Tackling Disorder and Ensemble Broadening in Materials Made of Semiconductor Nanostructures
In modern science and technology, semiconducting materials play an enormous role in solid-state lighting, photovoltaics, light harvesting, and electronics. The work performed in this project will help unlock the full potential of nano-engineered semiconductors currently hidden by the effects of disorder. The proposed work will develop new experimental and theoretical techniques that eliminate negative effects due to non-uniform particle size and shape. The nanoscale semiconductors developed in this project will be used for color enhancement and energy efficiency improvement of television and electronic displays, light detectors, solar cells, and printable electronic circuits. The program will attract undergraduate and graduate students, and post-doctoral scholars who will be trained and prepared for academic and industrial careers. The PIs will also continue to integrate outreach into local programs, taking part in science club initiatives and demonstrations that focus on hands-on science experiences for public school students. The PIs will create and make publicly available a series of lecture notes for graduate students explaining computational stochastic methods to reduce the language barrier frequently experienced by quantum chemists working with this formalism.