Got a great idea for an advance in light emitter materials, or for materials and structures that can be used to transport charge and emit white light more effectively in organic light-emitting diodes? If so, you might want to check out whether the U.S. Dept. of Energy would be willing to fund your research as part of its Sold-State Lighting Core Technologies - Round 8 funding opportunities.
The DOE is interested in projects that focus on applied research for technology development, with particular emphasis on meeting efficiency and performance targets. It will also fund product development projects that focus on using the knowledge gained from basic or applied research to develop or improve commercially viable materials, devices, or systems. Its funding solicitations are guided by the DOE Solid-State Lighting R&D Multi-Year Program Plan (MYPP), which is updated each year to keep pace with technology and the marketplace.
The core technology research DOE has in mind would be that demonstrating scientific principles and showing how to offer price or performance advantages over previously available science/engineering. Typical tasks they would fund might include laboratory testing and/or math modeling to gain new knowledge, and provide the options (technical pathways) to a solid-state-lighting (SSL) application.
Activities could include theory, fabrication, and measurement of a material to provide the detailed understanding (properties and relationships) that solve one or more technical challenges of the DOE SSL program. Tasks in Core Technology are truly innovative and groundbreaking, says DOE, fill technology gaps, provide enabling knowledge or data, and represent a significant advancement in the SSL knowledge base.
But potential applicants should note that these tasks focus on gaining pre-competitive knowledge for future application to products. That means your research results will be made available for use by other organizations. The desired outcome is pioneering work that would be available to the community at large, DOE says.
The details of these funding opportunities are available here: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/buildings/ssl/newfundingopps.html