Nanoco signs quantum-dot deal

UK quantum-dot maker Nanoco Technologies has signed a joint development agreement with an unnamed Japanese electronics company under which it will design and develop quantum dots for use in light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in liquid-crystal-display (LCD) televisions.

Nanoco will receive an upfront payment and milestone payments under the terms of the agreement and, on completion of the 18-month development work, it is expected that a supply-and-licence agreement will be signed.

The structure of the agreement is similar to an earlier agreement that the company signed with another Japanese corporation active in the LCD display and general lighting markets.

The earlier agreement comprised a total of $1.2m (£731,997) in joint development payments during a 12-month period. The development work was successful and a supply-and-licence agreement followed, from which a further $8m in milestone payments is expected by 31 December 2010.

Quantum dots are tiny particles, or nanoparticles, of a semiconductor material, traditionally chalcogenides (selenides or sulphides) of metals such as cadmium or zinc (CdSe or ZnS), for example, which range from 2nm to 10nm in diameter (about the width of 50 atoms).