Organic- and Nanoelectronics, Nanophotonics

For more than 10 years, the activities of the Graz University of Technology, the JOANNEUM RESEARCH Forschungsgesellschaft mbH and the University of Graz constitute a regional nanotechnology focus in the research and technology area “Organic Electronic”. The achieved research results are amongst the best in basic and applied research and development. The performance of the thematic area “Organic Electronic” is documented by more the 100 fellow employees working in the area of “Organic Electronic” in the mentioned institutions, mainly financed by third-party funds.

Successfully finished and running large-scale project like the “Special-Research area Electro active materials” (finished), the Christian-Doppler-laboratory for advanced functional materials (Graz University of Technology, JOANNEUM RESEARCH, AT&S AG; finished), the ongoing project ISOTEC of the Austrian Nanoinitiative, the Christian-Doppler-Pilot-laboratory for Nanocomposites Solar cells  (Graz University of Technology, NanoTecCenter Weiz Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Isovolta AG) started in the summer of 2009 and a series of R&D projects funded by the FWF and FFG or industry partners prove the competence and realization potentials.

Focal research areas include:

• Characterization of organic/inorganic materials, combinations of materials and components („metrology”)
• Pre-evaluation and development of new materials, combinations of materials and innovative methods with regard to their use in industrial applications („complex materials and methods”)
• Smart organic sensors including the elaboration of an innovative range of products with a high level
• of added value („organic sensor technology”)
• Operation of a pilot line for the production of opto-electronic components and sensors with the emphasis on organic materials („production”)

The comptences in Styria carried by the partner include:

• material syntheses (Vicedean Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Stelzer, Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Slugovc, Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Trimmel - Graz University of Technology),
• characterization (Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Hofer, Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Resel, Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Winkler – Graz University of Technology; Univ.-Prof. Dr. Glatter, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ramsey, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Netzer – University of Graz),
• process development (JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Institute for Nanostructured Materials and Photonic, NanoTecCenter Weiz Forschungsgesellschaft mbH),
• simulation (Univ.-Prof. Dr. Karin Zojer, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Schürrer, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Egbert Zojer)
• manufacturing of devices (Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Trimmel - Graz University of Technology; JOANNEUM RESEARCH, Institute for Nanostructured Materials and Photonic, NanoTecCenter Weiz Forschungsgesellschaft mbH).

Due its economic importance, the area of nanoelectronics (Univ.-Prof. DI Dr. Pribyl) will be set up in the framework of the network and shall complement the activities of it. The background lies in the typical structure size of semi-conducting devices. These devices were minimized by newly developed structuring methods, which led to a structure size of 45 nm that is implemented in field effect transistors (FET) in various state-of-the-art devices and chips. This development provided the name "Nanoelectronics". But not only the mentioned progress in structuring methods, also the development of new concepts allow new electronic functionalities with completely new devices like Single-Electron-Transistors based on quantum dots, Quantum-Wire -Transistors based on carbon nano- fibers or transistors based on single organic molecules. Furthermore, sensor systems based on nano-crystalline layers, can be realized by these approaches as well.