New hi-tech production of colloidal quantum dots was launched yesterday in Dubna outside Moscow on the premises of technology company Nanotech-Dubna, Rusnanonet Russian National Nanotech Network reports.

An investor consortium for the $2.3m project is reportedly led by Russia’s largest nanotech company, Rusnano, which kicked in just over a million dollars. The project owner, Nanotech-Dubna, and the RF’s Federal Service for Engineering and Export Supervision also joined in.

At inception, the new line will operate with a capacity of 10kg of quantum dots a year, generating $1m sales in the first year of operation. Plans are to boost production within a year to 100kg.

The quantum dots are semiconductor crystals sized within a few dozen nanometers. Nanotech-Dubna’s research and testing center will reportedly use a colloidal high-temperature synthesis technique to make the dots from semiconductor materials enabling production of luminescent substances both in visible and partially infrared spectra.

Next gen phosphors for white LEDs are quantum dots’ primary application. Such phosphors produce better emission and are resistant to adverse ambient impact.

Quantum dots can also be used as luminescent marks to prevent the forgery of securities and important documents.

According to Nanotech-Dubna CEO Maksim Vakstein, “we price our products much more competitively than US and European producers.”

As Rusnano managing director Dmitry Pimkin put it, “there are only ten or so quantum dots makers in the world.” The global market is nascent; however, according to Rusnano estimates, it is expected to grow from $22m in 2008 to $250m four years from now.

Nanotech-Dubna is one of a large number of companies financially backed since 2007 by Rusnano to carry out nanotech projects.