Pnictogen-based semiconductors for Harvesting EneRgy from Ambient Light to power autonomous Devices (HERALD)

HERALD的目标是通过开发新型光电半导体，更有效地从建筑物内的照明中收集广泛可用的能量，从而推动智能设备供电方式的逐步改变。这种能量可以通过室内光伏（IPV）进行可再生收集，这对于驱动第四次工业革命的数十亿台自主智能设备来说非常有吸引力。然而，工业标准IPV（氢化非晶硅；a-Si:H）的效率仅为~20%，大多数商用设备的效率<10%。HERALD将从新型的rudorffites和chalhalides中开发IPV，这两种材料在室内照明下的效率有可能达到50 - 48%。这是一种低毒性、高稳定性的材料，基于致烟原铋和锑，它们在室内光收集方面的巨大潜力才刚刚开始显现。HERALD将利用从宏观到近原子尺度的分级表征方法，将这些新化合物转化为领先的IPV。在此过程中，将获得基本的理解，以了解性能限制因素是什么以及如何系统地减轻这些因素。终端将是高性能、耐用、低环境影响的测试设备。这种材料将使用一种新的等离子体喷雾技术快速大规模生长，IPV将在商业智能设备中原型化。开发的基于pnicogen的IPV可以减少智能设备对电池供电的依赖，从而对智能设备产生变革性影响，因为电池需要定期更换，会产生大量浪费。新的IPV可以在不破坏环境的情况下部署，并且将比a-Si:H IPV收集更多的功率，以维持具有更先进功能的智能设备。光子基半导体的开创性发展也将推动它们在众多光伏领域的发展，从清洁太阳能燃料生产到医疗成像的辐射检测。

HERALD aims to instigate a step-change in how smart devices are powered by developing new classes of pnictogen-based semiconductors to more efficiently collect the widely-available energy from lighting inside buildings. Such energy can be renewably harvested with indoor photovoltaics (IPV), which is highly appealing for powering the billions of autonomous smart devices driving the fourth industrial revolution. However, industry-standard IPV (hydrogenated amorphous silicon; a-Si:H) have efficiencies up to only ~20%, with most commercial devices <10% efficient.HERALD will develop IPV from novel classes of rudorffites and chalcohalides, which have potential to reach >48% efficiency under indoor lighting. These are low-toxicity, high-stability materials based on the pnictogens bismuth and antimony, and their considerable potential for indoor light harvesting is just starting to emerge. HERALD will transform these novel compounds into leading IPV using a hierarchical characterisation approach, from the macro- to near-atomic-scale. Along the way, fundamental understanding will be gained to learn what the performance-limiting factors are and how they can be systematically mitigated. The endpoint will be high-performing, durable test devices with low environmental impact. The materials will be rapidly grown at scale using a novel plasma-spray technique, and the IPV prototyped in commercial smart devices.The pnictogen-based IPV developed can have a transformative impact on smart devices by decreasing their reliance on being powered only by batteries, which need to be regularly replaced, creating significant waste. The new IPV can be deployed without harming the environment and will harvest more power than a-Si:H IPV to sustain smart devices with more advanced capabilities. The pioneering development of pnictogen-based semiconductors will also push them forward for numerous PV, from clean solar fuel production to radiation detection for medical imaging.