This award by the Macromolecular, Supramolecular, and Nanochemistry (MSN) program supports work by Professor Moonsub Shim at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign to develop multi-component nanoscale semiconductor materials that are efficient at separating and directing photogenerated charges. These two processes involving charges generated from photons are the first and the most important steps in photovoltaics, photocatalysts, photodetectors and many other devices involving light harvesting/detection. By varying size, composition and structure/topology in these multi-component nanoscale semiconductors, this research will allow exploitation of quantum mechanical and mechanical strain effects to control how photogenerated charges are manipulated. Charge separation processes will be examined by transient spectroscopic techniques using sub-picosecond laser pulses to follow spatial distribution and energy dissipation of charge carriers created by photons. These studies extended to multi-component nanomaterials embedded in optically transparent and electrically conducting media such as conducting/semiconducting polymers and oxides will provide new insights on how photogenerated charges may be efficiently extracted to do useful electrical work.
The success of this program will lead to new materials and device concepts useful for next-generation photovoltaics. The ability to rationally design and to synthesize multi-component semiconducting materials with precise size, composition and topology along with the understanding of photoinduced charge separation processes in these materials will in general be beneficial for developing a wide variety of solar energy conversion and optoelectronic applications. The program will also provide ample educational and training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students in emerging interdisciplinary fields. Students involved in this project will be trained on state-of-the-art facilities both at the University of Illinois and at Argonne National Laboratory. This project will also generate information and demonstration materials that can be directly used to promote both classroom teaching and general public's interest in nanoscience and clean energy technologies.
