SBIR-STTR Award

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will focus on the development of new and inexpensive techniques for production of highly fluorescent semiconductor silicon nanoparticles (quantum dots). Preliminary results indicate that lateral etching of silicon wafers can be used for the continuous production of high quality, inexpensive silicon nanoparticles. This Phase 1 program is intended to demonstrate that through optimization of the manufacturing process, a greater yield of particles will meet the larger quantities required by prospective customers. Several industrial companies have expressed an interest in the particles, but require much larger quantities than can be produced in the existing system. By optimizing the technical and chemical aspects of the existing particle system, the project will increase the yield to meet customer demand, and also evaluate the system's reproducibility and scalability. Commercially, this project will provide a basis for scaling up of luminescent silicon quantum dots production. It will allow for production of fluorescent silicon quantum dots and will play significant role in the market of nanomaterials, particularly for photonics devices. It is expected that, in general, the outcome of this proposal will have great impact on future nanotechnology. The reason is that silicon nanoparticles are among the most desired materials for future nanotechnology and research. It will not only have great impact on technology since it will provide a great amount of material for new tools; devices etc. but it also will have great effect on our understanding of silicon properties at small dimensions

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase II project will develop new scale up methods for the synthesis of surface stabilized metal nanoparticles from aerosol. The advantage of chemical aerosol-flow synthesis is in its simplicity in procedure and experimental setup, low cost and scalability. The method allows for the synthesis of high quality nanoparticles in continuous flow regimen. Phase I results proved feasibility of the method for the synthesis of high quality silver nanoparticles with high yield. This Phase II project will focus on increasing manufacturing capabilities to decrease the cost of nanoparticles significantly. Low cost, printed electrical conductors are expected to be a rapidly growing market for flexible electronics and solar cells. Reducing processing temperatures and material costs are key enablers to these growing applications. The low cost production of nanometals will contribute to these trends.