Scientists uncover process standing in the way of making quantum dots brighter

The article makes a big deal on brighter displays, but the real win is for thermodynamic materials. Imagine recovering usable energy from all the waste heat dumped into the environment by present thermodynamic cycles! Suddenly, a process that is only 40% efficient at best can potentially double in efficiency.

FTA: "To create photonic thermodynamic cycles, you need to precisely control how light, heat, atoms, and electrons interact in materials," Dionne said. "This work is exciting because it provides an unprecedented lens on the electronic and thermal processes that limit the light emission efficiency."