Canada - Acquisition of a Spectrometer System

Description

The aim of the project is to gain new insights into the spatial and temporal control of charge density in functional structures of organic semiconductors and nanomaterials, such as carbon quantum dots, to optimize their usability in sustainable energy applications.

The electronic properties of organic semiconductors and nanomaterials envisaged for such applications need to be accurately characterized to enable their knowledge-based optimization and the development of new device concepts. The goal of the research enabled by the equipment purchased is to establish next-generation organic and hybrid devices for energy conversion in photovoltaic and thermoelectric applications, i.e. the conversion of solar energy and other heat losses into electricity, targeting United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Clean and Affordable Energy) and Canada's clean energy and clean growth objectives, as defined in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. New approaches are being developed for doping organic semiconductors for use in optoelectronic devices, thermoelectric applications and organic-inorganic photovoltaics, and for understanding the photophysics of carbon quantum dots to exploit their full potential in applications. Efforts to achieve these goals require a versatile experimental infrastructure to produce samples of the materials used for the above applications, and to precisely characterize their electronic properties. Because of the sensitivity of the materials involved, it is essential to work only in an inert or ultra-high vacuum atmosphere. These methods are already possible for sample creation thanks to the use of existing experimental infrastructure. Precise characterization of their electronic properties will be carried out by UV photoelectron spectroscopy using the spectrometer purchased, which is to be attached to the existing experimental infrastructure (an ultra-high vacuum chamber coupled to an inert atmosphere glovebox) used for sample creation. This will enable samples to be prepared in the glovebox and ultra-high vacuum chamber and then transferred to the purchased spectrometer for characterization without exposure to ambient conditions (air and humidity).

The Physics Department is seeking to acquire a spectrometer system in accordance with the terms of these Tender Documents and the technical specifications set out in APPENDIX 18 - Technical Specifications.

The supplier must offer a pre-configured spectrometer system comprising an ultra-high vacuum chamber using mumetal to provide sufficient blocking of external magnetic fields, linear transfer equipment for flag samples, pumps (oil-free pre-pump; turbomolecular pumps, ion traps, titanium sublimation pumps), pressure-measuring devices, an argon-spray ion gun for sample cleaning, a support frame for the spectrometer that respects a sample transfer and measurement position in line with the ultra-high vacuum equipment, an oven system required for ultra-high vacuum, cabinets for electronic units, data acquisition and analysis software and, as a key element, a hemispherical energy analyzer. Technical specifications are given in Appendix 18. The analyzer can perform UV photoelectron spectroscopy in transmission and angular dispersion modes; it is attached to the ultra-high vacuum chamber in a horizontal orientation and preferably comprises a two-dimensional detector (microchannel wafer). The spectrometer system includes a high-intensity (differentially pumped) UV source that is primarily used for helium gas, but is also compatible with neon, argon, krypton, xenon and hydrogen gases. To attenuate light intensity for samples susceptible to beam damage, the UV source is retractable, and there is a dedicated collar placed perpendicular to the light path for the addition of custom-built retractable shutters (using available parts). A vertically oriented four-axis sample manipulator (by CreaTec Fischer & Co. GmbH) is available and will be dedicated to the purchased spectrometer to hold samples during UV photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. The spectrometer system and ultra-high vacuum chamber are designed to be compatible with this manipulator. In addition, the spectrometer system can be used for other experimental techniques, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, by adding a monochromatic X-ray source as a future upgrade, for which suitable CF fittings are available on the ultra-high vacuum chamber. The spectrometer system will be connected to an existing ultra-high vacuum chamber currently in operation at Concordia University, which will also serve as a Load Lock and sample preparation chamber for thin film vacuum deposition. The spectrometer system features a vertically positioned transfer line in line with the existing ultra-high vacuum chamber, which is further connected to an MBraun UniLab Pro glovebox (for sample preparation using solution processing). Movement of the spectrometer system's linear transfer equipment is all that's needed to transfer samples into and out of the existing ultra-high vacuum chamber.

Opportunity closing date

16 December 2024

Value of contract

to be confirmed