Planning Grant: I/UCRC for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP)

Planning Grant for an I/UCRC for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP)

1238086 North Carolina State University; Elizabeth Dickey

1238334 Pennsylvania State University; Clive Randall

The proposed Center for Dielectrics and Piezoelectrics (CDP) aims to develop an international leadership position in the fundamental material science and engineering that underpins dielectric and piezoelectric materials. The research efforts will be anchored by North Carolina State University (NCSU) as the lead institution, partnered with the Pennsylvania State University (PSU).

The Center will focus on new functionalities in dielectric and piezoelectric materials that could enable new and potentially disruptive storage and sensing technologies to drive the energy, electronics, medical, and communications sectors of the economy. The proposed I/UCRC will support major industries based on capacitor and piezoelectric materials and devices, through the development of new materials, processing strategies, electrical testing, and nanoscale structural characterization methodologies. The Center will strive to anticipate, define, and address critical material needs for low-power, conformable, mobile devices, as well as for high pulse electrical power. The proposed center also aims to identify and recruit companies across the supply chain, i.e. ones that manufacture dielectric and piezoelectric materials, component manufacturers, and end users, who will provide the technological pull for CDP research activities.

The Center will support training and research in materials development from the atomic to device levels, co-processing of various materials in device integration, and reliability of capacitive devices under high field and cycling conditions. The center will serve as a primary educational resource in these materials from the undergraduate student level through the continuing education of industrial scientists. The CDP will be a resource to other universities, research institutes, national laboratories, and commercial companies engaged in developing and utilizing dielectrics for integration into systems. The center plans to continuously and proactively develop broader participation at both institutions by having guest faculty at center meetings as a means to introduce faculty expertise to the center membership.