Session Overview |
Green photonics, energy, and related technologies - Bloc 2Room: Cartier 2 |
Date: Tuesday, June 05 |
15:30 |
Self-assembled monolayers of electro- and photo-active small organic molecules for tuning the electrical and optical properties of surfaces
Main Author: Lionel Patrone Organization: Institut Matériaux Microélectronique Nanosciences de Provence, IM2NP CNRS UMR 7334, France After the principle of SAM preparation, the motivation of developing SAMs of small organic molecules will be illustrated. How organization at the molecular scale acts on electro-optical properties of molecular chromophores will then be discussed through two examples: a structure-electrical properties relationship probed by STM and the SAM of a novel non-charged push-pull thiophene-based chromophore. |
15:55 |
Microstructuring technologies for solar absorption in the field of CSP
Main Author: Yves Jourlin Organization: University of Lyon, Lab Hubert Curien CNRS, France Periodic microstructures can significantly improve the performances of CSP (Concentrated Solar Power) devices by increasing the light absorption. For structuring non-planar receivers, several plane surface technologies can be adapted. In particular, nanospheres lithography allows printing submicron periodic structures on cylindrical substrates. |
16:20 |
Near-field Termophotovoltaic Energy Conversion for Waste Heat Recovery
Main Author: Raphael St-Gelais Organization: University of Ottawa, Canada I will review the physical principles behind near-field radiative heat transfer and discuss the exciting opportunity it offers for creating small scale heat-to-electricity energy conversion technologies. I will also present our recent work in which we used MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) to achieve the first experimental demonstration of heat transfer in the regime required for such technologies: sub-100 nm separation and large thermal gradient between parallel surfaces. |
16:45 |
Solution-Processed Nanomaterials for Energy Conversion and Sensing
Main Author: Ghada Koleilat Organization: Dalhousie University, Canada Emerging optoelectronic technologies seek to push the boundaries of both efficiency and cost-effectiveness through the use of flexible platforms and novel material systems. My talk will primarily center on the potential of colloidal quantum dots and semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes in energy conversion and sensing applications. Colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) are nanometer scaled semiconductor crystals that are synthesized in, processed with, and deposited from solution. These materials offer a new paradigm for optoelectronics; one in which materials properties are not strictly material dependent, but are also influenced by physical dimension. With CQDs, the optical absorption ranges can be tuned by adjusting the size of the nanoparticles on the angstrom length scale. In particular, for photovoltaics, this enables facile access to much broader range of the sun's spectrum than is accessible through conventional photovoltaic materials such as silicon and gallium arsenide. The second part of my talk will focus on the emerging field of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) photovoltaics. SWNTs are typically synthesized as a mixture of chiralities, with one-third of the mixture being metallic and the remaining two-third being semiconducting. I will talk about a facile polymer-sorting strategy that allowed us to selectively disperse and separate the semiconducting small-diameter - and thus larger bandgaps - carbon nanotubes that are optimal for the active layer of a single junction solar cell from the metallic SWNTs that are ideal for transparent conductive electrodes. Working with CQDs and SWNTs, however, is not without its challenges. These materials demand additional considerations when applying them into functional devices. Thus throughout the various topics in my talk, I will discuss the major architectural and material considerations including interfaces design, processing limitations, and materials selection. |
17:10 |
Photocatalytic properties of iron-doped barium titanate
Main Author: Andreas Ruediger Organization: INRS-EMT, Canada We report on the hydrothermal synthesis of iron-doped barium titanate nanoparticles and discuss their photocatalytic activity in terms of particle size, iron doping, and particle concentration. We observe a clear effect of iron doping on the photocatalytic properties and on the shape anisotropy of the nanoparticles and discuss our findings as a balance between increased absorption with iron doping on one side, enhancing the photocatalytic performance and enhanced recombination rate and loss of tetragonality for excessive doping levels on the other side. We report a similar photocatalytic performance as for chromium doping without need for this problematic heavy metal |
17:35 |
Enabling plasmon resonances in the near and mid-infrared range with fractal metamaterials
Main Author: Gregory Q. Wallace Organization: Western University, Canada Metallic nanostructures that exhibit plasmon resonances in the mid-infrared range are of particular interest for a variety of optical processes where the infrared excitation and/or emission could be enhanced. We explore here the properties of metamaterials that have resonances in the mid-infrared range that can be exploited for a variety of applications including sensing applications. |