Millions to NanoSYD researchers from Independent Research Fund Denmark
This year, 191 original projects received support for a total of DKK 668 million under the two instruments DFF-Forskningssprojekt1 and DFF-Forskningsprojekt2. Associate Professor Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen and Professor MSO, Morten Madsen, are among the recipients - both from the research center NanoSYD at SDU.
Every spring, Independent Research Fund Denmark provides support for some of the most promising and original ideas across all scientific disciplines, when the programs “DFF-Forskningssprojekt1 and DFF-Forskningsprojekt2” are awarded.
Chairman of the Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark, Maja Horst states:
“The level has been hugely high this year. It is fantastic to be confirmed in the enormous wealth of ideas and high quality that is in the Danish research environments. Ultimately, it can benefit the whole of society, because it expands the foundation for the breakthrough of research, and thus helps to equip us for the future, "
See the list of "DFF-Forskningsprojekt1" grants here.
See the list of "DFF-Forskningsprojekt2" grants here.
»The purpose of the instrument is precisely to promote quality and develop collaboration in Danish research. This year we have seen several applications addressing the green transition and the challenges it brings, but the overall and pervasive trend has been that projects draw threads to the community; both across research environments, but also in everyday life, to companies, citizens, and up to the political level. "
“I am very proud to receive the grant from DFF. This will give a big boost to our research in photodetectors and at the same time strengthen both our company and international collaboration,” Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen says.
Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen's project deals with Infrared photodetectors, which have great potential in food analysis, for example by automated sorting of fruit and vegetables. However, the technology has many application possibilities and one could, in the long run, imagine that it could be used in connection with automatic waste sorting at incineration plants.
“Existing detector technologies are typically based on inorganic semiconductor materials, which, however, are expensive and the manufacturing process is complicated. In contrast, organic semiconductor materials are cheap and have relatively simple manufacturing processes, which, however, are not developed to the same high level,” says Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen.
The organic semiconductor materials must therefore be developed to a higher level so that they become better at absorbing light and transmitting an electrical signal.
“We will look at the microstructure in the semiconductor materials. Organic materials consist of long molecular chains, which can be more or less structured. You can imagine a pot of cooked spaghetti lying tangled and twisted into each other. Our goal is then to make the molecules lie neatly in a row like the spaghetti before it is cooked. In this way, create a thin film that is optimal for photodetector applications.”
"We have developed advanced organic thin-film technologies over the last more than ten years and it is fantastic to see that such technologies become very valuable now that we are facing the really big climate challenges," says Prof. Horst-Günter Rubahn, head of the NanoSYD center and the Mads Clausen Institute.
* International panels conduct so-called peer reviews on a selected proportion of the applications submitted by the councils involved in their assessments.
* 1919 researchers have applied for a total of 7.18 billion. DKK, while 191 applicants have obtained a grant for a total of 668 million DKK.
* The success rate measured by the number of applications is almost 10% across the professional councils. The success rate measured on the amount granted is 9.3%.
* Independent Research Fund Denmark is a public foundation and distributes approx. 1.5 billion DKK for risk-averse research in Denmark.
Chairman of the Board of Independent Research Fund Denmark, Maja Horst states:
“The level has been hugely high this year. It is fantastic to be confirmed in the enormous wealth of ideas and high quality that is in the Danish research environments. Ultimately, it can benefit the whole of society, because it expands the foundation for the breakthrough of research, and thus helps to equip us for the future, "
See the list of "DFF-Forskningsprojekt1" grants here.
See the list of "DFF-Forskningsprojekt2" grants here.
Year of Science: High quality and free research
Maja Horst welcomes the high quality of the applications for DFF Research Projects 1 and 2. She elaborates:»The purpose of the instrument is precisely to promote quality and develop collaboration in Danish research. This year we have seen several applications addressing the green transition and the challenges it brings, but the overall and pervasive trend has been that projects draw threads to the community; both across research environments, but also in everyday life, to companies, citizens, and up to the political level. "
2.9 million kroner to NanoSyd researcher
One of the projects that have just received support from Independent Research Fund Denmark was initiated by associate professor at NanoSYD at SDU, Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen, who has received a grant of DKK 2.9 million.“I am very proud to receive the grant from DFF. This will give a big boost to our research in photodetectors and at the same time strengthen both our company and international collaboration,” Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen says.
Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen's project deals with Infrared photodetectors, which have great potential in food analysis, for example by automated sorting of fruit and vegetables. However, the technology has many application possibilities and one could, in the long run, imagine that it could be used in connection with automatic waste sorting at incineration plants.
“Existing detector technologies are typically based on inorganic semiconductor materials, which, however, are expensive and the manufacturing process is complicated. In contrast, organic semiconductor materials are cheap and have relatively simple manufacturing processes, which, however, are not developed to the same high level,” says Jakob Kjelstrup-Hansen.
The organic semiconductor materials must therefore be developed to a higher level so that they become better at absorbing light and transmitting an electrical signal.
“We will look at the microstructure in the semiconductor materials. Organic materials consist of long molecular chains, which can be more or less structured. You can imagine a pot of cooked spaghetti lying tangled and twisted into each other. Our goal is then to make the molecules lie neatly in a row like the spaghetti before it is cooked. In this way, create a thin film that is optimal for photodetector applications.”
6.2 million for organic solar cells
Another of the projects, which has received support from Independent Research Fund Denmark, has been initiated by a team of researchers from DTU in collaboration with Professor MSO, Morten Madsen, from SDU. The project is entitled ‘EPIC-OPV: Entangled PolaritonIC states for improved energy and charge transfer in non-fuller Organic Photovoltaics’ and has received a total sum of DKK 6.2 million.Proud leader of NanoSyd
With a total sum of almost 6 million research kroner for NanoSyd, the head of the center, Professor Horst-Günter Rubahn, is not surprisingly a happy and proud man. The appropriations pave the way for new uses of organic - and thus green - materials in future technological solutions, which help us shape a sustainable future."We have developed advanced organic thin-film technologies over the last more than ten years and it is fantastic to see that such technologies become very valuable now that we are facing the really big climate challenges," says Prof. Horst-Günter Rubahn, head of the NanoSYD center and the Mads Clausen Institute.
Fact box
* 75 renowned researchers characterized by high expertise and willingness to take risks to carry out the implementation task of spotting and securing research funds for excellent ideas.* International panels conduct so-called peer reviews on a selected proportion of the applications submitted by the councils involved in their assessments.
* 1919 researchers have applied for a total of 7.18 billion. DKK, while 191 applicants have obtained a grant for a total of 668 million DKK.
* The success rate measured by the number of applications is almost 10% across the professional councils. The success rate measured on the amount granted is 9.3%.
* Independent Research Fund Denmark is a public foundation and distributes approx. 1.5 billion DKK for risk-averse research in Denmark.