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FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027494

RECI/FIS-NAN/0183/2012

This project aims at reinforcing and consolidating the capacities of the I3N Associated Research Laboratory in the development of micro and nanostructured materials, the research of which the semiconductors group of I3N/Aveiro is committed.

The solicited equipment enables reinforcing and extension of the group activity in the optical characterization field, consolidating its assertion as an international excellence research centre lined by high scientific quality standards and promoting the strengthening of national and international partnerships. In the present application and in the framework of the research strategic mission of I3N/Aveiro, the following lines assume a relevant role:

  • Medical physics and biomedical applications;
  • Sustainability and energy efficiency

In the first case, the application aims at optimizing the optical properties of materials allowing new designs and systems for high energy radiation detectors and the development of new efficient fluorescent materials for bioimaging agents. In the second case, the main target is to develop and characterize highly efficient materials for photovoltaic, solid-state light emitters and NIR photodetectors.
The development, characterization and application of the materials will be performed in distinct nano and microstructured hosts, with emphasis on low-dimensional systems.
The semiconductors group has its main activity focused on the optical characterization of the group IV, III-V, II-VI semiconductors and their alloys, along with ceramic oxide hosts. Nowadays, most of the research efforts are devoted to low-dimensional structures quantum wells, nanowires and quantum dots. The materials optical characterization often requires simultaneously the use of different spectroscopic techniques (e.g. absorption, reflectance, photoluminescence (PL) and excitation luminescence (PLE)) either in steady and transient states, in a wide spectral region (UV-VIS-IR).
The material resources requested in the proposal are:
a) Equipment for the identification of the PL population mechanisms – PL/PLE systems covering the VUV-UV-VIS-NIR spectral range;
b) Equipment for PL kinetics studies in different host materials – TRPL and lifetime measurements in the ps – s time range;
c) Equipment for quantum yield measurements – integrated sphere and accessories.
Simultaneously, the project foresees the human resources advanced formation in the optical spectroscopy area: three Post-Doc students will be hired and the integration of 10 more PhD students is predicted. Eventually, Master students will also be associated.