Nanophotonics and nanomaterials to drive research at new USC institute

Image: NG-ION2 aims to translate novel photonics materials into devices and scale-up of devices into systems-level architectures, which frequently requires modifying the initial material.

Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) and the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering have teamed up to establish a new institute for advanced research in optical materials and nanophotonic devices. The Northrop Grumman Institute of Nanophotonics and Nanomaterials (NG-ION2) will be based on the USC campus (Los Angeles, CA), and bring together research teams from the university and the aerospace industry.

"The collaboration between USC Viterbi and Northrop Grumman has a long, productive and impactful history," said USC Viterbi Dean Yannis C. Yortsos. "NG-ION2 will enhance our common ties and contribute significantly to the advancement of photonics, an area of historical strength at USC, and of critical importance to technological evolution."

Under the agreement, Northrop Grumman will contribute $500,000 to NG-ION2 in 2016. This funding will help foster interdisciplinary research by material scientists, electrical engineers, physicists and chemists to develop novel materials for optical devices.

USC Viterbi will grant Northrop Grumman scientists visiting researcher positions, a strategy that will allow them to work collaboratively on campus with their Institute counterparts. Andrea Armani, of USC Viterbi, and Jesse Tice, senior scientist and nanomaterials group lead, Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, will serve as NG-ION2's co-directors. Armani leads a research group at USC focused on integrated photonics.

The Northrop Grumman/USC Viterbi team has selected a wide range of projects for initial support in 2016. These projects include theoretical and experimental studies on 2D materials, plasmonics, and nonlinear optics. The team will select additional projects for support later this summer.

Source:Northrop Grumman