Pushing Photovoltaics Further: Quantum Dot Tech Arrives in Thin-Film Solar

UbiQD®, a U.S.-based nanotechnology company specializing in quantum dots (QDs), has announced an exclusive multi-year supply agreement with solar giant First Solar, Inc. The deal marks a major milestone for the quantum dot industry—its first high-volume commercial application outside of the display sector.

Under the agreement, UbiQD will supply its proprietary fluorescent QD materials for integration into First Solar’s thin-film bifacial photovoltaic (PV) modules. The collaboration builds on a joint development initiative launched in 2023, which validated the performance and scalability of QDs in solar encapsulation applications.

QDs, semiconductor nanocrystals that emit precise wavelengths of light, offer significant benefits in solar energy conversion. UbiQD’s technology, developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory and MIT, enhances the bifacial quantum efficiency of solar panels—boosting energy capture from both sides of the module. This spectral tuning is especially valuable in large-scale solar deployments, where even modest gains in efficiency translate into considerable improvements in energy yield.

“This is a turning point for the quantum dot industry,” said Dr. Hunter McDaniel, CEO of UbiQD. “Our work with First Solar proves that QDs can be deployed at scale, delivering real performance gains at competitive cost.”

The agreement is expected to scale UbiQD’s production capacity to over 100 metric tons annually, supported by the company’s $20 million Series B funding round closed in April 2025. A new high-volume QD manufacturing facility is planned for construction in New Mexico.

With this deal, UbiQD positions itself at the forefront of QD adoption in cleantech, while First Solar continues its push to innovate within U.S.-based manufacturing and next-gen thin-film PV technology.