Fluorescent Quantum Dots Make Feasible Long-Range Transmission of Molecular Bits

The modeling and realization of an effective communication platform for long-range information transfer is reported. Messages are encrypted in molecular bits by concentration pulses of fluorescent carbon quantum dots having self-quenching emission that dynamically depends on the concentration pulses. Messages are transferred along longer paths when received and decoded by means of dynamical emission response with respect to the ones encoded by absorbance scaling linearly with messenger concentration. These results represent a significant breakthrough in view of the futuristic development of a nonspecific molecular communication platform to encode and transfer information in multiple fluid environments, ranging from physiological to industrial ones.