AFOSR - Physical Sciences PHYSICAL SCIENCES (RTB1) The Physical Sciences Team leads the discovery and transition of foundational physical science to enable air, space, and cyber power. Research in physics generates the fundamental knowledge needed to advance U.S. Air and Space Force operations, from the perspective of sensing, characterizing, and managing the operational environment as well as developing advanced devices that exploit novel physical principles to bring new capabilities to the warfighter. Research directions are categorized in the following four broad areas, with the focus on advancing our basic understanding of the physical world: (1) Quantum matter and devices; (2) plasma and high-energy-density physics; (3) optics, photonics, and electromagnetics; and (4) aerospace materials. The Physical Science (AFOSR/RTB1) Program Officers and topics are: Aerospace Materials for Extreme Environments Atomic and Molecular Physics Electromagnetics Optoelectronics and Photonics High-Energy Radiation-Matter Systems Quantum Information Sciences Physics of Sensing Space Physics Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions Condensed Matter Physics Astrodynamics Our research areas of interest are described in detail below: AEROSPACE MATERIALS FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS Program Description: Aerospace Materials for Extreme Environments program aims to provide the fundamental knowledge required to enable revolutionary advances in future U.S. Air and Space Force technologies through the discovery and characterization of materials. Extreme environments are combination of heat-, stress-, magnetic-, electric-, microwave-, acoustic fields and activity gradients as they relate back to the performance of the material. Basic Research Objectives: The following research concentrations areas are selected to highlight the philosophy about function, environment and state of the materials that could create disruptive source of transformations. Computational Materials Science: The aim of this research concentration area is to explore the possibility for the quantification of microstructure through reliable and accurate descriptions of grain and particle shapes, and identifying sample distributions of shape descriptors to generate and predict structures which might revolutionize the design and performance. The quality of computerized representation of microstructures and models will be measured by its (a) geometric accuracy, or faithfulness to the physical landscape, (b) complexity, (c) structure accuracy and controllability (function), and (d) amenability to processing and high level understanding. In order to satisfy these metrics, the approaches may require development of an accurate methodology for the quantification of 3-dimensional shapes in both experimental and theoretical microstructures in heterogeneous systems, and to establish a pathway for an accurate comparison tools (and metric). This research concentration area also embraces synthesis science. The synthesis science seeks bold, new basic research that addresses the design, creation, and employment of nontraditional approaches on synthesis of novel materials and nanostructures, for example, by using electric fields, lasers, microwave and other external field approaches that take into account of geometric or structural descriptors to characterize similarity and scaling between stimuli under the multi-dimensional external fields to secure revolutionary advances. Materials for Extreme Environments. There is special interest in fundamental research of materials for extreme environments of space, for extreme environments of hypersonic and for extreme environments of arctic. In this context, this program embraces new electronic materials for space-, arctic- and hypersonic environments. Special interest areas are new materials for hypersonic radiation mitigation and discovery of new materials for hypersonic window applications for communication. These areas require manipulation of lattice substructure by understanding elastic softening of a lattice by the use of dopants or defects, which could lead to discovery new sensors, give rise to additional functionalities in frequency agile applications in RF and microwave regime of electromagnetic spectrum, and for power management. Materials for Quantum Information Science: This subtopic area also embraces atomic scale modeling of defects to precisely determine their interactions in the framework of lattice, charge, orbital and spin in a wide array of complex quantum- mechanical features that make them amenable to quantum information science and quantum technology use. The intent is to elucidate complex interplay between phase transitions for electronic/magnetic phase separation and untangle the interdependence between structural, electronic, photonic and magnetic effects. The aim is to link an effective property to relevant local fields weighted with certain correlation functions that statistically exemplify the structure and demonstrate scientific pathway to design new materials with tailorable properties. The focus is to discover new materials that enhance creation and control of coherence in quantum systems, elucidate the quantum dynamics of non-equilibrium materials systems, and facilitate precision measurements afforded by quantum properties or phenomena including but not limited to unraveling the material physics of charge spin interactions. This program does not focus on the synthesis or applications of structural materials, correlated electronic topological phases, high TC superconductors, plasmonic materials, metamaterials, or device physics or device engineering. Researchers are highly encouraged to contact the Program Manager prior to developing full proposals to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how the proposed effort would advance it, and the approximate yearly cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort. DR. ALI SAYIR, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: extreme.environment@us.af.mil ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS Program Description: This program