The scope of the activity research of FINE team is the study of semiconductor and electronic nanostructures with the aim to investigate their structure, morphology and physical properties. We had developed a synthesis route that enables us to get reproducible oxide nanomaterials (SnO2, GeO2, TiO2, Ga2O3, ZnO …) with several morphologies (nanowires, nanotubes, nanorods, hierarchical structures, plates…) based on a thermal evaporation method. In addition, a full characterization of the obtained nanomaterials is carried out within the group. We study of the optical and electronic local properties of the obtained nanostructures with high spatial resolution with the aid of, but not only, electron microscopy related techniques. Some of the issues we address are related to the study of growth mechanisms, dopant incorporation, energy levels, electronic recombination, crystal defects, and surface effects…, among others. These are critical issues when these materials enter in practical applications.
The current project, entitled “Functional nanomaterials based on metal oxides: synthesis and upgrading of their optical and electrical properties for applications in energy and sensing”, aims to optimize the optical and electrical properties of novel oxides based nanostructures to be implemented in devices in which light matter interaction is a key performance factor, such as solar cells or optical sensors. We tune the physical properties through several ways: microstructure (crystalline phase and defects); doping (optical active impurities, carrier concentration, resistivity control); morphology (architecture, branched structures, periodic structures…); and dimensionality (hybrid structures with nanoparticles/nanowires, nanowires/ultrathin films) of the oxide based nanostructures.