Scaleable High-Yield Plasma Production of Functionalized Semiconductor Nanocrystals

根据这项拨款，研究重点是开发一种可扩展的高产量气相工艺，以创建表面钝化或功能化的纳米硅晶体，以实现其发光性能。该方法将基于用于合成纳米晶体的非热等离子体。将进行研究，以合成比目前可能的尺寸更小的纳米晶体，以实现跨越整个可见光谱范围的硅纳米晶体发光。要采取的方法将包括减少团聚、避免颗粒融合，以及可能对较大颗粒的气相飞行蚀刻。这笔赠款的第二个重点是开发用无机层进行表面钝化的气相方法，以保护它们免受环境攻击，并通过有机单分子层的自组装实现表面功能化。这两项努力都将集中在高通量发光硅晶体气相工艺的开发上。根据这项资助将开发的工艺可能使硅纳米晶体的广泛光电子应用成为可能。这些纳米晶体被广泛研究用于基于纳米颗粒的太阳能电池，作为更节能的固态光源中的初级发光体或荧光粉，以及作为通信用光电子器件中的发光体。与许多其他量子点材料相比，硅被认为是一种无毒和环境友好的材料，它们可能具有优异的光学性能，但含有有毒的重金属。计划开发的大规模硅纳米晶一体化合成和表面钝化工艺将使硅纳米晶技术得到广泛应用。这笔赠款的一个强有力的行业推广部分将确保行业迅速采用研究成果。

Research under this grant focuses on developing a scalable high-yield, gas-phase process for creating surface-passivated or functionalized silicon nanocrystals for their luminescent properties. The approach will be based on a nonthermal plasma for the synthesis of nanocrystals. Studies will be performed to enable the synthesis of nanocrystals that are smaller than currently possible in order to achieve silicon nanocrystal luminescence that spans the entire range of the visible spectrum. Approaches to be pursued will include reducing agglomeration, avoiding particle fusion, and possibly gas-phase in-flight etching of larger particles. The second thrust of this grant is the development of gas-phase methods for surface passivation with inorganic layers in order to protect them from environmental attack, and surface functionalization through self-assembly of organic monolayers. Both efforts will converge into the development of a high-throughput, gas-phase process for luminescent silicon crystals. The process to be developed under this grant may enable a wide range of optoelectronic applications of silicon nanocrystals. These nanocrystals are widely studied for applications in nanoparticle-based solar cells, as primary light emitters or phosphors in more energy-efficient solid state light sources, and as light emitters in optoelectronic devices for communication purposes. Compared to many other quantum dot materials, which may have excellent optical properties but contain toxic heavy metals, silicon is known as a non-toxic and environmentally benign material. The planned development of a large-scale integrated synthesis and surface passivation process for silicon nanocrystals will enable wide-spread application of silicon nanocrystal technology. A strong industrial outreach component of this grant will assure rapid adoption of research findings by industry.