Louis Brus, Quantum Dot Pioneer and Nobel Laureate, Dies at 82
Louis E. Brus, a Bell Labs chemist who discovered quantum dots—nanocrystals whose color depends on size—died at 82 from myelodysplastic syndrome. His 1983 discovery revealed size-tunable optical properties, helping ignite nanoscience and earning him the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Moungi Bawendi and Aleksey Yekimov. Quantum dots now enhance displays and medical imaging and may power future solar cells and encryption; Brus later taught at Columbia after leaving Bell Labs in 1996 and continued research on carbon nanotubes and graphene.