Nanoelectronics and Energy Conversion Laboratory

Research in the Nanoelectronics and Energy Conversion Laboratory focuses on the discovery of new nanomaterials, the design of novel high-performance device structures and the experimental demonstration of device prototypes. Our particular interest is in colloidal quantum dot-based devices, in which semiconductor nanocrystals with tailored electronic properties are used as fundamental building blocks to construct various electronic and optoelectronic devices from the bottom up. This approach provides an opportunity to exploit unique properties arising from nanoscale components and to explore unconventional device concepts and designs for energy harvesting and optical sensing. One of our recent efforts includes the development of paper- based thermoelectric devices that offer a compelling combination of low-cost, high-throughput fabrication and flexible form. These devices can produce electrical power efficiently from body heat with applications ranging from wearable electronics to sensor-based healthcare monitoring and improvement. Other projects include quantum dot-based sensors and imagers that concentrate on developing new infrared-sensing nanomaterials and device structures for highly sensitive photo-detection.