NIRT: Nanostructured Optoelectronic Materials: New Concepts in Theoretical Design, Synthesis, and Processing

NIRT：纳米结构光电材料：理论设计、合成和加工的新概念

• 批准号: 0103009
• 负责人: Larry Dalton
• 金额: $ 160万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2001
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2001-06-15 至 2005-05-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0103009&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: NIRT; Nanostructured; Optoelectronic; Materials; New

This proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation "Nanoscale Science and Engineering" (NSF 00-119). The project addresses theoretical methods to design new families of nanostructured building blocks and to guide the assembly of these blocks into mesoscale lattices. Dendritic and molecular self-assembly synthetic techniques will be used to implement theoretically-inspired nanoscale structures. Novel 3-D circuit fabrication techniques will be employed to pattern materials on both the nano and mesoscales to achieve integration of nanoscale materials with traditional micron scale optics and electronics. Equilibrium statistical mechanics and kinetic Monte Carlo theoretical methods, relevant to treating long-range and spatially-anisotropic intermolecular electrostatic interactions, will be refined and implemented. Theory will be used to guide design of the shape of nanoscale molecular objects to permit realization of highly-ordered mesoscale acentric molecular lattices. Such organic lattices do not occur naturally but are critical to device-related phenomena of electro-optic (EO) activity, unimolecular rectification, and photorefraction. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations will also be employed to investigate nanoscale phase separation and molecular ordering phenomena and to guide the development of processing conditions relevant to the realization of optimized nanostructured acentric material lattices. Precisely sized and shaped nanoscale dendrimers permit inhibition of unwanted intermolecular electrostatic interactions and the realization of a wide range of desired auxiliary properties. Included are low optical loss at telecommunication wavelengths, high thermal and photochemical stability of induced acentric molecular order (electro-optic activity), and processability that permits the fabrication of buried channel EO waveguides and the integration of such waveguides with VLSI electronics and with fiber optics. Second order nonlinear optical chromophores (required for EO activity) can be assembled into a variety of dendrimer structures including those containing multiple chromophores. The operation of dendrimer-based EO devices requires half the drive voltages and extends to twice the bandwidth of current commercial lithium niobate devices. EO dendrimers can be constructed using fluorinated and cyanurate dendrons, which reduce optical loss at 1.55 microns telecommunications wavelength to 0.1-0.2 dB/cm. Use of such dendrons also permits precise control of material refractive index relevant to circuit integration. Surface functionalization of dendrimers with crosslinkable moieties can lead to materials with exceptional thermal and photochemical stability. EO chromophore-containing dendrimers will be assembled into electro-optic materials by a variety of methods including sequential assembly and self-assembly methods; however, the primary method employed for such assembly will be electric field poling. Once prepared, dendrimer-based EO materials will be fabricated by reactive ion etching, two-photon lithography and multi-color lithography into 3-D passive/active optical circuitry, which will be integrated with semiconductor VLSI drive electronics and silica transmission fibers. Organic EO materials will also be integrated with photonic bandgap structures and with controlled-birefringence block copolymer and layered organic materials to realize special device performance. A variety of devices, including spatial light modulators, phased array radars, ultra high bandwidth signal sources and detectors, etc., will be fabricated and evaluated. %%% The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. The proposed research and the format of education/technology exchange contribute to positive economic and social impacts. An integrated research/education program based on an undergraduate student/graduate student/faculty team will be implemented building upon experience NSF-IGERT, NSF-EEC, UW UIF Nanotechnology Center, and UW international exchange programs. A new course will be offered to permit wider dissemination of specialized nano-engineering tools developed in this research/education program. Extensive interactions exist with industry, government laboratories, and international research centers. The project is co-supported by the DMR/EM, ECS/PFET, and EEC Divisions.***

该提案是为了响应“纳米科学与工程”（NSF 00-119）征集而提交的。该项目采用理论方法来设计新的纳米结构构件系列，并指导这些构件组装成介观晶格。树枝状和分子自组装合成技术将用于实现受理论启发的纳米级结构。新型 3D 电路制造技术将用于在纳米和介观尺度上对材料进行图案化，以实现纳米级材料与传统微米级光学和电子学的集成。与处理长程和空间各向异性分子间静电相互作用相关的平衡统计力学和动力学蒙特卡罗理论方法将得到完善和实施。理论将用于指导纳米级分子物体的形状设计，以实现高度有序的介观无心分子晶格。这种有机晶格不会自然发生，但对于电光（EO）活性、单分子整流和光折射等器件相关现象至关重要。动力学蒙特卡罗计算还将用于研究纳米级相分离和分子排序现象，并指导与实现优化的纳米结构非中心材料晶格相关的加工条件的开发。精确尺寸和形状的纳米树枝状聚合物可以抑制不需要的分子间静电相互作用，并实现各种所需的辅助性能。其中包括电信波长下的低光损耗、诱导无心分子有序（电光活性）的高热稳定性和光化学稳定性，以及允许制造埋入通道EO波导以及将此类波导与VLSI电子器件和光纤集成的可加工性。二阶非线性光学发色团（EO 活性所需）可以组装成各种树枝状聚合物结构，包括含有多个发色团的树枝状聚合物结构。基于树枝状聚合物的 EO 器件的运行需要的驱动电压是当前商用铌酸锂器件的一半，并且带宽扩展至两倍。 EO 树枝状聚合物可以使用氟化和氰尿酸酯树枝状聚合物构建，可将 1.55 微米电信波长下的光损耗降低至 0.1-0.2 dB/cm。使用这种树突还可以精确控制与电路集成相关的材料折射率。具有可交联部分的树枝状聚合物的表面功能化可以产生具有优异的热稳定性和光化学稳定性的材料。含EO发色团的树枝状聚合物将通过多种方法组装成电光材料，包括顺序组装和自组装方法；然而，这种组装所采用的主要方法是电场极化。制备完成后，基于树枝状聚合物的 EO 材料将通过反应离子蚀刻、双光子光刻和多色光刻制成 3D 无源/有源光学电路，该电路将与半导体 VLSI 驱动电子器件和二氧化硅传输光纤集成。有机EO材料还将与光子带隙结构、受控双折射嵌段共聚物和层状有机材料集成，以实现特殊的器件性能。将制造和评估各种器件，包括空间光调制器、相控阵雷达、超高带宽信号源和探测器等。 %%% 该项目解决了具有高度技术相关性的材料科学主题领域的基础研究问题。拟议的研究和教育/技术交流的形式有助于产生积极的经济和社会影响。基于 NSF-IGERT、NSF-EEC、UW UIF 纳米技术中心和 UW 国际交流项目的经验，将实施基于本科生/研究生/教师团队的综合研究/教育项目。将提供一门新课程，以便更广泛地传播本研究/教育计划中开发的专业纳米工程工具。与工业界、政府实验室和国际研究中心存在广泛的互动。该项目得到 DMR/EM、ECS/PFET 和 EEC 部门的共同支持。***