On September 11th, invited by Prof. Tian He (Academician of CAS, Dean of School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering), Prof. Frank A. Nüesch from Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology visited our school.

    First, Prof. Nüesch gave a lecture titled “Cyanine dye solid state organic semiconductor devices”. Prof. Qu Dahui hosted the lecture and Prof. Tian He, Zhu Weihong, Zhu Linyong, Hua Jianli, Xie Yongshu, Cheng Yi also attended the lecture.

    His lecture mainly focused on latest research progress of the cyanine dye solid organic semiconductor devices of his group. Cyanine dyes were developed with a view to create extremely strong light-absorbers with narrow absorption spectra at specific wavelengths. They proved particularly successful as sensitizers in silver halide photography but also find applications in recordable optical discs, bio-labels and all optical devices. More and more research works report on using these materials as semiconductors, which significantly widens the span of applications. Besides the optical constraints imposed on thin film devices such as organic solar cells or light emitting diodes, there are important morphological aspects relating to the growth of continuous pristine dye films or blends with electron donors and acceptors. Functional side groups but also the counter-ion of the dye influence film formation and device performance. Using chromophores with a high number of polymethine units allows producing thin near-infrared active films with extremely high optical transmission in the visible region. In this presentation, solar cell fabrication based on cyanine semiconductors will be highlighted and the merits of this class of semiconductors will be given. After the lecture, Prof. Nüesch discussed with participants and exchanged opinions.

    Prof. Nüesch also visited the Key Laboratory for Advanced Materials. Prof. Tian He made a detailed introduction of the construction, development and the proposal of application for State Key Laboratory, and Prof. Nüesch gave some valuable suggestions on the sustainable development for the Key Laboratory.

Frank A. Nüesch

    Laboratory for Functional Polymers, Empa, Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland. A Swiss national, he obtained a physics diploma at ETH Zurich before continuing his studies at EPFL.  In 1995, he successfully obtained doctoral degree on the subject of the photochemical properties of solar cells sensitized by colorant.  under Professor Michael Grätzel supervision

    His research mainly focoused on organic optoelectronics and, in particular, bio-photovoltaics. He has published more than 100 peer-viewed papers. Now He is also the Head of Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA) in Dübendorf, has been appointed as Honorary Professor at the School of Engineering (STI).