Dr. Martín Abadi
Alexey Ekimov MEMBERS
Scientist, Nanocrystals Technology
Russia
More Info
  • 2019
  • Fundamental and Mathematics Sciences (F.M.S.)
More Info
  • 2019
  • Fundamental and Mathematics Sciences (F.M.S.)
Election Remark
Alexey Ivanovich Ekimov (Russian: Алексей Иванович Екимов; born 1945) is a Russian solid state physicist and a pioneer in nanomaterials research. He discovered the semiconductor nanocrystals known as quantum dots in 1981, while working at the Vavilov State Optical Institute. In 2023, he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this discovery.
 
After graduation, Ekimov moved to the Vavilov State Optical Institute to conduct research. He began studying semiconductor-activated glasses, known as Schott glasses, and developing theories to explain their color.

When heated, copper chloride crystals formed, creating blue colors. After being cooled, x-rays revealed that tiny crystals of copper chloride had formed inside the glass. Smaller crystals were related to bluer glass.
 
In 1981, Ekimov, along with Alexei A. Onushchenko, reported the discovery of quantum size effects in copper chloride nanocrystals in glass. A phenomenon now known as quantum dots. During his time at the institute he further investigated these systems and developed the theory of quantum confinement with Alexander Efros.
 
Ekimov was awarded the 1975 USSR State Prize in Science and Engineering for work on electron spin orientation in semiconductors.He is co-recipient of the 2006 R. W. Wood Prize of the Optical Society of America for "discovery of nanocrystal quantum dots and pioneering studies of their electronic and optical properties" shared with Alexander Efros and Louis E. Brus.

He was elected as member of the European Academy of Engineering in 2019.