US-Sri Lanka Cooperative Research: Study of Dye-Sensitized Semiconductor Nanostructures

0322355PereraDescription：该奖项支持佐治亚州亚特兰大佐治亚州立大学(GSU)物理和天文学系Unil Perera博士和斯里兰卡康迪基础科学研究所物理系Keerthi Tennakone博士的联合研究项目。PI将研究复合纳米晶材料，重点是基于染料敏化(DS)半导体纳米结构的器件。Tennakone博士在IFS的团队正在对这些DS半导体纳米结构进行研究，重点是可见光应用(太阳能电池)，而红外应用尚未被研究。GSU小组一直在研究红外(IR)探测器，开发了新的红外探测机制，并致力于开发各种波长的红外探测器。佩雷拉博士获得了美国国家科学基金会的资助，用于开发异质结界面功函数内部光电发射(HEIWIP)探测器。这项关于红外探测器的工作与太阳能电池的研究有着非常密切的联系。通过结合双方的专业知识，有望通过提高这些DS半导体纳米结构的红外吸收和转换来提高太阳能电池的性能。不同类型的染料将被研究，以探索红外吸收行为，并获得这些低成本设备的最佳性能。不同染料的红外吸收研究将使GSU小组能够开发另一种类型的红外探测器，特别是用于低成本应用。范围：该项目的目标是推进太阳能电池的研究，并提供在室温或接近室温下工作的新型低成本红外探测器。拟议的研究结果将提高对探测器的理解，并为下一代探测器奠定基础。这将使GSU能够让斯里兰卡初级科学家参与宝贵的研究经验，同时从事半导体器件领域的尖端研究。这将对知识、物理和工程教育的进步产生重大影响，并将对两国的科学和技术做出重大贡献。这些合作还将确保在商业和政府实验室，特别是在斯里兰卡方面，有效地转移到新兴的高科技应用。

0322355PereraDescription: This award supports a joint research project between Dr. Unil Perera, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Georgia State University (GSU), Atlanta, Georgia and Dr. Keerthi Tennakone, Department of Physics, Institute of Fundamental Sciences (IFS), Kandy, Sri Lanka. The PIs will investigate composite nanocrystalline material, focusing on devices based on dye-sensitized (DS) semiconductor nanostructures. Dr. Tennakone's team at IFS is conducting research on these DS semiconductor nanostructures, with a focus on the visible light applications (solar cells) while IR applications have not been studied. The GSU group has been studying infrared (IR) detectors, has developed novel IR detection mechanisms and is working on developing IR detectors for various wavelengths. Dr. Perera has an NSF grant for the development of heterojunction interfacial workfunction internal photoemission (HEIWIP) detectors. This work on IR detectors has a very close connection to the solar cell research. By combining the expertise on both sides, it is expected that the solar cell performance could be improved by enhancing the IR absorption and conversion in these DS semiconductor nanostructures. Different types of dyes will be studied to explore the IR absorption behavior and to obtain the optimum performance of these low cost devices. The IR absorption studies of different dyes will allow the GSU group to develop another type of an IR detector especially for low cost applications. Scope: The project's goal is to advance solar cell research and to provide novel low cost infrared detectors operating at or near room temperature. The results of the proposed research will improve the understanding of detectors and form the basis for the next generation of detectors. It will enable GSU to involve Sri Lankan junior scientists in a valuable research experience while working in cutting edge research in the semiconductor device areas. This will impact significantly the advancement of knowledge, physics and engineering education, and will make a significant contribution to both nations' science and technology. The collaborations will also ensure effective transfer to emerging high-tech applications both in commercial and government laboratories and especially on the Sri Lankan side.