Metallic Nanocluster Surface Coated Nano VCSEL Arrays for Trace Gas Detection

目的：PI提出使用钯和金属氧化物纳米团簇作为催化涂层，用于快速、高灵敏度/特异性、化学到光学转换。涂覆的、光学泵浦的、纳米级VCSEL将气体引起的变化放大并编码为输出功率和/或波长偏移以用于远程读出。智力优势：这项工作融合了纳米材料和器件架构的新研究，以改变目前对纳米光子传感器的科学理解。钯纳米团簇的气致晶格膨胀是电氢传感器的研究热点，但由于潜在的火花，光学传感器是有利的。PI建议通过表征晶格膨胀引起的复折射率变化，并测试基于这种效应的传感器来扩大当前的研究。更广泛的影响：氢是一种有吸引力的替代燃料，但由于氢在空气中的可燃点低至4%，因此其安全生产和使用受到广泛关注。当前氢传感器的响应速度、灵敏度和可靠性差可能会破坏未来的氢燃料经济性。因此，该项目可以通过展示高性能传感器产生广泛的社会影响。此外，该研究为多个学科的研究生和本科生研究人员的教学和培训提供了丰富的机会。代表性不足的群体的参与将通过校园招聘，REU实习和K-12外展活动扩大。

Objective: The PI proposes using palladium and metal oxide nanoclusters as catalytic coatings for fast, high sensitivity/specificity, chemical to optical transduction. Coated, optically pumped, nanoscale VCSELs amplify and encode gas induced changes into an output power and/or wavelength shift for remote readout. Intellectual Merit: This effort merges new research in nanoscale materials and device architectures to transform current scientific understanding of nanophotonic sensors. Gas induced lattice expansion of palladium nanoclusters is a hot research topic for electrical hydrogen sensors, but due to potential sparking, optical sensors are advantageous. The PI proposes expanding current research by characterizing the complex refractive index change caused by lattice expansion and testing sensors based on this effect.Broader Impacts: Hydrogen is an attractive alternative fuel, but there is widespread public concern about its safe production and usage due to hydrogen's low flammability point of 4% in air. Poor response speed, sensitivity, and reliability of current hydrogen sensors could derail the future hydrogen fuel economy. Thus, this project can produce broad societal impact by demonstrating high performance sensors. Additionally, the research offers rich opportunities for teaching and training of graduate and undergraduate researchers in several disciplines. Participation of underrepresented groups will be broadened through on campus recruitment, REU internships, and K-12 outreach activities.