RUI: Investigation of Surface Loss Processes in Nano-scale Luminescent Materials

技术。本项目主要研究在真空紫外（VUV）激发下纳米（50-500 nm）固态发光材料中的电子-空穴（e-h）对输移和俘获过程。该方法是对控制粒径的材料进行系统的光谱研究，并在公认模型的背景下评估这些数据。对数据的分析和建模预计将提供对给定宿主中e-h对的迁移率的评估，以及在粒子表面吸收能量损失的程度。这些测量还能够区分大块能量损失效应和那些涉及向地表迁移的效应。这种差异对于开发具有高表面面积的高效纳米级光学材料非常重要。最初的研究重点将放在表征良好且技术上重要的材料Y2O3和YBO3上。我们的目标是对纳米材料的结构和组成与表面能损失之间的关系有更深入的了解。本项目旨在解决电子/光子材料科学中具有技术相关性的主题领域的基础研究问题。详细了解固体中的电子传递过程对材料科学的各个领域都很重要，包括闪烁体、双光子荧光粉、染料敏化太阳能电池和透明导体的研究。首席研究员的目标是与中央华盛顿大学的本科生组成调查小组，维持一个严格的研究项目。这将为学生提供更深入、更广泛的培训，使他们在学术生涯的早期接触到有趣的研究课题，并为研究生院或未来的专业努力做好准备。

Technical. This project, at a predominately undergraduate institution, involves the study of electron-hole (e-h) pair transport and trapping processes in nano-scale (50-500 nm) solid-state luminescent materials under vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) excitation. The approach is to conduct a systematic spectroscopic investigation of materials of controlled particle size, and evaluation of this data in the context of accepted models. The analysis and modeling of the data is expected to provide an assessment of the mobility of e-h pairs in a given host, as well as the degree to which absorbed energy is lost at the particle surface. These measurements are also able to distinguish bulk energy loss effects from those involving migration to the surface. Such differentiation is important to the development of efficient nanoscale optical materials that have an intrinsically high surface area. Initial research focus will be on the well characterized and technologically important materials, Y2O3 and YBO3. The goal is to obtain greater fundamental understanding of how surface energy losses are related to the structure and composition of nanomaterials.Non-Technical. The project addresses fundamental research issues in a topical area of electronic/photonic materials science having technological relevance. Developing a detailed understanding of electron transport processes in solids is important to a wide variety of fields within materials science, including the study of scintillators, two-photon phosphors, dye-sensitized solar cells and transparent conductors. It is the objective of the principal investigator to sustain a rigorous research program with undergraduate students at Central Washington University comprising the bulk of the investigative team. This will provide students with deeper and broader training, expose them to interesting research topics early in their academic careers, and serve as excellent preparation for graduate school or future professional endeavors.