Research Interest
Novel materials for Energy harvesting, photonics, Sensing and other optoelectronic Applications
Fabrication of antireflective thinfilm/nanostructured surfaces for solar energy harvesting applications using physical and chemical process techniques. The extra ordinary properties of those surfaces include broadband high antireflection, omnidirectional, polarization-insensitive and wetting/de-wetting properties.
Development of semiconductor nano/microstructures (nanowires, nanorods, micropyramids, nanotubes, nanocubes, core-shell nanowires, etc.) and their multifunctional properties (electronic, magnetic, optical, electrical etc.) using various physical and chemical processes such as wet chemical etching, physical vapor deposition, electron beam evaporation etc.
Development of 2D atomically thin material like single and multilayer graphene sheet transferred on various target substrates such as Si, Si/SiO2, glass substrates and flexible PET films using low-cost synthesis processes techniques.
Key publication
1- Harsh A. Chaliyawala et al., IOP Nanotech., (2019) 30 124002.
2- Harsh A. Chaliyawala, J. Appl. Phys., (2018)123, 213104.
3- Harsh A. Chaliyawala et al., Opt. Mat. 73 (2017) 449-458.
1) Development of nanostructured arrays for light-harvesting application
Unique one-dimensional (1D) or three dimensional (3D) nano/micro-architectures as well as hierarchical structures have been designed to achieve efficient absorption of the whole visible solar light (400 nm-750 nm) and its charge carrier separation required for the harvesting for solar lights in a photo-electrochemical cell. The study of solar photovoltaics, sensors, photodetectors, solar water splitting and self-cleaning surface properties are the key focus of energy research. Unique nanostructure-based electrodes have also been parallelly designed for efficient photoelectro-reduction of CO2 into its various by-produts.
Si nano-structures for energy harvesting applications
Key Publications:
1- Harsh Chaliyawala, ACS Omega., 45, 8758-8766 (2019).
2- Harsh Chaliyawala, et al., IOP Nanotech., (2020) 31 225208.
2) Low cost and large scale graphene sheets by using natural camphor
A unique structure of graphene having a honeycomb lattice arrangement and consists of a long chain of carbon atoms in sp2 hybridization enabling its use in optoelectronic applications such as transparent conducting electrodes (TCE), solar cells, photodetectors (PDs), and field-effect transistors (FETs).
Novel development of highly conductive, large area mono and multilayer graphene sheets have been synthesized using natural botanical camphor as a low cost carbon source material by atmospheric chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) process.
The approach has lead us to the development of large-scale graphene sheets by using a new solid source of carbon as a precursor.
Graphene transferred on various substrates like Si/SiO2, glass and flexible PET films and its surface, electrical, optical and structural characteristics.
Development of high performance Gr/Si and Gr/Si nanowire arrays for infrared photodetectors.
Expertise in Instrument Handling
DC And RF Magnetron Sputtering System
Sulphurization Chamber, Carbolite Vacuum And Air Annealing Furnace,
Thermal Evaporation System
CVD furnace (Vacuum and Air)
Spray pyrolysis
Hot air Oven
Hydrolysis
Glove box
Pressure system
Expertise in Characterization techniques
Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM)
UV-Visibe Spectroscopy
Hall-Effect Measurement
Micro Raman microscopy
Photoluminescence spectroscopy and lifetime measurement system
X-ray diffraction Technique (Powder and Thin film mode)
Solar Simulator
Autolab (2 probe/3-probe system)
Quantum Efficiency measurement