Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (NM)
Proposal Due Date: December 3, 2009

Please direct inquiries to:

William (Bill) Haines (whaines@nsf.gov)

Ben Schrag (bschrag@nsf.gov)

Grace Wang (jiwang@nsf.gov)

Cheryl Albus (calbus@nsf.gov)

Administrative Information
The required 400-word project summary should discuss the intellectual merit and broader impact in two separate ~200 word paragraphs that specifically answer the following questions: Paragraph 1) Intellectual merit: What is the problem to be solved? How will the problem be solved? What is the innovation in the proposed approach? Paragraph 2) Broader Impacts: Why is your solution better than competitive technologies? Who is going to buy your solution? Who are the other key players? If these answers are not addressed, the proposal will be returned without review.
Proposals must address the potential for commercialization of the innovation and how it would lead ultimately to revenue generation. It is important that the proposed technology increase the competitive capability of industry, be responsive to societal needs, and is sensitive to solving "real" problems driven by critical market requirements. There is considerable overlap between the subtopics and proposers should pay attention to the areas indicated under each subtopic to assist the program in placing these proposals on review panels.

Letters of Support for the Technology
Inclusion of letters of support for the technology within the proposal is strongly encouraged for proposals being submitted to this solicitation. Letters of support act as an indication of market validation for the proposed innovation and add significant credibility to the proposed effort. Letters of support should demonstrate that the company has initiated dialog with relevant stakeholders (potential customers, strategic partners, or investors) for the proposed innovation and that a real business opportunity may exist should the technology prove feasible. The letter(s) must contain affiliation and contact information for the signatory stakeholder.

Importance of Communication with Program Officer
A company considering a proposal submission is encouraged to communicate (via email) with the cognizant program officer to help gauge the responsiveness to the solicitation (see below for contact information). When contacting the cognizant program officer, please provide a brief 2-3 page executive summary with background on the: 1) company/team including experience with previous SBIR awards, 2) market opportunity, 3) technology/innovation and 4) competition. You may contact the program officer via email at any time before the submission deadline. Note, however, that communication with the program officer will become increasingly difficult as the deadline nears.

Proposals must address one of the subtopics that are outlined below. Proposals that are not responsive to the subtopics outlined below will be returned without review. When submitting a proposal to the NM Topic, code the proposal to the corresponding subtopic under which you are submitting the proposal, e.g., N1, for proposals in the area of "Nanoelectronics", AM1, for proposals in the area of "Electronic and Magnetic Materials", and M1, for proposals in the area of "Manufacturing Processes". In addition, use the code as the first item in the key words/phrases portion of the Project Summary of your proposal.

NANOTECHNOLOGY, ADVANCED MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING (NM)

The Nanotechnology, Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (NM) topic addresses development of new materials, devices, machines, structures and manufacturing processes for the advancement of the competitive nature and state of the art for U.S. industry. NAM includes materials and manufacturing technologies such as electronic materials and processes, high temperature materials, structural materials, coatings, composites, polymer processing, powder processing, nanomanufacturing, printing, patterning and lithography, machining, casting, joining, additive manufacturing, self-assembly, and other related research areas.

The NAM program seeks to support innovative technologies with the potential for large impact on business, consumers, and society, thereby catalyzing new business opportunities for small businesses in today's global marketplace. NSF is committed to supporting scientific discoveries to benefit society and to emphasize private sector commercialization. NSF seeks to support high risk; high pay-off research aimed at substantially increasing the competitive capability of our nation's industries. Novel technologies and systems aimed at achieving increased performance, reductions in cost, and/or new functions or applications are of great interest.

Nanotechnology
The Nanotechnology subtopic addresses the creation and use of functional materials, devices, and systems with novel properties and functions that are achieved through the control of matter at a submicroscopic scale. During the last years, novel structures, phenomena, and processes have been observed at the nanoscale (from a fraction of nanometer to about 100 nm) and new experimental, theoretical, and simulation tools have been developed for investigating them. Innovations for control and manufacture at the nanoscale are expected to evolve rapidly. A focus of this solicitation is the application of active nanostructures and nanosystems for commercial products. Active nanostructures and devices may encompass mechanical, electronic, magnetic, photonic, biological, and other effects. The application of active nanostructures and nanosystems may bring significant changes in industry, medicine, quality of life, and the environment.  Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.

N1. Nanoelectronics
Innovative materials or techniques involved in the development of electronic or optoelectronic devices involving nanotubes, nanowires, quantum dots or other nanostructures. This subtopic includes but is not limited to silicon-based nanoelectronics, molecular electronics, nanophotonics, nanospintronics, and hybrid systems. 

