A Design-Centered Approach to Nano-Engineering

该奖项的研究目标是为设计广泛的纳米工程材料和器件开发一种新的框架。由于宏观建模和分析方法不准确，现有的纳米尺度方法不足以满足设计目的，因此将探索一种基于动力学理论的新的建模方法。计算分析方法将用于预测纳米结构的性能及其对设计和不确定参数的敏感性。分析和设计问题的随机公式将考虑由于制造技术的不完善而产生的不确定性。基于水平集的拓扑优化方法将有助于找到非直观的设计解决方案。为了提供适当的重点，本项目将研究亚微米热传输设计问题。通过行业合作，将考虑两个重要的技术驱动因素：(a)用于能量收集和转换的新型热电材料的设计，以及(b)下一代3-D微芯片的最佳热管理系统的设计。这些驱动的技术意义，加上纳米尺度的热输运与宏观传导的显著不同，使这些问题成为很好的测试平台。如果成功，这项研究项目的结果将提高设计、操作和实现纳米尺度材料和设备的能力，从而推动广泛的技术进步。拟议的设计框架将促进科学家和工程师之间的推挽互动，从而使新的科学见解能够迅速转移到新的工程设计和产品中。特别是，所提出的设计方法和计算工具将有助于开发新型能量收集材料和下一代微芯片的最佳热管理概念。将提出的设计方法引入课程将加强新一代工程师的教育，他们将能够将基本的科学理解转化为纳米尺度的工程设计。

The research objective of this award is the development of a novel framework for the design of a broad range of nanoengineered materials and devices. As macroscopic modeling and analysis methods are inaccurate, and existing nanoscale approaches are inadequate for design purposes, a new modeling approach based on kinetic theory will be explored. Computational analysis methods will be developed for predicting the performance of the nanostructures and their sensitivity with respect to design and uncertainty parameters. A stochastic formulation of the analysis and design problems will account for uncertainties due to imperfections of manufacturing techniques. A level-set based topology optimization approach will facilitate finding non-intuitive design solutions. To provide appropriate focus, this project will examine submicron thermal transport design problems. Enhanced by industry collaboration, two important technological drivers will be considered: (a) the design of novel thermoelectric materials for energy harvesting and conversion, and (b) the design of optimal thermal management systems for next-generation 3-D microchips. The technological significance of these drivers, coupled with the fact that nanoscale thermal transport differs significantly from macroscopic conduction, renders these problems excellent test beds.If successful, the results of this research project will increase the ability to design, manipulate, and realize materials and devices at nanometer scales leading to advances across a wide spectrum of technologies. The proposed design framework will foster a push-pull interaction between scientists and engineers that will enable the rapid transfer of new scientific insight into novel engineering designs and products. In particular, the proposed design approach and computational tools will enable the development of novel energy-harvesting materials and optimal thermal management concepts for next-generation microchips. Introducing the proposed design methods into the curriculum will enhance the education of a new generation of engineers who will be able to translate fundamental scientific understanding into engineering design at nanoscale.