Chemical sensors based on III-nitride quantum dots

as optical transducers (DOTSENSE) FP7-ICT-STREP 224212

I. Physikalisches Institut,
Justus-Liebig-Universitt, Giessen, Germany

Commissariat a lEnergie Atomique

INAC/SP2M/NPSC, Grenoble, France

Dept. of Physics
Aristotle University Thessaloniki, Greece

Walter Schottky Institut

Technische Universitt Mnchen, Germany

EADS Innovation Works

Dept. Sensors, Electronics & Systems Integration

TARGET :

DOTSENSE

DOTSENSE APPLICATIONS :

Development of nano-optical transducers based on (In)GaN quantum dots

for chemical sensors operating in liquid and gaseous environment
Chemically resistive InGaN QD stack in AlN matrix
Efficient photoluminescence at room temperature
and above
Reduction of necessary electrical feedthroughs
Built-in separation of media
Detection of pH and hydrogen in aerospace
applications
Sensing mechanism:
Detection of chemically-induced variations of the
surface potential by measurement of changes in
photoluminescence characteristics

Cabin climate

Security

Drinking water

Fire detection
Leak detection

Hydraulic fluid
monitoring
Onboard water monitoring
Hydraulic fluid monitoring
Fuel- and hydraulic leak detection

Tank inertisation
Fuel monitoring

Multi-Parameter Hydraulic Fluid Sensor

(Airbus specifications)
Mounting inside A380

Online measurement of:

Sensor
Sensor

Pipe option 2
Pipe option
1
Pipe
option
1
(current

(current
configuration)
installation)

Water content
Total acidity number (TAN)
Chlorine content
Fluid conductivity
Particulate matter contamination

close to hydraulics reservoir

Infrared-Emitter

QUANTUM DOT TRANSDUCERS :

DOTSENSE SENSOR

HRTEM image of a
GaN/AlN QD stack

Growth by plasma-assisted MBE on AlNon-sapphire templates

DOTSENSE SENSOR
Thermopile

Normalized PL Intensity

1.2
1.0

T = 300 K

0.8

ALTERNATIVE TRANSDUCERS :
NANODISKS

0.6
0.4
0.2
00
0.0
3.4

3.6

3.8

4.0

4.2

4.4

Energy (eV)

PL peak energy tuneable in the UV/visible range

Efficient photoluminescence at room temperature and above
Optical detection of hydrogen by changes in PL intensity of GaN/AlN quantum dots

20 nm

Growth by plasma-assisted MBE on

Si(111) substrates
10%

100%

500
500ppm

Image:
J. Arbiol, J.-R- Morante, University of Barcelona

Growth of GaN / AlGaN and GaN / AlN nanowires with embedded

GaN quantum disks
Emission energy can be controlled with
Al content in the barrier
Well thickness

Intense emission
Growth of nonpolar QWs on the sidewalls possible
O. Weidemann et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 2009

Z-contrast image
bright areas: GaN