Our Research Projects

Engineering Strain in InGaN/GaN Multiple Quantum Wells for Improved Optical Devices

Salah M. Bedair, Nadia A. El-Masry
09/01/2014 - 08/31/2019

Current optical devices based on InGaN/GaN multiple quantum well (MQW) structures suffer from poor performance at long emission wavelengths due to low quantum efficiency and the droop phenomena. Some of the limitations are related to the very high strain and the accompanied piezoelectric fields present in the InGaN wells. We propose a strain balanced multiple quantum well (SBMQW) structure made of a thick InxGa1-xN template followed by InyGa1-yN/GaN MQW, where x < y.

Mechanically Resonant Chemical Sensor Arrays Based on Capacitive Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducers

Omer Oralkan
09/01/2013 - 08/31/2019

The main objective of the proposed project is to develop a highly sensitive gas sensing system based on a mechanically resonant mass-­‐loading sensor coated with selective functionalization layers. The mechanical resonator of choice is a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT), which is suitable for array implementation and achieves a high quality factor enabled by a vacuum cavity on the backside of a vibrating plate structure. The array approach is especially important to achieve high selectivity by functionalizing different elements of the array with different polymers. Our primary target analytes are volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The presented approach is also applicable to biosensors by employing a suitable mechanical design and specific functionalization layers targeting biomarkers of interest.

Consortium for Nonproliferation Enabling Capabilities

John Mattingly, Robin P. Gardner, & Yousry Y. Azmy
07/31/2014 - 07/30/2020

NC State University, in partnership with University of Michigan, Purdue University, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Kansas State University, Georgia Institute of Technology, NC A&T State University, Los Alamos National Lab, Oak Ridge National Lab, and Pacific Northwest National lab, proposes to establish a Consortium for Nonproliferation Enabling Capabilities (CNEC). The vision of CNEC is to be a pre-eminent research and education hub dedicated to the development of enabling technologies and technical talent for meeting the grand challenges of nuclear nonproliferation in the next decade. CNEC research activities are divided into four thrust areas: 1) Signatures and Observables (S&O); 2) Simulation, Analysis, and Modeling (SAM); 3) Multi-source Data Fusion and Analytic Techniques (DFAT); and 4) Replacements for Potentially Dangerous Industrial and Medical Radiological Sources (RDRS). The goals are: 1) Identify and directly exploit signatures and observables (S&O) associated with special nuclear material (SNM) production, storage, and movement; 2) Develop simulation, analysis, and modeling (SAM) methods to identify and characterize SNM and facilities processing SNM; 3) Apply multi-source data fusion and analytic techniques to detect nuclear proliferation activities; and 4) Develop viable replacements for potentially dangerous existing industrial and medical radiological sources. In addition to research and development activities, CNEC will implement educational activities with the goal to develop a pool of future nuclear non-proliferation and other nuclear security professionals and researchers.

In Situ, Real-Time Monitoring of the Properties of Engine Part Coatings

Michael Kudenov
01/04/2014 - 08/20/2019

Thermal barrier coatings are used in all commercial and military jet engines to provide a buffer between the hot gasses in the engine and the metal framework. Currently, depositing reliable coatings relies on feedback that is assessed using destructive and inferred methods. However, a non-contact non-destructive method to measure a coating will vastly increase the coating’s reliability. Therefore, an in-situ real time monitoring technique will provide direct feedback to ceramic coating processes, and will ultimately allow jet engines to perform more efficiently. The work proposed in this project is for the development of a non-contact optical sensor to measure thickness of thermal barrier coating deposition processes.

GOALI: Thermal Transport in AlGaN Alloys: Effect of Point and Structural Defects

John F. Muth, Tania M Paskova
08/15/2013 - 07/31/2019

The objective of this proposal is to perform a basic study of thermal conductivity of AlGaN alloys in the entire composition range with variable defect density achieved by using growth on different substrates and to explore the role of point and structural defects on the thermal transport in these materials.

