Periodic Reporting for period 2 - INFRADOT (Mid- and Long-wave infrared Colloidal Quantum Dot Optoelectronics)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-08-01 al 2025-01-31
INFRADOT aims to revolutionize infrared optoelectronics technology by developing low-cost CMOS compatible material and technology platform based on colloidal quantum dots as a lower cost and scalable alternative to today’s existing technologies based on exotic and epitaxial semiconductors. Furthermore the project aims to explore and develop new materials for the infrared that are free of toxic heavy metals, particularly Hg and Cd. Unleashing the potential of infrared sensing and imaging to consumer electronics, incl. automotive will bring huge benefits to the society improving safety and security, food quality inspection and environmental hazard monitoring, all of which are necessitating access to the deep short, mid and evel long wave infrared. By exploiting intersubband transitions in this class of materials we aim to develop photodetectors, light emitters and thermal sensors utilizing a technology that is proven to be low cost and scalable.
During this period we have made important breakthroughs mainly on developing novel infrared quantum dot materials avoiding the use of Hg and Cd and have optimized and controlled their surface chemistry to achieve high optoelectronic grade quality. This has been tested on devices, particularly photodetectors and image sensors. We have also elaborated doping approaches to activate intersubband transitions in quantum dots and study their carrier dynamics aiming to develop further photodetectors and cascade light emitters.
By the end of the project we envision to have drastically advanced in the field of infrared quantum dot optoelectronics by devising new materials, processes and device architectures to achieve novel device functionalities in the mid and long wave infrared relevant for photodetection and light emission. We also aspire to have made significant breakthroughs on the development of short-wave infrared lasers and photodetectors using this new class of heavy-metal free materials developed in the project.