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
Porous Electromaterials for Hydrogen Production and Energy Storage. This project aims to develop nanocomposite electrodes and membranes for efficient production of renewable hydrogen and the next generation of high-energy-density battery technologies. This will be accomplished by the engineering of multi-scale porous materials with tuneable electrical, chemical and morphological properties using earth abundant elements. The intended outcome is the establishment of a scalable methodology for the ....Porous Electromaterials for Hydrogen Production and Energy Storage. This project aims to develop nanocomposite electrodes and membranes for efficient production of renewable hydrogen and the next generation of high-energy-density battery technologies. This will be accomplished by the engineering of multi-scale porous materials with tuneable electrical, chemical and morphological properties using earth abundant elements. The intended outcome is the establishment of a scalable methodology for the structuring and effective integration of microporous materials in highly conductive scaffolds, achieving superior charge and molecular transport, as well as high surface activity. Broad social and economic benefits are anticipated providing new technological solutions for renewable energy storage and fuel production.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
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
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
Engineered ion channels for selective and switchable ion conduction. This project aims to develop an innovative bioinspired approach for fabricating angstrom-sized ion-channel membranes with specific ion selectivity, high ion conductivity and efficient gating function comparable to biological ion channels. Engineering of artificial channels with ion-channel-like shapes, ion selectivity filters and functional gates is expected to bring high-efficiency technologies to applications such as membrane ....Engineered ion channels for selective and switchable ion conduction. This project aims to develop an innovative bioinspired approach for fabricating angstrom-sized ion-channel membranes with specific ion selectivity, high ion conductivity and efficient gating function comparable to biological ion channels. Engineering of artificial channels with ion-channel-like shapes, ion selectivity filters and functional gates is expected to bring high-efficiency technologies to applications such as membrane separation and energy conversion. This project has potential to result in new knowledge of biomimetic design of artificial ion-channel membranes and directly benefit manufacturing industry for Australia.Read moreRead less
Porous transparent conducting oxides for efficient solar fuel production. This project aims to develop highly porous, transparent and electrically conducting networks of oxide nanoparticles for artificial photosynthesis applications. The majority of hydrogen is currently produced via natural gas reforming, a process that generates a significant carbon footprint due to the use of fossil fuels. This project will develop novel materials and fabrication methods to improve the efficiency of hydrogen ....Porous transparent conducting oxides for efficient solar fuel production. This project aims to develop highly porous, transparent and electrically conducting networks of oxide nanoparticles for artificial photosynthesis applications. The majority of hydrogen is currently produced via natural gas reforming, a process that generates a significant carbon footprint due to the use of fossil fuels. This project will develop novel materials and fabrication methods to improve the efficiency of hydrogen production using clean and renewable solar energy. This project will contribute to development of technologies for the chemical storage of renewable energy, and reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. This will have applications in the areas of optoelectronic devices, medical biosensors, and photocatalysis, offering downstream benefits for the society, the economy and the environment.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
Epitaxial growth of III-V microring lasers for integrated silicon photonics. This project aims to investigate the growth and demonstration of compound semiconductor microring lasers on silicon substrates, using selective area growth to engineer the shape of the lasing cavity at the nano/micro-scale. Silicon photonics is currently a dominant technology in optical and data communication systems, and the continued development demands higher speeds, lower power consumption and lower costs. However, ....Epitaxial growth of III-V microring lasers for integrated silicon photonics. This project aims to investigate the growth and demonstration of compound semiconductor microring lasers on silicon substrates, using selective area growth to engineer the shape of the lasing cavity at the nano/micro-scale. Silicon photonics is currently a dominant technology in optical and data communication systems, and the continued development demands higher speeds, lower power consumption and lower costs. However, on-chip integrated, high efficiency lasers are still elusive due to mismatch in material platforms between the lasers and silicon substrates. This project will produce reliable, efficient and easily manufacturable laser sources integrated on silicon photonic chips. It is also expected to pave the way for more development of this technology by the industry to further drive the cost of silicon photonics technology down whilst increasing data transmission speed.Read moreRead less
Electrically-driven semiconductor nanowire lasers. This project aims to investigate the concepts and strategies required to produce electrically injected semiconductor nanowire lasers. The project will achieve this by understanding light interaction in nanowires, designing appropriate structures to inject current and engineer optical profile and developing nano-fabrication technologies to make them. Electrically operated nanowire lasers would enable practical applications such as on-chip integra ....Electrically-driven semiconductor nanowire lasers. This project aims to investigate the concepts and strategies required to produce electrically injected semiconductor nanowire lasers. The project will achieve this by understanding light interaction in nanowires, designing appropriate structures to inject current and engineer optical profile and developing nano-fabrication technologies to make them. Electrically operated nanowire lasers would enable practical applications such as on-chip integrated optical systems and ultra-sensitive miniature sensors. The project is expected to pave the way for further development of this technology.Read moreRead less