Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

To unravel the mystery of the behaviour of materials on the electronic level is the central theme of the proposed research. Of particular interest is materials of the size of one thousandth of a human hair, commonly known as nanoscaled materials or simply nanostructures. This research area has generated a great deal of excitement in recent years partly because of their many peculiar properties, which deviate significantly from their bulk counter parts and partly and more importantly because of the advent of nanotechnology fueled by the idea of miniature, and discoveries and innovations based on the unusual properties of nanostructures. Our proposed research centers on designed synthesis, assembly and characterization of nanowires/nanotubes of semiconductors such as elemental carbon, silicon and germanium, compound semiconductors, CdS, CdSe, ZnO, SnO2, GeO2, among others as well as heterostructures, i.e. assembly of more than one type of nanostructures. We focus on the optical/transport properties and surface chemistry of nanostructures. The former has profound implications to light emitting/sensor device applications, the latter can lead to catalyst design for a large number of energy related applications such as hydrogen storage, battery, fuel cell, capacitors etc. since nanowire assembly anchored on a conducting substrate provides an enormous surface area for catalyst support and enhances electrochemical processes. The most important tool in our research in understanding the behavior of materials in general and nanomaterials in particular is the synchrotron light source, an accelerator based light bulb that is brighter than the sun. Synchrotron light is generated when electrons are circulating in an orbit close to the speed of light. We have been involved in developing synchrotron light source capabilities at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) in Saskatoon, the only national laboratory of this kind commissioned in 2004. We will continue to utilize and develop advanced capabilities at CLS for the investigation of nanomaterials through investigations of the interaction of synchrotron light with matter via absorption and scattering processes. )