encompasses fundamental experimental and theoretical Atomic and Molecular Physics research that is primarily focused on studies of cold and ultra-cold quantum gases, precision measurement, matter-wave optics, and non- equilibrium quantum dynamics. These research areas support technological advances in application areas of interest to the U.S. Air and Space Force, including precision navigation, timekeeping, remote sensing, metrology, and novel materials for the U.S. Air and Space Force needs in the future. Basic Research Objectives: AMO (Atomic, Molecular and Optical) physics today offers an unprecedented level of coherent control and manipulation of atoms and molecules and their interactions, allowing for significant scientific advances in the areas of cold and ultra-cold matter and precision measurement. Specific research topics of interest in this program include, but are not limited to, the following: physics of quantum degenerate atomic and molecular gases; precision control techniques; strongly-interacting quantum particles; new quantum phases of matter; non- equilibrium dynamics of cold quantum particles; ultra-cold chemistry; precision spectroscopy; and high-precision techniques for navigation, guidance, and remote sensing. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. DR. BOYAN TABAKOV, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: amphysics@us.af.mil ELECTROMAGNETICS Program Description: This portfolio supports basic research (modeling/simulation) in linear/nonlinear Electromagnetics together with research in the general area of signal processing. Basic Research Objectives: Basic research to produce conceptual descriptions of electromagnetic properties of novel materials/composites (such as photonic band gap media, negative index media, Parity-Time symmetry media, etc.) and the simulation of their uses in various operational settings is encouraged. Also of interest is temporal modulation of metamaterials (including time interfaces) and physical parameters of various components. Such a dynamically induced non-reciprocity can lead to a new generation of compact and energy efficient isolators, circulators, phase shifters, and other non-reciprocal optical and microwave devices. Basic research in inverse scattering theory in order to promulgate new methods which recognize & track targets or upgrade efforts to pursue electromagnetic Nondestructive Evaluation is encouraged. Efforts to identify suitable wideband waveforms to penetrate foliage, clouds, buildings, the ionosphere, or other dispersive/random/turbulent media as well as to notionally design transceivers to produce/receive such waveforms are also supported. Research which develops the mathematical underpinning for computational electromagnetic simulation codes (both frequency domain and time domain) that are rapid and whose claims of accuracy are accompanied by rigorous error estimates/controls is encouraged. In the area of nonlinear Maxwell’s equations, commonly called nonlinear optics, research pursues descriptions of nonlinear EM phenomena such as the propagation of ultrashort laser pulses through air, clouds, etc. together with any possible exploitation of these pulses is supported. Such mathematical descriptions are anticipated to be a coupled system of nonlinear partial differential equations. Basic research in other nonlinear EM phenomena include the dynamics of the EM field within solid state laser cavities (particularly the modeling/simulation of non-equilibrium carrier dynamics within semiconductor lasers) and fiber lasers, the propagation of light through various nonlinear crystals (including Graphene), as well as other nonlinear optical media. As regards the signal processing component, an outstanding need in the treatment of signals is to develop resilient algorithms for data representation in fewer bits (compression), image reconstruction/enhancement, and spectral/frequency estimation in the presence of external corrupting factors. These factors can involve deliberate interference, noise, ground clutter, and multi-path effects. This component searches for application of sophisticated mathematical methods, including time-frequency analysis, coherent interferometry, cross-correlation methods, and generalizations of various (e.g. Fourier and wavelet) transforms, that deal effectively with the degradation of signaling transmission across a channel. These methods hold promise in the detection and recognition of characteristic transient features, the synthesis of hard-to-intercept communications links, and the achievement of faithful compression and fast reconstruction for video and multi-spectral data. New combinations of asset/sensor location and navigation are being sought, based on analysis and high-performance computation that bring a force- multiplier effect to command/control capabilities. Continued upgrade and reliance on Global Positioning System makes it critical to achieve GPS-quality positioning in situations where GPS by itself is not sufficient. Ongoing research in novel navigation methods will bring location precision and reliability to a superlative level. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to discuss alignment of your ideas with our program goals, your proposed methods, and the scope of your proposed effort. DR. ARJE NACHMAN, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: electromagnetics@us.af.mil OPTOELECTRONICS AND PHOTONICS Program Description: This program supports Air and Space Force requirements for information dominance by increasing capabilities in image and data capture, processing, storage, and transmission for applications in surveillance, communications, computation, target discrimination, and autonomous navigation. Important considerations for this program are the airborne and space environment in which there is a need to record, read, and change digital data at extremely high speeds with low power, low weight, and small sized components. Five major areas of interest include Integrated Photonics (including Silicon Photonics); Nanophotonics (including Plasmonics, Photonic Crystals, Metamaterials, Metaphotonics