International Workshop on Nanoscale Energy Conversion and Information Processing Devices

University Of California-Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT National Science Foundation Proposal Number: CTS-0646225 Principal Investigator: Shakouri, Ali Affiliation: University of California Santa Cruz Proposal Title: International Workshop on Nanoscale Energy Conversion and Information Processing Devices This grant will partially support the International Workshop on Nanoscale Energy Conversion and Information Processing Devices to be held September 24-26, 2006 in Nice, France. The conference will convene a select group of researchers primarily from the U.S. and France, to discuss and exchange knowledge in the area of nanoscale transport phenomena. Approximately 50 to 60 invited participants from the U.S. and France, and a few other countries will present talks at the seminar. The small size of the conference and its format will allow extensive discussion and interaction between participants. The workshop is con-sponsored by the French CNRS. Funding in the amount of $10,000 is requested from NSF. The funds will be used 100% to fund the international travel of the U.S. participants. Partial stipends will be awarded to as many participants as possible. The key U.S. participants that have been invited are noted in the proposal. Priority will be given to junior faculty. Intellectual Merit: The workshop will convene a bi-national group of experts to discuss the exploration, understanding, and control of physical phenomena at the nanometer scales. Research has shown ample evidence that when materials are nanostructured, they exhibit unique physical properties that are not found in bulk or even microstructured materials. Tunable optical properties in semiconductor quantum structures, and electron and phonon quantum transport in nanostructures are few examples. Although much effort in the past has been directed towards understanding the physics of electron, phonon and photon interactions in nanometer scales, the applications in energy conversion and in information processing seem to have distinct requirements and emphasis. This workshop hopes to merge these two communities with the possibility that the fusion of ideas will be of high impact to both communities. Broader Impact: This workshop will present an opportunity to share the knowledge in the area of energy transport and information processing devices. Its key target is to gather two communities both working on transport phenomena at nanoscale. One is concerned with energy transfer and conversion and the second is designing devices for information processing based on photons or electrons transfer. There is a strong correlation in terms of theoretical understanding and numerical approaches between both communities. However, the contacts between the two groups are weak and rely on few researchers. The workshop impact will be built upon the notion of bridging the two communities. Junior faculty will be given priority in receiving travel stipends to the workshop.