SBIR Phase I: Direct Conversion of Infrared Radiation with Nanowire Antenna Arrays and Nanometer Scale Monolithically Integrated Rectifying Diodes

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目将开发一项使能创新，利用纳米线天线和纳米级单片集成二极管直接转换来自加热源的红外(IR)辐射。该计划将使用非常便宜的金属材料和电化学处理来创建红外收集模块。低效率、昂贵的材料，以及需要化学定制组合物以有效地耦合到不同的发射器，大大限制了热光电模块的商业化应用。将论证电化学形成红外收集模块的可行性。一旦展示，天线将被设计成具有最大的收集效率。应用范围从低温便携式电源组到高温核能和传统热源发电。此外，无偏压、室温、量子限制结构的创造有可能使红外探测器技术发生革命性的变化。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop an enabling innovation that directly converts infrared (IR) radiation from heated sources using nanowire antennas and nanometer scale monolithically integrated diodes. This program will create IR-collecting modules using very inexpensive metal materials and electrochemical processing. The low efficiency, expensive materials, and the need to chemically tailor compositions to efficiently couple to different emitters have substantially limited commercialization of thermophotovoltaic modules to niche applications. The feasibility of electrochemically formed IR-collecting modules will be demonstrated. Once demonstrated, antennas will be engineered for maximum collection efficiency.The applications vary from low temperature portable power packs to the generation of electricity from high temperature nuclear and conventional heat sources. In addition, the creation of a non-biased, room temperature, quantum confinement structure has the potential to revolutionize IR detector technology.