Introducing Strategic Elements in Semiconductor Oxides in Advancing Energy and Sensing Topics

• Grant number: 24/02854-1
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: February 01, 2025
• End date: January 31, 2028
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Condensed Matter Physics
• Principal Investigator: Marcio Peron Franco de Godoy
• Grantee: Marcio Peron Franco de Godoy
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Victor Lopez Richard

Abstract

New strategies for materials applied to sensing and energy production and storage are a constantly updated topic. Among the most versatile materials, semiconductor oxides have a strong technological bias due to the diverse functionalities that can be promoted by engineering their bulk and surface electronic properties. These properties are closely dependent on the defects inherent to this system, mainly associated with the stoichiometry break. Another form of management is through doping with some strategic elements, such as those proposed in this project. Our research seeks to advance the understanding of three problems present in the oxides phenomenology: i) the activation of photoassisted surface effects, encompassing atmosphere-dependent photoconductive responses and resistive memory effects; ii) the implementation of a strategy for the construction of thermoelectric cells through the production of thermoelectric thin films and iii) the monitoring of optical emissions that include rare earth ions as a probe for some functionalities. In this scope, we will explore the introduction of sodium and silver as active elements in semiconductor oxides such as ZnO and Co3O4, favoring photoassisted reactions on the surface, impacting the creation/suppression of carrier traps, allowing the formation of lamellar thermoelectric structures on the scale of thin films and exploring the correlation of optical emissions associated with the explored functionalities. (AU)