Optical Societies Honor AFRL Engineer

  • Published
  • By Heyward Burnett
  • Materials and Manufacturing
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  Dr. James G. Grote, a principal electronics research engineer at Air Force Research Laboratory's Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, earned Fellow status both from the Optical Society of America and from the European Optical Society, where he also now holds the distinction as being the first North American member to attain the esteemed standing. Dr. Grote's selection for this honor by two different prestigious organizations is a tribute to his outstanding individual achievement and dedication as an acknowledged international leader in organic and inorganic nonlinear electro-optical sensor materials and devices, optical interconnects, optical lithography, and DNA-based materials and devices.

OSA's mission is to promote optics and photonics knowledge--its generation, application, archival, and worldwide dissemination. Similarly, EOS strives not only to contribute to progress in optics, optoelectronics, and related sciences, but also to foster international application of these sciences and facilitate cooperation among interested parties. The goal of both organizations lies in making practical use of research results and supporting industrial exploitation of optics technology. While OSA has more than 15,000 corporate, individual, and student members worldwide (with 55% from North America), EOS comprises more than 5,000 societal, corporate, individual, associate, and student members (1.27% of which are North American).

Reserved for distinguished members, the title of Fellow is the highest membership category conferred by either society and, consequently, designates no more than 10% and 2% of OSA and EOS members, respectively. For both societies, successful Fellow nominees have made outstanding research contributions to optics and photonics through published papers, books, conference presentations, patents, or other published material; have served the optics and photonics community by teaching or training, industrial leadership, or service as an editor, conference organizer, or other professional service; and have otherwise made a special contribution to the society.

Already a Fellow of AFRL and SPIE (the International Society for Optical Engineering), Dr. Grote has played a part in advancing a host of key technologies from fledgling research through international recognition, along the way spurring seminal joint publications and technology transitions. First joining AFRL in 1998, he performed in-house research of nonlinear optic polymer-based EO materials and devices, concentrating on the optimization of device performance via conductive polymer claddings. His conductive cladding technology ultimately achieved world-record lows in terms of device operating voltages and has since been adopted for widespread use throughout academia, government, and industry.

Dr. Grote's current research focus involves DNA-based bio-organic materials and
devices. Accordingly, he has initiated--and currently leads--an international effort investigating biomaterials for optical waveguides, EO modulators, organic LED, field-effect transistors, lasers, and sensors. Thus far, his global research collaborative has achieved world-record efficiencies for fluorescent bio-LEDs (by using a DNA-based electron blocking layer), as well as a nearly tenfold-lower gate voltage for bio-FETS (by using a DNA-based gate dielectric). Each of these novel applications is in the initial phase of transitioning to industry.