Flexible, High Performance Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting (changed from “High Performance Thermoelectrics” in March 2017)

Mehmet C. Ozturk
09/01/2012 - 08/31/2019

The objective of this project is to develop flexible thermoelectric (TE) energy harvesters using the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials produced by the Vashaee group. The aim is to develop both bulk and thin-film flexible harvesters that are far superior to previously reported TE modules. The project includes a comprehensive system model for rigid / flexible TE heat harvesting from the body and device demonstration. Our flexible harvesters based on bulk thermoelectric materials explore novel flexible packaging approaches that rely on innovative material solutions that enable stretchable interconnects and low-thermal conductivity elastomers that can serve as filler materials. Our best harvesters to date rely on liquid GaIn stretchable interconnects and PDMS as the stretchable filler material. Our thin-film harvesters will rely on thermoelectric materials produced by pulsed laser deposition. Flexible harvesters will be fabricated relying on wafer-scale integration techniques. The thin-film devices will feature a
significantly larger number of legs with the objective of producing a larger open circuit voltage
potentially eliminating efficiency lost during boost conversion. The flexible harvesters will consider low thermal conductivity aerogels, which can possess thermal conductivities even lower than air.

Low Power Pulse Oximetry System (changed from “Low Power and Flexible Physiological Sensors” in March 2017)

Alper Yusuf Bozkurt
09/01/2012 - 08/31/2019

In Year 7, this project aims to focus on improving the state-of-the art in photoplethysmogram (PPG) and pulse oximetry (pulse-ox) systems by continuing to work on the investigation of compressed sensing algorithms embedded on integrated circuits to lower the power consumption of electronics.

CREATIV Dynamic Regulatory Modeling of the Iron Deficiency Response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Cranos Williams, Joel J. Ducoste, & Terri Long
08/15/2012 - 07/31/2019

In this proposal, we present a novel paradigm for identifying putative cis-regulatory promoter targets that control the regulation of stress responses in plants. This paradigm will also be used to identify critical regulatory components that differentiate the regulatory stress response across different cell types. We first develop the computational and analytical infrastructure needed to build a dynamic model of the gene regulatory network from time-course transcription profile data that quantifies the stress response. Novel analytical model refinement techniques are proposed to reduce the space of feasible solutions, generate specifications for model validation experiments, and test functional redundancy in the response. Parallel computing architectures will be used to scale the implementation of these model refinement approaches to the size and complexity associated with gene regulatory networks. The dynamic model of the gene regulatory network will be used to identify relationships between genes, build corresponding functional modules, and identify putative cis-regulatory promoter targets and regulatory components that can be used to alter responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. Previous cell-specific transcription profiling has indicated that cell types have distinct expression profiles and respond differently to stress. We will generate cell-specific time-course transcription profiles using experiment specifications derived from the dynamic gene regulatory network. These data will be used to create a cell-specific dynamic gene regulatory network for identifying regulators that are key in differentiating the stress response between cell types.

NSF Nanosystems Engineering Research Center (NERC) for Advanced Self-Powered Systems of Integrated Sensors and Technologies (ASSIST)

