Nanomaterial having tunable infrared absorption characteristics and associated method of manufacture
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsLarken Elizabeth Cumberland, Adam Franklin Gross, Keith John Davis, Nicole L. Abueg
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Abstract
A quantum nanomaterial having a bandgap that may be tuned to enable the quantum nanomaterial to detect IR radiation in selected regions including throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region is provided. The quantum nanomaterials may include tin telluride (SnTe) nanomaterials and/or lead tin telluride (PbxSn1-xTe) nanomaterials. Additionally, a method of manufacturing nanomaterial that is tunable for detecting IR radiation in selected regions, such as throughout the MWIR region and into the LWIR region, is also provided.
Claims11
A quantum nanomaterial comprising:
- at least one tin telluride (SnTe) nanocrystal having a cross-sectional dimension of between 15 nm and 50 nm, said SnTe nanocrystal having a bandgap between 0 eV and 0.35 eV dependent, at least partially, upon the cross-sectional dimension of the SnTe nanocrystal, said SnTe nanocrystal also having peak absorption for signals having a wavelength of at least 3.5 μm.
A quantum nanomaterial comprising:
- at least one lead tin telluride (PbxSn1-xTe) nanocrystal in which x has a value between 0.1 and 0.6, said PbxSn1-xTe nanocrystal having a cross-sectional dimension of at least 7.5 nm, said PbxSn1-xTe nanocrystal having a bandgap between 0 eV and 0.35 eV dependent, at least partially, upon the cross-sectional dimension of the PbxSn1-xTe nanocrystal or the value of x, said PbxSn1-xTe nanocrystal also having peak absorption for signals having a wavelength of at least 3.5 μm.
A method of manufacturing a lead tin telluride (PbxSn1-xTe) nanomaterial comprising:
- introducing lead into a container;
- adding a tin (Sn) precursor solution and a telluride (Te) solution to the lead within the container to form a mixed solution;
- and
- maintaining the mixed solution at an elevated temperature for a period of time prior to cooling to an ambient temperature to form the PbxSn1-xTe nanomaterial.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.