Excellence in Research: NSU-JSU Partnership in Nanophotonics Research

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Recent developments in nanotechnology have opened new possibilities for the harvesting and emission of light, and transforming its energy to clean electrical power and chemical reactions. This project is aimed at better understanding the fundamental effects and new opportunities associated with emission and transfer of light energy in ensembles of molecules that are strongly coupled to specially designed nanoscale environments. Coupling of the molecules with the nanoscale environment is expected to provide for unprecedented control of light-matter interactions and improvement in the efficiency of light technologies. The project educational component aims at strengthening the graduate and undergraduate programs in STEM disciplines at two Historically Black Universities (HBCUs) Norfolk State University and Jackson State University via collaboration and student exchange. It is designed to enrich education and training of graduate and undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented minority groups by involving them in cutting-edge research in nanophotonics. Strong coupling of ensembles of quantum emitters (e.g. dye-doped polymers) with plasmonic structures can cause dramatic changes in the media's optical response and physical properties. The effect of the strong coupling on the spontaneous emission, Forster energy transfer, and material's nonlinearity, are of fundamental and practical importance and are the subject of unsettled debates. Potential applications of strongly coupled hybridized photonic materials can range from light harvesting and nanocircuitry operating at optical frequencies to pulse-shaping and directional emission sources. The proposed effort is aimed at (i) Transformative research of hybrid photonic materials, whose optical properties are modified by strong coupling of metallic (plasmonic) and dielectric components with optically active dopants; (ii) Development of new concepts and designs employing hybridized strongly coupled materials and components for new technologies; and (iii) Expanding the research capacity at minority institutions through enhancement of education and outreach programs. The knowledge gained in the proposed research program will be transferred to a broad community of scientists and engineers via publications, presentations and patents. It has a potential to transform, among others, organic photovoltaics, opto-electronic nanocircuitry and signal. Over a three-year span of the project, nearly a dozen graduate and undergraduate students will be impacted by the program, directly or indirectly. Based on the demographics of Norfolk State University and Jackson State University, more than 60% of undergraduate students will be from minority groups traditionally underrepresented in STEM disciplines and more than 50% of all students will be females. The research synergistic with education and outreach activities planned in this project would profoundly impact minority students at participating institutions and provide an example of a partnership between HBCUs in cutting-edge research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.