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Natural sciences
- Nanophysics and nanosystems
- Photonics, optoelectronics and optical communications
- Chemistry of clusters, colloids and nanomaterials
Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is a sensor technology for remote object detection and ranging based on time of flight, which has been the cornerstone of emerging technologies, such as autonomous driving, facial recognition and augmented reality. However, LiDAR at visible wavelengths has several disadvantages. Transmission through fog, haze or dust is limited, and little chemical information about the objects in a scene is obtained. These issues can be addressed by using short-wave infrared (SWIR). But current SWIR sensing by means of epitaxially grown (In, Ga)As and (Hg, Cd)Te semiconductors, is ill-suited for such low cost, wide deployment application for being too expensive and based on restricted heavy metals. Here, I propose to address this problem by realizing ultrafast sensors of SWIR light based on colloidal InAs QDs. Such a goal involves scientific challenges at the level of QD synthesis chemistry, charge transport in QD films and the operation of QD-based photodiodes. In practice, I aim at adjusting synthetic methods to obtain monodisperse InAs QD batches with n-type or p-type doping, develop surface treatment methods to realize high-mobility QD films and develop photodiode stacks that combine high efficiency with a response time shorter than 100 ps. In this way, QUALiDAR can remove the main hurdle in the development of low-cost SWIR LiDAR, and provide a new platform for safe autonomous driving and 3D imaging in night, fog and complicated weather.