News Archive 2017
Semiconducting Single Atom Chains: A New Research Frontier
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Nov. 28, 2017
In the spirit of interdisciplinary research championed, the Department of Physics in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Electrical Engineering in the College of Engineering have made progress on an exciting new idea that developed because of different points of view from different disciplines. The discovery of graphene, a single sheet of carbon atoms, created a wave of exciting research in atomically thin two-dimensional materials.
Inspired by graphene, researchers at the University of Arkansas are at the frontier of a new research direction to create atomically narrow one-dimensional wires, called "single atom chains." If successful, this work funded by a $60k Short-Term Innovative Research award from the Army Research Office could potentially revolutionize electronics.
Hugh Churchill, assistant professor of physics, will collaborate with Shui-Qing "Fisher" Yu, associate professor of electrical engineering, and Gregory Salamo, professor in physics, for the project. The team has been pursuing this new direction for two years already. Recently, associate professor Salvador Barraza-Lopez and assistant professor Jin Hu, both from the Department of Physics, joined the team to model and fabricate this new group of materials.
In the past, efforts to create nano-electronic components to surpass traditional silicon circuits have focused on one-dimensional nanotubes and nanowires. However, these earlier components either suffer performance degradation at the smallest sizes or possess random and difficult to control physical properties.
Earlier this year, the research team published an article titled "Toward Single Atom Chains with Exfoliated Tellurium" in the journal Nanoscale Research Letters, showing that nanoscale structures can be fabricated by exfoliating tellurium (Te) into ultra-thin flakes and nanowires [1]. This work received an early boost from a U of A Connor Faculty Fellowship that allowed the purchase of tellurium crystals for exfoliation.
This new research initiative aims to apply the previous findings to the creation of one-dimensional structures that can be fabricated using tellurium (Te). These materials not only have the capability of being exfoliated into ultra-thin nanowires, but also possess superior electrical, optical, mechanical, and chemical properties. Some of these properties have been described in theoretical research led by Barraza-Lopez that has been submitted for publication [2].
This new structure is expected to push traditional electronics to the atomic endpoint of scaling, while opening up a new field of quantum circuits. In addition to electronics, these structures may also improve technological capabilities in sensing and communication. Given the technological promise of these structures, the researchers submitted a provisional application for a patent last spring and the university has already committed to a full patent application.
"We are very excited about this research direction and hope to leverage this early investment from the Army to build a larger atom-chain research initiative across several departments on campus," said Churchill.
"We are very fortunate to have complementary expertise in material science, transport, optics, theoretical modeling, and electronic devices to build an interdisciplinary team supported by the state-of-art facility at the Nano Institute to tackle these challenging problems," added Yu.
Arkansas Wins 2017 SEC Student Pitch Competition
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Nov. 15, 2017
A team from the University of Arkansas won first place in the 2017 SEC Student Pitch Competition held at the University of Florida on Monday, Nov. 13.
At the competition in Gainesville, Florida, Andrew Miles and Witness Martin pitched Grox Industries, a company they formed last year as students in the New Venture Development course taught by Carol Reeves, associate vice provost for entrepreneurship at Arkansas.
"It feels great to come all the way from Arkansas and win first place," Miles said. "Just being around an eclectic group of entrepreneurs and innovators is exciting."
The core technology behind Grox Industries' business, a unique production method for the nanomaterial graphene oxide, was developed in the lab of U of A chemistry professor Ryan Tian. Grox developed a custom, graphene oxide-based window coating line called Helios. Compared to other coatings on the market, Helios absorbs more damaging ultraviolet light, while allowing more aesthetically pleasing visible light to pass through a window.
"Andrew, Witness, and the other members of the Grox team have worked incredibly hard for their success on the competition circuit," said Carol Reeves, who is the team adviser. "Commercializing academic research is not an easy thing to do, but the potential rewards are great for the university, region and all parties involved."
Grox Industries has a remarkable record in entrepreneurship competitions. The team won first place at the University of Manitoba's Stu Clark Investment Competition last March, was awarded a $30,000 prize with their first-place finish in the graduate division of the 10th Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Collegiate Business Plan Competition last May in Las Vegas, Nevada, and took second place in the graduate division, the Delta Plastics Innovation Award, and $20,000 in Arkansas' 2017 Donald W. Reynolds Governor's Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition in April.
