Sweden's Royal Academy of Sciences says three US-based researchers have won this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their work on extremely small particles called quantum dots, used in technologies ranging from TV screens to medical imaging.

The prizewinners are Moungi Bawendi of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Louis Brus of Columbia University and Alexei Ekimov of Nanocrystals Technology.

They worked separately in the 1980s and '90s and collectively achieved breakthroughs in the field of nanotechnology.

The quantum dots they developed can produce very bright, colored light at a very small scale.
They have proved useful in imaging technology, such as modern QLED monitors, as well as medical tools used in cancer treatments.

The Nobel Committee says quantum dots could soon contribute to the creation of flexible electronics, slimmer solar panels and encrypted quantum communication.

Meanwhile, the committee apologized for accidentally releasing the list of recipients early. Hours before the announcement, the names of the winners were published by Swedish media outlets. The committee says the press release was sent out for unknown reasons.