Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE190101501
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,000.00
Summary
Printed back electrodes enabling low-cost perovskite solar cells. This project aims to address back electrode material, a bottleneck functional material in state-of-the-art perovskite solar cells (PSCs). By engineering printable and conductive materials based on carbon and gold nanowires, the project expects to enable highly-efficient and scalable PSCs while reducing cost of materials and production. These expected outcomes are to be implemented in PSCs and their impact rigorously tested in rese ....Printed back electrodes enabling low-cost perovskite solar cells. This project aims to address back electrode material, a bottleneck functional material in state-of-the-art perovskite solar cells (PSCs). By engineering printable and conductive materials based on carbon and gold nanowires, the project expects to enable highly-efficient and scalable PSCs while reducing cost of materials and production. These expected outcomes are to be implemented in PSCs and their impact rigorously tested in research cells to large-area PSCs modules produced through industry-relevant, scalable, and low-cost printing and coating methods. This will provide significant benefits to Australian industry, from small to medium enterprises to larger utility power companies, while creating economic opportunities and enabling sustainable societies.Read moreRead less
Development of new membrane-electrode assemblies for low temperature fuel cells. New electrodes and electrolytes for low temperature fuel cells will herald in a new epoch in the hydrogen economy for Australia. The IP developed in this project will form the basis for new transportation systems that do not lead to chemical pollution in Australia's cities. The new materials and processing techniques will lead to cheaper and more efficient fuel cells, allowing their use in portable computers, small ....Development of new membrane-electrode assemblies for low temperature fuel cells. New electrodes and electrolytes for low temperature fuel cells will herald in a new epoch in the hydrogen economy for Australia. The IP developed in this project will form the basis for new transportation systems that do not lead to chemical pollution in Australia's cities. The new materials and processing techniques will lead to cheaper and more efficient fuel cells, allowing their use in portable computers, small electrical appliances, public transport and in private cars in about ten years. Read moreRead less
Overcoming performance limitations in multicrystalline silicon solar cells. This project aims to address the major impediments to improved efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, the most prevalent in industry today. Three key areas have been identified: understanding the fundamental source of carrier recombination in this material, the application of plasma silicon nitride to reducing this recombination, and developing a suitable technique for texturing the front surface of the cell ....Overcoming performance limitations in multicrystalline silicon solar cells. This project aims to address the major impediments to improved efficiency of multicrystalline silicon solar cells, the most prevalent in industry today. Three key areas have been identified: understanding the fundamental source of carrier recombination in this material, the application of plasma silicon nitride to reducing this recombination, and developing a suitable technique for texturing the front surface of the cells. By using novel, advanced techniques to gain a deeper physical understanding of these issues, it will be possible to develop new, cost-effective processes that improve efficiency and are applicable in industry.Read moreRead less
New high aspect ratio roll-to-roll compatible ultraviolet polysiloxane nanoimprinting for low cost consumer, medical, and quantum devices. This project will explore materials and processes for the creation of low cost optical waveguide devices from hybrid polysiloxane materials with applications in consumer products, sensing, health monitoring and fundamental physics. The outcome will pave the way for new approaches to manufacturing opening up new markets for the technology.
