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NSF Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) Program FAQs

1) What is the NSF EPMD program?

The Electronics, Photonics, and Magnetic Devices (EPMD) program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) research grant opportunity focused on advancing the basic science and engineering foundations of modern and emerging device technologies. It emphasizes fundamental understanding and early-stage, high-impact research that can explain, design, fabricate, and characterize new electronic, photonic, magnetic, and related devices.

2) What is the main goal of EPMD?

The central goal is to strengthen fundamental understanding of devices and components that rely on micro- and nanoelectronics, optics and photonics, optoelectronics, magnetics, electromechanics, and electromagnetics. The intent is to enable new kinds of device technologies, rather than incremental product development.

3) What types of work does EPMD emphasize?

EPMD emphasizes early-stage, high-impact research that advances device physics and engineering knowledge, including the ability to explain device behavior, create new designs and architectures, fabricate and process devices, characterize performance, and develop enabling understanding that could unlock future device capabilities.

4) Is EPMD aimed at product development or basic research?

Based on the described scope, EPMD is aimed at fundamental research and foundational engineering advances that enable new device concepts. It is not described as a program for incremental product development.

5) What are the two core pillars of the EPMD program?

The opportunity describes two major components: (1) Electronics and Magnetic Devices, and (2) Optics and Photonic Devices. In addition, the program highlights cross-cutting directions linking materials, electromagnetic behavior, and high-frequency operation.

6) What topics fall under Electronics and Magnetic Devices?

The Electronics and Magnetic Devices portion emphasizes discovery and innovation at the leading edge of nanoelectronics and beyond-silicon concepts. Named areas include spin electronics (spintronics) and magnetic devices, molecular and organic electronics, bioelectronics and biomagnetics, non-silicon device platforms, and flexible or conformable electronics.

7) Does EPMD support research on energy-efficient electronics?

Yes. The opportunity highlights the need for advances in energy-efficient electronics, including lower power consumption and improved performance per watt.

8) Are sensors and sensing devices within scope?

Yes. Sensor and sensing device technologies are explicitly highlighted as an interest area.

9) Are low-noise electronics and power electronics included?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly calls out low-noise electronics and power electronics as areas of interest.

10) What are “mixed-signal devices,” and are they relevant to EPMD?

The opportunity includes mixed-signal devices that combine analog and digital functionality as an area of interest, indicating relevance for device concepts spanning both analog and digital behavior.

11) Does the program encourage next-generation memory research?

Yes. Next-generation memory is explicitly named, with encouragement for novel ideas that could improve speed, density, endurance, or energy use beyond conventional approaches.

12) What topics fall under Optics and Photonic Devices?

The photonics component supports research intended to advance optical sources and photodetectors, optical communication components, photonic integrated circuits, nanophotonics, and devices operating at or near the single-photon level for quantum applications.

13) Are quantum and single-photon photonic devices supported?

Yes. Devices operating at or near the single-photon level for quantum applications are specifically mentioned.

14) Does EPMD include optical imaging and sensing?

Yes. Optical imaging and sensing concepts are included within the photonics scope described.

15) Are solar cells and photovoltaic components within scope?

Yes. The program extends to solar cell and photovoltaic component research when device-level innovation or new physical understanding is central.

16) What cross-cutting device directions does EPMD emphasize?

EPMD emphasizes cross-cutting directions that connect materials, electromagnetic behavior, and high-frequency operation. It specifically mentions quantum devices and novel electromagnetic materials-based device solutions spanning from DC through high-frequency regimes, including millimeter-wave and terahertz (THz) technologies.

17) Are millimeter-wave and terahertz (THz) devices included?

Yes. Microwave/mm-wave/THz devices and components are listed among key topic leadership areas, and the program description highlights mm-wave and THz technologies.

18) Does the program support monolithic integrated circuits using novel electromagnetic materials and effects?

Yes. It specifically mentions interest in monolithic integrated circuits built using these materials and effects.

19) What kinds of wireless or communications-related device components are relevant?

The opportunity mentions electromagnetic components that support communications, telemedicine, and other wireless uses, indicating relevance for device and component research tied to wireless operation and electromagnetic functionality.

20) Are wide bandgap semiconductor devices included?

Yes. Wide bandgap semiconductor devices are highlighted, along with related device design, fabrication/processing, characterization, simulation, modeling, reliability, and the interaction between semiconductor materials and device performance.

