I-Corps: Femtofilm: Scalable Nanomaterials for Energy-Critical Applications

该项目计划结合纳米结构材料的可调谐原子状电子量子态和基于光纤的超短脉冲激光光源这两种能力，为经济高效地制造纳米结构材料提供一条途径。这种方法的多功能性是该项目的一个主要驱动力：从飞秒激光产生的等离子体中凝聚纳米颗粒，可以生产出几乎任何以薄膜形式沉积的材料的纳米颗粒，包括半导体和对能源至关重要的各种金属。这种多功能性是为各种用户开发广泛应用的关键。这项研究可能为实现以足够的密度和数量廉价地制备纳米颗粒薄膜或工业规模应用的目标提供一条新的途径。可持续、环保、经济实惠的能源供应是当今社会面临的挑战。新材料的开发可能对这项任务至关重要；例如，通过催化分解水分子或通过光伏发电来高效地收集太阳能，可以大大受益于利用可再生能源的具有成本效益的材料。通过该项目进行的研究可以作为可扩展的技术解决方案的基础，以满足对能源关键材料的需求。

This project plans to combine two capabilities, the tunable atom-like electronic quantum states of nanostructured materials and ultrashort-pulsed laser sources based on fiber-optics, to provide a route to making nanostructure materials economically and efficiently. The versatility of this approach is a major driver of the project: condensation of nanoparticles from a femtosecond laser-generated plasma can produce nanoparticles of essentially any material deposited as a thin film, including semiconductors and different kinds of metals that are useful for energy-critical applications. This versatility is the key to developing a wide range of applications for a variety of users.This research may provide a new route to achieving the goal of inexpensively fabricating nanopartical films in sufficient density and quantity or industrial-scale applications. Sustainable, environmentally friendly, affordable, energy supply is challenge facing today's society. New materials development can be essential to this task; for example, efficient solar energy harvesting, by catalytic splitting of water molecules or by photovoltaic power generation could benefit greatly from cost-effective materials for utilizing renewable energy. Research conducted through this project may serve as the basis for a scalable technological solution to the need for energy-critical materials.