Current Projects

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  Carbon Nanotubes
  This project concentrates on the development of bio/chemical sensors based on carbon nanotubes. Here, the synthesis of carbonaceous nanomaterial for novel technological applications is also one of the areas of interest.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Pedro Cortes
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  Elastomer and Tunable Lasers
  The availability of inexpensive tunable coherent light sources offers potential for new devices in medicine, communications, and information processing. Our work is investigating the use of multilayer polymer structures incorporating active laser media as low cost, roll-to-roll, tunable lasers.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Jim Andrews
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  Photostability of Fluorescent Dye-doped Polymers
  This highly collaborative project combines a fundamental study of the interaction of a dye-polymer matrix with absorbed light and the resulting thermal damage that determines the useful lifetimes of the current solid-state dye films for lasers, optical data storage, and as electro-optic or other active media.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Jim Andrews
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  Photonic Crystal Appliqués and Magneto-optics
  We are probing the connection between material dispersion and polarization-dependent transport such as Faraday rotation, birefringence and optical activity using polymer photonic crystals. We are also applying these multilayer materials as appliqués for enhancing the characteristics of photodiodes and diode lasers.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Michael Crescimanno
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  Epitaxial Zinc Oxide Semiconductor Materials
  Zinc oxide (ZnO) is an attractive semiconductor material with many potential optical applications such as solar cells, light emitters (e.g. light emitting diodes - LEDs and laser diodes), and electronic devices for high power and high temperature applications. Our project aims at producing p-type ZnO semiconductor, which at present is the crucial link in the utilization of this material.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Tom Oder
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  Microfabrication of Microlens Arrays on Polymer Multilayers
  Characteristics such as low wavelength sensitivity, large numerical apertures, high light efficiency provide for increasing demand for individual microlenses or microlens arrays for various optical applications including photovoltaic, beam shaping, interconnections, imaging and displays. Our research involves fabricating microlens arrays on unique multilayer polymer materials.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Tom Oder
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  Schottky and Ohmic Contacts for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors
  Wide bandgap semiconductors such as gallium nitride (GaN), silicon carbide (SiC), and zinc oxide (ZnO) are very attractive for devices used in high temperature, high power and high frequency operations, and can also be used to make UV/blue wavelength opto-electronic devices such as solar cells, LEDs, laser diodes, etc. In this project, we are developing thermally stable Schottky (rectifying) and ohmic contacts for these semiconductor devices.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Tom Oder
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  Pulsed Electromagnet With Superconducting Materials
  This project aims to develop an ultra high strength pulsed electromagnet with a high temperature superconductor for medical applications. This work will also investigate the properties of high temperature superconducting material with high frequency current pulses.
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Frank Li
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  Synthesis and Characterization of ZnO-In₂O₃ Nano-junctions
  Rod-shaped ZnO-In₂O₃ junction structures are obtained by bottom-up approach of nanostructure fabrication and characterization. Based on electron microscopy investigations it is suggested that this structure is formed via vapor-liquid-solid process and the suitable combination of source temperature, tube vacuum, and substrate temperature is the key for the formation of such novel structure. This research is a collaborative work between Youngstown State University and Clarion University (Dr. Chunfei Li).
  
  Principal investigator: Dr. Virgil C. Solomon