Award Abstract #0103009
NIRT: Nanostructured Optoelectronic Materials: New Concepts in Theoretical Design, Synthesis, and Processing

NSF Org:	DMR Division of Materials Research
Initial Amendment Date:	June 20, 2001
Latest Amendment Date:	May 21, 2004
Award Number:	0103009
Award Instrument:	Continuing grant
Program Manager:	LaVerne D. Hess DMR Division of Materials Research MPS Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences
Start Date:	June 15, 2001
Expires:	May 31, 2005 (Estimated)
Awarded Amount to Date:	$1630000
Investigator(s):	Larry Dalton dalton@chem.washington.edu (Principal Investigator) Bruce Robinson (Co-Principal Investigator) William Steier (Co-Principal Investigator) Alex Jen (Co-Principal Investigator)
Sponsor:	University of Washington 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE SEATTLE, WA 98195 206/543-4043
NSF Program(s):	ELECTRONIC/PHOTONIC MATERIALS, ELECT, PHOTONICS, & DEVICE TEC, ENGINEERING RESEARCH CENTERS
Field Application(s):	0106000 Materials Research
Program Reference Code(s):	AMPP, 9251, 9162, 9161, 1674, 1589
Program Element Code(s):	1775, 1517, 1480

ABSTRACT

This proposal was submitted in response to the solicitation "Nanoscale Science and Engineering" (NSF 00-119). The project addresses theoretical methods to design new families of nanostructured building blocks and to guide the assembly of these blocks into mesoscale lattices. Dendritic and molecular self-assembly synthetic techniques will be used to implement theoretically-inspired nanoscale structures. Novel 3-D circuit fabrication techniques will be employed to pattern materials on both the nano and mesoscales to achieve integration of nanoscale materials with traditional micron scale optics and electronics. Equilibrium statistical mechanics and kinetic Monte Carlo theoretical methods, relevant to treating long-range and spatially-anisotropic intermolecular electrostatic interactions, will be refined and implemented. Theory will be used to guide design of the shape of nanoscale molecular objects to permit realization of highly-ordered mesoscale acentric molecular lattices. Such organic lattices do not occur naturally but are critical to device-related phenomena of electro-optic (EO) activity, unimolecular rectification, and photorefraction. Kinetic Monte Carlo calculations will also be employed to investigate nanoscale phase separation and molecular ordering phenomena and to guide the development of processing conditions relevant to the realization of optimized nanostructured acentric material lattices. Precisely sized and shaped nanoscale dendrimers permit inhibition of unwanted intermolecular electrostatic interactions and the realization of a wide range of desired auxiliary properties. Included are low optical loss at telecommunication wavelengths, high thermal and photochemical stability of induced acentric molecular order (electro-optic activity), and processability that permits the fabrication of buried channel EO waveguides and the integration of such waveguides with VLSI electronics and with fiber optics. Second order nonlinear optical chromophores (required for EO activity) can be assembled into a variety of dendrimer structures including those containing multiple chromophores. The operation of dendrimer-based EO devices requires half the drive voltages and extends to twice the bandwidth of current commercial lithium niobate devices. EO dendrimers can be constructed using fluorinated and cyanurate dendrons, which reduce optical loss at 1.55 microns telecommunications wavelength to 0.1-0.2 dB/cm. Use of such dendrons also permits precise control of material refractive index relevant to circuit integration. Surface functionalization of dendrimers with crosslinkable moieties can lead to materials with exceptional thermal and photochemical stability. EO chromophore-containing dendrimers will be assembled into electro-optic materials by a variety of methods including sequential assembly and self-assembly methods; however, the primary method employed for such assembly will be electric field poling. Once prepared, dendrimer-based EO materials will be fabricated by reactive ion etching, two-photon lithography and multi-color lithography into 3-D passive/active optical circuitry, which will be integrated with semiconductor VLSI drive electronics and silica transmission fibers. Organic EO materials will also be integrated with photonic bandgap structures and with controlled-birefringence block copolymer and layered organic materials to realize special device performance. A variety of devices, including spatial light modulators, phased array radars, ultra high bandwidth signal sources and detectors, etc., will be fabricated and evaluated.

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The project addresses basic research issues in a topical area of materials science with high technological relevance. The proposed research and the format of education/technology exchange contribute to positive economic and social impacts. An integrated research/education program based on an undergraduate student/graduate student/faculty team will be implemented building upon experience NSF-IGERT, NSF-EEC, UW UIF Nanotechnology Center, and UW international exchange programs. A new course will be offered to permit wider dissemination of specialized nano-engineering tools developed in this research/education program. Extensive interactions exist with industry, government laboratories, and international research centers. The project is co-supported by the DMR/EM, ECS/PFET, and EEC Divisions.

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