Nitride nanowires for advanced optoelectronic and energy applications. Group III-nitride semiconductor devices, which are currently in widespread use in white, blue and green LEDs, and Bluray lasers, have a multi-billion dollar market. This project aims to address and improve the issues and challenges which still limit the true potential of these materials, by tailoring them at the nanoscale. Understanding the fundamental growth mechanisms of these nanowires and their structural, optical and ele ....Nitride nanowires for advanced optoelectronic and energy applications. Group III-nitride semiconductor devices, which are currently in widespread use in white, blue and green LEDs, and Bluray lasers, have a multi-billion dollar market. This project aims to address and improve the issues and challenges which still limit the true potential of these materials, by tailoring them at the nanoscale. Understanding the fundamental growth mechanisms of these nanowires and their structural, optical and electrical properties will allow precise and controllable synthesis of the nanowires to specific requirements. This will further allow demonstration of high efficiency UV LEDs, compact green/yellow lasers, nanowire solar cells and photoelectrodes for hydrogen generation from splitting water.Read moreRead less
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
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.
Nanowire infrared avalanche photodetectors towards single photon detection. This project aims to demonstrate semiconductor nanowire based infrared avalanche photodetectors (APDs) with ultra-high sensitivity towards single photon detection. By employing the advantages of their unique one-dimensional nanoscale geometry, the nanowire APDs can be engineered to different device architectures to achieve performance superior to their conventional counterparts. It is expected that this project will mak ....Nanowire infrared avalanche photodetectors towards single photon detection. This project aims to demonstrate semiconductor nanowire based infrared avalanche photodetectors (APDs) with ultra-high sensitivity towards single photon detection. By employing the advantages of their unique one-dimensional nanoscale geometry, the nanowire APDs can be engineered to different device architectures to achieve performance superior to their conventional counterparts. It is expected that this project will make significant contributions to the development of next generation high performance, fast speed, small size and low cost infrared photodetector technology platform enabling numerous emerging fields in modern transportation, communication, quantum computation and information processing to revolutionise our life and society.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
Ternary and quaternary III-V semiconductor nanowires and related quantum structures for optoelectronics applications. Growth of ternary and quaternary III-V compound semiconductor nanowires will open up the opportunity to develop high performance electronic and photonic devices. These nanowire devices underpin next generation electronics and photonics development potentially leading to innovative Australian technologies and industries.
III-V semiconductor nanowire solar cells without p-n junctions. This project proposes a new class of nanowire solar cells that do not rely on conventional electrical (p-n) junction for photo-generated charge carrier separation. Instead the band structure of the semiconductors is engineered to form a misalignment which leads to the spatial separation of carriers. This approach is expected to fundamentally change the design of solar cells, eliminating the technologically challenging need for formi ....III-V semiconductor nanowire solar cells without p-n junctions. This project proposes a new class of nanowire solar cells that do not rely on conventional electrical (p-n) junction for photo-generated charge carrier separation. Instead the band structure of the semiconductors is engineered to form a misalignment which leads to the spatial separation of carriers. This approach is expected to fundamentally change the design of solar cells, eliminating the technologically challenging need for forming good electrical junctions, while retaining all advantages inherent to III-V semiconductor nanowire solar cells. More importantly, the device concept proposed is expected to have implications for a wider class of solar cells based on exotic/novel materials or nanostructures where achieving both n- and p-doping may be challenging.Read moreRead less
Towards high performance compound semiconductor nanowire array solar cells. Semiconductor nanowires have great potential for photovoltaic applications due to their unique structural, electrical and optical properties. This project aims to establish a new research program to integrate highly sophisticated theoretical modelling, material growth and nanofabrication capabilities to develop high performance III-V compound semiconductor nanowire array solar cells. New concepts, strategies and technolo ....Towards high performance compound semiconductor nanowire array solar cells. Semiconductor nanowires have great potential for photovoltaic applications due to their unique structural, electrical and optical properties. This project aims to establish a new research program to integrate highly sophisticated theoretical modelling, material growth and nanofabrication capabilities to develop high performance III-V compound semiconductor nanowire array solar cells. New concepts, strategies and technologies developed by this project will not only advance the fundamental understanding of many intriguing physics in nanowire materials and devices, but also pave the way towards high efficiency photovoltaics to address the world’s energy-related issues. Read moreRead less