APPLICATIONS OF TECHNOLOGY:
Applications involving semiconductors, including:
- Optoelectronics (e.g., LEDs, displays)
- Computer chips
BENEFITS:
- Faster, lower energy, and scalable synthesis procedure
BACKGROUND:
High entropy materials offer a promising avenue for the development of advanced semiconductors, due to their tailorable properties and enhanced performance. However, traditional methods of synthesizing high entropy materials require high temperatures (over 1000°C) and complex processing techniques, such as hot rolling. This energy intensive process presents difficulties for scaling up the production of high entropy materials for large scale production.
One route to address the extreme synthetic requirements for high entropy materials involves the design of crystal structures with ionic bonding networks and low cohesive energies. This will facilitate the discovery of new high entropy materials systems under mild conditions.
TECHNOLOGY OVERVIEW:
Scientists at Berkeley Lab have developed a room temperature (20°C) and low temperature (80°C) synthesis procedures for a new class of metal halide perovskite high-entropy semiconductor (HES) single crystals. These materials exhibit a stable, single-phase structure made up of near equimolar ratios of five or six different M-site metal components. Additionally, the HES crystals with the specific combination of Zr, Sn, Te, Hf, and Pt exhibit photoluminescence under appropriate excitation conditions, suggesting potential applications in optoelectronics or other fields requiring specific luminescent properties. Tunable light emission can be achieved by adjusting individual elements.
The achievement of any high-entropy material, especially in single-crystal form, at either room temperature or low temperature is a key requirement for the successful incorporation of future HES materials into electronic device architectures. The lower energy requirement and faster synthesis procedure paves the way for scalable synthesis of HES materials for improved semiconductors.
Additional Information:
Folgueras, M.C., Jiang, Y., Jin, J. et al. High-entropy halide perovskite single crystals stabilized by mild chemistry. Nature 621, 282–288 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06396-8
DEVELOPMENT STAGE:
Proof of concept
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATORS:
Peidong Yang, Maria C. Folgueras, Yuxin Jiang
IP Status:
Patent pending
OPPORTUNITIES:
Available for licensing or collaborative research