The University of Florida finished second and Auburn University took third place in the SEC Student Pitch Competition.
Teams of students representing participating Southeastern Conference universities presented innovative product ideas to a panel of judges on Monday afternoon. The panel selected three finalist teams that later presented to a separate set of judges. Aside from participating students, leaders from entrepreneurship or innovation centers at the participating universities were on hand to support the student teams and to exchange best practices.
The SEC Student Pitch Competition is supported by the SEC under its SECU banner. SECU, the academic initiative of the SEC, serves as the primary mechanism through which the collaborative academic endeavors and achievements of member universities are supported and advanced.
The 2018 SEC Student Pitch Competition will take place next fall at Texas A&M University.
Malshe Receives Prestigious Research Implementation Award From Society of Manufacturing Engineers
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Nov. 14, 2017
Ajay Malshe, Distinguished Professor of mechanical engineering, was recognized with the prestigious S.M. Wu Research Implementation Award from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, a premier international society dedicated for manufacturing engineering. The award recognizes outstanding original fundamental research presented at SME's manufacturing conference, subsequently implemented in industry, and having significant commercial and/or societal impact. Significant number of Malshe's discoveries and inventions have been converted to manufacturing practice. He and his team have invented, manufactured and implemented hundreds of breakthrough award winning products for numerous Fortune 500 Oil and Gas, EV, HD Trucking, Industrial and other companies.
SME's award honors Shien-Ming Wu (1924-92), PhD, FSME, the J. Reid and Polly Anderson Professor of Manufacturing Technology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, an internationally known researcher in the fields of manufacturing engineering and dynamic systems analysis. Wu was the first researcher to introduce advanced statistical techniques to manufacturing research, called the dynamic data system, which is the basis for quality improvement programs implemented by manufacturing firms worldwide, including General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler Corp.
John A. White, University of Arkansas Distinguished Professor and chancellor emeritus and member of the NanoMech Advisory Board, noted, "Dr. Malshe's recognition by SME is well-deserved. He is recognized globally as a triple-threat in manufacturing engineering: he extends the frontiers of knowledge through his research; he transfers his research findings into products that deliver incredible performance benefits for his customers; and he brings his knowledge and experience into the classrooms, equipping students to make significant engineering contributions. We are most fortunate to have him located in Northwest Arkansas and affiliated with the University of Arkansas."
Malshe, who earned his doctorate in 1992, is an inventor and a discoverer, educator and an entrepreneur. He is recognized as a pioneer and the global-expert in the field of materials, manufacturing and system integration. He has won 37 prestigious awards and recognitions including fellowships from four of the world's leading societies for mechanical engineering (ASME), materials (ASM), manufacturing (CIRP) and physics (IOP), 3 Edison awards, R&D 100 awards and a Tibbetts award. Malshe is the founder and chief technology officer of NanoMech Industries (www.nanomech.com). NanoMech is a Materials Science and Manufacturing global company in the business sector of "Specialty Chemicals and Coatings." NanoMech is equipped with the world's first ISO 9001 qualified nanomanufacturing factories and has multiples offices across the United States.
Tim Shinbara, vice president of technology for AMT-The Association For Manufacturing Technology, said, "Dr. Malshe has been a mentor, pioneer, and great friend to me in many ways. I have observed Ajay over many years internationally and within the AMT membership from CIRP General Assembly sessions to showcasing next-gen productivity at our Emerging Technology Center at IMTS. This honor awarded to Dr. Malshe is well-deserved and fitting as his research, much like Professor Wu's, blossomed from academia to both create and move an industrial market. The AMT and I offer our upmost congratulations to Dr. Malshe's recognition!"
Malshe has published more than 220 peer-reviewed publications, and delivered more than 110 invited talks globally. He has graduated more than 50 graduate students (doctoral and master's), trained numerous post-doctoral fellows, and provided research experience to several STEM undergraduate and STEM high school students and teachers.
Electrical Engineering Professors Awarded Grant for Research on Sapphire-Based Integrated Microwave Photonics
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Aug. 30, 2017
The National Science Foundation's division of Electrical, Communications & Cyber Systems, through the Electronics, Photonics and Magnetic Devices program, has awarded two electrical engineering professors a grant of just over $250,000 to develop a new Integrated Microwave Photonics chip.
