Boise State selected for award to boost microelectronics research

Boise State University has been selected for a highly competitive $1.5 million Defense Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (DEPSCoR) award, a major investment that will expand the university's defense-relevant research infrastructure and advance innovation in materials designed for extreme environments.

Overall, 30 DEPSCoR awards were granted nationwide this year. This recognizes Boise State's growing national leadership in advanced materials and microelectronics research and will fund new instrumentation, training and discovery efforts that drive the next generation of innovation.

Led by David Estrada and Elton Graugnard, professors in the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering, their research teams will explore innovative methods for synthesizing gallium nitride (GaN), a material prized for its ability to perform under extreme conditions. Their work will investigate what added impurities could enhance GaN's optical, electrical and thermal properties while improving its resistance to radiation. The team will also develop atomically precise, wafer-scale fabrication techniques compatible with advanced manufacturing and defense applications.

"This is an important award that builds our capacity to initiate critical research," Nancy Glenn, Boise State's vice president of research and economic development and principal investigator for this research project said. "It recognizes the significance of the work our faculty are doing and invests in our ability to expand both research and training opportunities for our students."

This funding enables the university to acquire a high-resolution scanning electron microscopy which will allow the research team to image materials and devices with nanoscale precision. This type of equipment will accelerate materials discovery and support Idaho's semiconductor, biomedical, manufacturing and energy sectors.

"We will be able to image and process materials at unprecedented precision - and train the next generation of scientists and engineers who will lead Idaho's high-tech industries," Estrada said

The project complements other major initiatives at Boise State, including the NSF EPSCoR Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology (CREST) Center program and the university's investment in the Microelectronics Education and Research Center (MERC), positioning the university as a hub for semiconductor and defense-related materials research.

"The extreme environments found in space, hypersonic vehicles and nuclear energy systems cause materials and microelectronics to fail in unpredictable ways," Estrada added.

"This investment directly supports our goals of achieving Carnegie R1 research status and growing Idaho's role in defense-related research and development," Glenn said. "It also ensures our students gain hands-on experience with the tools and technologies that define the future of our state's workforce."

The DEPSCoR award represents another step in Boise State's ongoing growth in microelectronics and interdisciplinary graduate programs, paving the way for expanded collaboration among academia, industry, and government on technologies designed to operate in demanding environments.

About Boise State University Division of Research and Economic Development

Boise State provides an innovative, transformative, and equitable educational environment that prepares students for success and advances Idaho and the world. The Division of Research and Economic Development is dedicated to fostering a culture of discovery, collaboration and excellence. Through strategic investments in cutting-edge research infrastructure and strong partnerships with industry, government and other academic institutions, Boise State is positioned at the forefront of innovation. Learn more at BoiseState.edu/research.

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