Installation of Alchemist — a major sculptural work by Spanish contemporary artist Jaume Plensa that is on loan to MIT for one year in celebration of the Institute’s 150th anniversary — has been completed and the artwork now sits in the grassy area between Massachusetts Avenue and the Stratton Student Center.
The sculpture consists of mathematical symbols in the shape of a human form. It was commissioned specifically for the sesquicentennial celebration; an alumnus has underwritten the work.
This illustration shows a lead sulfide quantum dot array. Each quantum dot (the colored clusters) is 'passivated' by molecules that bind to its surface. Dots that are made up of unequal amounts of lead and sulfur tend to cause electrons (shown in red) to become highly localized, which can substantially lower the electrical transport of the device.Image: Donghun Kim and Jeffrey C. Grossman
Balance is key to making quantum-dot solar cells work
MIT team finds that the ratio of component atoms is vital to performance.
