiny that it is essentially confined in all three dimensions; like an atom, it contains a finite number of charges and has discrete energy levels.Barbara Goss Levi

Examples of quantum dot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The science of carbon quantum dots At the heart of this breakthrough are carbon quantum dots (CQDs), tiny particles that measure less than a virus in size. Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 24 Sep. 2025 Carbon quantum dots are ultra-small nanoparticles (500,000 times smaller than a grain of sand). Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Sep. 2025 Additionally, while costs are falling globally, new innovations like quantum dots are on the horizon, and consumer protections matter more than ever. Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025 Without getting specific, Samsung said the Micro RGB TV has roughly four times the number of dimming zones as its 115-inch QN90F TV, a $27,000 Mini LED TV that uses quantum dots. ArsTechnica, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for quantum dot

Word History

First Known Use

1985, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of quantum dot was in 1985

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Cite this Entry

“Quantum dot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quantum%20dot. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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