Collaborative Research: Probing and Controlling Exciton-Plasmon Interaction for Solar Hydrogen Generation

合作研究：探测和控制太阳能制氢的激子-等离子体激元相互作用

• 批准号: 2230729
• 负责人: Jin Zhang
• 金额: $ 28.5万
• 依托单位: University of California-Santa Cruz
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2026-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2230729&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Probing; Controlling; Exciton

Both semiconductors and metals can be produced in the form of nanoparticles, a size of about 10,000 times smaller than the thickness of a typical human hair. Certain semiconductor nanoparticles, called semiconductor quantum dots, exhibit new properties when the electrons, also called excitons, in the tiny crystals are spatially squeezed and exposed to light. Similarly, when a group of electrons in a small metal nanoparticle are confined in space and subject to light, hot electrons, called plasmons, are generated in these metal nanostructures that exhibit novel characteristics. Interaction between excitons in semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in metal nanostructures are expected to result in new fundamental phenomenon and to be useful for many emerging technologies. In this collaborative project, PI Jin Z. Zhang from the University of California Santa Cruz and PI Shengli Zou from the University of Central Florida will study semiconductor quantum dots-plasmonic metal nanostructures with controlled electronic interactions as a new class of hybrid nanomaterials called semiconductor-metal heterojunctions. Unlike traditional semiconductor or metal materials, these heterojunctions give rise to unusual properties and novel functionalities. Working with their students, PIs Zhang and Zou will develop ways to create new semiconductor-metal nano-heterojunctions where the electrons communicate in a controlled manner by linking molecules. This project can have significant impacts on applications ranging from nano-photonics to environment and energy, for example advancing renewable solar fuel generation. This project will also provide opportunities for training future scientists and engineers in advanced experimental and computational techniques. Through their “open lab” focusing on “Solar Hydrogen from Seawater” each summer, local high school students and teachers will be introduced to the research of this project to enhance public awareness about science.This collaborative research team will develop novel semiconductor-metal nano heterojunctions to investigate the fundamental interactions between exciton generated on semiconductor quantum dots and plasmon produced in plasmonic metal nanostructures, named “plexciton” from a dynamic perspective using ultrafast laser spectroscopy. This research is motivated by the need to address the challenge that electronic coupling between semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures is not well understood, hindering device applications in emerging technologies based on semiconductor-metal heterojunctions involving light illumination. The project involves the systematic study of fundamental factors, such as size, shape, and surface of both the semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures, which determine the electronic coupling between the semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures. This will be accomplished by developing designer linker molecules that control and enhance the coupling between them. The electronic coupling between semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures will be characterized using a combination of time-resolved photoluminescence, transmission electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, electrochemistry, Raman spectroscopy, and ultrafast pump-probe laser spectroscopy methods. Unique conductive or aromatic ligand molecules will be used to both stabilize the semiconductor quantum dots and plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures and alter and enhance their electronic coupling so that synergistic effects are achieved between the two nanostructures for photonics applications including light energy conversion into electricity or chemical fuel such as hydrogen. Computational studies will explore the semiconductor quantum dots-plasmons in plasmonic metal nanostructures interaction and guide and corroborate experimental studies. The project will also provide opportunities for training future scientists in advanced experimental and computational techniques. Through their “open lab” which focuses on “Solar Hydrogen from Seawater” each summer they will introduce the research of this project to local high school students and teachers to enhance public awareness about science.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

半导体和金属都可以以纳米颗粒的形式产生，比典型人毛的厚度小约10,000倍。某些半导体纳米颗粒（称为半导体量子点）在微小晶体中的电子（也称为激素）被空间挤压并暴露于光线时，暴露了新特性。同样，当小型金属纳米颗粒中的一组电子被限制在空间中并受到光的热电子（称为等离子体）的影响，在这些金属纳米结构中会产生，这些金属纳米结构暴露了新的特征。半导体量子点中的激子之间的相互作用与金属纳米结构中的等离子之间的相互作用预计将导致新的基本现象，并且对许多新兴技术有用。在这个合作项目中，来自佛罗里达州中部圣克鲁斯分校的Pi Jin Z. Zhang和Pi Shengli Zou将研究具有控制性电子互动的半导体量子点 - 质量金属纳米纳米纳米结构，它们是一种新型的混合纳米材料，称为新型纳米材料，称为半纳米材料，称为半导管。与传统的半导体或金属材料不同，这些异质界产生了异常的特性和新型功能。 PIS Zhang和Zou与学生合作，将开发方法来创建新的半导体 - 金属纳米核界面，电子设备通过连接分子以受控方式进行通信。该项目可能会对从纳米 - 光音到环境和能源的应用产生重大影响，例如推进可再生太阳能燃料的产生。该项目还将为培训高级实验和计算技术的未来科学家和工程师提供机会。 Through their “open lab” focusing on “Solar Hydrogen from Seawater” each summer, local high school students and Teachers will be introduced to the research of this project to enhance public awareness about science.This collaborative research team will develop novel semiconductor-metal nano heterojunctions to investigate the fundamental interactions between exciting generated on semiconductor quantum dots and plasmon produced in plasmonic metal nanostructures, named使用超快激光光谱从动态角度来看，“ plexciton”。这项研究是出于需要解决等离子体金属纳米结构中半导体量子点和等离子之间的电子耦合的挑战所激发的，这是不充分理解的，这阻碍了基于涉及光照明的半导体 - - 金属异质的新兴技术中的应用程序应用。该项目涉及对等离激元金属纳米结构中半导体量子点和等离子的基本因素的系统研究，这些量子点和等离子纳米结构都确定了等离子金属纳米结构中半导体量子点和等离子的电子耦合。这将通过开发设计器连接器分子来控制和增强它们之间的耦合来实现。血浆金属纳米结构中半导体量子点与等离子的电子耦合将通过时间分辨光照明，传输电子显微镜，红外光谱，核磁共振，电化学，电化学，Raman光谱和超级FAMPAST PUMPAST-PUMPE-PROBOBECOPY SPECTRROSCOPOPY SYPRROSCOPOPY SONCEPRROSCOPOPY SODENSSS组合来表征。独特的导电或芳族配体分子将用于等离子体金属纳米结构中的半导体量子点和等离子体稳定，并更改和增强其电子耦合，从而在包括光能应用在内的两个纳米结构之间实现两种纳米结构之间的效应，包括光能转化为电力或化学燃料，例如水电燃料。计算研究将探索等离子金属纳米结构中的半导体量子点 - 质量 - 指导和证实实验研究。该项目还将为培训未来的科学家提供高级实验和计算技术的机会。通过他们的“开放式实验室”，每年夏天都专注于“海水的太阳能氢”，他们将向当地的高中生和老师介绍该项目的研究，以增强公众对科学的认识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响审查的审查标准来通过评估来诚实的支持。