System Theoretical Aspects of Spatial Signal Processing. The aims of the project is to gain better understanding of spatial characteristics of wireless communication channels; and to apply spatial signal processing theory to design receivers for wireless systems. The expected outcomes of the projects are new system theory for spatial signal processing, a new spatial model to characterize wireless communication channels, categorize a relationship between scattering environment antenna spacing and ....System Theoretical Aspects of Spatial Signal Processing. The aims of the project is to gain better understanding of spatial characteristics of wireless communication channels; and to apply spatial signal processing theory to design receivers for wireless systems. The expected outcomes of the projects are new system theory for spatial signal processing, a new spatial model to characterize wireless communication channels, categorize a relationship between scattering environment antenna spacing and multi-element antenna system capacity, and novel use of multiple antennas to improve the performance of wireless systems. Success in this investigation could have wide applications in the development of future mobile and fixed wireless communication systems.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0238960
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,000.00
Summary
High Performance Semiconductor Micromachining Facility. The purpose of this project is to make available to the Australian semiconductor research community a facility to undertake specialist deposition and etching tasks needed for fabrication of next generation solar cells, microelectronics, optronics, and micro-electromechanical systems. The facility will have the flexibility to allow independent control of major process parameters, allowing development of new fabrication technologies which wi ....High Performance Semiconductor Micromachining Facility. The purpose of this project is to make available to the Australian semiconductor research community a facility to undertake specialist deposition and etching tasks needed for fabrication of next generation solar cells, microelectronics, optronics, and micro-electromechanical systems. The facility will have the flexibility to allow independent control of major process parameters, allowing development of new fabrication technologies which will be generic to a wide range of semiconductor materials. In particular, the facility will be unique in its ability to perform processes at low temperatures, and under conditions that allow optimisation of the deposition and etching processes, without compromising the performance of delicate devices or exceeding the maximum process temperature limitations found in many mainstream semiconductor materials technologies.Read moreRead less
Low temperature fabrication of silicon-based thin film transistors (TFTs) for flat panel displays - an entirely new approach. This project represents an entirely new approach to low temperature crystallization of amorphous silicon, and its application to TFT fabrication in flat panel displays, and involves a partnership with the Australian high-tech company, WRiota. The research is in a field of high national priority, namely nanotechnology, since the technology is based on materials modificati ....Low temperature fabrication of silicon-based thin film transistors (TFTs) for flat panel displays - an entirely new approach. This project represents an entirely new approach to low temperature crystallization of amorphous silicon, and its application to TFT fabrication in flat panel displays, and involves a partnership with the Australian high-tech company, WRiota. The research is in a field of high national priority, namely nanotechnology, since the technology is based on materials modification at the nanoscale by nanoindentation. This project will further provide valuable opportunities for a number of research students and ECRs to gain experience in both the industrial and academic worlds and skills needed for Australia's nanotechnology workforce.Read moreRead less
Power systems with diverse generation - implications, control and capability. This research will generate a systematic methodology to handle the impact of the renewable energy sources on the NSW power grid. It increases our understanding of the impact of climate change policies relating to mandatory targets for greenhouse gas reduction helping to build Australia’s research capacity in the national priority area of an environmentally sustainable Australia. The anticipated methodology can also be ....Power systems with diverse generation - implications, control and capability. This research will generate a systematic methodology to handle the impact of the renewable energy sources on the NSW power grid. It increases our understanding of the impact of climate change policies relating to mandatory targets for greenhouse gas reduction helping to build Australia’s research capacity in the national priority area of an environmentally sustainable Australia. The anticipated methodology can also be seen as protecting the security of power infrastructure as well. Maintaining a critical energy infrastructure protects our way of life and ensures ongoing social, economic and environmental well being of Australia.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775499
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$130,000.00
Summary
High Performance Optical Profilometer for mapping micro/meso/macroscopic topography. Developing advanced, high performance new materials requires an understanding of surfaces and interfaces. Making a small area, low yield material or device is a regular occurrence within the Australian research community. The ability to create reproducible, high yield materials requires greater understanding of the stresses, uniformities and deformations in a material over large areas. The proposed instrument ....High Performance Optical Profilometer for mapping micro/meso/macroscopic topography. Developing advanced, high performance new materials requires an understanding of surfaces and interfaces. Making a small area, low yield material or device is a regular occurrence within the Australian research community. The ability to create reproducible, high yield materials requires greater understanding of the stresses, uniformities and deformations in a material over large areas. The proposed instrument can measure topography over many centimeters-squared with sub-micron spatial resolution, currently beyond the capabilities of researchers in Australia. By providing a quantitative method to measure surface textures, the instrument will also support Australian industries looking for improved process control.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE210100125
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$837,000.00
Summary
National Facility for Infrared Technologies. This project aims to establish a national facility for infrared (IR) technologies. The facility will include advanced imaging and spectroscopy facilities as well as unique tools for wafer-scale mapping of IR materials and devices. Combined, the facility will enable new diagnostic capabilities of supersonic combustion processes, aid establishment of wavelength agile integrated photonic chips and provide non-destructive quantitative electro-optical char ....National Facility for Infrared Technologies. This project aims to establish a national facility for infrared (IR) technologies. The facility will include advanced imaging and spectroscopy facilities as well as unique tools for wafer-scale mapping of IR materials and devices. Combined, the facility will enable new diagnostic capabilities of supersonic combustion processes, aid establishment of wavelength agile integrated photonic chips and provide non-destructive quantitative electro-optical characterisation of IR materials and devices. Establishment of these state-of-the-art capabilities across Australia will have clear benefits in fundamental sciences such as astronomy and quantum information as well as key industry branches in defence, aerospace, communications and security.Read moreRead less