Education:

1. FRG: Study of -Conjugated Organic Semiconductors with Tuned Spin-Orbit Z. V. Vardeny, M. E. Raikh and M. DeLong DMR 05-03172; The University of Utah We have succeeded in synthesizing a variety of -conjugated polymers with intrachain Pt-atoms on different monomers, thus tuning the spin-orbit interaction. These polymers show both photoluminescence and phosphorescence emission bands, which cover the visible spectral range (Fig. 1). Applications in the field of organic LEDs for white light illumination seem promising. Fig. 1: Emission bands in Pt-rich polymer at 70 and 300K; in-phase (black) and quadrature (green) components show PL and PH bands, respectively.

2. FRG: Study of -Conjugated semiconductors Z. V. Vardeny, M. E. Raikh and M. DeLong DMR 05-03172; The University of Utah Outreach: The electronic and optical characteristics of -conjugated semiconductors have been discussed in various G- and UG classes; as well as HS students that visited the department, for demonstrating the unique properties of molecular electronics and organic semiconductors . The PI, Z. V. Vardeny demonstrates the unique properties of organic semiconductors to students at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Education: This work has involved four graduate students (C. X. Sheng, M. Tong, F. Wang and C. J. Yang), an undergraduate student (G. Huchek), and a postdoc (V. Burtman). We have also collaborated with a visiting professor from the Technion: Dr. E. Ehrenfreund. A new interdisciplinary graduate course on Nanotechnology aspects of -conjugated systems has been developed. It is planned to be taught in the fall semester 2006. Two female students are involved in our studies (Tong and Huchek)