Functional Nitride Nanocrystals for Quantum-Enhanced Technologies

用于量子增强技术的功能氮化物纳米晶体

• 批准号: EP/M015513/1
• 负责人: Richard Curry
• 金额: $ 47.55万
• 依托单位: University of Surrey
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2015 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FM015513%2F1
• 关键词: Functional; Nitride; Nanocrystals; Quantum; Enhanced

This project will transform the current research field of advanced nanoscale materials through developing a new generation of doped nitride nanomaterials in which their quantum properties can be controlled. These materials will allow access to quantum properties at room-temperature enabling and supporting the development of quantum technologies (QTs) in the long term. They also have a number of immediate applications (generating quantum-enhanced technologies) including in ICT devices and as biomarkers.In the 20th century the development of silicon-based electronics revolutionised the world, becoming the most pervasive technology behind modern-day life. In the 21st century the next revolutionary advance is predicted to come from the development of QTs. The most well-known quantum property is the dual particle-wavelike nature of electrons. This property is actually problematic in current technologies (e.g. transistors) which rely on electrons behaving as particles thus allowing them to be controlled using barriers. As these technologies are reduced in size these barriers start to fail as the wavelike properties of electrons come into play.In QTs the wavelike nature of particles will form the essential basis on which functionality is built, rather than being a problem to be overcome. Additional quantum effects such as 'spin' and the use of quantum mechanisms that allow the interaction between particles (exchange fields) provide further key properties and phenomena which these technologies will exploit. To realise this, materials must be developed which allow these properties to be enhanced and controlled. This can be achieved by reducing the size of a material down to a length scale comparable to the wavelength of the electron within it. In practice this requires the use of nanomaterials. The most successful materials developed to date are semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) whose properties may be controlled through simple changes to size and shape.Furthermore early work has shown that by introducing magnetic dopants into these NCs, rich quantum behaviour can be observed including the ability to manipulate spin and magnetic properties using light. These are the only material systems to have shown such behaviour at room temperature, a significant requirement of any future QTs.The project will directly address the EPSRC Physical Science Grand Challenges of Nanoscale Design of Functional Materials and Quantum Physics for New QTs through advanced development of these and new NC materials. Using doping we will control the NC optical, electronic and magnetic properties and determine strategies for enhancing them based on the detailed characterisation and modelling we will undertake. Furthermore, we will address the issue of uptake of NCs by industry and those working in biological applications through exclusive study of nitride based materials. These systems, which have yet to be studied in any detail, offer an alternative to more the commonly studied systems which contain heavy metals such as Cd and Pb.Current understanding of the quantum behaviour exhibited in existing doped NC systems is incomplete, and the ability to predict and control properties remains limited. In our work we will therefore undertake a program of advanced characterisation ranging from fundamental studies of magnetic interactions in NC systems, using highly sensitive nanoSQUID devices, through to the incorporation and study of NCs within devices. Research into NCs within devices will provide the proof-of-principle required to guide and justify further developmental work that will form the basis of the future quantum-enhanced technologies.Bringing together this leading team of interdisciplinary researchers and industrial partners to address the key challenges that face physical scientists today, this coherent and focused programme offers a unique opportunity to not only advance the field but place the UK in the lead with regard to QTs.

