Collaborative Research: DMREF: Transforming Photonics and Electronics with Digital Alloy Materials

非技术描述：从石器时代到现在的信息时代，材料一直在定义人类的生活。特别是，半导体科学和电磁学领域的研究支撑了计算、通信和成像的爆炸式增长，几乎影响了现代人类生活的方方面面。在这个项目中，由物理学、材料科学、电磁学、科学计算和工程领域的科学家组成的跨学科团队将开发一种新的材料平台，可以潜在地实现中红外光的新光源、探测器和处理器。该团队将利用一次一个原子层生长晶体材料的能力，将不同的原子可控地结合在一起，其目标是同时设计由此产生的“数字合金”的电子和光学特性，以显着增强缓慢但紧凑的电子和快速但扩展的光子之间的相互作用。该项目将通过直接培训学生和制作“一口大小”的视频来解释材料科学研究的内部工作原理，促进下一代技术劳动力领导者的发展。该团队和AFRL研究人员之间的合作将探索开发的材料在实际设备中的应用。技术描述：由来自材料科学、物理学、电磁学、科学计算和工程等领域的四个机构的跨学科研究人员组成的团队将开发一个新的材料平台，用于在重要的中红外频率范围内强烈增强光-物质相互作用。该项目的最终目标是开发一类电子和光学响应可以以一种有凝聚力的方式设计的材料；特别是，同时拉伸电子波函数和限制光场将解决纳米电子学和衍射受限光之间的基本长度尺度不匹配。在项目过程中，该团队将致力于开发设计强非线性光学和光电子材料的新方法。该项目的理论方面将结合分析固体物理学、计算电磁学和第一性原理材料科学的专业知识。实验部分的研究将利用外延生长的数字合金，光谱学，和各种光学和电子表征技术。这项研究将为研究生和本科生的跨学科培训提供无与伦比的机会，以及一系列旨在改善科学管道的其他推广和教育活动。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-technical Description: Materials have been defining human life from the stone age to the current information age. In particular, research in the fields of semiconductor science and electromagnetism underpins the explosive growth of computing, communications, and imaging that affect almost every aspect of modern human life. In this project, the interdisciplinary team of scientists working in the fields of physics, materials science, electromagnetism, scientific computing, and engineering will develop a new material platform that can potentially enable new sources, detectors, and processors of mid-infrared light. The team will utilize the ability to grow crystalline materials one atomic layer at a time to controllably combine dissimilar atoms together, with a goal of simultaneously engineering both electronic and optical properties of the resulting “digital alloys” to dramatically enhance the interaction between slow-but-compact electrons and fast-but-extended photons. The project will promote the development of next-generation leaders of the technical workforce, both through direct training of students and creation of “bite-sized” videos explaining the inner workings of materials science research. A collaboration between the team and AFRL researchers will explore applications of the developed materials in practical devices. Technical Description: The interdisciplinary team of researchers from four institutions working in the fields of materials science, physics, electromagnetism, scientific computing, and engineering will develop a new materials platform for strongly enhancing light-matter interaction in the important mid-infrared frequency range. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a class of materials whose electronic and optical response can be designed in a cohesive manner; in particular, simultaneously stretching out electronic wavefunctions and confining optical fields will address the fundamental length-scale mismatch between nano-electronics and diffraction-limited light. In the course of the project, the team will aim to develop new approach to design strongly nonlinear optical and optoelectronic materials. The theory side of the project will combine the expertise from analytical solid-state-physics, computational electromagnetism, and first-principles materials science. The experimental part of the research will utilize epitaxial growth of digital alloys, spectroscopy, and a variety of optical and electronic characterization techniques. The research will provide unmatched opportunities for the interdisciplinary training of graduate and undergraduate students, as well as a host of other outreach and educational activities aiming to improve the science pipeline.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.