Center for Soft PhotoElectroChemical Systems (SPECS)

Director

Erin Ratcliff

Lead Institution

University of Arizona

Class

2022-2026

Mission

To understand the factors controlling charge and matter transport processes in inexpensive, scalable, and durable π-conjugated polymer (plastic) materials, and to explore the factors across spatiotemporal scales that underpin emerging energy conversion technologies to influence the formation of fuels, such as H2, from sunlight and develop new approaches to energy storage.

Partner Institutions

Univ of Arizona
NREL
Univ of Colorado - Boulder
Emory
Univ of Kentucky
Georgia Tech
Purdue
Stanford

Quick Facts

Single Slide Overview
Technical Summary
http://specs.arizona.edu/

BES Staff Contact

Jennifer Roizen

Grand Challenges Addressed

Grand
Challenge #1

Grand
Challenge #2

Grand
Challenge #5

Transformative Opportunities Addressed

Mastering Hierarchical Architectures and Beyond-Equilibrium Matter

Trans. Opp. #1

Understanding the Critical Roles of Heterogeneity, Interfaces, and Disorder

Trans. Opp. #2

BES Reports Addressed

Highlights

View all Highlights

Applying a voltage to lanthanum strontium manganite (LSMO) can cause it to separate into distinct regions with dramatically different magnetic properties, as illustrated by the red and blue colors in the above figure.

Tuning Magnetism With Voltage Opens a New Path to Neuromorphic Circuits

Experiments show that applied voltage can dramatically alter the magnetic properties of quantum materials.

A metallic line atop a medium biased at the edge of chaos can provide effective negative resistance for time-varying signals, outputting a larger signal compared to its input. The energy for amplification comes from the static bias applied to the medium.

The “Edge of Chaos” Amplifies Signals Without Transistors

Emulating the edge of chaos of axons enables a metal wire to overcome its resistance without cooling, thereby amplifying signals flowing inside of it.