STTR Phase II: ERC - Small Business: Laser Vapor Deposition for Thin Film Functional Polymers and Nanocomposites and Mid-Infrared Characterization

NSF邀请当前小型企业创新研究和小型企业技术转让(SBIR/STTR)第二阶段受赠者提出资金申请，以与工程研究中心(ERC)进行合作研究。这一合作努力的目标是提供一个互惠互利的研究和商业化平台，在这个平台上，SBIR/STTR第二阶段受赠者可以与ERC的教职员工、研究人员和研究生进行合作研究，以加强他们公司的能力，和/或加快ERC进步向市场的过渡。根据NSF征集NSF 10-617的规定，AppliFlex LLC已提交了额外资金申请。补充申请中确定的次要获奖者是普林斯顿大学。本建议/请求符合征集NSF 10-023的要求。该合作项目利用中红外健康与环境技术工程研究中心(MIRTHE)的能力和专业知识，提供了在这一独特的中红外波长测试AppliFlex工艺的绝佳机会。AppliFlex和MIRTHE共享同一个平台，中红外光；AppliFlex专注于中红外激光材料加工，MIRTHE专注于中红外激光诊断。因此，该公司和MIRTHE完美互补，在一起，他们可以协同最大限度地实现变革性中红外技术的最大化。AppliFlex LLC是一家小型企业技术转让(STTR)第二阶段公司。范德比尔特大学(Vanderbilt)正在与AppliFlex合作提供STTR赠款。AppliFlex提议与美国国家科学基金会(NSF)工程研究中心(ERC)中红外健康与环境技术研究所(MIRTHE)合作。Mirthe是一名活跃的ERC，总部设在普林斯顿大学(普林斯顿)，合作伙伴包括纽约城市学院、约翰·霍普金斯大学、德克萨斯州莱斯农工大学和马里兰大学巴尔的摩县分校。AppliFlex建议与MIRTHE合作开发一种激光气相沉积(LVD)技术，用于沉积薄膜以及聚合物和功能化纳米颗粒的异质结构。LVD利用中红外激光将有机材料转化为气态羽流，沉积在表面上，光碎裂最小。小企业和大学之间的这种合作将加快进入市场，并有助于向邻近的中红外激光材料加工市场扩张。研究合作伙伴与在中红外激光共振激发有机和聚合物材料方面拥有专业知识的小企业拥有互补的技能，而MIRTHE的核心任务是利用中红外激光对材料进行共振吸收和传感。本文的创新之处在于模型化和使用基质辅助脉冲激光蒸发(Maple)。ERC和小企业及其STTR合作伙伴将开发可能有助于国家检测对健康和安全重要的化合物的技术。还设想了更多将改善生活的应用程序。此外，这项研究将围绕两所合作大学的研究生培训展开，以进一步推动劳动力在科学、工程和数学方面的教育。

NSF invites funding requests from current Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Phase II grantees to perform collaborative research with an Engineering Research Center (ERC). The goals of this collaborative effort are to provide a mutually beneficial research and commercialization platform where SBIR/STTR Phase II grantees can perform collaborative research with ERC faculty, researchers, and graduate students, to strengthen the capacity of their firms, and/or speed the transition of ERC advances to the marketplace. In accordance with the NSF solicitation NSF 10-617, AppliFlex LLC has submitted a request for additional funding. The sub-awardee identified in the supplemental request is Princeton University. This proposal/request meets the requirements of the solicitation NSF 10-023. This collaboration program offers an excellent opportunity to test AppliFlex's process in this unique mid-infrared wavelength by utilizing the capabilities and expertise of the Engineering Research Center on Mid-InfraRed Technologies for Health and the Environment (MIRTHE). Both AppliFlex and MIRTHE share the same platform, mid-infrared light; AppliFlex focuses on mid-infrared laser materials processing and MIRTHE focuses on mid-infrared laser diagnostics. Therefore, the company and MIRTHE complement each other perfectly and together, they can synergistically maximize transformational mid-infrared technologies. AppliFlex LLC is a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase II company. Vanderbilt University (Vanderbilt) is working with AppliFlex on the STTR grant. AppliFlex is proposing to work with the National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center (ERC) Institute for Mid-Infrared Technologies for Health and Environment (MIRTHE). MIRTHE is an active ERC headquartered at Princeton University, (Princeton) with partners including the City College New York, Johns Hopkins University, Rice, Texas A&M, and the University of Maryland Baltimore County. AppliFlex is proposing to work with MIRTHE to develop a laser vapor deposition (LVD) for depositing thin films and heterostructures of polymer and functionalized nanoparticles. LVD utilizes mid-infrared laser to convert organic materials to a gaseous plume for deposition on surfaces with minimal photo-fragmentation. This collaboration between the small business and the universities will speed up market entry and aid expansion into adjacent markets for mid-infrared laser processing of materials. The research partners have complimentary skill sets with the small business having expertise in resonant excitation of organic and polymer materials with mid-infrared laser light, while the core mission of MIRTHE is the resonant absorption and sensing of materials with mid-infrared light. The innovation starts with the modeling and using matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE). The ERC and the small business and its STTR partner will be developing technologies that will potentially help the nation in detection of compounds important to health and security. Additional applications are also envisioned that will improve lives. Additionally, the research will be centered around training for graduate students at the two partner universities furthering the education of the workforce in science, engineering and math.