Novel INFIQ® Lead-Free Infrared Quantum Dot Inks for Photodetection Applications

用于光电检测应用的新型 INFIQ® 无铅红外量子点墨水

• 批准号: 10057762
• 金额: $ 12.73万
• 依托单位: QUANTUM SCIENCE LTD
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Launchpad
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10057762
• 关键词: Novel; INFIQ; Lead; Free; Infrared

Photodetection of infrared (IR) light is used in many industries where the unique properties of sensing and imaging add significant capabilities beyond those of visible light. Current markets include telecommunications, surveillance, spectroscopy, thermal imaging and healthcare, with growing demand in applications for consumer/mobile devices, autonomous vehicles, and novel medical diagnostics.Colloidal quantum dot (CQD)-based IR photodetectors have shown exceptional promise to disrupt incumbent IR technologies combining wavelength tunability, high responsivity and solution processability. The current dominant technology uses lead sulphide (PbS) nanoparticles. Lead (Pb) is restricted hazardous substances under RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU; it is a heavy metal and carries environmental and health concerns. An optimal approach would avoid such compliance issue whilst minimising health and environmental impacts in a product's life cycle, from manufacture to eventual disposal.The PbS QD devices also require a layer-by-layer deposition process involving up to 14 layers. Each layer requires multiple chemical treatment and washing steps, using large volumes of chemicals and solvents that are costly and must be disposed of safely.This project will solve all these problems by developing novel lead-free QD inks and demonstrate their applications in short-wave infrared (SWIR) photodetectors, through a simple one step deposition process. To date, alternative lead-free QD materials have not been synthesised with sufficiently high quality and large scale for optoelectronic device applications. Quantum Science Ltd (QS) has proprietary processes and know-hows to make scalable lead-free SWIR CQDs demonstrating highly efficient conversion of IR light for photodetection. The current challenge is to upscale the material synthesis and provide the QDs in right status enabling simple and low-cost CQD film coating for mass production of SWIR photodetectors.In this project the lead-free CQDs will be synthesised using upscaling method, and surface functionalised with conductive ligands in the same synthesis reactor without pre-purification of the synthesised QD. Different pre-screened novel ligands, eco-friendly solvents and processing conditions will be assessed and QD ink formulations will be optimised and used to deposit films for device fabrication.This project will deliver lead-free CQD inks with leading performance in devices for mass production of high-performance SWIR photodiodes to meet our customers' requirements for the next stage of commercialisation.

红外（IR）光的光电检测被用于许多行业，其中感测和成像的独特属性增加了可见光之外的显著能力。目前的市场包括电信、监控、光谱、热成像和医疗保健，消费/移动的设备、自动驾驶汽车和新型医疗诊断应用的需求不断增长。基于胶体量子点（CQD）的红外光电探测器显示出卓越的前景，将颠覆现有的红外技术，结合波长可调谐性、高响应性和溶液可加工性。目前的主导技术使用硫化铅（PbS）纳米颗粒。根据RoHS指令2011/65/EU，铅（Pb）是受限制的有害物质;它是一种重金属，具有环境和健康问题。一个最佳的方法将避免这种合规性问题，同时最大限度地减少产品生命周期中的健康和环境影响，从制造到最终处置。PbS QD器件还需要一个逐层沉积过程，涉及多达14层。每一层都需要多次化学处理和清洗步骤，使用大量昂贵且必须安全处理的化学品和溶剂。本项目将通过开发新型无铅QD油墨来解决所有这些问题，并通过简单的一步沉积工艺展示其在短波红外（SWIR）光电探测器中的应用。到目前为止，替代的无铅QD材料还没有合成出足够高的质量和大规模的光电器件应用。Quantum Science Ltd（QS）拥有专有工艺和专有技术，可制造可扩展的无铅SWIR CQD，展示了用于光电探测的高效IR光转换。目前的挑战是升级材料合成，并提供合适状态的量子点，从而实现简单且低成本的CQD薄膜涂层，用于SWIR光电探测器的大规模生产。在该项目中，无铅CQD将使用升级方法合成，并在同一合成反应器中与导电配体进行表面官能化，而无需对合成的量子点进行预纯化。我们将评估不同的预筛选新型配体、环保溶剂和加工条件，优化QD油墨配方并用于器件制造的存款薄膜。该项目将提供无铅CQD油墨，其性能领先于大规模生产高性能SWIR光电二极管的器件，以满足客户下一阶段商业化的要求。