Descrizione del progetto
Eterostrutture avanzate di nanofili per dispositivi energetici innovativi
I nanofili di semiconduttori hanno dimostrato proprietà interessanti per le tecnologie energetiche, offrendo risparmi di materiale, maggiore efficienza di conversione e prodotti innovativi. Il progetto Nano Harvest, finanziato dall’UE, intende studiare soluzioni innovative per convertitori fotovoltaici e piezoelettrici flessibili, sfruttando i nanofili di semiconduttori, con particolare attenzione ai semiconduttori a nitruro III. In particolare, il progetto svilupperà dei nanofili con funzionalità di controllo fin dalla progettazione, ingegnerizzando attentamente la loro struttura su scala nanometrica. Il progetto si concentrerà sullo sviluppo di eterostrutture avanzate di nanofili, in quanto cruciali per il conseguimento degli obiettivi del progetto. Nel campo del fotovoltaico, Nano Harvest presenterà una concezione innovativa di celle solari flessibili basate su nanofili indipendenti incorporati in polimeri, consentendone l’integrazione con un’ampia gamma di materiali di supporto come la plastica.
Obiettivo
The goal of NanoHarvest is to explore novel solutions for flexible photovoltaic and piezoelectric converters enabled by semiconductor nanowires. The first objective is to demonstrate an innovative concept of flexible solar cells based on free-standing polymer-embedded nanowires which can be applied to almost any supporting material such as plastic, metal foil or even fabrics. The second objective it to develop high-efficiency flexible and compact piezo-generators based on ordered arrays of nanowire heterostructures. The crucial ingredient - and also the common basis - of the two proposed research axes are the advanced nanowire heterostructures: we will develop nanowires with new control-by-design functionalities by engineering their structure at the nanoscale. The main focus of NanoHarvest will be on the III-nitride semiconductors, which are characterized by a strong piezoelectric response and have also demonstrated their ability for efficient photon harvesting in the blue and green parts of the solar spectrum. Our strategy is to address the physical mechanisms governing the energy conversion from the single nanowire level up to the macroscopic device level. The deep understanding gained at the nanoscale will guide the optimization of the device architecture, of the material growth and of the fabrication process. We will make use of Molecular Beam Epitaxy to achieve ultimate control over the nanowire morphology and composition and to produce control-by-design model systems for fundamental studies and for exploration of device physics. The original transfer procedure of the ordered nanowire arrays onto flexible substrates will enable lightweight flexible devices with ultimate performance, which will serve as energy harvesters for nomad applications.
Campo scientifico
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcolors
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsoptical sensors
- natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciences
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpiezoelectrics
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsenergy conversion
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
ERC-STG - Starting GrantIstituzione ospitante
75794 Paris
Francia