NSF Org:	DMR Division Of Materials Research
Recipient:	THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Initial Amendment Date:	June 21, 2002
Latest Amendment Date:	August 30, 2006
Award Number:	0203560
Award Instrument:	Continuing Grant
Program Manager:	Wendy W. Fuller-Mora DMR  Division Of Materials Research MPS  Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Start Date:	July 1, 2002
End Date:	December 31, 2006 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount:	$0.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date:	$456,998.00
Funds Obligated to Date:	FY 2002 = $199,997.00 FY 2003 = $132,000.00 FY 2004 = $125,001.00
History of Investigator:	Bruce McCombe (Principal Investigator) mccombe@mccombe.physics.buffalo.edu Athos Petrou (Co-Principal Investigator) Alexander Dzyubenko (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office:	SUNY at Buffalo 520 LEE ENTRANCE STE 211 AMHERST NY  US  14228-2577 (716)645-2634
Sponsor Congressional District:	26
Primary Place of Performance:	SUNY at Buffalo 520 LEE ENTRANCE STE 211 AMHERST NY  US  14228-2577
Primary Place of Performance Congressional District:	26
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI):	LMCJKRFW5R81
Parent UEI:	GMZUKXFDJMA9
NSF Program(s):	ITR SMALL GRANTS, CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, DMR SHORT TERM SUPPORT
Primary Program Source:	app-0102  app-0103  app-0104
Program Reference Code(s):	1652, 1686, 1710, 1753, 7203, 9161, AMPP
Program Element Code(s):	168600, 171000, 171200
Award Agency Code:	4900
Fund Agency Code:	4900
Assistance Listing Number(s):	47.049

ABSTRACT

This is an Information Technology Research Proposal (ITR). Until recently, an intrinsic property of electrons, their spin, has been overlooked in potential applications in electronics. Understanding and manipulating spin in appropriate semiconductor structures offers promise for entirely new types of future "spintronic" devices and for producing elements of quantum computers. "Spintronic" devices are non-volatile, consume less power, and can be faster than conventional electronic devices that are based on the charge of the electron. This project will focus on investigating the complex states of electrons and holes and their interactions with the local environment in semiconductor quantum structures that have potential for application in spin-based devices which ultimately might find their way into future quantum spin based computers. An array of optical techniques will be used to probe spin-related effects in semiconductor nanostructures. The project will couple extensive experimental investigations with theoretical calculations and predictions. Three graduate students, one undergraduate student and one or more high school physics teachers will be involved in these projects. Results are expected to reveal new physics and bring improved understanding to issues that will be important for implementing future generations of devices for information technology.

This is an Information Technology Research proposal (ITR). Until recently the carrier spin has been overlooked in electronic devices. Understanding and exploiting carrier spin in semiconductors offers promise for spintronic devices, which are non-volatile, consume less power, and can be faster than devices based on manipulation of carrier charge. This project couples experimental and theoretical research directed at understanding and manipulating spins in semiconductor structures. The detailed nature of electronic states of neutral and spin-singlet/-triplet charged excitons in GaAs/AlGaAs lateral fluctuation quantum dots will be investigated with the goal of understanding their role in possible implementation of quantum bits. The spin states of carriers in spin-injection devices will be probed with the goal of understanding the effects of lattice vibrations, band structure, phonons, interfaces and diffusion distances on the degree of spin polarization. Polarized photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation spectroscopies combined with optically detected resonance (ODR) spectroscopy of free electrons and holes, and internal transitions of excitons will be employed in these studies. Three graduate and one undergraduate students, one or more high school physics teachers will be involved in these projects. Results are expected to reveal new physics and bring improved understanding to issues that are important for future information technology applications.

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