MechE Colloquium: Compound semiconductor nanostructures: synthesis & sustainability aspects
Event details
| Date | 30.03.2021 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:15 |
| Speaker | Prof. Anna Fontcuberta i Morral, Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials (LMSC), EPFL School of Engineering (STI), Institute of Materials (IMX) |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
Some compound semiconductors such as GaAs and InGaAsP exhibit a high absorption coefficient in the photon energy of interest for solar energy conversion. Their commercial potential in terrestrial applications is reduced due to the scarcity (and thus high cost) of group III elements such as In and Ga. In this talk we present two approaches to render the use this kind of materials sustainable: a strong reduction in material use through nanostructures and the replacement of group III by group II such as zinc. We find nanostructures also provide a path to increase light collection [1]. We show how II-V compounds such as Zn3P2 exhibit one magnitude higher absorption coefficient than GaAs [2]. We explain how these materials can be fabricated with high crystal quality, opening the path for the creation of alternative and sustainable compound semiconductor solar cells [3-5].
References:
[1] P. Krogstrup et al Nature Photon 7, 306 (2013)
[2] M.Y. Swinkels et al Phys. Rev. Appl. 14, 024045 (2020)
[3] S. Escobar Steinvall et al Nanoscale Horizons 5, 274-282 (2020)
[4] R. Paul et al, Crys. Growth. Des. 20, 3816–3825 (2020)
[5] S. Escobar Steinval et al. Nanoscale Adv. 3, 326 (2021)
Bio:
Anna Fontcuberta i Morral received her Diploma in Physics at the University of Barcelona in 1997. She then moved to France where she obtained her PhD in Materials Science at Ecole Polytechnique in 2001. She then moved to the group of Harry Atwater at CalTech, where she also co-founded the company Aonex Technologies. Sponsored by a Marie Curie Excellence Grant she became team leader at the Walter Schottky Institute at Technical University of Munich in 2005, where she also habilitated in physics in 2009. In 2008, she joined the Institute of Materials Science & Engineering at EPFL first as a professor and director of the Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials. Since January 2021 she is associate vice-president of Centers and Platforms. Among her recognitions are ERC starting grant, the Emy Noether Prize in Physics and the Polysphere Prize (teaching prize given by undergraduate students).
Some compound semiconductors such as GaAs and InGaAsP exhibit a high absorption coefficient in the photon energy of interest for solar energy conversion. Their commercial potential in terrestrial applications is reduced due to the scarcity (and thus high cost) of group III elements such as In and Ga. In this talk we present two approaches to render the use this kind of materials sustainable: a strong reduction in material use through nanostructures and the replacement of group III by group II such as zinc. We find nanostructures also provide a path to increase light collection [1]. We show how II-V compounds such as Zn3P2 exhibit one magnitude higher absorption coefficient than GaAs [2]. We explain how these materials can be fabricated with high crystal quality, opening the path for the creation of alternative and sustainable compound semiconductor solar cells [3-5].
References:
[1] P. Krogstrup et al Nature Photon 7, 306 (2013)
[2] M.Y. Swinkels et al Phys. Rev. Appl. 14, 024045 (2020)
[3] S. Escobar Steinvall et al Nanoscale Horizons 5, 274-282 (2020)
[4] R. Paul et al, Crys. Growth. Des. 20, 3816–3825 (2020)
[5] S. Escobar Steinval et al. Nanoscale Adv. 3, 326 (2021)
Bio:
Anna Fontcuberta i Morral received her Diploma in Physics at the University of Barcelona in 1997. She then moved to France where she obtained her PhD in Materials Science at Ecole Polytechnique in 2001. She then moved to the group of Harry Atwater at CalTech, where she also co-founded the company Aonex Technologies. Sponsored by a Marie Curie Excellence Grant she became team leader at the Walter Schottky Institute at Technical University of Munich in 2005, where she also habilitated in physics in 2009. In 2008, she joined the Institute of Materials Science & Engineering at EPFL first as a professor and director of the Laboratory of Semiconductor Materials. Since January 2021 she is associate vice-president of Centers and Platforms. Among her recognitions are ERC starting grant, the Emy Noether Prize in Physics and the Polysphere Prize (teaching prize given by undergraduate students).
Practical information
- General public
- Free