Project Grant 2323749

This $990,450 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049) will support a collaborative research effort between Carnegie Mellon University and partner institutions to develop computational tools and experimental methods for designing high-performance organic electronic and photonic devices.

The project aims to advance the fundamental understanding of molecular interfaces and enable the epitaxial growth of organic crystals on both organic and inorganic substrates. This knowledge will inform the development of predictive models that can guide the selection of materials and hetero-structures with targeted optical and electronic properties. The researchers will validate the models through vacuum thermal evaporation of organic thin films and fabrication of prototype devices, including more efficient organic solar cells, high-performance transistors, and integrated photonics. The award also includes plans to make the project's computational algorithms and datasets publicly available, as well as provide educational opportunities for students from K-12 to graduate levels.