BrightPhoton · Black phosphorus interlayer coupling in heterostructures with boron nitride for photonics
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-04-01 → 2018-03-31
- EU contribution
- €185,076
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-RI
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Black phosphorus interlayer coupling in heterostructures with boron nitride for photonics
Almost after 30 years after the discovery of nanotubes and 20 years after the presentation of graphene, the diversity of the 1D and 2D nanomaterials to stack and assembly become important. In this wide horizon, the project BrightPhoton focuses on the association of dielectric or wide band gap semiconducting structures (5-7 eV) with optically or electronically active semiconductor with bandgap energies in the range of 0.5-3 eV. More precisely, the studies realized during the project investigated the stability and the dielectric properties of 2D black phosphorus (BP) thin layer as well as 1D chains of organic dyes. These materials, very different in nature at first glance, have common denominators that represent a huge bottle necks for their fundamental study as well as their diffusion in applicative fields. Indeed, their outstanding properties such as the strong light-matter interactions and or high mobility of the carriers through a direct bandgap, are hugely modulated by the quantum confinement effects, dielectric screening, and worse, disturbed or annihilated by photoinduced processes in ambient conditions. Photooxidation of Black phosphorus in air and the well known photobleaching for the organic dyes to just name a few. In this context the concept of heterostructure is apply to these two types of materials, to control and stabilize their properties. One of the main achievements, performed in the BrightPhoton project framework, is the first measurement of the layer dependent band gap energy of exfoliated BP in free standing conditions for the monolayer, bilayer and trilayer. A second study, performed in collaboration with the Thales UMPhy group, shows that Al203 ultrathin dielectric capping layer, as thin as 1 nm, acts as efficient passivation layer to protect BP from oxidation in ambient condition. In a same way we capitalize on the high crystallinity of Boron nitride nanotubes wall to encapsulated and stabilize the optical properties 1D chain of dyes. The resulting nanohybrids (Dyes@BNNT) display high resistance to harsh environment under photoexcitation, with an enhanced emission lifetime of the encapsulated dye by a factor 10^4. This stability over days, represents a paradigm shift in the use of organic dyes and semiconductors, that we apply to create a new library of nanoprobes for bio-imaging with multimodal capability, in collaboration with Pr. R. Martel group at the University of Montreal.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Black Phosphorus or P(Black) is a lamellar crystal of tervalent P atoms stacked by weak Van der Waals interactions that can be exfoliated down to the monolayer. Recent results demonstrate that quantum confinement in P(Black) thin layers leads to promising electronic properties such as an extremely high carrier mobility and tunable direct band gaps from visible to mid-infrared depending on the layer thickness. These properties have significant echoes in photonics and 2D transport physics. Studying pristine P(black) thin layers is however challenging due to the poor chemical and structural stability of elemental phosphorus. Indeed, the PI and his coworkers recently revealed a photo-activated charge transfer process involving adsorbed oxygen and water in ambient conditions that leads to a strong photo-oxidation of P(Black). Our approach targets 1- the fabrication of nano-heterostructures based on P(Black) thin layers sandwiched and or intercalated with protective Boron Nitride (BN) insulator layers ; 2- the fundamental studies of this new type of material. The scientific program focuses on the band gap study of P(black) depending on the thickness by Transmission Electron microscopy (TEM) and on electroluminescence of P(black) based heterostructures.The project represents a major leverage in the career trajectory of the PI by a fast, efficient and sustainable repatriation of this new field of research in the French and European landscape, in complete synergy with the momentum given by the EU member states on 2D related materials. Moreover this action offers, via a strong and customized training programm, a unique opportunity to the PI to acquire new and complementary skills in Boron Nitride thin layer synthesis and TEM, especially the TEM-Energy Electron Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) operating mode, that is particularly well adapted for 2D semiconductors in the hosting laboratory fully expert in these matters and with which the PI has already developed a strong link.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS · ParisCoordinatorFrance
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union