Design, synthesis and advanced characterization of functional materials and devices

功能材料和器件的设计、合成和高级表征

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-06417
• 负责人: MASUT, Remo
• 金额: $ 2.4万
• 依托单位: École Polytechnique de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616297
• 关键词: Design; synthesis; advanced; characterization; functional

Our research program seeks to advance knowledge on a variety of functional semiconductor- based materials and heterostructures for applications such as (i) piezoelectric transducers and energy harvesting devices, (ii) thermoelectric generator modules for waste heat recovery and (iii) heterogeneous films for magneto optic integrated Faraday isolators. Using experimental, numerical and analytical approaches, the research program we pursue has provided basic understanding of how atomistic, nanoscale and interfacial processes during crystal growth ultimately define large scale functional properties of advancedt materials. Our studies usually lead to new, nanoengineered thin films or nanostructured bulk materials that fundamentally alter phenomena pertinent to industrial applications. MEMS related industries are in need of Pb-free alternatives to replace current piezoelectric ceramics, and so we propose to design and grow novel alloys based on piezoelectric compounds such as ZnO, and/or III-Nitrides. Emitters for telecommunications would profit from integrated Faraday isolators, for which we propose to explore the enhanced magneto optic properties of epilayers containing magnetic nanoclusters. Waste heat recovery will benefit from low-weight thermoelectric alloys made from earth abundant elements, such as Mg2Si, which we are already pursuing in our laboratories and for which a substantial increase in the power factor is necessary. The objective of our program is to establish a fundamental understanding of structure-function relationships that govern the properties of these functional materials, in particular for magneto optic and piezoelectric phenomena, and thermal to electrical energy conversion applications. Second, by extending this fundamental knowledge into proof of concept devices, such as thermoelectric generators or Faraday isolators, we provide tests for the developed materials where they matter. Finally, we have been granted access to Compute Canada resources for numerical calculations, based on density functional theory, to design novel materials with enhanced piezoelectric and thermoelectric properties. In our proposed research we will profit from this powerful approach to design novel alloys and compounds, which will then be deposited as thin films and fully characterized. The influence of hierarchical structures in the introduction of heterogeneities has not yet been explored in a systematic way, except perhaps in relation to mechanical properties of materials. Part of our program will include this novel perspective, for example in the development of ZnO based alloys. Our program includes as an important component the training of highly qualified personnel from undergraduates to postdoctoral fellows. The training provided frequently involves multi-disciplinary research under international and local collaborations, and with industry.

我们的研究计划旨在促进对各种功能性半导体材料和异质结构的了解，这些应用包括：(I)压电换能器和能量收集装置，(Ii)用于余热回收的热电发电机模块，以及(Iii)用于磁光集成法拉第隔离器的异质薄膜。通过使用实验、数值和分析方法，我们追求的研究计划提供了对晶体生长过程中的原子、纳米级和界面过程如何最终定义先进材料的大规模功能特性的基本理解。我们的研究通常导致新的纳米工程薄膜或纳米结构块状材料，从根本上改变与工业应用相关的现象。MEMS相关行业需要无铅替代材料来替代现有的压电陶瓷，因此我们建议设计和生长基于压电化合物的新型合金，如氧化锌和/或III-氮化物。通信发射器将受益于集成的法拉第隔离器，为此，我们建议探索包含磁性纳米团簇的外延层的增强磁光性能。废热回收将受益于由稀土元素制成的低重量热电合金，如镁硅，我们的实验室已经在探索这种合金，因此需要大幅提高功率因数。 我们计划的目标是建立对结构-功能关系的基本理解，这些关系支配着这些功能材料的特性，特别是在磁光和压电现象以及热能到电能转换应用方面。其次，通过将这一基本知识扩展到概念验证设备，如热电发电机或法拉第隔离器，我们在重要的地方为开发的材料提供测试。最后，我们获准使用加拿大计算公司的资源进行基于密度泛函理论的数值计算，以设计具有增强的压电性和热电性的新型材料。在我们提出的研究中，我们将受益于这种强大的方法来设计新的合金和化合物，然后将其沉积成薄膜并进行充分表征。层级结构在引入异质性中的影响还没有被系统地探索过，可能除了与材料的机械性能有关的影响。我们计划的一部分将包括这一新颖的观点，例如在氧化锌基合金的开发中。我们的计划包括培训从本科生到博士后研究员的高素质人才，作为一个重要组成部分。经常提供的培训 涉及多学科的研究，在国际和当地的合作下，并与业界合作。