Sensors: Synthesis of Active Quantum Dot Infra-Red (IR) Sensors

本传感器和传感器网络（NSF 05-526）研究的目的是了解机械应变对表现出量子限制的半导体纳米晶体（称为量子点）的红外吸收的影响，从而使其能够用作有源红外传感器。 该方法将通过离子注入合成一系列注入到红外透明衬底中的半导体量子点。 光谱响应将通过改变量子点尺寸来定制。 将通过卢瑟福背散射光谱法、高分辨率透射电子显微镜和光致发光光谱法对所得尺寸、结构、分布和化学进行定量。 然后通过施加由压电致动器加载完成的应变来执行关于特定光谱峰值的微调。如果这项研究取得成功，其好处将是一种新型的先进红外传感器，在多光谱和高灵敏度应用中具有显着改进的性能，包括远程温度传感，化学和生物物种的痕量气体传感，军事目标识别和识别，以及地基天文学。 主动调节量子点吸收光谱的能力可以使紧凑的红外传感器具有更低的成本，更高的灵敏度和在室温下工作的能力。 此外，这项工作将有助于加强基础设施的研究和教育的强有力的合作，达到跨越机构和跨学科的界限。 与参与政府实验室的科学家和工程师的互动将拓宽我们参与该项目的研究生和本科生的科学经验，并将促进跨学科科学合作的理解和意识。

The objective of this Sensors and Sensor Networks (NSF 05-526) research is to acquire an understanding of the effects of mechanical strain on the infrared absorption of semiconductor nanocrystals which exhibit quantum confinement, referred to as quantum dots, thereby enabling their potential use as active infrared sensors. The approach will be to synthesize by ion implantation a range of semiconductor quantum dots implanted into infrared transparent substrates. Spectral response will be tailored by varying the quantum dot size. Resulting size, structure, distribution and chemistry will be quantified by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and photoluminescence spectroscopy. Fine-tuning about a particular spectral peak will then be performed by the application of strain accomplished by piezoactuator loading. If successful the benefits of this research will be a new class of advanced infrared sensors with dramatically improved performance in multispectral and high sensitivity applications, including remote temperature sensing, trace gas sensing of chemical and biological species, military target discrimination and identification, and ground-based astronomy. The ability to actively tune the absorption spectra of quantum dots could lead to compact infrared sensors with lower cost, higher sensitivity and the ability to operate at room temperature. Additionally this work will contribute to an enhancement of infrastructure for research and education by the strong collaboration which reaches across both institutional and interdisciplinary bounds. Interaction with the scientists and engineers from the participating government laboratory will broaden the scientific experience of our graduate and undergraduate students involved with the project, and will promote understanding and awareness of interdisciplinary scientific collaboration.