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

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

Researchers

Epitaxial graphene may transform the computing and communications industry.  

JEOL JEM-2800

Inks of inorganic nanocrystals hold great promise for printed electronics but the widely used organic surfactants (ligands) needed to stabilize these inks degrade the electrical quality of the printed films.

Electrons in epitaxial graphene nanoribbons travel unimpeded at high speed for large distances, so that they are ideally suited for graphene electronics. a)         b) 

While conventional materials are assembled from inanimate building blocks, we are exploring the behavior of soft materials in which the constituent components consume energy and spontaneously coordinate their microscopic behavior and form novel materials such as active gels, crawling emulsion droplets, and living liquid crystals.

General Overview:  The Wisconsin MRSEC is investigating innovative methods to incorporate a greatly expanded diversity of atom types into semiconductors, thus yielding materials with a new range of electronic properties.  Semiconductors are the foundation of modern electronic and photonic devices, and are widely used in technologies such as solar cells, LEDs, and microprocessors.  Incorporating new atom types into semiconductors will expand the range of semiconductor

General Overview: Researchers at the Wisconsin MRSEC are working to develop sensors that can detect toxic substances near a single cell by exploiting the unique properties of liquid crystals (LC).  LCs are materials that combine physical properties of both liquids and solids, and they have been widely used for displays (LCDs) in electronic devices because the LCs reorganize in