Harnessing Chiral Light for Sustainable Production of Advanced Materials

Imagine crafting powerful materials for next-generation electronics and clean energy technologies, all while minimising environmental impact. This research project proposes a groundbreaking method to achieve this by harnessing the power of light instead of polluting chemicals. Traditionally, creating materials with a specific "handedness" called chirality is crucial for various applications, including medicine and efficient electronics. However, current methods to manufacture these chiral materials rely on harsh chemicals and significantly contribute to CO2 emissions. This project tackles this challenge head-on by proposing a novel light-driven approach that aligns perfectly with the growing trend towards sustainable manufacturing practices. It directly addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13). The core concept involves directly inducing chirality within flexible two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene and perovskites using light. These materials hold immense potential for future technologies, but traditional chemical manufacturing methods often limit their ability to achieve chirality. The proposed method leverages the transfer of angular momenta from light beams to impart a sense of twist to the highly flexible 2D materials This eliminates the need for energy-intensive chemical processes and opens the door for a wider range of materials to be rendered chiral. Furthermore, by harnessing green electricity to power light energy efficient light sources, this approach significantly reduces the environmental footprint associated with material production. To further enhance the efficiency of light-induced chirality induction, the project explores the strategic utilisation of nanostructures. These microscopic structures act like light cavities, concentrating the incident light and amplifying the optical forces within sub-wavelength dimensions. This focused light interacts with the 2D materials, exerting a torque that can manipulate the atomic arrangement and induce chirality. This approach is particularly promising for highly flexible materials like single-layer graphene and MoS2, as well as soft crystals like hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites, all of which are relevant for next-generation computing and energy technologies. To validate the effectiveness of this light-driven approach and explore potential applications, the project will delve into the characterisation of the manufactured chiral materials. Specifically, the research team will focus on measuring the spin transport properties of the materials. Spintronics, a rapidly developing field, utilises electron spin for information processing, potentially leading to faster and more energy-efficient electronics compared to traditional methods. By analysing the spin transport properties, the project aims to assess the functionality of the light-induced chirality and its potential for spintronic applications. This project fosters a collaborative effort between leading research teams in the UK and Japan. The UK team brings extensive expertise in unravelling the complexities of chiral light-matter interactions, while the Japanese team offers complementary strengths in solid-state chirality, particularly concerning chiral-induced spin transport. This synergy between expertise in light manipulation and solid-state materials is crucial for the success of this multidisciplinary project. By successfully implementing this novel light-driven approach, the project has the potential to revolutionise the field of material science. The ability to produce functional chiral materials sustainably opens doors for the development of next-generation technologies with improved performance and reduced environmental impact. Imagine electronics with enhanced efficiency and lower energy consumption or cleaner methods for producing green hydrogen fuel. This research directly contributes to achieving the UN's SDGs for a cleaner and more sustainable future, making significant strides towards a greener tomorrow.