ProfessorThomas Anthopoulos

OverviewMy research programs are centered on understanding the physical properties of functional electronic materials and applying this fundamental understanding to develop improved materials and devices for application in electronics, displays, lighting, energy generation & harvesting and different sensor technologies. I am also interested in innovative manufacturing technologies for large-area nano-electronics where device -and ultimately system- performance is determined by key device dimensions rather than strictly by the physical properties of the active material(s) used. Ultimate aim is the development of advanced device concepts and their application in future generations of ubiquitous large-area opto-electronics.

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The Advanced Materials & Devices (AMD) group Examples of Ongoing Projects
Transparent interlayer materials for application in photovoltaics
Research focuses on developing novel solution processable transparent semiconductors for application in photovoltaics. Material under investigation include high mobility electron and hole transporting systems based on organic, inorganic and hybrid compounds. Chemical doping is also explored as a versatile tool for tuning the conductivity of these interlayers without reducing their extreme optical transparency. Further details can be found in Adv. Ene. Mat. (2014), DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201401529.
LOW-DIMENSIONAL SEMICONDUCTORS FOR NEXT GENERATION LARGE-AREA ELECTRONICS
Research focuses on the development of low-dimensional (nm-thick) semiconducting layers from solution phase at low temperatures (20 cm2 /Vs) ZnO thin-film transistors. The figure below displays the schematic of the spray pyrolysis apparatus together with the operating characteristics of a low-voltage ZnO transistor fabricated by spray pyrolysis.
Organic semiconducting blends
Aim of this project is the development of high-performance organic devices base d on organic semiconductor bl ends. B y mixin g solutions of small-molec ule organics with polymer s we are able to fabricate hole transporting transistors with reco rd carrier mobilities and excellent environmental stability. A key finding of this wo rk is the distinct vertical phase separation that occurs between the small-molecule and the polymer matrix used. The latter is responsible for the formation of large crystalline domains at the surface of the film and for the high carrier mobilities measured. The figure below shows: i) examples of small-molecule (diF-TESADT) an d polymer (PTAA) semiconductors, ii) the morphology of a diF-TESADT:PT AA fil m imaged using polarised light microscopy, and iii) the operating characteristics of a transistor based on this blend.

Available facilities
An excellent range of state-of-the-art equipment dedicated to device fabrication and characterization exists. This includes a large area cleanroom (100 m2, ISO class 6) equipped with a variety of fabrication tools and all relevant inspection and measurement facilities. Major equipment available includes: several spin coaters, two vacuum evaporators (e-beam and resistive), one optical microscope, one atomic-force microscope (AFM), numerous fume-hoods, wet-benches, profilometers, a mask aligner, several high-temperature ovens, and plasma etchers. The AMD group is equipped with a glove-box integrated with a vacuum sublimation system dedicated to research on advanced materials and devices. The system also includes a spin-coater and a 6-arm probe-station used for electrical characterisation of devices. Our laboratories are also equipped with two state-of-the-art cryogenic probe stations, dedicated to fundamental studies on charge transport processes in novel materials and devices, and a multi-mode AFM system.

Funding
European Research Council (ERC)
Dutch Polymer Institute (DPI)
EPSRC
EU-FP7
Plastic logic ltd.
cambridge display technology ltd
centre for process innovation (cpi)
EU-FP7: Life Long Learning (LLP) Erasmus Project "Organic Electronics & Applications (OREA)
Objectives: The main objective of the Life Long Learning (LLP) Erasmus Project "Organic Electronics & Applications (OREA)" is the development of a MSc curriculum in the field of organic electronics.

Project Partners: TEI of Crete (coordinator), Imperial College London (UK), University of Oxford (UK), Politechnico di Milan (IT), University of St-Andrews (UK), Cyprus University of Technology (CY), Johannes Keppler University of Linz (AT), University of Groningen (HOL), Friedrich-Alexander Universitat Erlangen -Nurnberg (GER), Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser - IESL (GR), Technion Israel Institute of Technology (ISR), NanoForce Ltd (UK), Solvay S.A. (BEL), Ceradrop (FR), Beneq (FIN), Aixtron (GER).

Personnel Involved: The coordinator of the project at Imperial College London is Prof. Thomas Anthopoulos

Module to be developed: Optical Displays: Science and Device Technology

Link to the OREA website: http://orea.chania.teicrete.gr