N2. Nanomanufacturing
Innovation for manufacturing at the nanoscale, including the transfer of research results in nanoscience and nanotechnology into industrial applications.  This subtopic includes a wide variety of synthesis, purification, and processing techniques for nanomaterials, including self-assembly and nanolithography techniques.  Proposals are encouraged which seek to develop commercial techniques for large scale production of nanomaterials or which focus on the controlled application of nanomaterials to create new or improved products.

N3. Active Nanostructures and Nanomechanical Systems
Innovations which seek to incorporate nanomaterials into new or improved structures or systems.  Proposals are encouraged which utilize the unique properties of nanoscale components and features to enable new functionality.  Examples of active nanostructures are nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), nanomachines, self-healing materials, heterostructures, nanobiodevices, nanosystems for drugs and chemical delivery, actuators, molecular machines, light-driven molecular motors, plasmonics, nanoscale fluidics, adaptive nanostructures, and nanosensors.

N4. Nanotechnology for Biological and Medical Applications
Material innovations related to the biological and medical applications of nanotechnology. Includes targeted cancer therapies, nanosensors for in vivo monitoring, techniques for localized drug delivery, neural stimulation techniques, cardiac therapies, nanotech-enabled biomaterials, and nanosystems for cell conditioning.

N5. Instrumentation for Nanotechnology
Innovations for new and improved characterization methods and instruments to assist in the development and deployment of nanotechnology and its commercial applications. Includes imaging methods (e.g. scanned probe microscopies and electron microscopy), high-precision positioners and actuators, and chemical and spectroscopic methods.  

Advanced Materials
The Advanced Materials subtopic addresses the development of new materials that can advance the competitive nature and state of the art for the U.S. industry. New materials and systems that have the potential for revolutionary changes and paradigm shifts will be given special consideration. Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.

AM1. Electronic and Magnetic Materials
Material innovations for improved performance in electronics and magnetics applications.  This includes conductors, semiconductors, insulators, dielectrics, and magnetic materials.  Applications of interest include but are not limited to: improved materials for CMOS systems, lithography and printing applications, flexible electronics, wide bandgap materials, and materials for data storage.

AM2. Optical and Optoelectronic Materials
Material innovations for improved performance in optoelectronic applications.  Includes materials for light-emitting diodes, display materials, active optical materials, and materials for optical and radiation detection applications.

AM3. Materials for Energy Applications
Innovations focused on materials for energy generation, transmission, or storage.  Includes materials for photovoltaics, as well as battery and fuel cell materials.

AM4. High-temperature Materials
Material innovations designed for improving the performance of high-temperature applications.  This includes bulk materials (e.g. superalloys, carbide compounds) as well as coatings (e.g. thermal barrier coatings) which are designed for use in high-temperature environments.

AM5. Structural Materials
Material innovations designed for improving the performance of materials in structural applications, including advanced composite materials, structural foams and other lightweight materials, structural alloys, structural ceramics; and new processing techniques for structural materials (including materials related to these processes, such as adhesives, sealants, fillers, additives, and binders).

AM6. Coatings, Surface Modification, and Thin Film Technologies
Material innovations related to surfaces, coatings, and thin films.  This includes coatings for corrosion resistance or decreased wear, surface modifications for specialized applications such as superhydrophobic or biologically/chemically active surfaces, and new thin film materials and processes (e.g. hybrid or improved deposition methods).

AM7.  Smart Materials and Specialized Materials
Innovations related to smart materials or materials for specialized applications, including smart materials (e.g. piezoelectric, ferroelectric, magnetostrictive, or electrochromic materials, shape memory alloys, and ferrofluids), materials for high or low thermal conductivity applications, materials for active device applications, and novel materials for sensor or actuator applications.  

AM8. Materials for Sustainability
Material innovations designed for improved sustainability, mitigating adverse environmental impacts, and/or improved public health.  This includes materials for energy efficiency or energy conservation applications, materials for filtering or purification of air and water, and new processes and techniques which allow increased use of non-toxic, green, recycled, and/or organic materials.

Manufacturing
The manufacturing subtopic addresses manufacturing innovations that improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the nation's manufacturing sector.  Proposals should be market-driven and identify the end users of the proposed technology, and the proposed pathway to commercialization.

M1. Manufacturing Processes
Innovative processes for molding, forging, casting, joining of dissimilar materials, with an emphasis on environmentally benign manufacturing techniques. Projects leading to the development of new processes and control techniques, including new hybrid techniques to achieve net shape products and complex multi-scale, multi-functional products with superior quality and performance.

M2. Machines and Equipment
Innovations in machine and control system design for applications in the manufacturing and construction industry that will produce improved efficiency and/or cost. The application of sensors and sensed data to improve throughput, quality and/or performance is also supported.

M3. Modeling and Simulation
Innovations in modeling and simulation of enterprise operations, manufacturing processes, machines and equipment, including predictive modeling of tooling and machine performance, and discreet event simulation of manufacturing systems.