1068028 CUNY City College; David Crouse 1068040 Clarkson University; S. V. Babu 1068050 University of North Carolina at Charlotte; Michael Fiddy
The Center for Metamaterials (CfM) will focus on increasing the metamaterials research infrastructure in the U.S., and to educate and train students in the science and application of metamaterials. CUNY City College, Clarkson University (CU), and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) are collaborating to establish the proposed center, with CUNY as the lead institution.
Metamaterials are composite structures that exhibit extraordinary optical or acoustical properties including negative index of refraction, light harvesting, trapping, circulation, anomalous transmission of light, and many other properties not possible with naturally occurring materials or conventional optical components. Industrial applications for these new materials includes building perfect lenses, light harvesting for renewable energy devices and building new high performance sensors. This proposal seeks to develop an I/UCRC program that will perform industrially relevant metamaterials research leading to quick and cost-effective transition of metamaterials technology from US based university research laboratories to industry. The program involves three institutions with various strengths that can supplement theoretical understanding, device manufacturing, and characterization of a variety of metamaterial concepts. The three main technical foci of the CfM Center for Metamaterials that have attracted industry interest include: Theory and Anomalous Behavior, Materials and Structures Development, and Fabrication Process Development.
Broader Impacts include the enhancement of metamaterials R&D and technology transfer infrastructure, student training (including minority students at many of the minority serving colleges within CUNY) in an emerging high technology field, training of CfM member companies' workforce through the CfMs Education and Outreach Program. Additionally, long term economic impact is expected through high technology job creation and the formation of metamaterials spin-off companies, and increased revenue for US based high technology companies.
