CUSTOMIZING LUMINESCENT INORGANIC MATERIALS: FROM DESIGN TO APPLICATION

The course is included within the complementary training activities for the PhD programme in Science and Technology of Bio and Nanomaterials, designed to provide the students with adequate in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of complex scientific topics among the fields of physical-chemistry, (nano-)materials science and engineering.
The course aims at providing students with the fundamental knowledge on the luminescent processes involved in optical materials such as phosphors, luminescent sensors, bio-probes and devices to be able to design customized luminescent materials for a specific application.
An overview of the most recent luminescent inorganic materials ranging from luminescent ions-doped insulators systems to persistent luminescent materials and quantum dots will be introduced. Particular attention will be given to the strategies exploited to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art phosphors employed in different application fields. In this view, the students will acquire knowledge on optical phenomena of the main classes of luminescent elements (transition metals, lanthanides and post-transition metals), on the role of the electronic structure of the hosts and bandgap engineering, fundamental parameters to evaluate luminescent inorganic material’s performances (e.g. quantum yield) and phosphor converted-LEDs.
The concepts and tools introduced will give the opportunity to discuss the design of new luminescent materials for advanced applications.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- understand and identify the key features of the current state-of-the-art on luminescent (nano-)materials and understand the main luminescent processes involved to design materials for a specific application;
- review critically the literature on luminescent (nano-)materials;
- use the concepts and the models learnt during the course in the evaluation of the performance of a luminescent (nano-)material;
- use the appropriate terminology and scientific symbols learnt during the course;
- apply the notions to ongoing research interests.

Basic knowledge of inorganic chemistry, spectroscopy, materials science and nanomaterials.

- Principles of luminescence: Theoretical background.
- Luminescent centers and electronic transitions: lanthanides, transition metals, post transition metal ions and defects.
- Host matrix: absorption edge for direct and indirect transitions, exciton peak, bandgap energy estimation and bandgap engineering.
- Luminescent processes: photoluminescence, upconversion, persistent luminescence and energy transfer mechanisms.
- Conventional phosphors, persistent luminescent materials, quantum dots and metal halide perovskite nanocrystals.
- Quenching mechanisms (concentration quenching and thermal quenching pathways) for phosphor-converted LEDs.
- From design to applications: from bio-imaging probes (bio-windows) to optical thermometry, phosphor-converted white LEDs, stimuli-responsive luminescent (nano-)materials (pressure sensing, mechanoluminescence, scintillators) and new advanced applications.

Reference books, literature and slides provided by the teacher.

The assessment of learning takes place by means of a short oral presentation supported by Power Point slides. The objective of the exam consists in verifying and evaluating the ability of the student to include at least one content of the course in her/his current PhD research project. The students must demonstrate critical thinking and the ability to expose the topic in a formal and concise manner using appropriate scientific language.

Teaching is organized in frontal theoretical lectures in the classroom and an experimental section to introduce the students to the fundamental experimental setup of photoluminescence. PowerPoint slides will be used during the lessons. The teaching material will be shared with the students.

Accessibility, Disability and Inclusion

Accommodation and support services for students with disabilities and students with specific learning impairments:
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). In the case of disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it.

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