Nanofabrication of Metamaterials for Next Generation Optical Devices. The dream of invisibility cloaks dates back to ancient times but recent advances in nanotechnology have made this a reality through the use of metamaterials. Metamaterials are artificially-made materials that have optical properties not found in nature. This field is still in its infancy and significant challenges remain and need to be solved before practical applications can be realised. This project builds on Australia’s str ....Nanofabrication of Metamaterials for Next Generation Optical Devices. The dream of invisibility cloaks dates back to ancient times but recent advances in nanotechnology have made this a reality through the use of metamaterials. Metamaterials are artificially-made materials that have optical properties not found in nature. This field is still in its infancy and significant challenges remain and need to be solved before practical applications can be realised. This project builds on Australia’s strategic investment in nanofabrication capabilities to fabricate functional metamaterials and uncover the underlying physical phenomena. It will revolutionise the field of nanophotonics for a variety of novel applications ranging from defence, renewable energy, imaging, sensing to optical communications.Read moreRead less
Swift heavy ion induced nano-porous antimony-based semiconductors. This project aims to study the fabrication and application of nano-porous antimony based semiconductors prepared by high-energy ion irradiation. Using a unique combination of synchrotron and laboratory- based analytical techniques as well as computer simulations, the project expects to identify the physical mechanisms for porous structure formation and exploit the materials for application in thermoelectric and thermo-photovoltai ....Swift heavy ion induced nano-porous antimony-based semiconductors. This project aims to study the fabrication and application of nano-porous antimony based semiconductors prepared by high-energy ion irradiation. Using a unique combination of synchrotron and laboratory- based analytical techniques as well as computer simulations, the project expects to identify the physical mechanisms for porous structure formation and exploit the materials for application in thermoelectric and thermo-photovoltaic devices. Expected outcomes of the project include fabrication processes compatible with current device fabrication methodologies that should enable rapid integration of the materials into advanced device applications. Significant benefits should result from novel applications of the technologies such as energy harvesting and sensor devices.Read moreRead less
High performance compound semiconductor nanowire optoelectronic devices. Semiconductor nanowires are emerging nano-materials with substantial opportunities for novel photonic and electronic device applications. This project aims at developing a new generation of high performance nanowire-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs), lasers and photodetectors, which will make great contribution to the nation in the areas of science, technology and industry.
III-V semiconductor nanowires for ultrafast device applications. Nanowires are a new innovation enabling the integration of nanotechnology into conventional industrial semiconductor processes. This project will employ one of the unique properties that many nanowires exhibit - their very fast resetting time, to develop novel and innovative high-speed devices for electronic and optical applications.
Towards High-quality Hetero-epitaxial III-V Semiconductor Nanowires. The use of semiconductor nanowires has uncovered many scientific curiosities and extended their potential applications in many fields. In general, nanowire growth is governed by metallic catalysts, involving nanowire nucleation and growth. So far, the role of catalysts during nanowire nucleation is not clear and needs urgent attention. This project aims to investigate the behaviour of catalysts before and during the nucleation ....Towards High-quality Hetero-epitaxial III-V Semiconductor Nanowires. The use of semiconductor nanowires has uncovered many scientific curiosities and extended their potential applications in many fields. In general, nanowire growth is governed by metallic catalysts, involving nanowire nucleation and growth. So far, the role of catalysts during nanowire nucleation is not clear and needs urgent attention. This project aims to investigate the behaviour of catalysts before and during the nucleation of III-V nanowires by means of nano-characterisation to ultimately integrate high-quality III-V nanowires on silicon substrates. The new knowledge developed from this project is expected to provide critical insights for developing high-quality III-V nanowires integrated on silicon substrates.Read moreRead less
van der Waals epitaxy for advanced and flexible optoelectronics. This project aims to investigate the growth of compound semiconductors directly on two-dimensional material templates, via the so-called van der Waals epitaxy. Two-dimensional materials combined with compound semiconductors as optoelectronic materials can have many uses. This project expects to design flexible solar cells, which could be integrated with fabrics or building products, and lasers that need small drive currents. It wil ....van der Waals epitaxy for advanced and flexible optoelectronics. This project aims to investigate the growth of compound semiconductors directly on two-dimensional material templates, via the so-called van der Waals epitaxy. Two-dimensional materials combined with compound semiconductors as optoelectronic materials can have many uses. This project expects to design flexible solar cells, which could be integrated with fabrics or building products, and lasers that need small drive currents. It will use the Anderson localisation effect, a photon management concept, to control the interaction between photons and material and improve device efficiencies.Read moreRead less
Selective area nano-epitaxy. A new major program will be initiated to investigate the epitaxial growth of certain semiconductor nanowires on patterned substrates, without the use of a catalyst. It will result in the ability to produce nanowires of high quality and uniformity. This will lead the way for new and advanced concept nanowire-based devices for future applications.
Towards phase, composition and homogeneity control in ternary nanowires. Semiconductor nanowires have enormous potential for large scale industry manufacturing as each individual nanowire represents one device. The aim of this project is the catalyst-free growth of ternary nanowires with control over structure, composition and homogeneity within the wire. Detailed electron microscopy analyses are essential to reconstruct a three-dimensional view of the nanowires and understand the growth mechani ....Towards phase, composition and homogeneity control in ternary nanowires. Semiconductor nanowires have enormous potential for large scale industry manufacturing as each individual nanowire represents one device. The aim of this project is the catalyst-free growth of ternary nanowires with control over structure, composition and homogeneity within the wire. Detailed electron microscopy analyses are essential to reconstruct a three-dimensional view of the nanowires and understand the growth mechanism at work. These structural characteristics determine the optical properties. It is expected that precise control over growth will allow the emission wavelength of the nanowires to be tuned and allow their use in optoelectronic device structures. Two innovative techniques are proposed using strain and patterned substrates for ternary nanowire growth.Read moreRead less
Antimonide-based nanowires for infra-red and energy applications. This project will investigate and to understand the fundamental growth mechanisms of antimonide-based semiconductor nanowires. It will result in the ability to produce nanowires of high quality and uniformity for applications in infra-red technologies such as photodetectors and solar cells.
Hexagonal boron nitride for deep ultraviolet device applications. This project plans to investigate the growth of an alternative material, hexagonal boron nitride, for use in high performance deep-ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Deep-UV LEDs are robust and highly portable devices that replace traditional mercury/deuterium-based UV sources, and have applications in water or air sterilisation, photo-dermal therapy, covert communication and bio-chemical agent identification. However, ....Hexagonal boron nitride for deep ultraviolet device applications. This project plans to investigate the growth of an alternative material, hexagonal boron nitride, for use in high performance deep-ultraviolet (UV) light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Deep-UV LEDs are robust and highly portable devices that replace traditional mercury/deuterium-based UV sources, and have applications in water or air sterilisation, photo-dermal therapy, covert communication and bio-chemical agent identification. However, despite major worldwide effort in the development of aluminium gallium nitride deep-UV LEDs, their efficiency is still extremely low. Understanding the fundamental growth, doping and alloying mechanisms of hexagonal boron nitride will allow us to engineer its properties and create high-efficiency devices.Read moreRead less