NSF Convergence Accelerator Track I: Sustainable Topological Energy Materials (STEM) for Energy-efficient Applications

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The discovery of a new class of materials, known as topological quantum materials, over the past decade represents a major new frontier in condensed matter physics and materials science. In topological materials, the quantum states of electrons are described by, and protected by, topology, which describes robust global properties that local perturbations cannot change. Topological materials are of interest for applications, such as in quantum information science, energy harvesting, and microelectronics. However, despite promising lab demonstrations, environmentally friendly topological materials that are ready for room-temperature deployment are scarce. This project aims at catalyzing research in sustainable topological quantum materials, with a particular emphasis on energy efficient applications. To realize these applications, the project seeks to identify promising material candidates, assess their performance, and design suitable devices architectures. The research team will systematically search for, investigate, and benchmark topological materials that are environmentally sustainable and that have the required topological properties through complementary expertise in topological materials theory, material informatics and machine learning, materials synthesis, characterization, and device fabrication. To bridge existing gaps between different research fields and between academia and industry, the project will develop resources and activities, such as a data-sharing infrastructure with industry partners, and cultivate a future workforce for a topological material industry. The team consists of pioneers in topological materials research from different disciplines (physics, material engineering, electrical engineering, data science) along with industry partners interested in topological materials opportunities for microelectronics and energy applications. This research will create industry internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, encouraging them to pursue industry-relevant problems. The research team will train a diverse workforce of topological material industry and data science through virtual-reality-augmented interactive learning and bring resources to high-school and K-12 teachers and mentors.The research builds on the recent discovery of topological diode effects. Contrary to the conventional diodes, where the rectification requires heterostructures or regions with different doping, a topological diode is based on the intrinsic Berry curvature dipole, which offers new principles in photodetection and thermoelectric energy harvesting with much-improved efficiency. In Phase I, the overarching goals include: (a) A topological materials database, which includes crystal structures, topological invariants, synthesis pathways, and most importantly, performance indicators for topological diodes. The database targets not only physicists, but also solid-state chemists, materials scientists, and semiconductor industries to accelerate large scale production. (b) Identify proper descriptors that can effectively link the structures of topological materials to functionalities, and identify the most environmentally sustainable candidates for energy-efficient topological applications. Such descriptors, enabled by data-driven methods, will serve as the cornerstone for future topological materials discovery. (c) Building the foundation for a Center for Sustainable Topological Energy Materials, based at MIT, that will bring together experts in topological materials and energy applications from academia and industry through meetings, forums, and workshops. The goal is to engage semiconductor and clean-energy industries to collaborate with forefront scientists in academia to foster a topological materials solutions that will contribute to addressing critical needs energy efficient technologies.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.