Richard E. Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and - Center for ...

Junichiro Kono
Daniel Mittleman
Enrique Barrera
20
Defense
Professor Junichiro Kono investigates
semiconductor nanostructures and quantum
device structures to develop hightemperature
infrared sensors. Infrared
sensors are used in thermal imaging.
For high-definition thermal imaging, the
sensors have to be cryogenically cooled.
Kono’s sensor technology increases the
implementation possibilities to include military
vehicles and satellites where power
and space are minimal.
Kono also discovered a tunable material
that can either transmit or block terahertz
(THz) signals. THz signals are being investigated
for use in high-altitude communications
like aircraft to satellite and satellite to
satellite as well as security screening and
surveillance since THz penetrate fabrics
and plastics. Kono’s group is developing
similar materials with wider effective-temperature
ranges.
Professor Mittleman’s laboratory focuses
on THz technologies. THz sensing techniques
have been identified as a promising
new technology platform for a variety of
tasks, including environmental monitoring
and chemical/biological weapons detection.
Air Force applications requiring the
detection of a single molecule of high
explosive or chemical compound include
improvised explosive device detection;
reconnaissance; and chemical, biological
or radiological agent detection and
identification.
Professor Enrique Barrera’s research group
studies hypervelocity impact properties
of nanocomposites. Hypervelocity, more
than 6,700 mph, can drastically change a
material’s behavior, especially under impact
where metals can behave like fluids.
Nanocomposites are of particular interest
because nanoparticle incorporation
increases the tailorable variables in materials
engineering. Hypervelocity impacts
are of particular interest in systems and
products like the space shuttle, missiles,
and vehicle and personal armor.