QMHS Targeted optimization of the dispersion of quantum wires and nanomaterials for nonlinear optical applications

该提案的目标是发明新的方法来操纵量子系统，以增强其非线性光学响应。这项工作不是研究特定的系统，而是寻求发现通用属性，这些属性是为给定任务优化材料的关键，这可能会确定全新的和变革性的材料范例和应用。这一提议的智力优势在于发展了基本的量子力学概念，建立了对光学材料性能极限的理解和达到极限的实用方法。所获得的基本知识将指导化学家和纳米技术学家设计新材料和纳米结构，为物理学家/材料科学家提供制造新型功能材料的新范例，并为工程师开发新设备提供思路。由于该方法的普遍性，其影响是多样的，该方法基于适用于所有与光相互作用的材料的总和规则，包括有机分子、无机晶体、纳米粒子、智能材料、纳米线等。例如，基于选择性双光子吸收的医学成像和诊断将通过更好的标记发色团而变得更高效。该项目的其他应用包括用于电信的超高速开关、用于计算的逻辑元件、用于显示器的发光材料以及用于光学存储器的3D光刻材料。除了对当地学校的访问外，还将开发在线互动资源，向高中生和本科生传播信息；作为我们工作的一部分开发的数字代码将在网络上分发，以便学生可以参与可发表的研究。

The proposal objective is to invent new approaches for manipulating quantum systems to enhance their nonlinear-optical response. Rather than studying specific systems, this work seeks to discover universal properties that are key to optimizing a material for a given task, which may identify altogether new and transformative materials paradigms and applications.The intellectual merit of this proposal is in the development of fundamental quantum mechanical concepts that build an understanding of the performance limit of optical materials and practical methods for attaining the limit. The fundamental knowledge gained will guide chemists and nanotechnologists in designing new materials and nanostrucutures, provide new paradigms to physicists/materials scientists for making novel functional materials, and generate ideas for engineers to develop novel devices.The broader impacts are diverse by virtue of the generality of the approach, which is based on sum rules that apply to all materials that interact with light including organic molecules, inorganic crystals, nanoparticles, smart materials, nanowires, etc. For example, medical imaging and diagnostics based on selective two-photon absorption would be made more efficient with better tagging chromophores. Other applications of this project include ultra fast switching for telecommunications, logic elements for computing, light-emitting materials for displays, and 3D photolithographic materials for optical memory. In addition to visits to local schools, online interactive resources will be developed to disseminate information to high-school and undergraduate-level students; and, numerical code that is developed as part of our work will be distributed over the web so that students can participate in publishable research.