Elias Towe - US grants

A programs of research to study novel optoelectronic devices based on II-V semiconductor heterostructures is described. The devices include quantum cylinder surface emitting lasers, MSM photodetectors, and quantum well inter-subband transition-based devices. The research includes a component for the study of new, wide band gap photonic materials. The materials system to be studied is based on the III-V nitrides, with (in,Ga,Al)N as an example.

9317417 Lee This compact dilution refrigerator used in experiments probing the electronic and electrodynamic response of advanced materials and novel solid-state structures at very low temperatures at University of Virginia. These research projects focus on electron tunneling, noise, and transport studies of the fundamental ground-state and elementary excitation properties of interacting electron systems. Because full spin, Coulomb, and quantum correlation effects often do not become manifest until temperatures of ~ 0.1K, attainment of temperatures below those achievable by pumped liquid 3H2(~0.3 K) will be required, making necessary the use of a dilution refrigerator which can achieve a base temperature of approximately 0.02K in a rapid and convenient manner. It is anticipated that normal use of the dilution refrigerator will be divided among three principal investigators: Prof. Mark Lee, who will be the principal user responsible for the maintenance of the facility, Prof. Joseph Poon, and Prof. Elias Towe. Dr. Lee seeks to elucidate aspects of the ground state in variable range hopping (VRH) conductors such as Si:P and PrBa2Cu3O7 in the strongly interacting regime around 0.1 K by tunneling and noise experiments. He will also use the dilution refrigerator to investigate large scale quantum coherency at low- temperature in high mobility superconductor-semiconductor structures, and how the coupling between novel superconductors and normal metals can shed insight into possibly unconventional superconducting mechanisms. Dr. Poon is interested in highly ordered new materials, composed entirely of metal atoms, that show semiconducting or insulating behavior at low temperature as a result of unusual symmetries, as occurs in quasicrystals, or low dimensionality. For this work it is important to have the ability to systematically measure resistivities down to ~ 0.03 K in a convenient manner in order to confirm and study the existence of non-metallic behavior. Dr. Towe currently grows high purity semiconductor heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy. Quantitative characterization effective masses and mobilities is typically done by measuring Shubnikov-de Haas oscillations and of the Hall effect quantization at very low temperatures. Dr. Towe's investigation will include a study of mobilities in heterostructures of varying crystallographic orientation and development of nitride-based semiconductor heterostructures. This instrument is straightforward to maintain and operate, has a relatively rapid cool-down and sample turn- around time, and will thus serve as an excellent teaching tool for graduate and undergraduate students in solid-state and low- temperature experimental physics. The dilution unit will be housed in an existing 4He dewar equipped with a compensated 10 T superconducting solenoid and will share pumping and gas support facilities with an operational 4He variable temperature cryostat. ***

WPCf 2 B J d | x MACNormal p 5 X ` h p x (# % '0* , .81 3 5@8 : < : } D 4 P T I. A. 1. a.(1)(a) i) a) T 0 * * . , US X ` h p x (# % '0* , .81 3 5@8 : < : } D 4 P 0 * * . , US , 3 ' 1 MACNormal Shur 9311033 The Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Virginia will purchase Optical Instrumentation for Spectral Transmission and Reflection Measurements. The requested optical equipment will be used in conjunction with a new and unique measurement technique which accounts for optical interference in thin films and allows us to obtain much more accurate values of optical constants. This equipment will be used together with field effect characterization equipment which we already have. This will allow us, for the first time, to perform field effect and optical studies on the same samples of amorphous silicon and establish the nature and distribution of localized states in amorphous silicon as well as the changes in this distribution under voltage stress and external conditions. Such a study is very important for improving the stability of amorphous silicon Thin Film Transistors which determines the stability and quality of Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Displays widely used in modern computer equipment and consumer electronics. It is also important for understanding both unique material properties of amorphous silicon and the TFT device physics.

