Nanocrystals can be used to make 3D displays

Singapore researchers have found a simple way to control the growth of NaYF₄ nanocrystals with useful optical properties. These crystals absorb near-infrared light and emit visible light. You can use this to create a 3D display - disperse them in a transparent silicon displays, and use infra-red (invisible) lasers to generate images in 3D. Those crystals are nontoxic and biocompatible and thus can be used in bioimaging or bio-labelling. The researchers found a way to make these crystals less than 20nm in size and have a hexagonal crystal structure - by carefully controlled quantities of lanthanide ions into the structure (lanthanide 'doping').

Via PhysicsWorld