Nanotechnology Now

Our NanoNews Digest Sponsors
Heifer International



Home > Press > Shedding light on the absorption of light by titanium dioxide

Lattice structure of anatase TiO2 with a graphical representation of the 2-D exciton that is generated by the absorption of light (purple wavy arrow). This 2-D exciton is the lowest energy excitation of the material.
CREDIT
Majed Chergui/EPFL
Lattice structure of anatase TiO2 with a graphical representation of the 2-D exciton that is generated by the absorption of light (purple wavy arrow). This 2-D exciton is the lowest energy excitation of the material. CREDIT Majed Chergui/EPFL

Abstract:
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is one of the most promising materials for photovoltaics and photocatalysis nowadays. This material appears in different crystalline forms, but the most attractive one for applications is called "anatase". Despite decades of studies on the conversion of the absorbed light into electrical charges in anatase TiO2, the very nature of its fundamental electronic and optical properties was still unknown. EPFL scientists, with national and international partners, have now shed light onto the problem by a combination of cutting-edge steady-state and ultrafast spectroscopic techniques, as well as theoretical calculations. The work is published in Nature Communications.

Shedding light on the absorption of light by titanium dioxide

Lausanne, Switzerland | Posted on April 14th, 2017

Anatase TiO2 is involved in a wide range of applications, ranging from photovoltaics and photocatalysis to self-cleaning glasses, and water and air purification. All of these are based on the absorption of light and its subsequent conversion into electrical charges. Given its widespread use in various applications, TiO2 has been one of the most studied materials in the twentieth century, both experimentally and theoretically.

When light shines on a semiconducting material such as TiO2, it generates either free negative (electrons) and positive (holes) charges or a bound neutral electron-hole pair, called an exciton. Excitons are of great interest because they can transport both energy and charges on a nanoscale level, and form the basis of an entire field of next-generation electronics, called "excitonics". The problem with TiO2 so far is that we have not been able to clearly identify the nature and properties of the physical object that absorbs light and characterize its properties.

The group of Majed Chergui at EPFL, along with national and international colleagues, have shed light on this long-standing question by using a combination of cutting-edge experimental methods: steady-state angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), which maps the energetics of the electrons along the different axis in the solid; spectroscopic ellipsometry, which determines the optical properties of the solid with high accuracy; and ultrafast two-dimensional deep-ultraviolet spectroscopy, used for the first time in the study of materials, along with state-of-the-art first-principles theoretical tools.

They discovered that the threshold of the optical absorption spectrum is due to a strongly bound exciton, which exhibits two remarkable novel properties: First, it is confined on a two-dimensional (2D) plane of the three-dimensional lattice of the material. This is the first such case ever reported in condensed matter. And secondly, this 2D exciton is stable at room temperature and robust against defects, as it is present in any type of TiO2 -- single crystals, thin films, and even nanoparticles used in devices.

This "immunity" of the exciton to long-range structural disorder and defects implies that it can store the incoming energy in the form of light and guide it at the nanoscale in a selective way. This promises a huge improvement compared to current technology, in which the absorbed light energy is dissipated as heat to the crystal lattice, making the conventional excitation schemes extremely inefficient.

Furthermore, the newly discovered exciton is very sensitive to a variety of external and internal stimuli in the material (temperature, pressure, excess electron density), paving the way to a powerful, accurate and cheap detection scheme for sensors with an optical read-out.

"Given that it is cheap and easy to fabricate anatase TiO2 materials, these findings are crucial for many applications and beyond", says Majed Chergui. "To know how electrical charges are generated after light is absorbed is a key ingredient for efficient photocatalysts."

###

This work was carried out in a collaboration of the EPFL's Laboratoire de Spectroscopie Ultrarapide (LSU) and the Institute of Physics (IPHYS) within the Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science (LACUS), with the Max Planck Institute for the Structure and Dynamics of Matter, the University of Fribourg, the Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, the Università Roma "Tor Vergata", and the Universidad del Pais Vasco. It was funded by the Swiss National Science foundation (SNSF; NCCR:MUST), the European Research Council Advanced Grants "DYNAMOX" and "Qspec-Newmat", the Grupos Consolidados del Gobierno Vasco and COST Actions, EUSpec.

Reference

E. Baldini, L. Chiodo, A. Dominguez, M. Palummo, S. Moser, M. Yazdi-Rizi, G. Auböck, B.P.P. Mallett, H. Berger, A. Magrez, C. Bernhard, M. Grioni, A. Rubio, M. Chergui. Strongly bound excitons in anatase TiO2 single crystals and nanoparticles. Nature Communications 13 April 2017. DOI: s41467-017-00016-6.