This Nanotechnology Undergraduate Education (NUE) in Engineering program entitled "Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Program in Nanotechnology (IUPN)", at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is under the direction of Dr. Michael Bockstaller, Center for Nano-Enabled Device and Energy Technologies, in collaboration with faculty from the departments of Physics, Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Philosophy. The primary goal of IUPN is to establish an integrated training program for undergraduate students in nanotechnology building on four existing courses and innovative mini-courses that will attract and engage talented students from multiple departments to the study of nanoscience and engineering. The proposed program will deliver a model for future undergraduate education in nanotechnology in which the focus is on the relevance of the connections among the traditional disciplines and a holistic view of 'sustainable nanotechnology' by integrating ethical and social science into the nanotechnology curriculum.

Objective:
The objective of this work is to investigate the controlled synthesis of a new material, graphene, that is structurally modified in order to artificially design its optical properties, and to characterize these for potential use in novel optoelectronic devices.

Intellectual Merit:
The intellectual merit of the work lies in its value in advancing and contributing an original approach to controllably synthesize graphene. Its immediate impact is generation of new experimental results on purposely-engineered graphene. These results will lead to a new understanding of the optical properties of graphene for photonic device applications, thus contributing to advancing the field of photonics in particular, and materials in general.

Broader Impacts:
In addition to creating new knowledge on a new material, this activity will broadly contribute to the training of (undergraduate and graduate) students in the conception, design, construction, and operation of a unique and original piece of equipment. It will extend the range of advanced instrumentation for research and education in photonics at Carnegie Mellon. The results of this work will be disseminated at key national and international conferences, including publications in leading journals, thus broadly impacting the field at large. If successful, the project has the potential to contribute to the understanding and development of a new material for nextgeneration concepts for advanced devices for information technology. Overall, the grapheotonics project represents the new frontier of nano-engineering at the atomic-layer level.It will create new material and knowledge for teaching and instruction in nanotechnology.

Proposal: 1643087

Title: The 13th U.S. Korea Forum on Nanotechnology: Brain Inspired Computing and Nano Biomimetics for Energy & Water Sustainability- Sept.26-27,2016, Seoul Korea

PI: John Myung
Institution: Carnegie-Mellon University

Workshop Goal: To empower a common platform for scientists and engineers from both countries to accommodate urgent technology contribution brain-inspired computing and sustainable Water & Energy (WE) technology.

Nontechnical:
This Forum will actively encourage partnerships in nanotechnology for novel computer architecture and WE sustainability to have a huge impact in nanoscience, in addition to strengthening achievements and assessing the progress on recommendations made during the previous Forums. We also aim for exchanging young scientists, including the graduate students. The Forum proceedings and findings will be published on Carnegie Mellon website, and will be available to a broad audience in addition Published as a special issue journal publication.

Technical:
The novel contribution of this Forum is its ability to bring together a bi-national community of expert researchers and innovators who are working on the leading edge of brain-inspired computing and nano-biomimetics for sustainable WE. The proposed forum will simulate efforts to promote nanotechnology for the next generation by fully utilizing nanotechnology convergence and biomimetric methods. The outcome will lead to milestone for the timely technology. Along with the exchange of ideas among the leading scientists and engineers in nanotechnology area, this Forum will recommend timely new paradigms in this field for the next decade and promote collaborative initiatives between the two countries. This Forum will contribute to society, and the global environment and econo.

The proposed project for a Forum seeks financial support for scientists and engineers in the nanotechnology area with an objective to recommend new paradigms in this area and promote collaborative initiatives between the US and Korea, two countries. The "14th U.S.-Korea Forum on Nanotechnology: Internet of Things (IoT) including Nanosensors and Neuromorphic Computing" will host 8 senior presenters and 8 additional early-career presenters (underrepresented minorities will be strongly encouraged) and an approximately equal number of Korean presenters. It will actively encourage partnerships in nanotechnology for breakthroughs in various topics in IoT including nanosensors as well as novel computing architecture in information technology, in addition to strengthening achievements and assessing the progress on recommendations made during the previous meetings of this type.
The Forum will play a key role in identifying new directions for research on IoT technologies and neuromorphic computing addressing long-term challenges in nanotechnological fundamentals and its application for the mutual benefit of both the US and Korea. The meeting proceedings and findings will be published in a booklet form by the National Nanotechnology Policy Center, Korea and on Carnegie Mellon?s website, which will be available to a broader public.

