1. National Science Foundation Enhanced Pyroelectric and Electrocaloric Effects in Complex Oxide Thin Film Heterostructures Lane W. Martin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DMR 1149062 Outcome: Researchers at UIUC have created a model that predicts how to turn on new effects in materials that normally do not exist at ambient conditions. Impact: Such effects have been demonstrated to improve the performance of these functional materials in devices such as waste heat energy conversion systems, solid state cooling systems, and others. Explanation: The effect arises from something called flexoelectricity (a coupling of a strain gradient and polarization in a ferroelectric) which gives rise to built-in potentials in materials that can change properties and increase the figure of merit materials for certain applications. Judicious design of materials and heterostructures can create large strain gradients (>10 5 m -1, over 6 orders of magnitude larger than that possible in bulk material) that can dramatically change the properties. Developing Predictive Capabilities of Enhanced Response in Materials Professor Lane W. Martin of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award led the team in a combined modeling and experimental study of pyroelectric and electrocaloric effects in ferroic heterostructures.

2. National Science Foundation Enhanced Pyroelectric and Electrocaloric Effects in Complex Oxide Thin Film Heterostructures Lane W. Martin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DMR 1149062 Professor Lane W. Martin of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award led the team in a combined modeling and experimental study of pyroelectric and electrocaloric effects in ferroic heterostructures. Development of High-Performance Materials and Heterostructures PbZr 0.2 Ti 0.8 O 3 002 La 0.7 Sr 0.3 MnO 3 002 SrTiO 3 002 LSMO/PZT/ LSMO Trilayer SRO/ PMN-PT/ SRO/ NdScO 3 (110) Outcome: Researchers at UIUC have created high- quality versions of multiferroic heterostructures based on high-performance materials PbZr 1-x Ti x O 3 and (1- x)Pb(Mg 1/2 Nb 1/3 )O 3 -(x)PbTiO 3. Impact: Thin films of such materials enable the study of these systems for high-performance waste energy conversion, solid state cooling, and electron emission applications. Explanation: Multiferroic materials and heterostructures possess coupled electronic and magnetic order that can give rise to larger field- induced effects and thus higher performance. This is one of the first programs to study the connection of multiferroics with thermal properties and effects. X-ray diffraction (top), atomic force microscopy images (right, bottom), and ferroelectric hysteresis loops (left, bottom) for high-performance oxide materials.

3. National Science Foundation Outcome: Founding of the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program that offers students from underrepresented groups their first research experience and formal mentoring. Impact: In an attempt to bolster increased involvement of underrepresented student groups and foster deeper personal connections to STEM fields, this experience aims to promote lifelong learning and a desire to pursue advanced degrees in talented students. Explanation: Leveraging a partnership between the NSF, PI Martin, and the UIUC chapter of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, talented candidates were selected and eventually offered formal research positions during the spring semester and a paid research fellowship during the summer months. Enhancing the Undergraduate Experience – A First Research Opportunity SHPE at UIUC Inaugural SURF participant Gabriel Velarde (left) works on a state-of-the-art growth system designed to produce complex oxide thin films with his graduate student mentor Joshua Agar (right). Enhanced Pyroelectric and Electrocaloric Effects in Complex Oxide Thin Film Heterostructures Lane W. Martin, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DMR 1149062 Professor Lane W. Martin of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Department of Materials Science and Engineering and recipient of an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award led the team in a combined modeling and experimental study of pyroelectric and electrocaloric effects in ferroic heterostructures.