Phase II CREST Center for Interface Design and Engineered Assembly of Low-dimensional Systems (IDEALS II)

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) program supports the enhancement of research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research.

CREST promotes the development of new knowledge, enhancements of the research productivity of individual faculty, and an expanded presence of students historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. With National Science Foundation support, CUNY City College will continue development of its Phase II Center for Interface Design and Engineered Assembly of Low-dimensional Systems (IDEALS II).

Building upon the salient accomplishments of Phase I IDEALS (IDEALS I), IDEALS II research intends to address the need to strengthen the nation’s leadership in materials capabilities in the frontier areas of quantum materials, bioinspired reconfigurable materials, and photonic materials and technologies that address critical national needs, elevating CCNY as a premier research institution in these fields. Phase II Center investigators and students will pursue frontier research and education transformative goals through extending collaborations, created a multifaced cutting-edge materials research program, fully integrate research and education to enhance student experience and train tomorrow’s leaders, and introduce the City College New York Presidential Postdoctoral Fellowship Program to enhance faculty diversity.

The research thrusts of the NSF Phase II CREST Center for Interface Design and Engineered Assembly of Low-dimensional Systems (IDEALS II) at the City College of New York (CCNY), encompass the frontier areas of quantum materials, bioinspired reconfigurable materials and photonic phenomena to address energy, health, and environmental needs. The multi-disciplinary, collaborative research activities are organized into three thematic Subprojects.

Subproject 1, entitled, Emergent Quantum Materials and Functions, will focus on materials science and engineering of two-dimensional systems, such as, surfaces and interfaces where band topology and strong electron correlations lead to new functions and quantum phenomena for the next-generation quantum technologies. Zero-dimensional systems, such as, quantum dots and rare-earth ions in host matrices will be utilized as platforms for implementing spin qubits that circumvent the limitations of current schemes of quantum computation.

Subproject 2, Bio-inspired, Re-configurable Materials to Scale, focuses on scalability of reconfigurable materials (materials that change their properties by adapting to an external stimulus) developed in Phase I and further explores their specific applications in light harvesting, medical diagnostics and cancer therapy as well as sustainability and environmental rehabilitation. Subproject 3, Frontiers of Photonic Materials, Phenomena and Devices will explore emerging basic ideas, synthesize new materials (such as, hybrid semiconductor heterostructures, topological nanostructures) with unprecedented functionalities, investigate salient properties of the engineered materials, design and test devices (light sources, detectors and quantum sensors) based on promising materials, and provide feedback for materials and device design criteria.

The seed project approach will be used as a mechanism for the nucleation of new ideas and exploration of areas of opportunity and growth. An integrated research and education thrust, will continue to apply the proven interventions developed and implemented in IDEALS I, and introduce new ones, to help produce a talented, inclusive and diverse work force capable of leading the materials research and development endeavors in the 21st century.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.