Since 2003, the Forum on Nanotechnology Forum between U.S. and Korea has been held at alternating countries. The forum focuses on enhancing research collaboration in the field of nanotechnology conversion among scientists and engineers from both countries. Specifically, a joint forum facilitates networking between the research communities and agencies of both countries, enabling each side to exchange information and explore opportunities for research collaboration. This year the topics are nanomedicine focusing on single-cell level and sensors related to human cognition and brain research. The forum includes 8 senior presenters and 7 early-career presenters from U.S. and roughly equal number of Korean presenters will also participate. Organizing committee of this forum strives to place emphasis on diversity. This forum actively encourages partnerships in nanotechnology for breakthroughs in various topics, in addition to strengthening achievements and assessing the progress on recommendation made during the previous forums. All of the forum proceedings and findings are available on Carnegie Mellon's website for broad audiences. The contribution of this proposed forum is its ability to bring together a bi-national community of expert researchers and innovators who are working on the leading edge of nanomedicine focusing on single cell level and sensors related to human cognition. This forum will stimulate efforts to promote the above two areas by fully utilizing nanotechnology convergence to bio-information-cognitive technology. The outcome of this forum will lead to milestone and vigorous research collaboration of both countries where nanotechnology convergence will generate a great impact.

As we enter the 4th industrial revolution, which is characterized by a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and biological spheres, the rapid increase in the enormous amount of data processed and stored led us to a need for an emerging field of technologies including human cognition and nanomedicine. To fully explore these technologies, nanotechnology convergence with bio-information-cognitive methods play a critical role. The following two topics will be scrutinized during this 16th Forum. (a) Nanomedicine focusing on single cell level: Current challenges in nanomedicine area involve i) long-term fate for newly developed materials (distribution in space and time) and how to integrate already-developed nano-materials into application synergistically, ii) the niche of nanomaterials, iii)changing the general paradigm of medical practice, iv) precisely monitoring patients for preventive medicine, v) personalized medicine, vi) batch-to-batch consistency validation, vii) need for safer biomaterial, and viii) ability to target moving parts. Due to the importance of single-cell nanomedicine, this topic will be examined during the consecutive forums. (B) Sensors related to human cognition and brain research: Key technical components of human performance modification (HPM) are the nanosensors. Novel nanosensors that are capable of new functions allowing an era in HPM will be investigated. This technology includes an image processing unit and an artificial intelligence unit to name a few. With added sensory inputs and augmented sensors, ultimately HPM can drastically enhance human performance on a daily basis. The convergence of nanotechnology is likely to result in the development of novel sensor technologies that can advance in HPM including vision, audition, gustation, olfaction, and somatosensation.

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.

Carnegie Mellon University is proposing the formation of a Center for Quantum Computing and Information Technologies (Q-CIT). The mission of the proposed Center is to collaborate with industry and government stakeholders in identifying applications that advance quantum computing and information technologies in the solution of challenging real-world problems proven to be intractable by classical computing methods. Computing has had a profound and transformative impact on society; quantum computing and information technologies will have even greater impacts. Q-CIT will work with the stakeholders to create a research ecosystem where companies, government labs, and federally funded research and development centers with interests in quantum computing collaborate with faculty, research staff, and students on practical use-case problems to move the field. <br/><br/>Q-CIT will convene planning meetings with interested companies, government labs, and other entities to discuss critical areas with technical problems whose solution methods and algorithms might be adapted to run on current, noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) hardware in the absence of fault-tolerant quantum computing machines. Such problems could include, among others, computation of materials properties via Hamiltonian simulation, and solution of general optimization problems as is often done, for example, in machine learning. These types of problems fall under the rubric of variational optimization. In the long run, Q-CIT expects to work and interact with industry and government members in identifying canonical benchmark problems in selected areas that could be investigated to assess whether use of NISQ and future fault-tolerant quantum computing machines brings quantum advantage(s) over classical computing hardware. <br/><br/>With the current multiplicity of approaches to quantum computing and information technology hardware, one of the roles of the Center will be to create an ecosystem for free exchange of information on the different approaches, while fostering interactions among diverse technical groups championing the approaches. Q-CIT potentially has a unique opportunity to develop an innovative education and training program relevant for implementation of the quantum computing paradigm. The education program will be the key for the training of a diverse, future quantum workforce.<br/><br/>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.