Army Research Laboratory (ARL)
Army Research Office (ARO)
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Multi-disciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI)
MURI supports university research efforts intersecting more than one traditional science and engineering discipline. Multidisciplinary research teaming not only accelerates research progress in areas particularly suited to this approach by cross-fertilization of ideas but also helps to hasten the transition of basic research findings to practical application. By supporting team efforts, MURI complements other DoD programs that support university research through single-investigator awards.
Defense Advanced Research Project Agency
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Super Molecular Photonics Engineering (MORPH)
The Molecular Photonics (MORPH) program is an exploratory effort to demonstrate that engineered molecular "Nano-Systems" can lead to spectacular increases in optical non-linearity. Specifically, high performance electro-optic materials leading to greater than 100x reduction in operating voltages for RF light-wave modulation, and new classes of photorefractive materials will be developed which will result in greater than 1000x increase in bandwidth and efficiency in all-optical systems. Material performance will be validated in hardened devices suitable for commercialization and insertion into military systems.
The MORPH program is aimed at developing materials and devices to meet these challenges. Potential applications include remote control of antennae, antenna-beam forming, signal synthesis, frequency conversion and channelization, as well as very wide-band remote processing EW/ESM/SIGINT, radar and communications. These materials will also have extensive application in the sensor-protection arena.
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National Science Foundation (NSF)
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Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research (NIRT)
The goal of this program is to support fundamental research and catalyze synergistic science and engineering research and education in emerging areas of nanoscale science and technology, including: biosystems at the nanoscale; nanoscale structures, novel phenomena, and quantum control; nanoscale devices and system architecture; nanoscale processes in the environment; multi-scale, multi-phenomena theory, modeling and simulation at the nanoscale; manufacturing processes at the nanoscale; and studies on the societal and educational implications of scientific and technological advances on the nanoscale. -
Science and Technology Center on Materials and Devices for Information Technology Research DMR 0120967The Center's mission is to develop "disruptive" technologies based largely upon new organic materials, processed into devices at low cost; create a better-trained, diverse workforce in the area of Materials and Devices for Information Technology Research (MDITR), and to improve the diversity of that work force through proactive recruiting and innovative web-based cooperative learning; and create road maps for organic and hybrid photonics and electronics.
CMDITR provides a highly integrated, interdisciplinary, multi-institutional research infrastructure for scientists and students in: Chemistry, Physics, Optical Sciences, Materials Science & Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Applied Physics.
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Office of Naval Research
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Advanced Processing-tools for Electromagnetic/acoustics Xtals (short for crystals) (APEX)
The goal of the program is to develop effective, yet inexpensive tools for the manufacture of three-dimensional (3-D) photonic and phononic crystals.
While significant progress has been made in the large-scale fabrication of two-dimensional photonic crystals, 3-D crystals are much more difficult to manufacture and the necessary tools are expensive. With extra dimensions of control, 3-D crystals produce effects that are impossible with conventional optics.
The Georgia Tech group's goal is to develop new 3-D crystal fabrication tools affordable enough to make them accessible to a much wider range of researchers, stepping up crystal research and increasing the possibility for innovation.
The new tools will be based on optical patterning of 3-D polymeric structures with chemical and biochemical modification to create high-quality photonic and phononic crystals with tailored functions and resolutions below 100 nanometers.
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Capacitor Program
The goals of this program are to develop high-dielectric materials for capacitors that are based on polymeric composites containing nanoparticles of ferroelectric metal oxides. Our approach is to 1) synthesize metal-oxide nanoparticles with ligand coatings that allow for homogenous dispersion at moderately high loading levels, 2) develop processing protocols for nanocomposite materials that incorporate metal oxide nanoparticles into high dielectric polymers, and 3) to characterize the dielectric properties of such nanocomposites.
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Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI)
The Multidisciplinary Research Program of the University Research Initiative (MURI) is a multi-agency DoD program that supports research teams whose efforts intersect more than one traditional science and engineering discipline.
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Photovoltaic Program
This program combines experimental and theoretical studies to develop organic solar cells based on novel organic polymers and molecules. Our goal is to develop light-weight, flexible, and shock-resistant organic photovoltaic devices that will be used for power generation during Navy and Marine Corps operations. Our approach is to develop and test new organic and hybrid materials with improved photoconducting properties. Our research focuses on understanding the photogeneration and transport of carriers in various classes of electron-and hole-transport materials, including dioxaborines and oxadiazoles, phthalocyanines and bis-triarylamine derivatives, transition-metal organometallic and transition-metal coordination compounds, and metallic nanoparticles functionalized with organic molecules.
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