The awarded project, entitled "EAGER: Sapphire Based Integrated Microwave Photonics," will be headed by Samir El-Ghazaly, principal investigator and distinguished professor in electrical engineering, and Shui-Qing "Fisher" Yu, co-principal investigator and associate professor in electrical engineering.
Microwave photonics refers to a field that utilizes light as a carrier to process high-frequency electrical signals and is a technology that has significant impact in defense and civilian applications. Future applications of microwave photonics technology demand dramatic improvements in performance and efficiency, including reductions in size, weight, and power consumption. The objective of this project is to develop a hybrid photonic chip that meets these demands. El-Ghazaly and Yu will approach this feat through the utilization of R-plane Sapphire, a high-performance platform with the capability of producing fully-integrated microwave photonics systems.
The successful development of a microwave photonics chip on an R-Sapphire platform has the potential to result in significant applications in defense systems, such as radar signal processing, and civilian applications such as cell phone technology, sensing, and Datacom.
Engineering Professor Selected as Associate Editor of Nanotechnology Journal
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Aug. 21, 2017
Donald Keith Roper, associate professor of chemical engineering, has been named associate editor of IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology. IEEE is the world's largest technical professional organization for the advancement of technology.
According to IEEE's website, Transactions on Nanotechnology "is devoted to the publication of manuscripts of archival value in the general area of nanotechnology, which is rapidly emerging as one of the fastest growing and most promising new technological developments for the next generation and beyond."
As associate editor, Roper will be jointly responsible for a recently announced Letters section of the journal. Letters are short, one or two page peer reviewed articles that highlight discoveries and scientific breakthroughs using a rapid peer-review mechanism. They often precede more traditional full-length papers. The publishers hope that this format will attract emerging research by authors from a broader spectrum of nanotechnology, as well as facilitate the quick dissemination of important developments.
"The letters section will feature nanoscience breakthroughs using a rapid review cycle," Roper explained. "Letters are intended to be brief but impactful announcements of a marked advance relative to state of the art in a particular field."
Roper will also be responsible for soliciting material in the field of biotechnology, initiating special and thematic issues and managing the peer review process in this area.
Researchers to Work With TI to Develop Electrostatic Discharge Protection
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire May 31, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas engineering professors Zhong Chen and Simon Ang will collaborate with researchers at Texas Instruments and the University of Texas at Dallas to develop computer chips with mechanisms that protect integrated circuits from damage due to electrostatic discharge.
Their work will improve the robustness and reliability of computers, tablets and cell phones – any device equipped with high-speed interface ports, such as USB-C and HDMI ports – and protect them from damage due to human and machine handling, lightning and other kinds of electrostatic discharge events.
Electrostatic discharge occurs when two electrically charged objects come into contact with each other and create a sudden flow of electricity. This event is what most people call “static” electricity. The most common example example of electrostatic discharge is the sound and possible spark caused when pulling apart wool socks; the most dramatic example is lightning.
Small-scale electrostatic discharge events may not be seen or heard, yet they can cause significant damage to electronic devices and integrated circuits. For this reason, electronics manufacturers focus on different methods to implement on-chip electrostatic discharge protection to improve their robustness and reliability. However, the integrated circuits implemented with system-level electrostatic discharge protection are much more expensive than those without protection. The performance of integrated circuits can also be degraded due to large on-chip electrostatic discharge protection structures.
Chen and Ang will develop cost-effective, on-chip protection structures for high-speed integrated circuits. These structures improve the rail-based electrostatic discharge protection, a system that utilizes two “rails” – a power supply rail and ground rail – to discharge high electrostatic current. This type of electrostatic discharge protection is typically implemented in high-speed or digital designs due to its low capacitance, high bandwidth and low leakage current.
When Chen and Ang complete their work, a design team at Texas Instruments will integrate the protection structure into a high-speed integrated circuit and test its effectiveness.
The research is funded by the Semiconductor Research Corp. in Durham, North Carolina. The budget for the project is $255,000.
Team Strains Two-Dimensional Ferroelectrics With Light
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire May 04, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas researchers discovered an unusual deformation of a new potential class of two-dimensional materials that is created upon exposure to light. The effect, called photostriction, is a delicate mechanical coupling of the material to electromagnetic radiation that has never been reported within the context of two-dimensional materials before.
