Thesis advisor : Pr. Ludovic Escoubas

Co-supervisor: Dr. David Duché

Tel: 0619578735

E-Mail : ludovic.escoubas@univ-amu.fr et david.duche@univ-amu.fr

Laboratory : IM2NP

Subject description :

More and more applications require the development of efficient, light and flexible photovoltaic (PV) systems. Nevertheless, current PV technologies do not allow to convert the whole solar spectral range into electricity, and most of light and flexible PV systems exhibit limited power conversion efficiency, typically around 20%. Indeed, the working spectral ranges of PV devices are limited by t he intrinsic properties of semiconducting materials, which are strongly dependent on their forbidden energy band gap. For these PV devices, the extension of the working spectral range requires complex material engineering, which still remains a challenge today. Moreover, the working spectral range of traditional PV systems cannot be easily tuned to perform under specific conditions such as indoor environments, in which artificial light could be harvested to supply electricity to low power autonomous systems (few hundreds of μW) such as detectors (temperature, pollution, toxic gas,…) and Internet Of Things (IOT) devices. Whether for embedded systems (aviation, spatia l, automobile ,…), for individuals or in the frame of industry 4.0, it concerns several tens of billions of low-power devices. A promising way to solve this problem would rely on a technological breakthrough through the development of optical rectennas composed of plasmonic nano-antennas associated with rectifying diodes to directly convert light into electricity. The rectenna technology has two main advantages. The first one comes from the ability to convert electromagnetic waves into electricity from far infrared to the visible range of the solar spectrum with high-power conversion efficiency (PCE). The second advantage is related to the possibility of tuning this working spectral range within these limits to produce electricity from any light source. Furthermore, this technology is compatible with the use of light and flexible substrates, which allows a better integration of devices.

The work will consist in designing, realizing and characterizing plasmonic nano-antennas composed of metallic nanocubes associated with ultra-fast ferrocene based molecular diodes.  

The first task will consist in modeling the electronic properties of the diodes and the optical properties of the plasmonic nano-antennas using codes developed at IM2NP. In the second task, plasmonic nano-antennas composed of metallic nano-cubes will be connected to the molecular diodes. In the last task, the PhD student will characterize the optical and electrical properties of the rectennas and measure the device efficiencies. The optical properties of the rectennas will be meausred using a spectrophotometer equipped with an integrating sphere. The rectenna I(V) characteristics under illumination (0.5μm < λ < 2μm) will be carried out at a macroscopic scale but also at a nano-scale using a C-AFM equipped with a tunnable white super-continuum laser.

Profile of the desired candidate :

We are seeking PhD applicants working in the field of nanotechnology with a background in: materials sciences, photonic, nano-électronique, organic electronic, modeling software (photonics and electronics ). Of particular interest are candidates with experience in electrical characterization of semi-conductors. A good knowledge of experimental set-ups including advanced characterization by conductive AFM is encouraged.

Publications on the subject :

• C.A. Reynaud, D. Duché et al ., Progress in Quantum Electronics, 100265, (2020)
• C. A. Reynaud, D. Duché et al ., Advanced Optical Materials 6 (23), 1801177, (2018).
• D.Duche et al ., patent EP 3 493 283 A1
• D. Duche, et al ., Journal of Applied Physics 121 (11), 115503, (2017).
• D. Duché et al ., Applied Physics Letters 92 (19) 176, (2008)
• D. Duche, et al ., Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells 93 (8), 13771382, (2009).
• D Duché, Journal of Applied Physics 117 (5), 053108, (2015).

Vocational integration after thesis :

The topic of this PhD thesis will allow the PhD student to develop interdisciplinary skills in the field of nanosciences, especially in the following fields: modeling and simulation (optics and electronics), nanofabrication and self-assembling and advanced characterization. These skills will allow an insertion as an engineer in private companies or as a researcher in public research institutes.