The University of Washington will lead a group of researchers from 11 universities as the newly established Modern optoelectronic materials on-demand integration center, Or IMOD.National Science Foundation Announced today This work will receive a five-year, US$25 million science and technology center grant.
Optoelectronics is the creation of next-generation optical components that use photons instead of electrons, but can be connected to more traditional electronic circuits. Devices that incorporate optoelectronic technology include light-emitting diodes, semiconductor lasers, image sensors, and quantum communication and computing technology components.
“In the early days of electronics, a computer would fill an entire room. Now the smartphones we carry with us are millions of times more powerful than the functions in our pockets,” IMOD Director David Ginger Said in a statement.
“Today, we see opportunities for material advancements and scalable manufacturing that can do the same for optoelectronics: can we perform a quantum optics experiment that fills the entire room and put thousands or even millions of quantum optics experiments Installed on a chip to achieve a new revolution? In the process, we expect that the science of IMOD will help solve some more familiar challenges, such as improving the display of the mobile phone you already have in your pocket, so that the battery Lasts longer,” he said.
In addition to leading the IMOD, Ginger is also the chief scientist at the University of Washington Clean Energy Research Institute, Alvin L. and Verla R. Kwiram Endowed Professors of Chemistry at the University of Washington, and Northwest influence.
The new effort will bring together experts in chemistry, materials science, physicists, and mechanical and electrical engineers. Researchers will work on developing new materials and manufacturing strategies for optoelectronics.
The project also includes educational initiatives, including STEM outreach and collaboration with high school teachers in curriculum development. The center is launching mentoring, training, and internship programs, focusing on underrepresented groups in STEM and first-generation student participants.
IMOD is also creating a quantum training and testing platform facility to support work related to labor.
The center has many external partners, including organizations based in Washington, such as Amazon, Microsoft, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Washington State Department of Commerce.
The other 10 academic institutions participating in the IMOD are the University of Maryland at Park; University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh University, Columbia University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, City College of New York, University of Chicago, University of Colorado Boulder and University of Maryland, Baltimore County .