Electrooptic Materials Based on Molecular Compasses and Gyroscopes: Effects of Symmetry, Conjugation, and Correlated Dipolar Rotation

技术摘要本项目的主要目的是继续开发和测试一类新的功能固态材料，这种材料基于具有静态、晶格形成的超分子或金属有机配位框架的结构，连接到能够响应外场改变其取向的偶极分子组件。所需的分子组成在结构上类似于宏观罗盘和陀螺仪，它们的晶体聚集体有望形成具有许多有趣性质的偶极旋转阵列。据预测，分子和晶体对称性的变化将导致材料具有自发的偶极有序，无论是铁电的还是反铁电的，其许多状态(取向)将取决于旋转对称顺序。通信技术的最新进展引起了人们对光子学领域的极大兴趣，包括具有可调透射率、折射率、偏振和颜色的材料。参与该项目各个方面的学生包括三名女性和两名西班牙裔。参与该项目的一名NSF发现团队博士后成员领导研究小组开展外联活动，包括与洛杉矶联合学区亚伯拉罕·林肯高中的教师互动，学生群体中85%是西班牙裔，15%是亚洲人。非科技：通信技术的进步继续对我们日常生活的方方面面产生非常强大的影响，包括娱乐、教育和国家安全的改善。在这种背景下，未来最有希望发展的领域之一是光子学领域，在这个领域中，光取代了电，帮助我们读写、存储、处理和传输信息。虽然光有许多有趣的特性(颜色、偏振、亮度、不产生热量等)，但它仍然很难处理和操纵。该项目的主要目的是开发和测试一种新型的功能固态材料，旨在通过使用具有分子的结构来帮助控制光的通过，分子可以根据电场改变其运动状态和方向。所需的分子在结构上类似于宏观罗盘和陀螺仪，能够将自己定向到最强的场，或者在外力作用下改变它们的运动状态。参与该项目各个方面的学生在开发一些最新技术的同时，还接受了尖端研究技术方面的培训。参与该项目的一名NSF发现团队的博士后研究员领导我们的研究小组开展外展活动，目前包括与洛杉矶联合学区亚伯拉罕·林肯高中的教师互动，学生群体中85%是西班牙裔，15%是亚裔。

Technical AbstractThe main purpose of this project is to continue the development and testing of a new class of functional solid state materials based on structures that have a static, lattice-forming supramolecular or metalo-organic coordination frames, linked to dipolar molecular components capable of changing their orientation in response to external fields. The desired molecular components are structurally analogous to macroscopic compasses and gyroscopes, and their crystalline aggregates are expected to form dipolar rotary arrays with many interesting properties. It is predicted that changes in molecular and crystallographic symmetry will lead to materials with spontaneous dipolar order, either ferroelectric or antiferroelectric, with a number of states (orientations) that will depend on the rotational symmetry order. Recent advances in communication technologies have stimulated much interest in the field of photonics, including materials with tunable transmittance, refraction, polarization, and color. The students involved in aspects of this project include three women and two Hispanics. A post-doctoral NSF discovery corps fellow who participates in this project leads the research group in outreach activities, which involves interactions with teachers at Abraham Lincoln High School of the Los Angeles Unified School District, with a student body that is 85% Hispanic and 15% Asian.Non-Techical:Advances in communication technology continue to have a very strong impact in all aspects of our daily lives, including improvements in entertainment, education, and national security. In this context, one of the most promising areas for future development is the field of photonics, where light takes the place of electricity to help us read-write, store, process, and transmit information. While light has many interesting properties (color, polarization, brightness, does not produce heat, etc.), it is still quite difficult to handle and manipulate. The main purpose of this project is to develop and test a new class of functional solid state materials designed to help control the passage of light by using structures with molecules that change their state of motion and orientation in response to electric fields. The desired molecules are structurally analogous to macroscopic compasses and gyroscopes, and are able to orient themselves towards the strongest fields or to change their state of motion when an external force is applied. The students involved in various aspects of this project are trained in cutting-edge research techniques while developing some of the newest technologies. A post-doctoral NSF discovery corps fellow who participates in this project leads our research group in outreach activities, which currently involves interactions with teachers at Abraham Lincoln High School of the Los Angeles Unified School District, with a student body that is 85% Hispanic and 15% Asian.