Ultrathin III-V Solar Cells via Crack-Assisted Layer Exfoliation. III-V semiconductors are excellent photovoltaic materials with highest demonstrated solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies, but find limited usage in terrestrial applications due to high material and fabrication costs. This project aims to improve the cost-effectiveness of III-V solar cells by developing ultrathin III-V semiconductors via crack-assisted layer transfer approach and epitaxy-free fabrication via heterojunction ....Ultrathin III-V Solar Cells via Crack-Assisted Layer Exfoliation. III-V semiconductors are excellent photovoltaic materials with highest demonstrated solar-to-electricity conversion efficiencies, but find limited usage in terrestrial applications due to high material and fabrication costs. This project aims to improve the cost-effectiveness of III-V solar cells by developing ultrathin III-V semiconductors via crack-assisted layer transfer approach and epitaxy-free fabrication via heterojunction architectures, paving the way for cost-effective, high-efficiency, flexible solar cells. The expected outcomes include a disruptive technology for integrated photovoltaics, novel contact and passivation materials, as well as new knowledge generated in materials science and optoelectronics disciplines.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE120100188
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,000,000.00
Summary
Epitaxial growth facility for advanced materials. An advanced materials fabrication facility accessible to all Australian researchers will be established. This will allow crystal growth at the atomic level for novel materials with applications including fundamental physics, nanocomposites, energy storage and conversion systems, and solar cells.
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE100100092
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$270,000.00
Summary
A co-thermal evaporation system for the production of chalcogenide thin films for photonics. This project will provide important infrastructure underpinning the production of novel photonic materials that will allow the fabrication of devices that will support advances in the optical internet; in sensing of dangerous or illicit materials; in defense science and in astro-physics. The production of high performance photonic materials for such applications can lead to new commercial ventures in Aus ....A co-thermal evaporation system for the production of chalcogenide thin films for photonics. This project will provide important infrastructure underpinning the production of novel photonic materials that will allow the fabrication of devices that will support advances in the optical internet; in sensing of dangerous or illicit materials; in defense science and in astro-physics. The production of high performance photonic materials for such applications can lead to new commercial ventures in Australia. Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE220101103
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$450,000.00
Summary
Giant piezo responses in rare-earth doped eco-friendly relaxor perovskites. This project aims to design and fabricate superior eco-friendly substitutions for lead-based perovskites widely used in piezoelectric devices, to address the long-standing toxic concern of lead for human beings and the environment in the community. It is expected to surmount the fundamental limit of current approaches to reach giant room-temperature piezoelectric responses in lead-free perovskites through using a pioneer ....Giant piezo responses in rare-earth doped eco-friendly relaxor perovskites. This project aims to design and fabricate superior eco-friendly substitutions for lead-based perovskites widely used in piezoelectric devices, to address the long-standing toxic concern of lead for human beings and the environment in the community. It is expected to surmount the fundamental limit of current approaches to reach giant room-temperature piezoelectric responses in lead-free perovskites through using a pioneering route named rare-earth doped relaxor/morphotropic phase boundary crossover. Success of this project will not only meet the Australia’s ecological sustainability goals, but also provide commercial opportunities for Australia in the large market of piezoelectric devices (> 25 Billion USD annually).Read moreRead less
High performance complex oxide heterostructures for nanoelectronic devices. This project aims to develop a material with ultrahigh electron mobility and conductivity well above today’s materials at room temperature to enable next generation nanoelectronics. The demand for higher performance and lower power consumption in electronic systems drives the creation of materials for devices in nanometre scale. The success of these materials depends on enhancement in carrier mobility and conductivity. T ....High performance complex oxide heterostructures for nanoelectronic devices. This project aims to develop a material with ultrahigh electron mobility and conductivity well above today’s materials at room temperature to enable next generation nanoelectronics. The demand for higher performance and lower power consumption in electronic systems drives the creation of materials for devices in nanometre scale. The success of these materials depends on enhancement in carrier mobility and conductivity. This project will spatially separate the electron generation layer from the conduction layer by individually engineering the atomically sharp complex oxide heterointerfaces to enhance the electron mobility and density. This is expected to develop new materials and nanoelectronic technologies.Read moreRead less
Quest for zero optical loss. This project seeks to understand and extend the performance of materials to be used in advanced optical devices based on plasmonic principles. It will lead to the development of new material combinations and alloys that will result in more efficient and sustainable operation.
Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. This project aims to design dental materials with reduced amalgams, using a strong but flowable composite with randomly distributed short S-glass fibres and a non-toxic natural nano-composite overlay. This alternative dental composite material is expected to meet international regulatory bodies’ intention to reduce amalgams. Using advanced phot ....Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. Flowable composite system with short S-glass fibre and halloysite nanotubes. This project aims to design dental materials with reduced amalgams, using a strong but flowable composite with randomly distributed short S-glass fibres and a non-toxic natural nano-composite overlay. This alternative dental composite material is expected to meet international regulatory bodies’ intention to reduce amalgams. Using advanced photonic and micro-mechanical techniques to make engineered material is also expected to enhance Australian manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Kesterite solar cell coated architectural stainless steel. This project aims to develop cost-effective, high-performance kesterite architectural stainless steel coated with solar cells for application in roofing, skin and facades of smart buildings. The project will integrate expertise in producing kesterite solar cells with expertise in manufacturing new steel to eliminate toxic, scarce materials and high-cost processes employed in conventional solar-driven steel. The initial target of the proj ....Kesterite solar cell coated architectural stainless steel. This project aims to develop cost-effective, high-performance kesterite architectural stainless steel coated with solar cells for application in roofing, skin and facades of smart buildings. The project will integrate expertise in producing kesterite solar cells with expertise in manufacturing new steel to eliminate toxic, scarce materials and high-cost processes employed in conventional solar-driven steel. The initial target of the project would be to increase kesterite cell efficiency to beyond 10 per cent, and ultimately beyond 17 per cent, but still at a low cost.Read moreRead less
Efficient photovoltaic-electrochemical water splitting for clean hydrogen. This project aims to develop a novel, low cost and high performance monolithic photovoltaic-electrochemical (PV-EC) device for clean hydrogen production. This device tailors and integrates low cost and high performance thin film and tandem photovoltaics for water splitting with the aim of achieving high solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency towards 20%. Earth abundant and stable catalysts will be developed in this proje ....Efficient photovoltaic-electrochemical water splitting for clean hydrogen. This project aims to develop a novel, low cost and high performance monolithic photovoltaic-electrochemical (PV-EC) device for clean hydrogen production. This device tailors and integrates low cost and high performance thin film and tandem photovoltaics for water splitting with the aim of achieving high solar to hydrogen conversion efficiency towards 20%. Earth abundant and stable catalysts will be developed in this project to replace noble based catalysts, as well as novel architectures for electrical contacting, feed-through and catalyst integration in PV-EC devices. These innovations offer high performance and the potential for device costs 2 to 3 orders of magnitude lower than recent world record photoelectrochemical devices. Read moreRead less