The National Science Foundation uses the EArly-concept Grants for Exploratory Research (EAGER) funding mechanism to support exploratory work in its early stages on untested, but potentially transformative, research ideas or approaches. The project at Delaware State University aims to integrate research and education to establish the foundation for a new research direction in plasmonic semiconductors, and for validating an educational approach by promoting innovative research to undergraduate chemistry students. The research will explore a paradigm shift in plasmonic materials by investigating ternary and quaternary chalcogenide semiconductor nanostructures for their plasmonic effects in the infrared region. The project's progress and methodology will be captured in a course designed to train students in innovation and creative thinking in research.
Recent research reports indicate that nanostructured semiconductor particles could exhibit potent plasmonic effects in the near infrared region that could impact dramatically their light-matter interaction. A plethora of semiconductor materials, both oxides and chalcogenides, have been thoroughly investigated for their photovoltaic properties and therefore their preparation methods are readily available. The proposed project seeks to synthesize and explore plasmonic effects in germanium chalchogenides, CuGeS2 and Cu2ZnGeS4, using the previously reported CuInS2 nanorings as models for the synthetic approach. The findings of these unprecedented studies will be applied to a large number of chalcogenides. The knowledge generated in the area of chalcogenide semiconductors could lead to developing novel devices in the field of infrared detectors for applications in areas such as personal protection or food safety.
