Project description
Breakthrough microscope to study nanoscale dynamical behaviour
Assessing the functionality of light-triggered hierarchically structured assemblies on the nanoscale will largely help in guiding the development of next-generation optoelectronics, photovoltaics and energy storage devices. New metrology and inspection tools are needed to probe the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of these assembly structures. Funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the DECIPHER project will develop a breakthrough microscope that will enable studying the nanoscale dynamical behaviour of materials with unprecedented detail. Combining novel image reconstruction techniques with advances in pulsed electron beam technology, researchers could probe the nanoscale dynamics of functionalised materials with temporal resolution down to the picosecond scale and spatial resolution down to the angstrom scale.
Objective
Quantifying the multiscale functionality of light-triggered hierarchically-structured assemblies represents a challenge in materials science underpinning the design of efficient next-generation optoelectronics, photovoltaics, and energy storage nanodevices. Critical to this challenge is the availability of new metrology and inspection tools which allow to probe the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of these materials, while interacting with light pulses, with quantitative contrast to all its components.
DECIPHER proposes to combine phase retrieval image reconstruction methods with the advances in pulsed electron source technology, to build a break-through microscope capable of directly visualizing the nanoscale dynamics of functionalized materials with fs-ps temporal resolution and Å-nm spatial resolution.
The proposal has three main objectives: (i) Construct a next-generation ultrafast electron diffraction imaging system. (ii) Implement cutting-edge phase retrieval methods to enable full-field quantitative imaging across length scales with sensitivity to heavy and light elements. (iii) Leverage these new methods to directly visualize light-activated functioning NP supracrystals, with unique sensitivity to their quantitative chemical/elemental composition and, simultaneously, to their 2D/3D topography.
This approach will enable the study of nanoscale dynamical behavior with unprecedented detail and provide vital feedback toward the design of energy-efficient, high-performance devices.
Fields of science
- natural sciencesphysical scienceselectromagnetism and electronicsoptoelectronics
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencesplanetary geology
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesopticsmicroscopy
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energysolar energyphotovoltaic
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European FellowshipsCoordinator
27100 Pavia
Italy