Optical coupling between chiral biomolecules and semiconductor nanoparticles: size-dependent circular dichroism absorption.

Sizing up QDs: CdTe or CdSe quantum dots (QDs) stabilized by chiral biomolecules show size-dependent circular dichroism (CD) characteristics in the visible light region. Theoretical calculations reveal that the origin of this CD is the combination of the weak optical activity of the biomolecules and the large enhancement effects from the strong absorption of QDs. © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.