Nano-materials for Clean Energy

Preparing materials on the nanoscale is essential for current and future devices. However this presents many technical and scientific challenges. Nonetheless, nanocrystals also offer unique opportunities for novel, energy efficient devices. This project aims to understand subtle changes in material properties on the nanoscale via optical spectroscopy. Specifically our group routinely prepares high temperature superconductors and topological insulators only a few nanometers thick on a wide variety of substrates using mechanical exfoliation. We then study these materials with a variety of optical techniques including Raman and IR spectroscopy. Our group also strives to produce new interfaces and devices from these materials, such a field effect transistor.

The student will be actively engaged in producing nano-crystals via mechanical exfoliation. They will be responsible for optimizing the process for different substrates by producing nano-crystals and checking their results with optical, Raman and atomic force microscopy. This project may also involve designing new equipment to produce nano-crystals in an automated way.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Kenneth Burch

Student:

Achint Jain

Partner:

Discipline:

Physics / Astronomy

Sector:

Nanotechnologies

University:

University of Toronto

Program: