9553348 Dimmock The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), Auburn University (AU), The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), and Alabama A&M University (AAMU) have teamed to create the Alabama Consortium for Optical Technology (ALCOT) to develop optoelectronic materials and devices critical to imaging,display, and energy conversion technologies. The consortium's objectives are to significantly improve Alabama's research and educational infrastructure and develop optoelectronic enabling technologies for application in commercially important devices. By combining the resources of the consortium, we will be able to significantly enhance the development of optoelectronic materials and devices in the state of Alabama. Research to be performed by the consortium will address a number of key optoelectronic technologies toward the development of demonstration devices. These include: (1) Two- and three- dimensional liquid crystal flat panel displays on the surface of VLSI chips for ultra-high resolution projection systems, high definition television, head-mounted displays, medical imaging, and virtual reality systems. (2) High resolution, broad spectrum optical 3-D imaging for safe, noninvasive interferometric measurement of biological tissues. This has application to skin cancer detection, detection and characterization of coronary artery disease, endoscopic optical biopsies, periodontal diagnosis of the level of bone attachment to dental implants, and as a safe alternative to radiographic mammography. (3) Optoelectronic materials development, patterning, and characterization directed toward the development of enhanced photovoltaic devices to power earth- and space-based systems. (4) Development of novel heterostructure photodiodes and broadband photodetectors b ased on quantum size effects. The combined multilayered optical device fabrication capabilities at UAH and AU, the ion beam tailoring capability of AAMU, and the diagnostic and modeling capabilities at UAB will be used to sup- port these efforts.