21) Does EPMD cover reliability and material-device interaction studies?

Yes. Reliability and the interaction between semiconductor materials and device performance are explicitly referenced, and “reliability and material-device interactions” are included under nanoelectronics and next-generation devices in the listed topic areas.

22) Are metamaterials and plasmonics included in EPMD?

Yes. Metamaterials and plasmonics are explicitly included as device-enabling approaches.

23) Can proposals involve organic, inorganic, or hybrid materials?

Yes. The scope welcomes devices built from organic, inorganic, or hybrid material systems.

24) Are flexible, conformable, or transparent substrates relevant?

Yes. The opportunity explicitly welcomes devices placed on flexible, conformable, or transparent substrates and also highlights flexible or conformable electronics more broadly.

25) Does EPMD include carbon-based electronics and 2D materials like graphene?

Yes. Carbon-based electronics and emerging 2D atomic-layer materials (including, but not limited to, graphene) are called out, with potential applications across electronics, photonics, magnetics, energy harvesting, and related device areas.

26) Are new imaging and metrology methods within scope?

Yes. The program underscores enabling capabilities such as new imaging and metrology methods that allow manipulation and real-time measurement with nanoscale precision, supporting validation of device physics and scaling of fabrication.

27) Does EPMD encourage collaboration with the semiconductor industry?

Yes. The opportunity encourages cooperative efforts with the semiconductor industry, particularly around nanoelectronics concepts beyond traditional silicon scaling limits.

28) What is meant by “beyond-silicon” concepts in this context?

In the program description, “beyond-silicon” concepts refer to nanoelectronics and device ideas that go beyond conventional silicon CMOS scaling and address emerging barriers such as scaling limits and power constraints. The focus is on foundational concepts that could inform future computing, sensing, or communications platforms.

29) Are healthcare-related device applications part of the scope?

Yes. The program points to diagnostic, wearable, and implantable devices as emerging application-driven areas where new device physics, materials, and architectures can enable improved health monitoring and medical functionality.

30) Does the program allow collaborative or multidisciplinary proposals?

Yes. The program allows and supports collaborative research when multidisciplinary expertise is needed, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of many next-generation device challenges.

31) Are small team proposals specifically mentioned?

Yes. The description notes that the NSF division (within ECCS) may support a limited number of small team proposals, typically involving three or more investigators across different disciplines and/or universities.

32) What are the key topic leadership areas listed for EPMD?

The listed areas include: bioelectronic and biomagnetic devices; magnetics, spin electronics, and quantum devices; sensor devices and next-generation memories; microwave/mm-wave/THz devices and components; electromagnetic effects and propagation/scattering; nanoelectronics and next-generation devices including reliability and material-device interactions; wide bandgap semiconductors and associated circuits and modeling; flexible, printed, and organic electronics/photonics; carbon-based and beyond-graphene 2D devices; energy-efficient electronics; solar cells and photovoltaic components; and a broad photonics portfolio including nanophotonics, metamaterials/plasmonics, advanced sources/detectors, nonlinear and ultrafast photonics, photonic integrated circuits, optical communications, single-photon/quantum devices, and optical imaging/sensing.

33) What is the Funding Opportunity Number for this program?

The Funding Opportunity Number is PD 16-1517.

34) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?

The opportunity is associated with CFDA 47.041.

35) What category is this funding opportunity listed under?

It is listed in the Science and Technology/Research and Development category.

36) Who is eligible to apply based on the provided information?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any specific clarifications in the solicitation.

37) What are the posting and closing dates listed?

The posting date is April 25, 2016, and the closing date is November 1, 2016, as listed in the provided source information.

38) Where within NSF is this program situated?

The description references the NSF division within ECCS (as part of the proposal structure discussion about small team proposals), indicating the program is associated with NSF ECCS.

39) What kinds of research activities are implied as important for EPMD proposals?

The program description emphasizes the ability to explain device behavior and enable devices through design, fabrication/processing, characterization, and also highlights simulation, modeling, reliability, and nanoscale imaging/metrology as enabling elements.

40) Does the opportunity mention electromagnetics topics beyond devices?

Yes. Electromagnetic effects and propagation/scattering are listed among the key topic leadership areas, alongside devices and components spanning DC through high-frequency regimes.