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ResearchslashSRA 05

Nanosystems Integration

Systems of components that contain nano-scale materials and devices can enable powerful protection and survivability capabilities for the Soldier. This SRA is concerned with research to create or exploit such nano-scale materials and devices and to understand their behavior within capability-enabling systems. One focus of SRA-5 is nanoelectromechanical devices, e.g., high performance complementary field effect transistors containing polymer nanowires and resistivity-based chemical sensors. Another study concentrates on realizing integrated systems level performance from metal-insulator-semiconductor fibers originated at MIT.  This work will address two different systems length scales: the sub-micron scale to fathom integration limits for a single fiber, e.g., what type and number of functionalities can be combined in one fiber; and the macro scale, ca 1 meter, to illuminate what types of sophisticated functionalities can be obtained by capitalizing on the fact that 102-106 fibers can be combined in a fabric or other structure. Another SRA-5 theme will seek the understanding needed to develop  non-RF, fabric-enabled communications, including a laser-to-uniform communications system that works in free space. Important research questions include behavior of the multi-material optical fibers that will enable this system, response time, sensitivity and noise management in the photodetectors, incorporation of the fibers into a larger fabric, hardware and software needs to effectively interface receivers to a data acquisition system, and the fidelity of information transmission and recovery. Another study will examine the use of nano-structured materials to enable, for the first time, observable optical nonlinear responses at very low power levels.  Of interest are light-light interactions that enable access to frequency regimes that are difficult to reach with existing laser sources.  Soldier applications include remote sensing of the environment and eye protection. As shown in the following list the research in SRA 05 is divided up among four Themes each involving one Research Project.

  • Theme 5.1: Nanoelectronics
  • Theme 5.2: Integrated Fiber and Fabric Systems
  • Theme 5.3: Non-RF Fabric-enabled Communicatons
  • Theme 5.4: Enabling Optical Nonlinear Capabilities for the Soldier
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    SRA 05 Researchers

    Prof. Marc Baldo, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
    Prof. Yoel Fink
    , Department of Materials Science and Engineering
    Prof. John D. Joannopoulos, Department of Physics
    Prof. Steven B. Leeb, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
    Prof. Nicola Marzari, Department of Materials Science and Engineering
    Prof. Rajeev Ram, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
    Prof. Marin Soljacic, Department of Physics
    Prof. Timothy Swager, Department of Chemistry
    Prof. Edwin L. (Ned) Thomas, Department of Materials Science and Engineering


    MIT Building NE47, 4th Floor, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02139 (617) 324-4700 isn@mit.edu