Their paper, "Photostrictive Two-dimensional Materials in the Monochalcogenide Family," will be published in a forthcoming issue of the Physical Review Letters. University of Arkansas researchers Raad Haleoot, Charles Paillard, Thaneshwor Kaloni, Mehrshad Mehboudi, Bin Xu, Laurent Bellaiche and Salvador Barraza-Lopez of the Department of Physics collaborated on the project.
"Group-IV monochalcogenide monolayers are interesting potential two-dimensional ferroelectrics that have an intrinsic in-plane electric moment and an extreme structural tunability," Barraza-Lopez said. "Upon discussion with Laurent and Charles, who had work on this effect in bulk (three dimensional) ferroelectrics, we decided to explore the mechanical response of monochalcogenide monolayers under illumination, and found that this two-dimensional structure can be strained uniaxially as the material sits under ambient light."
This is how the effect works: Electrons are excited from the valence band onto the conduction band when these materials are illuminated. As this electronic excitation process takes place, the electron cloud about atoms is modified with respect to its shape prior to illumination. Such a change of the electron cloud upon illumination "screens" the intrinsic in-plane electric moment, so the material contracts (strains) along the direction defined by the electric dipole in response.
"I wish to highlight the crucial leadership by Mr. Haleoot in carrying out extremely delicate calculations, and the close guidance by Dr. Paillard that made these results possible."
The computational work was carried out at Comet, a Supercomputer at San Diego Supercomputer Center (XSEDE TG-PHY090002). Barraza-Lopez is also funded by the Department of Energy.
NASA Selects Arkansas' First CubeSat
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire May 3, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas’ first CubeSat, a small satellite selected by NASA for space education and research, will observe the Earth’s climate and measure the composition and concentration of atmospheric gases.
In February, NASA announced the selection of ArkSat-1 as one of 34 satellites from 19 states and the District of Columbia that will be launched into space between 2018 and 2020. ArkSat-1 is being developed by Adam Huang, associate professor of mechanical engineering, and Josh Pennington, doctoral student in the Microelectronics and Photonics program, in the Engineered Micro/Nano-Systems Laboratory. They will deliver the satellite to NASA for launch in 2020.
From space, ArkSat-1 — a 10-centimeter, or nearly 4-inch, cube that is almost twice the size of a Rubik’s Cube — will point a calibrated light toward Earth. Terrestrial telescopes instrumented with spectrophotometers will track this light and measure the composition and concentration of various atmospheric gases.
“This could help build a stronger understanding of the complex dynamics that occur in the atmosphere and give us insight into how different geographical locales affect the atmosphere around those areas,” Pennington said. “For instance, how much more methane is in the air around large agricultural areas? How much more concentrated is carbon dioxide in cities than the countryside?”
ARKSat-1 will also demonstrate a deorbit technology being developed at the U of A’s Engineered Micro/Nano-Systems Laboratory by Morgan Roddy, also a doctoral student in the Microelectronics-Photonics program. Roddy’s deorbiter, which recently won second place in a student design competition at the University Nanosatellite Engineering Consortium’s Global Meeting in Varna, Bulgaria, is designed to reduce space debris from small satellites. The deorbiter inflates a thin-membrane balloon that increases drag on a satellite, slowing its reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere and causing the satellite to disintegrate.
“Which means that, if everything works correctly, the CubeSat will quickly burn up in Earth's atmosphere,” Pennington said.
The U of A team – composed of Huang, Pennington and Roddy as well as John Lee, doctoral student in mechanical engineering, and undergraduate students – plan to complete ARKSat-1 by the end of 2019. It will then be turned over to NASA for integration onto a rocket. Pennington said it will likely take from 3 to 6 months for a launch opportunity. The researchers expect the mission to last three months.
The U of A researchers are collaborating with other universities and organizations in Arkansas on the project. Huang is the primary investigator. Co-investigators include Larry Roe, associate professor of mechanical engineering and the director of the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences at the U of A; Vincent Chevrier, assistant research professor at the Arkansas Center for Space and Planetary Sciences; Ed Wilson and Charles Wu at Harding University; Yupo Chan at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock; and Constance Meadors at Pulaski Technical College. Development of ARKSat-1 is funded by the Arkansas Space Grant Consortium.
