SBIR Phase I: Fabrication of Nanocrystal-Based Thin Film Optical Filter

This NSF SBIR Phase I project is to develop a series of optical edge and band-pass thin film filters using semiconductor nano-crystals and noble metal nano-rod as the absorption materials. The nanocrystal-based thin film filters would rely for their operation on the unique feature, size dependent absorption, of semiconductor and noble metal nanocrystals. Semiconductor nanocrystals are nanometer-sized fragments of the corresponding bulk materials; most of them can now be synthesized and processed using solution-based techniques. The size-dependent absorption and emission is the most attractive feature of semiconductor nanocrystals. Gold nanorod is another type absorption material that will be used in this project. It has been predicted that the longitudinal absorption of the gold nanorod could reach microwave or near infrared range. The thin film optical filters are of great commercial potential with a wide variety of applications in both military and civilian purposes. Thin film filters have been involved in almost all optical devices. Covering a very broad range of wavelength of light, the thin film filters resulting from this project will have great potential to be utilized in both military and civilian optical devices.