Optoelectronic Components Using Low Refractive Index Films

使用低折射率薄膜的光电元件

• 批准号: 0725615
• 负责人: E. Schubert
• 金额: $ 30万
• 依托单位: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-08-01 至 2010-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0725615&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Optoelectronic; Components; Using; Low; Refractive

ECCS-0725615E. Schubert, Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteIntellectual merit: The refractive index, first introduced by Isaac Newton, is the most fundamental quantity in optical sciences. The intellectual merit of the proposed program lies in the development of a new class of optical thin-film materials with unprecedented low refractive index and in the employment of these thin-film materials in two specific device applications: Solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Each type of device will be coated with highly light-transmissive graded-index layers. Numerous figures of merit in multilayer optical thin-film structures depend on the refractive index contrast, that is, the difference in refractive index between a high- and a low-index material. Thus, many optoelectronic components could be strongly improved if materials with a refractive index close to that of free space would be available. However, the refractive index of conventional dense optical materials is limited to values higher than 1.4. Viable materials with refractive indices in a range n = 1.05?1.20 do not yet exist, but would be of tremendous interest. Broader impact: In addition to the scientific impact, the proposed program would have a strong educational component. The educational goals of the program are (i) training and furthering of the intellectual growth of graduate students, (ii) raising the interest of undergraduate students, particularly of domestic undergraduate students, and involvement of these students in leading-edge research, and (iii) increased participation of underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. The ability to participate in a new direction of research and in the application of new optical materials in devices provides an excellent opportunity for students to be educated and trained in a novel, interdisciplinary, and potentially high-impact field. Furthermore, low-refractive-index materials will contribute to the pollution-free generation of electricity by solar cells and the highly efficient use of electricity in solid-state lighting devices.

ECCS-0725615E。Schubert，Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute-intellectual merit：折射率，首先由艾萨克·牛顿提出，是光学科学中最基本的量。该计划的智力价值在于开发具有前所未有的低折射率的新型光学薄膜材料，并将这些薄膜材料用于两种特定的器件应用：太阳能电池和发光二极管。每种类型的器件都将涂覆有高度透光的渐变折射率层。多层光学薄膜结构中的许多品质因数取决于折射率对比度，即高折射率材料和低折射率材料之间的折射率差。因此，如果可以获得折射率接近自由空间的材料，许多光电元件可以得到极大的改进。然而，常规致密光学材料的折射率限于高于1.4的值。可行的材料与折射率的范围n = 1.05？1.20还不存在，但会引起极大的兴趣更广泛的影响：除了科学影响，拟议的计划将有一个强大的教育组成部分。该计划的教育目标是（一）培养和促进研究生的智力发展，（二）提高本科生，特别是国内本科生的兴趣，并使这些学生参与前沿研究，以及（三）增加代表性不足和弱势群体的参与。参与新的研究方向和新的光学材料在设备中的应用的能力为学生提供了一个极好的机会，在一个新的，跨学科的，潜在的高影响力的领域接受教育和培训。此外，低折射率材料将有助于太阳能电池的无污染发电和固态照明设备的高效用电。