Initially developed by academia in the early-2000s for promoting space technology education, CubeSats gained popularity after the Department of Defense, NASA and the National Science Foundation began providing CubeSat-based research funding in the late-2000s. Today, they are the standard satellite technology, providing space access to both traditional and non-traditional participants in technology and missions.
Electrical Engineering Professor Lends Expertise to the Air Force
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire April 26, 2017
Morgan Ware, assistant professor of electrical engineering, has been appointed as a fellow in the 2017 Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program at the Air Force Research Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio. He will be joining the Sensors Directorate, which develops sensor technology for air- and space-borne applications.
The U.S. Air Force Research Lab Summer Faculty Fellowship Program provides science, mathematics and engineering faculty with the opportunity to participate in research aimed at solving Air Force challenges. Faculty fellows spend eight to 12 weeks at participating Air Force research facilities. The program is sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
"This is a great opportunity for Morgan," said Juan Carlos Balda, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering. "He will be able to gain familiarity with research work performed by the Air Force, identify potential topics for future research proposals and network with program managers in the Department of Defense. In addition, the Air Force research personnel will have a chance to learn about the excellent facilities that U of A has for new material research."
Ware's research currently focuses on semiconductor crystal growth for optical and electrical devices. During the fellowship, he will be studying the incorporation of tin and germanium, both elements chemically similar to silicon, into silicon crystal growth.
Silicon is at the heart of the semiconductor electronics industry, which is reaching physical limitations in terms of size, electrical conductivity, and as a result, computer processing speed. This ultimately limits future improvements. The integration of tin and germanium into this technology will facilitate a potential conversion from electronic devices to optical or photonic devices, which will increase speed and reduce heat production. This will also provide a platform for seamless integration with photonic communication technologies, which are well established.
The results of the research performed during Ware's tenure at the Air Force Research Laboratory will be an increased understanding of the mechanisms and the environmental conditions that allow for the controlled growth of crystals containing alloys of these elements and the resulting optical and electrical properties exhibited by these crystals. This research will provide the groundwork for the future development of more efficient and faster electronic systems and improved sensor and light source technologies, which will enhance both communications and information processing for the Air Force.
Engineering Professors Named Fellows of Professional Organization
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire April 25, 2017
Jin-Woo Kim, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, and Yanbin Li, Distinguished Professor of biological and agricultural engineering, have been named fellows by the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering, or AIMBE.
According to its website, AIMBE's College of Fellows "consists of over 1,500 individuals who are the outstanding leaders, engineers, entrepreneurs, and innovators in medical and biological engineering," and fellows represent the top two percent of the medical and biological engineering community.
"We are proud of the recognition of two of our most prolific research faculty working on the cutting-edge of the interface of biology and engineering," said Lalit Verma, head of the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. "This honor is well deserved as their interdisciplinary works are addressing some of the grand challenges facing our society."
Kim directs the Bio/Nano Technology Laboratory in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering and the Institute for Nanoscience and Engineering. His primary research focus is in the area of bio/nano technology, or biologically inspired nanotechnology, which spans interdisciplinary fields of biological engineering, biomedical engineering, biology, chemistry, and nanotechnology. Specifically, his research aims to develop nanoscale bio/abio interfacing technology for programmable integrations of biomimetic advanced materials and devices for biological and biomedical applications. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and five book chapters, and he has two granted and one pending patents. Kim was recently elected as vice president of publications of the Nanotechnology Council of the Institute Electrical and Electronics Engineers and he is an IEEE Nanotechnology Distinguished Lecturer.
Li holds the Tyson Endowed Chair in Biosensing Engineering. His research focuses on biosensors and bioinstrumentation, microbial predictive modeling, quantitative risk assessment and food safety engineering. His research has applications in the screening of avian influenza in poultry, rapid detection of foodborne pathogens, predictive models of pathogenic bacteria in food products and risk assessment of microbial hazards in food systems. He has authored over 150 peer-reviewed publications and has received 12 patents.
Non-Flammable Graphene Membrane Developed for Safe Mass Production
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire April 12, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – University of Arkansas researchers have discovered a simple and scalable method for turning graphene oxide into a non-flammable and paper-like graphene membrane that can be used in large-scale production.
"Due to their mechanical strength and excellent charge and heat conductivities, graphene-based materials have generated enormous excitement," said Ryan Tian, associate professor of inorganic chemistry in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. "But high flammability jeopardizes the material's promise for large-scale manufacturing and wide applications."
