SBIR Phase I: Small Business Phase One : Nanowire Photocathode Array

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to develop nanometer scale photocathode structures for use in miniature high-speed photodetectors. The innovation is to use material property based self-assembling techniques to engineer nanostructures for use in optoelectronic devices. NanoSciences proposes to prototype nanowire array photocathode structures for potential photomultiplier applications. The technique employed is to electroplate Sb into a porous Al2O3 matrix of nanochannels. The Al2O3 matrix is partially removed exposing a uniform ordered array of Sb nanowires that are exposed to cesium to form Cs3Sb. As a result of the reduced dimensionality of the nanostructures, the proposed nanowire photocathode has an increased surface area, a tunable refractive index, and a decreased electron affinity. These qualities result in enhanced quantum efficiency over conventional architectures. This research seeks to develop components for miniature high-speed photomultipliers that have applications in optical communications, medical imaging, night vision systems, robotic and machine vision systems, mass spectroscopy, missile defense systems, and basic scientific research