KY Match DOE EPSCoR: Integrated Material Architectures: From Nanoscale Studies to Microdevice Development

SUBCONTRACT NO. ULRF 03-"03A r"'DA NO. _N_/A_ Attachment 1 INTEGRATED MATERIAL ARCHITECTURES: FROM NANOSCALE STUDIES TO MICRODEVICE DEVELOPMENT Summary: The Kentucky DOE Materials Research Cluster L' an integrated group of investigators emphasizing critical Department of Energy Research in two major "focus areas" related to nanotechnology and MEMS. The first focus area concentrates. on the fundamental studies of nanoscale materials with an appreciation towards device development, while the second complementary focus area strongly emphasizes device applications and solutions through the use of nanoscale material., implementing MEMS and micro technology at an "enabling platforms". An interdisciplinary collection of key researchers at both the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky has been embedded and appropriately grouped into two teams that will synergistically address the significant research challenges associated with each focus area. The two focus groups contain members with diverse but related backgrounds, and thus are capable of addressing the fundamental issues related to nanoscale materials as well as potential applications of these materials in fabricating nanomicromems-scale devices. The cadre of device. proposed in this research require the careful integration of several technologies, including physics, chemistry, biology, mechanics, electronics, material science, MEMS and nanotechnology. The "fundamental science" group is appropriately based in the physics discipline, and the "applications" group is primarily fielded from the engineering discipline. The two groups leverage the expertise and strengths of each other, interfacing regularly to discuss results and planned future directions. To enhance group interactions, each team contains by design, a member whose educational background is from the others group's primary focus area. For example, the "fundamental science" group contains at least one engineer, with the "applications" group contains at least one physicist. In this manner, the two groups remain integrated on a daily basis and are thus more sensitive to global issues of the research cluster. Focus Group A (the fundamental science group) is lead by Dr. Chakram Jayanthi of the UofL Physics Department, and Dr. Kevin Walsh of the UofL Electrical and Computer Engineering Department heads Focus Group B (the applications group). 7