Graphene's extremely high flammability has been an obstacle to further development and commercialization. However, this new discovery makes it possible to mass-produce graphene and graphene membranes to improve a host of products, from fuel cells to solar cells to supercapacitors and sensors. Tian has a provisional patent for this new discovery.
Using metal ions with three or more positive charges, researchers in Tian's laboratory bonded graphene-oxide flakes into a transparent membrane. This new form of carbon-polymer sheet is flexible, nontoxic and mechanically strong, in addition to being non-flammable.
Further testing of the material suggested that crosslinking, or bonding, using transition metals and rare-earth metals, caused the graphene oxide to possess new semiconducting, magnetic and optical properties.
For the past decade, scientists have focused on graphene, a two-dimensional material that is a single atom in thickness, because it is one of the strongest, lightest and most conductive materials known. For these reasons, graphene and similar two-dimensional materials hold great potential to substitute for traditional semiconductors. Graphene oxide is a common intermediate for graphene and graphene-derived materials made from graphite, which is a crystalline form of carbon.
The research was conducted by Hulusi Turgut, doctoral student in the U of A microelectronics-photonics program and the Institute for Nanoscience and Engineering. Part of the material's characterization was done by Fengjiao Yu and Wuzong Zhou at the University of St. Andrews in the United Kingdom.
The researchers' findings were published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry. This intellectual property is patented by the University of Arkansas.
Students Awarded Summer Internships With the Office of Naval Research
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire March 23, 2017
Four students affiliated with University of Arkansas students – two graduate and two undergraduate – will spend the summer interning with the U.S. Navy at the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C., and the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific in San Diego.
Graduate students David French and Stephen Bauman, as well as undergraduate sophomore Madison Whitby, are full-time students at the University of Arkansas. Undergraduate senior Zachary Brawley, a student at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, performed a Research Experience for Undergraduates at the U of A in the Department of Physics last summer. All four students are active members of a research group led by Joseph Herzog, an assistant professor in the Department of Physics.
French is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Physics. Bauman, who earned his master of science in microelectronics-photonics, is pursuing a doctorate in the same field. Whitby is a double major in mechanical engineering and physics. Brawley will graduate this spring from the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Central Arkansas and plans to begin graduate school in the fall.
French will intern at the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific, where he will work on ultrashort, pulsed, laser-beam control. Bauman, Whitby and Brawley will all be working at the Naval Research Laboratory in their respective 10-week programs. Bauman will work on a project involving coupling plasmonics and 2-D materials. Whitby and Brawley will work in the same laboratory, studying fiber-optic acoustic sensors.
"I am proud of these students," said Herzog. "They have done excellent research in my lab, and I am confident they will contribute to the research needs of the U.S. Navy and the Office of Naval Research."
The internships are facilitated by the Naval Research Enterprise Intern Program through the Office of Naval Research and American Society for Engineering Education. As stated on the program website, "This ten-week intern program is designed to provide opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in research, under the guidance of an appropriate mentor, at a participating Navy laboratory."
Sides Named Director of Office of Industry Engagement at the UofA
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire February 9, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Cynthia Sides has been named director of the Office of Industry Engagement at the University of Arkansas. Sides, a native Arkansan who received her doctorate in chemistry and biochemistry from the University of Arkansas in 2007, will serve as a central administration contact between the university and industries throughout the state and country.
She has been with the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and Economic Development since 2013, where she has been involved with Arkansas industry interaction and worked as the associate director for the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Her new role continues her work developing ties between industry and academia, creating entrepreneurial opportunities for STEM students and helping researchers commercialize their work.
“This office is a resource,” Sides said. “I want it to be the place where companies can reach out and say, ‘We need assistance.’ And I can say, ‘What can I help you with?’ As a land grant and flagship institution, that is part of our mission.”
Jim Rankin, vice provost for research and economic development, said establishing the Office of Industry Engagement reflects the university’s commitment to that mission, and will benefit students.
“Our researchers can help industry solve problems and drive economic growth in the state and beyond, and industry can help our students gain real-world experience before they enter the job market,” Rankin said. “Cynthia will focus on making those connections across campus and across the state. I look forward to working with her in the new role.”
