AFRL Physicist Captures American Physical Society 'Fellow' Title

  • Published
  • By Pete Meltzer, Jr.
  • Materials and Manufacturing Directorate
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --   Dr. Timothy Bunning, a polymer physicist at the Air Force Research Laboratory Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Hardened Materials Branch, has received a "Fellow" appointment from the 45,000-member American Physical Society.

He was recognized for contributions in the field of advanced organic-based photonic materials and components; specifically, passive and dynamic diffractive structures formed using complex holographic photopolymerization techniques, development of polymer photonic structures using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, structure development of polymer/liquid crystal composites, and liquid crystalline materials and technologies.

Dr. Bunning leads a diverse research and development effort within the Directorate to develop new responsive materials and approaches for integration in optical sensing, laser beam control, and filtering applications.

He has become widely recognized throughout the scientific community for his important contributions in a variety of polymer-based optical materials areas. A great deal of his research has focused on increasing the understanding of the extremely complex nature of nanoscale structure development in holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystals (H-PDLCs), polymer-based optical elements that have broad-based photonic applications in several topical areas, such as the display and telecommunications realms.

Even before photonics emerged as an area of opportunity, Dr. Bunning and his colleagues successfully demonstrated one-step fabrication of electrically switchable reflection and transmission holograms using holographic photopolymerization.

Further expanding his role in H-PDLC-related research, Dr. Bunning helped unravel the complex, dynamic balance between polymerization kinetics, diffusion, and phase separation using high-resolution electron microscopy techniques and real time x-ray and light scattering measurements. As a result, during the last few years, he has made important contributions toward the development of comprehensive structure/property relationships for this relatively new class of materials.

His work has also helped advance related areas of investigation, such as the development of complex (passive) photonic stacks using plasma vapor deposited polymeric heterocyclic thin films, active (switchable) photonic band gap structures, and nanostructured liquid crystals. Recent work in this field has centered on photo-tunable materials, materials that respond to light, such as thin film actuators, dynamic cholesteric liquid crystals, and dynamic reverse-mode notch filters.

Dr. Bunning earned all three of his higher education degrees, including a doctorate degree in chemical engineering, from the University of Connecticut. He has published more than 140 peer-reviewed articles in scientific journals, edited four books and four book chapters, and made more than 400 presentations at national and international conferences.

His work has been articulated in a substantial body of scientific literature and has helped advance the progression of polymerization-related technologies from the laboratory research arena to intellectual property to commercial implementation as evidenced by 11 patents.

In addition to his work here, Dr. Bunning serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Akron. His awards include the prestigious Federal Laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer and the John H. Dillon Medal, presented by the APS to physicists who have demonstrated exceptional promise early in their career. In 2004, Dr. Bunning was presented the highly coveted Outstanding Engineers and Scientists Award from the Affiliate Societies Council of Dayton, Ohio.

Dr. Bunning's selection as an APS Fellow recognizes individual achievement and highlights the talent, commitment, and professionalism of the men and women of the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. His selection enhances AFRL's reputation as a world leader in materials research and development.