CAREER: Metal-Semiconductor Hybrid Core-Shell Heteronanostructures with Geometrically Tunable Optical Properties

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TECHNICAL SUMMARYThis CAREER award co-sponsored by the Solid State and Materials Chemistry (SSMC) and the Electronic and Photonic Materials (EPM) programs aims to develop quantitative understanding of the geometry-dependent optical characteristics of metal-semiconductor core-shell hybrid heteronanostructures both at the ensemble and single-nanoparticle levels. The proposed research will be carried out following a 3M (Make, Measure, Model) strategy that involves combined experimental and theoretical efforts. Robust wet chemistry approaches will be developed through which a whole set of important geometrical and compositional parameters of the metal-semiconductor core-shell nanoparticles can be precisely fine-controlled. The tight control over the particle geometries will allow one to systematically and selectively fine-tune the synergistic light absorption and scattering properties of the particles over a broad spectral range across the visible and near-infrared regions. Detailed, quantitative understanding of the correlation between particle geometry and optical properties will be developed through combined spectroscopy and electron microscopy measurements and further enhanced by theoretical calculations using Mie scattering theory and Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulations. Taking the advantage of the particles? geometrical and optical tunability, the PI's group will further explore new ways to utilize engineered hybrid nanoparticles for the optimization of molecular sensing and characterization platforms based on surface-enhanced Raman and fluorescence spectroscopies.NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Metal-semiconductor hybrid heteronanostructures have emerged as a new class of multifunctional sub-wavelength optical components with synergistically reinforced optical features, enhanced optical tunability, and even new optical characteristics that are otherwise inaccessible in any of the isolated components or their physical mixture counterparts. This CAREER grant aims to develop quantitative understanding of the relationship between the particle geometry and optical characteristics of metal-semiconductor hybrid heteronanostructures. The knowledge gained through the proposed research will greatly enhance our capabilities to selectively implement desired optical properties into hybrid nanoparticle-based materials and devices for widespread technological applications in materials and life sciences. With this award, the PI will be able to develop a highly interdisciplinary and collaborative nanoscience research and education program that involves broad participation of postdoctoral fellows, graduate, undergraduate, and high school students with diverse backgrounds. The postdocs and students in the PI's group will receive interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary training on cutting-edge research at the interface of physical chemistry and materials science. The PI will build undergraduate research partnerships and organize summer research workshops among University of South Carolina and Primarily Undergraduate Institutions to promote research and education on chemistry and materials science and help increase the enrollment and retention rate, especially those of female and academically underrepresented minorities, in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) majors in the State of South Carolina. For course development, the PI will develop new lab modules to incorporate cutting-edge nanoscience research into the undergraduate and graduate courses. Outreach activities will be developed to educate teenagers from local middle schools and high schools about nanoscience and nanotechnology through scientific demos at annual South Carolina Science and Engineering Fair and summer research mentorships for high school students and teachers.