Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A nuclear powered quantum dot light source, comprising:quantum dots; anda radionuclide. 2. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, further comprising a material into which the quantum dots and the radionuclide are located. 3. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 2, wherein the material is radiolucent. 4. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 2, wherein the material comprises one or more of a radiolucent solid, a radiolucent liquid, a radiolucent gel, and/or a sol-gel hybrid. 5. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 2, wherein the material comprises one or more of a thermal sol-gel hybrid, a UV sol-gel hybrid, a plastic resin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate), and/or polyethylene. 6. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, further comprising a holder into which the quantum dots and radionuclide are placed, the holder comprising at least a portion that is radiolucent. 7. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 6, wherein the holder comprises radiolucent side walls. 8. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the quantum dots are selected to give off light at a single, predetermined wavelength when energized by the radionuclide. 9. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 8, wherein the single, predetermined wavelength can be in or out of the visible light spectrum. 10. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the quantum dots comprise a plurality of different types of quantum dots that are selected to give off light at a plurality of predetermined wavelengths when energized by the radionuclide. 11. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 10, wherein the plurality of predetermined wavelength can be selected to be in and/or out of the visible light spectrum. 12. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the radionuclide is a single type of a radionuclide that emits either alpha or beta particles. 13. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the radionuclide comprises a plurality of different types of radionuclides. 14. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the radionuclide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen 3 (3H), carbon 14 (14C), silicon 32 (32Si), nickel 63 (63Ni), thallium 204 (204Tl), polonium 210 (210Po), americium 241 (241Am) and thorium 232 (232Th). 15. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 13, wherein the radionuclides comprise a plurality of different radionuclides selected from the group consisting of hydrogen 3 (3H), carbon 14 (14C), silicon 32 (32Si), nickel 63 (63Ni), thallium 204 (204Tl), polonium 210 (210Po), americium 241 (241Am) and thorium 232 (232Th). 16. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 1, wherein the quantum dots comprises CdSe and are coated with ZnS as a protective layer. 17. A nuclear powered quantum dot light source, comprising:a holder having at least a portion that is a radiolucent;a mixture comprising quantum dots, a radionuclide, and a radiolucent material into which the quantum dots and radionuclide are located. 18. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the radiolucent material comprises a radiolucent solid, a radiolucent liquid, a radiolucent gel, and/or a sol-gel hybrid. 19. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the radiolucent material comprises one or more of a thermal sol-gel hybrid, a UV sol-gel hybrid, a plastic resin, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate), and/or polyethylene. 20. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the quantum dots are selected to give off light at a single, predetermined wavelength when energized by the radionuclide. 21. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 20, wherein the single, predetermined wavelength can be in or out of the visible light spectrum. 22. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 16, wherein the quantum dots comprise a plurality of different types of quantum dots that are selected to give off light at a plurality of predetermined wavelengths when energized by the radionuclide. 23. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 22, wherein the plurality of predetermined wavelength can be selected to be and/or out of the visible light spectrum. 24. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the radionuclide is a single type of a radionuclide that emits either alpha or beta particles. 25. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the radionuclide comprises a plurality of different types of radionuclides. 26. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 17, wherein the radionuclide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen 3 (3H), carbon 14 (14C), silicon 32 (32Si), nickel 63 (63Ni), thallium 204 (204Tl), polonium 210 (210Po), americium 241 (241Am) and thorium 232 (232Th). 27. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 25, wherein the radionuclides comprises a plurality of different radionuclides selected from the group consisting of hydrogen 3 (3H), carbon 14 (14C), silicon 32 (32Si), nickel 63 (63 Ni), thallium 204 (204Tl), polonium 210 (210Po), americium 241 (241Am) and thorium 232 (232Th). 28. A nuclear powered quantum dot light source, comprising:a holder comprising a radiolucent outer wall;a radionuclide that is either of a single type or a plurality of types, the single radionuclide or plurality of types of radionuclides emitting alpha and/or beta particles;quantum dots that are selected to give off light at a single, predetermined wavelength or a plurality of wavelengths when energized by the radionuclide;a radiolucent material in which the radionuclide and quantum dots are mixed, the mixture of the radiolucent material, radionuclide and quantum dots being placed in the holder,wherein the radionuclide energizes the quantum dots to cause them to give off light at the desired predetermined wavelength or a plurality of wavelengths. 29. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 28, wherein the radiolucent material comprises a radiolucent solid, a radiolucent liquid, a radiolucent gel, and/or a sol-gel hybrid. 30. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 28, wherein the radiolucent material comprises a radiolucent resin. 31. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 28, wherein the emitted light can be in or out of the visible light spectrum. 32. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 28, wherein the radionuclide is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen 3 (3H), carbon 14 (14C), silicon 32 (32Si), nickel 63 (63Ni), thallium 204 (204Tl), polonium 210 (210Po), americium 241 (241Am) and thorium 232 (232 Th). 33. The nuclear powered quantum dot light source of claim 28, wherein the quantum dots comprises CdSe and are coated with ZnS as a protective layer.