ARI:MA- Novel neutron detectors made of conjugated polymers and inorganic nanoparticles: New Science and Technology

ARI：MA-由共轭聚合物和无机纳米颗粒制成的新型中子探测器：新科学和技术本研究的目标是开发两种新型中子探测系统，聚合物量子棒和无机半导体纳米颗粒复合材料，并阐明这些系统操作的基本机制。对设备物理学的理解和新材料系统的创造可以创造新的科学并改变中子探测技术。所提出的方法采用非真空技术的半导体薄膜沉积，降低设备的制造成本，使大面积的探测器薄膜，并促进整个探测器的有源层的中子敏化材料的分散，提出的研究的智力价值是更深入地了解高性能的新型复合材料的中子探测设备的应用。这些研究将产生关于有机聚合物量子棒和无机半导体纳米粒子中子敏化材料制成的复合材料中结构有序、电荷转移和载流子输运之间相互作用的信息。低成本的“可打印”中子探测器，用于防止危险的放射性物质和武器进入美国。此外，拟议的研究涉及开发与其他应用感兴趣的大面积半导体薄膜兼容的新型半导体系统，例如低成本太阳能电池，这是另一个重要而紧迫的社会需求。最后，参与该项目的学生和博士后所获得的研究经验将使整个社会受益，特别是通过将他们暴露在尖端研究领域的最先进的实验技术中。

ARI:MA- Novel neutron detectors made of conjugated polymers and inorganic nanoparticles: New Science and TechnologyThe objective of this research is the development of two novel neutron detection systems, polymer quantum rods and inorganic semiconductor nanoparticle composites, and elucidating the fundamental mechanisms underlying the operation of these systems. An understanding of the device physics and the creation of new material systems could create new science and transform neutron detection technology. The proposed approaches employ non-vacuum techniques of semiconductor film deposition, reducing device fabrication cost, enabling large-area detector films, and facilitating dispersion of the neutron sensitizing materials throughout the detector active layer.The intellectual merit of the proposed research is a deeper understanding of high performance novel composites for neutron detection device applications. The proposed investigations will generate information about the interplay between the structural order, charge transfer, and carrier transport in composites made of both organic polymer quantum rod and inorganic semiconductor nanoparticle neutron-sensitizing materials.The broader impacts of the research could lead to the development of large area, and low cost "printable" neutron detectors for guarding against dangerous radioactive materials and weapons entering the United States. Also, the proposed research is involved with developing novel semiconductor systems that are compatible with large-area semiconductor films that are of interest to other applications, such as low cost solar cells, another important and urgent societal need. Finally, the research experience gained by the students and post docs engaged with this project will benefit society at large and them in particular by exposing them to state of the art experimental techniques in a cutting edge research area.