Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

Our research group currently works on polymer photonic devices, such as polymer light-emitting devices and polymer photovoltaic cells. The research is carried out in a state-of-the-art facility established in 2003 at Queen's University. Our students fabricate polymer devices of various designs from scratch and perform electrical, optical, scanning, and low temperature characterizations to elucidate the underlying materials and device physics. Conjugated polymers are the only known materials that possess both the mechanical and processing advantages of plastics as well as the electrical and optical properties of semiconductors. The field of ""plastics electronics"" has enjoyed tremendous interest and progress in the past two decades. Polymer light-emitting diodes, solar cells and field-effect transistors have all been demonstrated with performance approaching that of conventional semiconductor devices. Flexible, large-area and low-cost solid-state lighting panels and solar panels are extremely attractive the ultimate goals of our research. Our polymer photonic device research is unique in that the active materials of our devices are polymer mixed ionic/electronic conductors (MIECs) instead of pristine polymers. We explore the interaction between ionic and electronic charges to improve the performance of our devices. Our experimental device research relies not only on the hard work of HQPs, but also on specialized instruments. It is the goal of this proposal to acquire a much-needed Semiconductor Characterization System that will replace an legacy Source Measurement Unit that can no longer satisfy our testing needs.