and Novel Sensing); Reconfigurable Photonics (including all- optical switching and logic, and optoelectronic computing); Nanofabrication, 3-D Assembly, Modeling and Simulation Tools for Photonics; and Quantum Computing using Optical Approaches. Basic Research Objective: The major objective is to push the frontiers of optics and explore new fundamental concepts in photonics; understand light-matter interactions at the sub-wavelength and nanoscale; investigate novel optoelectronic materials; improve the fundamental understanding of photonic devices, components, and architectures; and enable discovery and innovation in advancing the frontier of nanophotonics with the associated nanoscience and nanotechnology. The thrusts in Integrated Photonics include investigations in two affiliated areas: (1) the development of optoelectronic devices and supportive materials and processing technology, and (2) the insertion of these components into optoelectronic computational, information processing and imaging systems. Device exploration and architectural development for processors are coordinated; synergistic interaction of these areas is expected, both in structuring architectural designs to reflect advancing device capabilities and in focusing device enhancements according to system needs. Research in optoelectronic or photonic devices and associated optical material emphasizes the insertion of optical technologies into computing, image-processing, and signal- processing systems. To this end, this program continues to foster interconnection capabilities, combining arrays of sources or modulators with arrays of detectors, with both being coupled to local electronic or potentially optical processors. Understanding the fundamental limits of the interaction of light with matter is important for achieving these device characteristics. Semiconductor materials, insulators, metals and associated electromagnetic materials and structures are the basis for the photonic device technologies. Numerous device technology approaches (such as silicon photonics, tin based Group IV photonics, Graphene and related 2D materials and novel III-V optoelectronics) are part of the program asare techniques for optoelectronic integration. The program is interested in the design, growth and fabrication of nanostructures that can serve as building blocks for nano-optical systems. The research goals include integration of nanocavity lasers, filters, waveguides, detectors and diffractive optics, which can form nanofabricated photonic integrated circuits. Specific areas of current interest include nanophotonics, use of nanotechnology in photonics, exploring light at the nanoscale, nonlinear nanophotonics, plasmonics and excitonics, sub-wavelength components, photonic crystal and negative index materials, optical logic, optical signal processing, reconfigurable nanophotonics, nanophotonics enhanced detectors, chip scale optical networks, integrated nanophotonics and silicon-based photonics. Coupled somewhat to these areas are optoelectronic solutions to enable practical quantum computing schemes, quantum plasmonics and quantum Metamaterials, plus novel approaches to ultra-low power optoelectronic devices. To support next generation processor architectures, image processing and capture and new multi-media application software, computer data buffering and storage research is needed. As devices are being developed that emit, modulate, transmit, filter, switch, and detect multi-spectral signals, for both parallel interconnects and quasi-serial transmission, it is important to develop the capability to buffer, store, and retrieve data at the rates and in the quantity anticipated by these devices. Architectural problems are also of interest that include, but are not limited to, optical access and storage in memory devices to obviate capacity, access latency, and input/output bandwidth concerns. Of interest has been the ability to slow, store, and process light pulses. Materials with such capabilities could be used for tunable optical delay lines, optical buffers, high extinction optical switches, novel image processing hardware, and highly efficient wavelength converters. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. LT COL WOODDY MILLER, PhD, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: opto.elec@us.af.mil HIGH-ENERGY RADIATION-MATTER SYSTEMS Program Description: This program seeks to provide revolutionary advances in the fundamental understanding of the physicals processes involved, and our ability to control and exploit, the interaction of electromagnetic energy and matter. This portfolio seeks to find novel experimental, theoretical, and computational approaches to the nonlinear, multi-scale, and multi-physics scenarios where the kinetic, potential, and electromagnetic field energy are of comparable order. Examples including the opportunity to provide useful work for a variety of applications, including directed energy weapons, high-energy density physics, sensors and radars/lidars, electronic and electro-optical warfare, and novel compact accelerators as well as an improved ability to operate and exploit a range of extreme environment and conditions. High-energy lasers, high-power electromagnetism, pulsed power, plasma physics, nuclear physics, regimes of atomic pressure, radiation damage, and high-energy density EM-matter interactions, including biological interactions, are all of interest to this portfolio. Basic Research Objectives: Ideas for advancing the state-of-the-art in the following areas are strongly encouraged: A) High-energy/power lasers and their associated optics across all wavelengths; B) High-power electromagnetism (HPEM) and high-power microwaves (HPM), especially for high-frequency sources of coherent radiation; C) Laser/Radio-Frequency(RF)-Matter interaction, including focusing and propagation physics, and D) Non-equilibrium thermodynamics that tracks the flow of energy, charge, species, entropy, and information through high-energy radiation-matter systems. Associated areas of high-power optics, compact pulsed power, high-power amplifiers, advanced compact accelerator