MCARE 2021 Symposium 5: Spectral Conversion Materials for Energy Applications

Spectral conversion luminescent materials are potential candidates to increase the efficiency of solar cells as well as other environmentally relevant technologies, such as photocatalysis, solar fuels and artificial photosynthesis, where usually large parts of the solar spectrum do not contribute to the harvesting scheme and are lost for energy conversion. Downconversion or quantum cutting, luminescent downshifting, and upconversion are approaches to diminish these losses. Yet, while cutting-edge research conducted around the globe led to promising achievements, remaining challenges (such as low quantum efficiency in nanomaterials, weak and/or narrow absorption, and broadband illumination under real sun conditions) have to be addressed in order to take full advantage of spectral conversion materials.

In this context, the rational design of suitable optical materials is crucial for energy conversion enhancement, and approaches reach from novel host materials and dopant optimization for upconversion and downconversion materials to innovative hybrid materials, e.g. combing lanthanide-doped materials, quantum dots, organic dyes, carbon-based structures, and photonic concepts. It is the scope of this symposium to provide an interdisciplinary platform for the presentation and discussion of recent achievements, developments and remaining challenges regarding the design, synthesis, and characterization of spectral conversion materials as well as their assembly to more efficient devices. Session topics will focus on, but not be limited to:

session topics

• Materials for upconversion, downconversion/quantum cutting, luminescent downshifting
• Lanthanides, dyes and quantum confined nanomaterials for photovoltaic applications
• Spectral conversion for photo-catalytic and water-splitting applications
• Triplet-triplet annihilation photon-upconversion
• Development and synthesis of novel optical materials
• Smart assemblies and novel device design: combining lanthanide-doped nanoparticles, QDs, carbon-based nanostructures, dyes etc. to enhance spectral conversion efficiency
• Plasmonic/photonic manipulation of conversion processes
• Theoretical approaches and modeling
• Application-oriented approaches in spectral conversion
• Multifunctional spectral conversion materials: applications beyond the energy sector

organizers

Eva Hemmer, University of Ottawa, Canada, ehemmer@uottawa.ca

Jose Marques Hueso, Hariot Watt-University, U.K.,  J.Marques@hw.ac.uk

Tang Taek Lee, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Korea, ktlee@gist.ac.kr

Dongling Ma, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Canada,  ma@emt.inrs.ca