Lead selenide based materials

Due to extensive use of pesticides and fertilizers in food production, monitoring of the food safety and quality represents an important step prior to its distribution and consummation. Infrared spectroscopy is a powerful tool in food analysis, and the detection of the presence of pesticides and toxins in food and feed. However, there is a lack of infrared detectors and spectrometers that simultaneously meet the requirements for portability, high performance, and low cost.

Lead selenide is a chalcogenide material, IV-VI semiconductor with energy bandgap of 0.27 eV, very promising for development of uncooled infrared detectors that work in the range of 2 to 5 µm, since it enables room temperature operation and high detectivity. However, its application is limited due to the high operating voltages and medium response time. Using novel processing methods, we aim to overcome these limitations, and take advantage of lead selenide properties, to develop an uncooled photovoltaic infrared detector that operates in mid-IR range. Besides the development of lead selenide material, we are developing transparent electrodes made of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and polyethileneimine (PEI) that will be a part of uncooled detector system, having high conductivity and electrode transparency in mid infrared range.

Projects:

III 44006 Development of new information and communication technologies, based on advanced mathematical methods, with applications in medicine, telecommunications, power systems, protection of national heritage and education, Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia.