Highlights

May 1, 2014

Observation of the inverse spin Hall effect in ZnO thin films: An all-electrical approach to spin injection and detection

Megan C. Prestgard, Graduate Student, Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah Ashutosh Tiwari, Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Utah

Discovery: We have observed a large inverse spin-Hall effect (ISHE) in ZnO films grown using Pulsed Laser Deposition. This discovery provides an entirely new means of measuring spin currents in semiconductors. Approach: Developed a novel device concept for the injection and detection of spin-polarized carriers.

May 1, 2014

Georgia Institute of Technology

Epitaxial Graphene THz Technology

Momchil T. Mihnev, Charles J. Divin and Theodore B. Norris Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Center for Ultrafast Optical Science, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA Claire Berger and Walt A. de Heer School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA

Epitaxial graphene may transform the computing and communications industry.

Apr 30, 2014

Research Triangle Acquires Extreme Resolution Scanning Electron Microscope

Orlin D. Velev, NCSU

In collaboration with the Research Triangle MRSEC, a team from NC State University was awarded a grant from the NSF-MRI program for the purchase of an extreme-resolution scanning

Apr 30, 2014

University of Wisconsin - Madison

Bioinspired Design of Reconfigurable, Anisometric and/or Patchy Particles

Daniel Milller*, Xiaoguang Wang*, Douglas Weibel*, Juan de Pablo^, Nicholas L. Abbott* *University of Wisconsin - Madison, ^University of Chicago

Guided by hierarchical materials design principles evolved by bacteria, which include the use of curvature-induced strain to dynamically position amphiphiles, proteins and other biomolecules within single cells, IRG3 of the Wisconsin MRSEC has recently recapitulated these design principles in synthetic LC systems. In one set of approaches, the IRG has explored the complex interplay of curvature strain, surface anchoring and topological defects within LC droplets to achieve the synthesis of

Apr 30, 2014

University of Wisconsin - Madison

GaAs(1-y-z)P(y)Bi(z) - New Near Lattice-Matched Materials to GaAs

Susan E. Babcock*, April S. Brown^, Maria Losurdo**, Thomas F. Kuech*, Luke J. Mawst*, Dane Morgan* *University of Wisconsin - Madison, ^Duke University, **Institute of Inorganic Methodologies and Plasmas (IMIP), CNR, Bari, Italy

The IRG has developed a new material, GaAs1-y-zPyBiz, as an alternative to the nitride–based bismide materials, specifically GaAs1-y-zBiyNz. Alloying in both Bi and N complicates growth, since both elements are sparingly soluble in GaAs. GaAs1-yPy,

Apr 30, 2014

University of Utah

Terahertz Plasmonic Structures with Spatially Varying Conductivity

Barun Gupta, Graduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah Shashank Pandey, Graduate Student, Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah Sivaraman Guruswamy, Associate Professor of Metallurgical Engineering, University of Utah Ajay Nahata, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Objective: Develop plasmonic structures in which the spatial conductivity can be varied

Apr 30, 2014

Diblocks of Elastin-like Polypeptides Form Weak Micelles

W. Hassouneh, E. Zhulina, A. Chilkoti, Duke University M. Rubinstein, UNC Chapel Hill

Diblock copolymers in selective solvents self-assemble in

Apr 30, 2014

Soft Robotic Concepts in Catheter Design: an On-demand Fouling-release Urinary Catheter

V. Levering, Q. Wang, P. Shivapooja, X. Zhao, and G. P. López - Duke University

Biofilms form on submerged or moist surfaces when bacteria attach and excrete slimy biopolymers to protect themselves, and they are particularly problematic when they develop on urinary catheters.

Apr 30, 2014

Patterning and Actuating Soft Materials

Daniel Morales, Etienne Palleau, Orlin Velev, Michael Dickey Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, NC State University

This image is a photograph of a pattern of copper ions in a hydrogel. Anodizing a penny (copper) in contact with a negatively charged polyelectrolyte hydrogel creates the pattern. These patterned regions have several interesting implications: 1. It creates patterns of ions (so-called ‘ionoprinting’) that are stable in water. Patterned ions may be useful as tools for studying biology (e.g., Ca ions are critical in biology).

Apr 30, 2014

Supramolecular Materials by Nucleic Acid Block Copolymer Self-Assembly

Stefan Zauscher & Ashutosh Chilkoti, Duke University; Yara Yingling, NCSU

Triangle MRSEC investigators Zauscher,