该项目将通过开发可控制量子特性的新一代掺杂氮化物纳米材料，改变当前先进纳米材料的研究领域。这些材料将允许在室温下获得量子特性，从而长期支持量子技术（QTs）的发展。它们也有许多直接的应用（产生量子增强技术），包括在信息通信技术设备和作为生物标志物。在20世纪，硅基电子产品的发展彻底改变了世界，成为现代生活背后最普遍的技术。据预测，21世纪的下一个革命性进步将来自量子技术的发展。最著名的量子特性是电子的双粒子波性质。这种特性在当前的技术（例如晶体管）中实际上是有问题的，这些技术依赖于电子作为粒子的行为，从而允许使用屏障来控制它们。随着这些技术的缩小，电子的波状特性开始发挥作用，这些障碍开始失效。在量子力学中，粒子的波状性质将构成构建功能的基本基础，而不是一个需要克服的问题。额外的量子效应，如“自旋”和量子机制的使用，允许粒子之间的相互作用（交换场）提供了这些技术将利用的进一步的关键特性和现象。为了实现这一点，必须开发出能够增强和控制这些特性的材料。这可以通过将材料的尺寸缩小到与其中电子的波长相当的长度尺度来实现。在实践中，这需要使用纳米材料。迄今为止，最成功的材料是半导体纳米晶体（NCs），其特性可以通过简单的大小和形状变化来控制。此外，早期的研究表明，通过在这些nc中引入磁性掺杂剂，可以观察到丰富的量子行为，包括利用光操纵自旋和磁性质的能力。这是唯一在室温下表现出这种行为的材料系统，这是任何未来量子力学的重要要求。该项目将通过这些和新的NC材料的先进开发，直接解决EPSRC物理科学纳米级功能材料设计和量子物理新量子管的重大挑战。使用掺杂，我们将控制NC的光学、电子和磁性能，并根据我们将进行的详细表征和建模，确定增强它们的策略。此外，我们将通过对氮基材料的独家研究，解决工业和生物应用领域的nc吸收问题。这些系统尚未进行详细的研究，但它们提供了一种替代方法，可以替代那些通常被研究的含有镉和铅等重金属的系统。目前对现有掺杂NC系统中表现出的量子行为的理解是不完整的，并且预测和控制性能的能力仍然有限。因此，在我们的工作中，我们将开展一项高级表征计划，从NC系统中磁相互作用的基础研究，使用高灵敏度的nanoSQUID设备，到设备内NC的整合和研究。对设备内的NCs的研究将提供指导和证明进一步发展工作所需的原理证明，这些工作将构成未来量子增强技术的基础。将跨学科研究人员和工业合作伙伴的领先团队聚集在一起，解决当今物理科学家面临的关键挑战，这个连贯且重点突出的项目不仅为推进该领域提供了独特的机会，而且使英国在量子力学方面处于领先地位。

项目成果

Carrier density tuning in CuS nanoparticles and thin films by Zn doping via ion exchange.

通过离子交换掺杂锌来调节 CuS 纳米粒子和薄膜中的载流子密度。

• DOI: 10.1039/d3nr00139c
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Nanoscale
• 影响因子: 6.7
• 作者: Shukla A

Nanoscale LiZnN - Luminescent Half-Heusler Quantum Dots.

• DOI: 10.1021/acsaom.3c00065
• 发表时间: 2023-06-23
• 期刊: ACS applied optical materials
• 作者: Carter-Searjeant S;Fairclough SM;Haigh SJ;Zou Y;Curry RJ;Taylor PN;Huang C;Fleck R;Machado P;Kirkland AI;Green MA
• 通讯作者: Green MA

Synthesis of IR-emitting HgTe quantum dots using an ionic liquid-based tellurium precursor.

• DOI: 10.1039/d1na00291k
• 发表时间: 2021-07-13
• 期刊: Nanoscale advances
• 影响因子: 4.7

The Biosynthesis of Infrared-Emitting Quantum Dots in Allium Fistulosum.

• DOI: 10.1038/srep20480
• 发表时间: 2016-02-09
• 期刊: Scientific reports
• 影响因子: 4.6
• 作者: Green M;Haigh SJ;Lewis EA;Sandiford L;Burkitt-Gray M;Fleck R;Vizcay-Barrena G;Jensen L;Mirzai H;Curry RJ;Dailey LA
• 通讯作者: Dailey LA

Structural investigations into colour-tuneable fluorescent InZnP-based quantum dots from zinc carboxylate and aminophosphine precursors.

对来自羧酸锌和氨基膦前体的可调色荧光 InZnP 基量子点的结构研究。

• DOI: 10.1039/d2nr02803d
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Nanoscale
• 影响因子: 6.7
• 作者: Burkitt-Gray M