Sides also teaches the Emerging Technologies in Industry course, which directly matches students in physics, chemistry/biochemistry, biology, engineering and other majors with industries seeking novel solutions for problems. She has written about entrepreneurship and economic development in Arkansas for Arkansas Money & Politics magazine, and developed a mentoring program connecting U of A STEM majors with young female students in south Arkansas interested in science and engineering.
Germanium Tin Laser Could Increase Processing Speed of Computer Chips
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire Feb. 07, 2017
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A multi-institutional team of researchers, led by University of Arkansas engineering professor Shui-Qing “Fisher” Yu and a leading semiconductor equipment manufacturer, have fabricated an “optically pumped” laser made of the alloy germanium tin grown on silicon substrates.
The augmented material could lead to the development of fully integrated silicon photonics, including both circuits and lasers, and thus faster micro-processing speed at much lower cost.
The researchers’ findings were published in Applied Physics Letters.
Germanium tin holds great promise as a semiconducting material for future optical integration of computer chips, because it harnesses efficient emission of light, which silicon, the standard material for making computer chips, cannot do. In recent years, materials scientists and engineers, including Yu and several of his colleagues on this project, have focused on the development of germanium tin, grown on silicon substrates, to build a so-called optoelectronics “superchip” that can transmit data much faster than current chips.
Yu and his colleagues’ most recent contribution to this effort is an optically pumped laser using germanium tin. Optically pumped means the material is injected with light, similar to an injection of electrical current.
“We reduced the laser threshold 80 percent at a lasing operation temperature up to 110 Kelvin,” Yu said. “This is significant progress compared with the previously reported best result and shows that germanium tin holds great promise as an on-chip laser.”
The temperature 110 Kelvin is equal to about –261 Fahrenheit.
On this project, Yu and his colleagues worked with ASM America Inc.’s research and development staff, who developed the growth methods. ASM’s methods produce low-cost and high-quality germanium tin in an industry standard chemical vapor deposition reactor.
In addition to Yu, the research team includes John Tolle, epitaxy research and development manager at ASM; Joe Margetis, epitaxy engineer at ASM; Hameed Naseem, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas; Mansour Mortazavi, professor of chemistry at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Wei Du, professor of physics at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff; Baohua Li, CEO of Arktonics LLC; Jifeng Liu, professor of engineering at Dartmouth College; and Richard Soref (recognized as “the father of silicon photonics”) and Greg Sun, professors of engineering at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
The University of Arkansas’ researchers are supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the National Science Foundation.
Doctoral Student Wins Second Place in International Design Competition
Reference: University of Arkansas Newswire January 18, 2017
Morgan Roddy, a microelectronics-photonics doctoral student, recently won second place in a student design competition at the University Nanosatellite Engineering Consortium's Global Meeting in Varna, Bulgaria. The competition challenged students to design a deorbit system for CubeSats, a class of small satellites. Deorbit systems are important because international agreements dictate that any spacecraft must deorbit within 25 years to mitigate the accumulation of space junk.
Roddy's design, the Solid-State Inflation Balloon deorbiter, has three major components: a solid-state gas generator, an inflatable balloon and a package to store electronics and components throughout spacecraft operation. The gas generator is on a small chip that contains heaters positioned under 'micro-wells' of sodium azide. When the heaters activate, the sodium azide decomposes and produces nitrogen gas. The balloon then inflates with gas and the deorbit process begins by providing the spacecraft with more surface area for drag.
"Ultimately, my system can be thought of as a parachute for a CubeSat," Roddy said. "The only difference is the parachute happens to be a balloon."
The design would significantly reduce the deorbit lifetime of CubeSats. Currently, a CubeSat placed in a 550 kilometer orbit naturally deorbits in about 25 years. Roddy's design would see the same spacecraft deorbit in about a year for larger CubeSats and in about four months for smaller ones.
Additionally, Roddy's design could increase the altitude a CubeSat can reach. CubeSats are currently limited to a maximum altitude of 550 kilometers. However, the deorbit system Roddy has engineered could facilitate flying altitudes as high as 1,000 kilometers without violating the 25 year rule.
The deorbit design project is funded by the NASA Space Technology Mission Directorate's Small-Spacecraft Technology Program. Roddy, a Doctoral Academy Fellow, is the project's chief engineer and his adviser Adam Huang is the program manager.