Opportunity Information: Apply for 12 SN 0003
Apply for 12 SN 0003
- The Office of Naval Research in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Special Program Announcement for 2012 Office of Naval Research Research Opportunity Basic Research Challenge Carbon Molecular Electronics" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 12.300 Basic and Applied Scientific Research.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 19, 2012 and posted on Jan 19, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 1, 2012 Please see the Special Notice for recommended white paper due dates. Full proposals should be submitted under ONRBAA12 001 by the recommended date listed. Full Proposals received after the recommended date will be considered only insofar as agency time and continued availability of funding permit.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- See ONRBAA12 001 for Eligibility Information
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Opportunity Summary:
This 2012 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Basic Research Challenge (BRC) funding opportunity focuses on carbon-based molecular electronics, with a strong emphasis on graphene and related carbon structures. ONR is looking for basic research proposals that push beyond conventional, top-down nanoelectronics fabrication and instead develop bottom-up approaches where electronic devices and circuits are created through chemical synthesis and controlled assembly. The central technical goal is to achieve atomic precision and Angstrom-level control, meaning researchers should be able to define and reproduce device structures at the scale where individual atoms and bonds matter, rather than being limited by the resolution and imperfections of lithography.
A key motivation behind the program is that many graphene nanoelectronic devices made using top-down methods run into fundamental limitations. Lithographic patterning often produces features that are still relatively large compared to the scale where graphene's most interesting quantum and electronic behaviors can be cleanly observed. In addition, patterning introduces edge roughness and other fabrication damage that can mask or distort graphene's intrinsic properties, making them difficult to measure reliably and making device behavior harder to predict. ONR is essentially signaling that the next leap in graphene and carbon electronics will come from precise chemical control over structure, edges, and interfaces, rather than simply shrinking lithographic features.
The long-term vision described in the announcement is ambitious: enabling a new category of molecular electronics in which an entire functional device or even a circuit could be embodied in a single, very large molecule made of carbon (or closely related materials). In practical terms, the program imagines building nanoscale objects with atomic precision up to sizes on the order of about 1 micrometer, then integrating those bottom-up fabricated structures with conventional microscale systems made using standard top-down lithography. The idea is a hierarchical manufacturing future where "top down meets bottom up," allowing chemically precise nano-objects to connect seamlessly into larger electronic systems.
Administratively, the notice is labeled as a Special Program Announcement tied to ONR's broader Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process. Even though the opportunity is presented as a Special Notice (Funding Opportunity Number 12 SN 0003), applicants are explicitly instructed not to submit applications under the Special Notice itself. Instead, proposals must be prepared and submitted using the application instructions and package associated with ONRBAA12-001, which also contains the formal eligibility rules and submission requirements. The notice references recommended white paper due dates and indicates that full proposals should be submitted by the recommended dates listed under ONRBAA12-001; submissions received after those recommended dates may still be considered, but only if agency time allows and funds remain available.
In terms of award and program structure, ONR anticipated making about six awards under this topic area. The funding instrument is a grant, the activity category is science and technology and other research and development, and the CFDA number is 12.300 (Basic and Applied Scientific Research). Cost sharing is not required. The announcement was posted on January 19, 2012, with an original and current closing date of May 1, 2012, and an archive date of May 31, 2012. Eligibility is not fully defined within the Special Notice text and instead is deferred to the ONRBAA12-001 documentation, with eligible applicants broadly described as "Others" pending that clarification.
For practical questions, the notice directs users to ONR Special Notices for additional links and provides a point of contact for trouble accessing the full announcement electronically: Jennifer Brown, Contract Specialist, at 703-588-2432, along with a reference to Grants.gov questions. Overall, the opportunity is best understood as ONR's push to catalyze foundational research that makes atomically engineered carbon structures viable as real device and circuit elements, ultimately bridging precise molecular-scale construction with scalable system-level integration.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is this funding opportunity?
This is a 2012 Office of Naval Research (ONR) Basic Research Challenge (BRC) topic focused on carbon-based molecular electronics, with a strong emphasis on graphene and related carbon structures. It is presented as a Special Program Announcement (Special Notice) associated with ONR's broader Broad Agency Announcement (BAA) process.
What technical area is ONR trying to advance?
