SFB 951: Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Systems for Opto-Electronics (HIOS)

在过去的几十年里，精确控制不同材料异质结构形成的能力使电子和光学技术发生了革命性的变化。然而，应对这些关键技术面临的越来越多的挑战需要全新的方法。本着这种精神，CRC启动了一项开创性和综合性的研究计划，将无机/有机混合系统(HIO)中三种截然不同的材料结合在一起，目的是实现实质性改进和潜在的新颖光电功能：无机半导体具有高载流子迁移率，共轭有机分子表现出强烈的光-物质耦合，而金属纳米结构在亚波长维度擅长限制和引导光。可以想象，每一种材料类别都可以贡献独特的特性，而它们的合并还没有被系统地尝试过。为了充分利用这一潜力，CRC阐明了由于HIO中结合的组分的不同性质而产生的基本的化学、电子、光子和等离子体相互作用，并揭示了新的杂化量子态和它们界面上的耦合激发。与此同时，我们了解了最先进的块状无机半导体在实现与共轭分子的紧密耦合方面的局限性。由于无处不在的表面态和从表面到半导体块体的能带弯曲，被动的中间层损害了功能。在即将到来的资助期间，我们将利用原子薄的过渡金属二卤化物单分子膜极高的表面体积比和强烈的光-物质相互作用，这是在第二个资助期间出现的理想无机半导体元件，以实现CRC的目标。与以前使用的半导体相比，这些单分子膜具有更好的结构质量和稳定性。我们现在可以实现只由活动区域(即界面)组成的高IO，这一事实提供了以前在现实中无法想象的新机会。我们现在着手实现最终的耦合和功能。此外，由于我们可以获得纳米薄的、仅有界面的HIO，我们可以充分释放金属纳米结构的潜力，使其等离子体增强光的吸收和发射几个数量级。与我们新一代独特的分子光开关相结合，CRC 951中收集的广泛技术诀窍使我们能够实现先进的HIO，为无与伦比的纳米级固态设备铺平道路，这是任何单独的材料类别都无法实现的。现在触手可及，这些超紧凑型设备将具有卓越的功能，如高调制频率的光发射和传感、广泛可调的量子发射、手性传感、电子和光学多功能，甚至突触和神经元仿真。

The ability to precisely control the formation of heterostructures from different materials has revolutionized electronic and optical technologies during the past decades. However, tackling the increasing challenges faced by these key technologies requires radically new approaches. In this spirit, the CRC has launched a both ground breaking and comprehensive research programme combining three significantly different classes of materials in hybrid inorganic/organic systems (HIOS) with the aim of realizing substantially improved and potentially novel opto-electronic functionalities: inorganic semiconductors feature high charge carrier mobilities, conjugated organic molecules exhibit strong light-matter coupling, while metal nanostructures excel at confining and guiding light at subwavelength dimensions. Each material class can conceivably contribute unique properties, and their merger had not been systematically attempted. For fully harnessing this potential, the CRC elucidated the fundamental chemical, electronic, photonic, and plasmonic interactions arising from the different nature of the components combined in HIOS, and uncovered novel hybridized quantum states and coupled excitations at their interfaces. In hand with this, we comprehended the limitations of state-of-the-art bulk inorganic semiconductors for achieving intimate coupling with conjugated molecules. Due to ubiquitous surface states and band bending from the surface into the semiconductor bulk, a passive interlayer compromises functionality.In the upcoming funding period, we will exploit the extremely high surface-to-volume ratio and strong light-matter interaction of atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers, which emerged during the second funding period as ideal inorganic semiconductor component for the goals of the CRC. These monolayers feature superior structural quality and stability compared to previously used semiconductors. The fact that we can now realise HIOS that are comprised of the active region only, i.e., the interface, provides novel opportunities that were not realistically imaginable before. We now set out to achieve ultimate coupling and functionality. Furthermore, because we have access to nanometre thin, interface-only HIOS we can unleash the full potential of metal nanostructures for plasmonic enhancement of light absorption and emission by several orders of magnitude. Combined with new generations of our unique molecular photoswitches, the extensive know-how gathered within the CRC 951 enables us to realise advanced HIOS that will pave the way for unequalled nanoscale solid-state devices, not achievable with any of the individual material classes alone. Now within reach, these ultra-compact devices will feature superior functionality, such as high modulation frequency light emission and sensing, widely tuneable quantum emission, chirality sensing, electronic and optical multi-functionality, and even synapse and neuron Emulation.