Center Profile

The Center for Dielectric Studies (CDS) was founded in 1983 at the Materials Research Laboratory on the University Park campus of the Pennsylvania State University (PSU), with grants from the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Office of Naval Research (ONR). The Center is a National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC). CDS currently has over 20 member companies, sponsoring research projects aimed at improving the basic understanding of the synthesis, processing, and properties of dielectric materials for electronic devices.

Technology transfer from the Center's R&D programs to industry is achieved in a variety of ways:

• Semi-annual technical review meetings
• Quarterly reports
• Publications
• Visits/presentations at member company sites
• Visiting scientists from industry
  • Feature article: Masato "Matt" Iwasaki, visitor from NGK Spark Plug Co. Ltd., May 2004 - April 2006

  The Center also conducts workshops approximately every 18 months for the purpose of detailed discussion on current topics within the passive component field.

  In 2001, CDS formally partnered with the University of Missouri-Rolla (UMR) to form a new multi-university center under the NSF I/UCRC program. The partnership with UMR brings increased membership and resources to the Center for Dielectric Studies, enabling the Center to expand research programs at the PSU and UMR sites. Strengths brought to the Center by the respective universities are described in the following paragraphs:

   

  The Pennsylvania State University

  The Materials Research Institute at the Pennsylvania State University is designed for the needs of interdisciplinary materials research. The laboratory maintains central facilities common to various types of research and is capable of conducting scanning electron microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscopy, state-of-the-art x-ray diffraction, thermal analysis, and wet chemical analysis. CDS and its members have access to other central facilities at the Pennsylvania State University, such as nanofabrication facility and the Materials Characterization Laboratory. The Materials Characterization Laboratory has state-of-the-art surface analysis equipment and high resolution electron microscopy. Prototyping capabilities to test device performance and to aid in accelerated technology transfer utilizes the Keck Facility.

   

  University of Missouri-Rolla

  Click here to link to capabilities at our partner university, Missouri University of Science and Technology (formerly University of Missouri-Rolla).

   

   

   

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