Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Chemistry awarded a $342,000 Project Grant to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on July 15, 2026, under the Mathematical and Physical Sciences program (CFDA 47.049), with completion targeted for June 30, 2029. This collaborative research initiative, led by Professor Timothy M. Swager at MIT in partnership with Professor Ori Gidron at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, will develop fundamental design paradigms and structure-property relationships for magneto-optical materials with applications in quantum sensing, optical computing, and advanced medical imaging. The project investigates chiral molecular assemblies and twisted carbon structures (twistacenes) that exhibit helical electron movement, which generate magneto-optical effects when exposed to applied magnetic fields.

The deliverables include the development and characterization of high-performance semiconductive polymers and assembled solids constructed using molecular design strategies to predictably twist polarizable building blocks, with particular emphasis on revealing the Faraday activity of chiral twistacene structures. Research outcomes will advance understanding of how molecular helicity and supramolecular architecture correlate with magneto-optical performance, enabling design of next-generation materials for emerging technologies in data transfer, optical computing, and biomedical sensing. The project will also contribute to workforce development through graduate student training in materials chemistry and quantum materials design.