The opportunity targets basic research that enables carbon-based molecular electronics by moving beyond conventional, top-down nanoelectronics fabrication and toward bottom-up creation of electronic devices and circuits through chemical synthesis and controlled assembly.
What is the central technical goal of the program?
The central goal is atomic precision and Angstrom-level control, meaning the ability to define and reproduce device structures at the scale where individual atoms and chemical bonds determine behavior, rather than being limited by lithography resolution and fabrication imperfections.
Why does ONR emphasize bottom-up approaches instead of top-down lithography?
The notice explains that many graphene nanoelectronic devices made using top-down methods encounter fundamental limitations. Lithographic patterning often produces features that are still large relative to the scale needed to cleanly observe graphene's most interesting quantum and electronic behaviors. Patterning can also introduce edge roughness and fabrication damage, which can mask or distort intrinsic graphene properties and make device behavior harder to predict.
What kinds of materials are emphasized?
The focus is on carbon-based structures, especially graphene and related carbon structures. The longer-term vision also references very large molecules made of carbon (or closely related materials).
What is the long-term vision described in the announcement?
The long-term vision is to enable a new category of molecular electronics where an entire functional device, or even a circuit, could be embodied in a single, very large molecule. The program also envisions hierarchical manufacturing in which bottom-up, chemically precise nano-objects can be integrated with conventional microscale systems produced by standard top-down lithography ("top down meets bottom up").
How large are the bottom-up fabricated structures envisioned to be?
The notice describes building nanoscale objects with atomic precision up to sizes on the order of about 1 micrometer, and then integrating those structures with conventional microscale systems.
Is this opportunity for basic research or applied development?
It is positioned as a basic research opportunity (an ONR Basic Research Challenge). The CFDA number provided is 12.300, labeled "Basic and Applied Scientific Research."
What type of funding instrument will ONR use?
The funding instrument identified in the notice is a grant.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as "Science and Technology and other Research and Development."
What is the Funding Opportunity Number?
The Special Notice lists Funding Opportunity Number 12 SN 0003.
Should applicants submit their application under Funding Opportunity Number 12 SN 0003?
No. The notice explicitly instructs applicants not to submit applications under the Special Notice itself. Proposals must be prepared and submitted using the application instructions and package associated with ONRBAA12-001.
Where are the official submission instructions and requirements?
The Special Notice states that proposals must follow the application instructions and package under ONRBAA12-001. That documentation is also identified as the place where formal eligibility rules and submission requirements are provided.
Does the Special Notice define eligibility?
Not fully. The Special Notice indicates that eligibility is not fully defined in the Special Notice text and is deferred to the ONRBAA12-001 documentation. The notice broadly labels eligible applicants as "Others" pending clarification in ONRBAA12-001.
How many awards did ONR anticipate making under this topic?
ONR anticipated making about six awards under this topic area.
Is cost sharing required?
No. The notice states that cost sharing is not required.
What are the key dates listed in the notice?
The notice was posted on January 19, 2012. The original and current closing date is May 1, 2012. The archive date is May 31, 2012.
Are there recommended white paper due dates?
Yes. The notice references recommended white paper due dates and indicates that full proposals should be submitted by the recommended dates listed under ONRBAA12-001.
Can proposals be submitted after the recommended due dates?
The notice indicates that submissions received after the recommended dates may still be considered, but only if agency time allows and funds remain available.
Where should applicants look for additional links related to this notice?
The notice directs users to ONR Special Notices for additional links.
Who is the point of contact for trouble accessing the full announcement electronically?
The notice lists Jennifer Brown, Contract Specialist, as the point of contact for trouble accessing the full announcement electronically. The phone number provided is 703-588-2432. The notice also references Grants.gov questions.
What is the main scientific motivation behind this program?
The notice frames the motivation as unlocking the next leap in graphene and carbon electronics by achieving precise chemical control over structure, edges, and interfaces, rather than relying primarily on shrinking lithographic features that can introduce roughness and damage.
What does "top down meets bottom up" mean in this context?
In the notice, it refers to a hierarchical manufacturing approach where chemically synthesized, atomically precise nano-objects (bottom-up) are integrated with conventional microscale systems made using standard lithographic methods (top-down), enabling system-level electronic integration.
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