SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Precourt Institute for Energy Advisory Council Meeting (April 21-22, 2011)
ZX Shen, Director
Tom Devereaux, Deputy Director
Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
SIMES and its Vision
• The Stanford Institute for Materials and Energy Sciences is a joint institute between SLAC and Stanford main campus to address grand challenges in the science of energy-related materials, to create knowledge, to develop leaders, and to seek solutions.
• Our vision is to become a renowned center of excellence in the science of energy-related materials.
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Quantum Materials
Ultrafast Materials Science
Organic
Materials
Interfacial Catalysis/Hydrogen Storage
Chemical Energy Storage
Supplemental support by Stanford University
through faculty salary and student fellowships
Currently Funded Programs
FY 11, initial budget ~ $11M
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
SSRL
SSRL is a 3rd generation synchrotron lightsource focusing on
three key areas for understanding materials: Scattering,
Spectroscopy and Imaging
Scattering: What is the atomic
structure in ordered and disordered
materials
Spectroscopy: What is the
electronic structure and energy
levels driving novel phenomena
Imaging: Observing the interplay
between structure and chemistry
at different length scales
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
LCLS
LCLS is the world’s first hard x-ray free electron laser
Materials in action – ability to
track the motion of atoms
and electrons in their natural
time and length scale.
The SXR Beamline tracks
changes in material’s atomic
and electronic structure with
sub-picosecond resolution
while in highly excited states.
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
SLAC Energy Research Task Force
• Z-X Shen (Task Force Chair, SLAC Chief Scientist and Director of SIMES, SLAC) • Yi Cui (Associate Professor, Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford) • Steve Eglash (Executive Director, Energy and Environment Affiliates Program, Stanford) • Tom Himel (Professor, Particle Physics and Astrophysics, SLAC) • Chi-Chang Kao (Director, SSRL, SLAC) • IngolfLindau (Professor Emeritus, Photon Science, SLAC) • Jens Nørskov(Director, SUNCAT, SLAC) • Alfred Spormann (Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering, and Chemical Engineering, Stanford) • Mike Toney (Senior Staff scientist, SSRL, SLAC)
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Energy Research Initiative at SLAC - 2011
• Goal – Rational design of materials and processes to enable efficient energy transformations involving photons, electrons, and molecular bonds.
• Approach – targeted design of materials at the nano-scale with controlled properties and functions to enable exciting scientific opportunities to significantly improve energy generation, transmission, storage and usage technology.
• Focus – chemical energy conversion (catalysis), – advanced photon conversion and electrochemical energy
storage (PV and batteries).
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Chemical Energy Conversion
• Problem – efficient and low cost transformation and storage of sunlight into fuel; transformation of one chemical into another; transformation of chemical energy to electricity in a fuel cell;
• Areas of activities (SUNCAT – SUstainableeNergy through CATalysis)
• Photochemical and electrochemical water splitting
• Photochemical and electrochemical CO2reduction
• Photochemical and electrochemical N2reduction
• Syngas reactions to convert H2 produced (photo-)electro-chemically or from gasified biomass into more useful fuels
• Electrode processes for new battery chemistries (Li-air)
• Hydrodeoxygenationreactions for upgrade of biomass to high energy density fuels
• Water treatment processes
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Solar Photon Conversion and Energy Storage • Problem – efficient and low cost transformation of sunlight into
electricity and battery storage of electricity
• Areas of activities (Expansion of SIMES programs) • High-efficiency, low-cost, earth-abundant solar cell materials and
transparent conductors (e.g., organic photovoltaics, spinel oxide conductors)
• Nanoscalephoton management for improved photon harvesting (trapping and absorption)
• Novel photon-to-electron conversion (e.g., photon enhanced thermionic emission)
• Novel nanostructured electrode materials for batteries
• Advanced x-ray tools for studies of solar cell materials, processing, and devices; real time imaging of battery under practical conditions
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Key partnerships with other groups at SLAC & Stanford
SIMES is a key research partner with the Linac Coherent Light Source,
the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, and other divisions
within SLAC’s Photon Science Directorate, and the Geballe Lab for
Advanced Materials, the Precourt Institute and other entities at Stanford
University.
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Growing interesting of SU departments to participate in the programs
and/or to form joint faculty searches
Scientific Opportunities between SLAC and Stanford
Physics Applied
Physics
MSE Earth
Science
Current Activities
PIE Chemical
Engineering
Chemistry EE
New Proposals
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Recent Science Highlights
High Temperature
Superconductivity Topological Spin Materials
Low power
electronics and
thermoelectric
properties
Energy
transmission and
smart grid
applications
Example of well-
controlled
nanomaterials
for model studies
Diamondoid Science
High-Tc superconductivity
T*
Tc
Current focus
What controls or limits Tc?
How can we make it higher?
Target of
investigation of PI
teams from SLAC
and LBNL
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
ARPES Time-resolved
reflectivity (TRR)
Magneto-optical Kerr effect
Multi-PI investigation SIMES/SLAC & LBNL
Synchrotron and optics
uncovers a new phase of
matter with broken
symmetries that competes
with superconductivity
R.-H. He*, M. Hashimoto* et. al., Science331 1579 (2011)
Topological insulators An Insulator that conducts
3D real space Band structure
2D surface state
Conduction
band
Valence
band
Regular conductor
Regular insulator
No “U-turn” rule “Locking” of current & spin
Application Potentials
• Low power electronics
• High density ICs
• Novel spintronics
• High efficiency thermoelectrics
• Surface catalyst
…
STM and transport
Phys. Rev. Lett. 106, 126803
Nature Materials. 9, 225
Nano Letters. 10, 329
Phys. Rev. Lett., 104, 016401
Phys. Rev. B, 81, 205407
Our progress: multi-PI based efforts
Single Dirac Cone Topological insulators
Science, 325, 178
Unusual Surface state properties
Science, 329, 659
Candidate for topological superconductor
Phys. Rev. Lett., 105, 266401
Band structure of TlBiTe2
Superconducting transition
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Diamondoids
Diamondoids are a new form of carbon nanomaterial.
• allotropically pure
• systematic size, shape
• 1-2 nm in size
• spontaneous monolayer formation
• “handles like molecules, behaves like diamond”
Pursuing “ultra-thin” diamond layers for energy:
• true Negative Electron Affinity
• highly stable in O2, corrosive environment
• facile electron tunneling
• lowers material work function
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Controlling electron emission
• single monolayer of tetramantanethiol
• Au work function: 5.1 to 1.8 eV
• Efficient, low-power electron emission • Electron energy ‘filter’
• 300 meV-wide electron emission Collaboration with KLA-Tencor
bare diamondoids
This basic research stimulated photon-
enhanced thermionic emission activities.
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Backups
SIMES—Stanford Institute for Materials & Energy Research A Joint Institute of SLAC Photon Science and Stanford University
Diamondoids: New Materials for Energy
<2 nm
e- hn
“Ultra-thin” (<2 nm) coating materials are essential for controlling electronic, chemical, and mechanical properties
• low-power electronic devices
• advanced solar conversion/ exciton splitting
• catalysis
• low-energy electron emission/ lighting
Traditionally, this has been the realm of metal oxides, reactive
metals, phosphors, and ‘soft’ organic modification layers.