title: Semiconductor quantum dots: synthesis and water-solubilization for biomedical applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Quantum dots (QDs) are generally nanosized inorganic particles. They have distinctive size-dependent optical properties due to their very small size (mostly < 10 nm). QDs are regarded as promising new fluorescent materials for biological labeling and imaging because of their superior properties compared with traditional organic molecular dyes. These properties include high quantum efficiency, long-term photostability and very narrow emission but broad absorption spectra.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Recent developments in synthesizing high quality semiconductor QDs (mainly metal-chalcogenide compounds) and forming biocompatible structures for biomedical applications are discussed in this paper.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This information may facilitate the research to create new materials/technologies for future clinical applications.
authors.affiliation: Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA. wyu@wpi.edu
authors.forename: William W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D008024:Ligands; D045663:Quantum Dots; D012666:Semiconductors; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D012995:Solubility; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D012822:Silicon Dioxide