Photorefractive Nanostructures

阿肯色州的萨拉莫光学研究正处于十字路口。我们在光学前沿的竞争中取得了成功，现在准备开发实际的光学设备并与工业建立相应的联系。虽然我们的实验室好奇心导致了许多演示设备概念，但我们在研究中使用的材料太大太笨重，无法吸引光电行业的兴趣。它们往往只有毫米大小，不能集成到今天的亚微米电子结构中。本提案的目的是使我们开发光折变纳米结构材料成为可能，并将我们的专业知识带到亚微米的光电世界。这将通过以下方式实现：(i)为阿肯色光学项目增加一名具有纳米结构制造经验的新教员；（ii）增加分子束外延（MBE）能力到我们的计划；与罗彻斯特大学的加里·威克斯教授进行了强有力和成功的MBE合作；（iv）将我们在光学和微电子方面的成熟专业知识集中在光电子领域。发展与工业界的联系，从咨询委员会开始。有了MBE能力，我们就能掌握自己的命运。我们打开与工业界合作大门的能力将会非常高。我们培养具有本学科前沿研究经验的学生的能力将上升到新的水平。我们争取联邦政府支持的能力，以及在世界范围内引起关注的科学成果的能力将会提升。此外，我们的能力将是独一无二的。目前，在阿肯色州或我们的地理区域没有MBE能力。这项提议的投资甚至可能标志着MBE和光折变科学能力在任何地方都将处于同一方向。

9553349 Salamo Research in optics at Arkansas is at a crossroads. We have been successful at competing on the frontiers of optics and are now poised to develop actual optical devices and corresponding ties with industry. While our laboratory curiosity has led to many demonstrated device concepts, the materials we use in our studies are too big and bulky to attract interest by optoelectronic industries. They tend to be millimeter in size and are not integrable into today's submicron electronic structures. The objective of this proposal is to make it feasible for us to develop photorefractive nanostructure materials and bring our expertise to the submicron world of optoelectrics. This will be accomplished by: (i) Adding a new faculty member to the Arkansas optics program with experience in nanostructure fabrication; (ii) Adding molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) capability to our program; (iii) Forming a collaboration with a strong and successful MBE effort with Professor Gary Wicks at the University of Rochester; (iv) Focusing our proven expertise in optics and micro- electronics on opto-electronics. (v) Developing ties with industry beginning with an Advisory Board. With MBE capability, we can control our own destiny. Our ability to open doors for collaboration with industry will be exceedingly high. Our ability to produce students with research experience on the frontiers of our science would rise to new levels. Our ability to compete for federal support and to produce science that will be noticed around the world will escalate. Furthermore, our capability will be unique. At the present time there is no MBE capability in the state of Arkansas or in our geographic region. This proposed venture might even mark the first time anywhere that both MBE and photorefractive science capability will be under the same direction.