####

For more information, please click here

Contacts:
Nik Papageorgiou

41-216-932-105

Copyright © Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

If you have a comment, please Contact us.

Issuers of news releases, not 7th Wave, Inc. or Nanotechnology Now, are solely responsible for the accuracy of the content.

Bookmark:
Delicious Digg Newsvine Google Yahoo Reddit Magnoliacom Furl Facebook

Related News Press

Chemistry

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

News and information

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Govt.-Legislation/Regulation/Funding/Policy

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Optically trapped quantum droplets of light can bind together to form macroscopic complexes March 8th, 2024

Possible Futures

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Discoveries

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

High-tech 'paint' could spare patients repeated surgeries March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Announcements

What heat can tell us about battery chemistry: using the Peltier effect to study lithium-ion cells March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

The Access to Advanced Health Institute receives up to $12.7 million to develop novel nanoalum adjuvant formulation for better protection against tuberculosis and pandemic influenza March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Interviews/Book Reviews/Essays/Reports/Podcasts/Journals/White papers/Posters

Researchers develop artificial building blocks of life March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

Curcumin nanoemulsion is tested for treatment of intestinal inflammation: A formulation developed by Brazilian researchers proved effective in tests involving mice March 8th, 2024

Nanoscale CL thermometry with lanthanide-doped heavy-metal oxide in TEM March 8th, 2024

Environment

$900,000 awarded to optimize graphene energy harvesting devices: The WoodNext Foundation's commitment to U of A physicist Paul Thibado will be used to develop sensor systems compatible with six different power sources January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

New catalyst could dramatically cut methane pollution from millions of engines: Researchers demonstrate a way to remove the potent greenhouse gas from the exhaust of engines that burn natural gas. July 21st, 2023

Billions of nanoplastics released when microwaving baby food containers: Exposure to plastic particles kills up to 75% of cultured kidney cells July 21st, 2023

Energy

Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024

Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023

Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023

The efficient perovskite cells with a structured anti-reflective layer – another step towards commercialization on a wider scale October 6th, 2023

Water

Two-dimensional bimetallic selenium-containing metal-organic frameworks and their calcinated derivatives as electrocatalysts for overall water splitting March 8th, 2024

Computational system streamlines the design of fluidic devices: This computational tool can generate an optimal design for a complex fluidic device such as a combustion engine or a hydraulic pump December 9th, 2022

Taking salt out of the water equation October 7th, 2022

Scientists capture a ‘quantum tug’ between neighboring water molecules: Ultrafast electrons shed light on the web of hydrogen bonds that gives water its strange properties, vital for many chemical and biological processes July 8th, 2022

Grants/Sponsored Research/Awards/Scholarships/Gifts/Contests/Honors/Records

Discovery of new Li ion conductor unlocks new direction for sustainable batteries: University of Liverpool researchers have discovered a new solid material that rapidly conducts lithium ions February 16th, 2024

$900,000 awarded to optimize graphene energy harvesting devices: The WoodNext Foundation's commitment to U of A physicist Paul Thibado will be used to develop sensor systems compatible with six different power sources January 12th, 2024

Catalytic combo converts CO2 to solid carbon nanofibers: Tandem electrocatalytic-thermocatalytic conversion could help offset emissions of potent greenhouse gas by locking carbon away in a useful material January 12th, 2024

'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024

Research partnerships

Researchers’ approach may protect quantum computers from attacks March 8th, 2024

How surface roughness influences the adhesion of soft materials: Research team discovers universal mechanism that leads to adhesion hysteresis in soft materials March 8th, 2024

'Sudden death' of quantum fluctuations defies current theories of superconductivity: Study challenges the conventional wisdom of superconducting quantum transitions January 12th, 2024

Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024

Solar/Photovoltaic

Development of zinc oxide nanopagoda array photoelectrode: photoelectrochemical water-splitting hydrogen production January 12th, 2024

Shedding light on unique conduction mechanisms in a new type of perovskite oxide November 17th, 2023

Inverted perovskite solar cell breaks 25% efficiency record: Researchers improve cell efficiency using a combination of molecules to address different November 17th, 2023

Charged “molecular beasts” the basis for new compounds: Researchers at Leipzig University use “aggressive” fragments of molecular ions for chemical synthesis November 3rd, 2023

NanoNews-Digest
The latest news from around the world, FREE




  Premium Products
NanoNews-Custom
Only the news you want to read!
 Learn More
NanoStrategies
Full-service, expert consulting
 Learn More











ASP
Nanotechnology Now Featured Books




NNN

The Hunger Project