2309000

Wisconsin MRSEC - Non-Technical Abstract

The Wisconsin Materials Research Science and Engineering Center addresses grand challenges in two areas of materials science and engineering. The first challenge focuses on how atoms and molecules move in liquids and glasses, while the second challenge involves developing new forms of magnetism using ultrathin, atomically perfect membranes.

Addressing the first challenge requires combining new kinds of experiments with developments in artificial intelligence. These advances will have applications in creating new glasses for organic electronic applications, such as electronics displays and photovoltaics. Additionally, they will enable new formulations of drug molecules into pills or other forms that patients use.

Addressing the second challenge involves using bending and stretching of membranes to disturb their regular pattern of atoms, creating new patterns in the distribution of magnetic poles on very short length scales. These advances will have applications in information processing, including high-speed, nonvolatile data storage, and in the emerging area of quantum computing.

The center also supports materials research infrastructure, including a new facility that uses ultrafast pulses of ultraviolet light to study materials. It also fosters partnerships with industry.

To broaden participation in materials research, the center runs an extended orientation program called Forward Fellows. This program jumpstarts the graduate careers of first-generation, historically underrepresented, or other non-traditional students. The center also seeks to inspire people to pursue careers in science and engineering through public outreach. This includes reaching economically disadvantaged people in partnership with service organizations and reaching blind and low vision people in partnership with the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Technical Abstract

The Wisconsin Materials Research Science and Engineering Center addresses grand challenges in two areas of materials science and engineering. The first area focuses on mobility in glasses and supercooled liquids at the molecular level, while the second area involves the creation and control of nonequilibrium magnetic states in strained single crystal membranes.

Research in the first area utilizes coherent electron nanodiffraction experiments to resolve local dynamics and physics-inspired machine learning to develop molecular-level understanding from simulations. Potential technological applications include glassy films of organic semiconductors with high molecular anisotropy for organic electronics and stabilization of drug molecules in the amorphous state for pharmaceutical preparations.

Research in the second area builds on a unique materials platform of non-van der Waals single crystal membranes, subjected to strains and strain gradients to break crystal symmetries and induce novel magnetic states. Potential technological applications include stabilizing skyrmions or other spin textures for nonvolatile memory and increased efficiency quantum transduction from spins to light and vice versa.

The center also supports materials research infrastructure, including a new facility for ultrafast extreme ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy and an industrial consortium to foster partnerships between companies and center researchers.

To encourage broader participation in materials research, the center runs an extended graduate orientation and professional development program called Forward Fellows. This program is designed to give first-generation, historically underrepresented, or other non-traditional students a jump start on graduate school. The center also seeks to inspire people to pursue careers in science and engineering through public outreach. This includes reaching economically disadvantaged people in partnership with service organizations and reaching blind and low vision people in partnership with the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

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.

University Of Wisconsin System

THE GOAL OF THIS FUNDING OPPORTUNITY, "MATERIALS RESEARCH SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING CENTERS (MRSEC)", IS IDENTIFIED IN THE LINK: HTTPS://WWW.NSF.GOV/PUBLICATIONS/PUB_SUMM.JSP?ODS_KEY=NSF21625

47.049 - Mathematical and Physical Sciences

Division of Materials Research [NSF]

Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1538 United States

Single Zip Code

Materials Research Science and Engineering Centers (21-625)

Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 193% from $3,000,000 to $8,789,999.