Veena Misra, John F. Muth, & Mehmet C. Ozturk
09/01/2012 - 08/31/2022

Advanced Self-powered Systems of Integrated Sensor Technologies (ASSIST) vision is to be a dynamic leader in development of wearable, self-powered integrated sensor technologies for continuous health and environmental monitoring. These technologies will directly respond to NAE?s Grand Challenge to advance health informatics to improve acquisition, management and use of health information to enhance medical care, correlate disease and environment and revolutionize response to public health emergencies, disasters, pandemics and/or chem-bio attacks. ASSIST?s mission is to transform US and global health informatics, electronics and biomedical engineering industries through development and demonstration of fundamental and enabling nanotechnologies for energy harvesting, battery-free energy storage and ultra-low power computation and communication, integrated with physiological and environmental nanosensors and biocompatible materials, to empower personal environmental health monitoring and emergency response. Goals: 1. Advance discovery in energy harvesting and storage, multifunctional sensors and materials, and low-power systems design; 2. Develop enabling technologies for energy conversion, device reliability and ultra-low power computation and communications, with integration to achieve two 1st-generation test-beds: self-sustaining wireless nodes and conformal multifunctional applications; 3. Develop systems integration requirements and demonstrate ?Exposure Track? and ?Emergency Track? testbeds; 4. Develop efficient and secure methods to handle large quantities of data and retrieve patterns of environmental and health correlations; 5. Create a culture of team-based research, education and innovation, cultivating a diverse group of talented, well prepared graduates excited about research, design and production of health informatics and biomedical engineering solutions to improve global health and safety; 6. Form partnerships with precollege institutions to strengthen the STEM pipeline by helping middle and high school students and teachers develop technical literacy and motivation to contribute to solving NAE Grand Challenges; 7. Stimulate entrepreneurship and form sustainable partnerships with small and large firms, health practitioners and emergency responders to link ASSIST discoveries to innovation, accelerated commercialization and job creation. ASSIST integrated sensor technologies will result in a wearable health patch that incorporates energy harvesting and storage, computation and communication, along with low-power integrated sensors for health and environmental exposures. This will be the platform technology that will drive two systems applications related to global health. The first, the Exposure Track, will enable longitudinal, simultaneous monitoring of environmental factors and human health parameters to create an unprecedented set of data to lead to direct understanding of how environment impacts health. This information, of great interest to EPA and CDC, will revolutionize our understanding of environmental health and may impact future regulatory policies. The patch?s self-powered nature will enable critical longitudinal monitoring. This system will involve epidemiologists, social scientists, data mining, pattern recognition professionals and EPA scientists to further understanding of environmental health. The patch will also drive a second system, the Wellness Track, which will aim to empower patients to take charge of their own health by having readily accessible information about their health status. According to the Milken Inst., lifestyle diseases consume 70% of the US?s health care resources and face an unsustainable future in light of rising health care costs. It has been shown that humans are more likely to change lifestyle habits if they witness real-time, positive changes in their health as a result of those changes. The Wellness Track will provide an unobtrusive, battery-free interface for sensing of multiple vital signs, along with advanced and secure communication strategies to share informati

Modular, Testable, Tightly Coupled 3D Implementation of a Heterogenous Processor

Paul D. Franzon, William R. Davis, & Eric Rotenberg
07/01/2011 - 06/30/2020

Implement a 3D Intel compatible processor

Achieving Performance and Power Efficiency for Single Threaded Programs

Huiyang Zhou
01/01/2011 - 12/31/2019

This project investigates microarchitectural techniques to achieve high performance and energy efficiency for single threaded applications.

Streamlining Control-Flow

Eric Rotenberg
01/01/2011 - 12/31/2020

This project comprehensively addresses the control-flow problem in high-performance processors, to significantly improve their performance and energy efficiency.

Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management Systems Center (FREEDM) – Industrial Membership Pool Agreement

Iqbal Husain, Alex Q. Huang
10/01/2008 - 06/30/2021

ERC for Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems

Iqbal Husain, Penny Shumaker Jeffrey, & Joseph F DeCarolis
09/01/2008 - 08/31/2019

Each year, the Industry Liaison Officers from currently funded NSF ERCs gather for a summit to share best practices and hear from experts on industrial partnerships, technology commercialization, and intellectual property management. This year, the summit will be hosted at NC State University, home to FREEDM and ASSIST. FREEDM will be the official host with tremendous support from staff at ASSIST. The Summit Planning Committee is chaired by ILOs from QESST and CBBG.
This proposal is submitted to request a supplement to NSF award EEC-0812121.