Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year. (2017-2018 to 2022-2023)

Semiconductor nanomaterials are increasingly important components in modern technologies. Thus the controlled assembly of nanometer (10 -9 meter) sized pieces of these materials is being driven not only for an examination of their fundamental photophysical feaures, but also for their developing applications in solar cell devices, sensors and modern display technologies.
The goals of the research program described in this proposal are to develop "molecular precursor approaches" to such nanomaterials where small, easily prepared molecules are designed and prepared for incorporation into higher order architectures that can be assembled in a size/shape controlled fashion. In particular, the research program will develop methods to chemically coat the surfaces of these nanomaterials to incorporate additional functionality for sensing applications and for increased electronic communication between individual nanometer sized pieces of semiconductor. The synthetic methods to be developed will permit control, at the atomic level, of the relative amounts of elements that make up the nanomaterial itself. In this manner the photophysical properties can be finely tuned by setting the chemical make-up of the semiconductor.
The graduate and undergraduate students working in these areas develop skills and training in advanced chemical synthesis and nanomaterials design and are able to enter the advanced materials and manufacturing sector of the Canadian economy.