Moungi Bawendi

About

Moungi Bawendi is the Lester Wolfe Professor of Chemistry at MIT and an advisor for the Minor in Energy Studies within the MIT Energy Initiative. His research focuses on the science and applications of nanocrystals, particularly semiconductor nanocrystals, also known as quantum dots. His lab's work spans from fundamental studies to practical applications in electro-optics and biology, involving the synthesis of new nanocrystal compositions, morphologies, and heterostructures, as well as the development of new ligands for integration into hybrid organic/inorganic devices and biological systems. The fundamental spectroscopic research conducted by his group primarily investigates the electronic structure dynamics of individual quantum dots at timescales between 100 picoseconds and 1 millisecond. The group also explores the physics of multiexcitons in quantum dots using ensemble and single-dot spectroscopic methods. Additionally, his lab studies charge transport properties of films of nanocrystals and hybrid systems, which are critical for designing devices such as quantum dot-based light emitters, lasers, photodetectors, and photovoltaics. On the biomedical front, his team collaborates with biology and medical groups to design nanocrystal probes for applications like receptor tracking, analyte sensing, and in vivo molecular imaging, focusing on how size, morphology, charge, and surface composition influence nanocrystal uptake and clearance.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Materials science
• Optoelectronics
• Nanotechnology
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Machine Learning
• Optics
• Condensed matter physics
• Artificial Intelligence

Selected publications

• Efficient perovskite solar cells via improved carrier management

  Nature · 2021 · 2886 citations

  DOI

• Perovskite solar cells

  Nature Reviews Methods Primers · 2025-01-16 · 218 citations

  article
  PublisherDOI

• How machine learning can help select capping layers to suppress perovskite degradation

  Nature Communications · 2020 · 169 citations

  and 1.3 ± 0.3 times over state-of-the-art octylammonium bromide (OABr). Through characterization, we find that this capping layer stabilizes the photoactive layer by changing the surface chemistry and suppressing methylammonium loss.

  DOI

• A data fusion approach to optimize compositional stability of halide perovskites

  Matter · 2021 · 158 citations

  DOI

• Consensus statement: Standardized reporting of power-producing luminescent solar concentrator performance

  Joule · 2022 · 138 citations

  DOI

Recent grants

• Designing Bright and Fast Fluorophores with Large Stokes' Shifts Based on Superradiant Molecular J-Aggregates

  NSF · $480k · 2021–2024

• Scalable Quantum Emitters Enabled through Rational Bottom-Up Synthesis

  NSF · $480k · 2019–2022

Frequent coauthors

• Vladimir Bulović

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  133 shared

• Rakesh K. Jain

  109 shared

• Dai Fukumura

  92 shared

• Hedi Mattoussi

  Florida State University

  66 shared

• Klavs F. Jensen

  Massachusetts Institute of Technology

  64 shared

• Daniel G. Nocera

  50 shared

• John V. Frangioni

  Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

  48 shared

• John P. Zimmer

  48 shared

Labs

• The Bawendi LabPI

Similar researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

• Stephen Leffler Buchwaldh-179
• Robert Guy Griffinh-121
• Arup K Chakrabortyh-89