schemes, and high-power terahertz (THz) sources are of interest to the portfolio. New concepts for the theory, modeling, and simulation of these physical phenomena are of interest, and combined experimental/theoretical/simulation efforts that verify and validate innovative models are highly encouraged. You are highly encouraged to contact the Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. Collaborative efforts with researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory are encouraged when appropriate but are not required. DR. JOEL BIXLER, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: plasma@us.af.mil QUANTUM INFORMATION SCIENCES Program Description: This program encompasses experimental and theoretical basic research to significantly advance the fundamental understanding, control, and exploitation of non-classical phenomena for the analysis, collection, processing, storage, dissemination and protection of information. Emphasis is on key fundamental research areas that underpin multiple quantum information science and technology areas for novel Air and Space Forces capabilities well beyond what is possible with classical systems. Basic Research Objectives: Quantum mechanics provides the opportunity to utilize non-classical physical resources to develop beyond-classical capabilities in networking, communications, imaging, sensing and precision measurements, information transfer, information processing, and more. Specific research topics of interest in this program include, but are not limited to, the following: generation, measurement, characterization and manipulation of quantum resources; non-traditional quantum resources; comprehension and control of coupling between quantum systems and the environment, including understanding noise sources and decoherence mechanisms; coherent information flow between distinct quantum elements; and unconventional approaches to quantum information processes. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. DR. GRACE D. METCALFE, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: QIS@us.af.mil PHYSICS OF SENSING Program Description: This portfolio seeks to understand the fundamental scientific limits of sensing and to develop revolutionary concepts for detection with improved accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. The research spans experimental, theoretical, and computational studies. Although the principal domain of activity focuses on the electromagnetic spectrum, the areas of interest to the Air Force and Space Force are broad and include other sensing modalities complimentary to EM measurements which may be of interest for novel multi-modal techniques. We seek to expand the basic physical understanding in propagation of electromagnetic radiation, interactions of radiation with matter, image formation, sensor tasking, data fusion, remote object detection and identification, and the effects of the atmosphere or space environment on sensing systems. Proposals are sought to uncover new physis affecting ground-, air-, and space-based sensing with applications in tracking, detecting, and characterizing. Fundamental understanding which leads to development of sensors of higher sensitivity or smaller cost or form factor is of relevance. Passive and active sensing methods, particularly multimodal detection and multifunctional sensors, are of interest. Basic Research Objectives: Research goals include, but are not limited to: Researching detection phenomena and the physics of ideal and real sensor systems including multimodal, hyperspectral, and hypertemporal, sensors. Discovering fundamental limits to restrictions such as limited aperture size, time of day, and imperfections in the optics, and techniques to approach or circumvent these limitations. Understanding irregularities in the optical path including imaging though obscured, degraded, and non-line of sight conditions and developing novel methods for imaging in these conditions. Developing new computational imaging techniques which can enable improved sensitivity or reduced size, weight, power or data requirements at air- and spacecraft relevant distances. Creating new materials, systems, and techniques to approach the fundamental detection limits. Characterizing propagation of coherent and incoherent electromagnetic radiation through a turbulent atmosphere. Developing experimental methods and models to describe the spectral, thermal, and polarimetric signature from objects of interest. Innovating techniques for on-orbit characterization, including radiation tolerant optical and non-optical sensors such as electrostatic field measurements, accelerometers and radiation dosimeters. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. DR. MICHAEL YAKES, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: remote.sensing@us.af.mil SPACE PHYSICS Program Description: The AFOSR Space Physics program supports basic research on the solar-terrestrial environment extending from the Sun through Earth’s magnetosphere and radiation belts to the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region. This geospace system is subject to solar radiation, particles, and eruptive events, variable interplanetary magnetic fields, and cosmic rays. Perturbations to the system can disrupt the detection and tracking of aircraft, missiles, satellites, and other targets; distort communications and navigation signals; interfere with global command, control, and surveillance operations; and negatively impact the performance and longevity of U.S. Air and Space Force space assets. Fundamental research focused on improving understanding of the physical processes in the geospace environment is encouraged. Particular goals are to improve operational forecasting and specification of solar activity, thermospheric neutral densities, and ionospheric irregularities and scintillations. Activities that support these goals may include validating, enhancing, or extending solar, ionospheric, or thermospheric models; investigating or applying data assimilation techniques; and developing or extending statistical or empirical models. An important aspect of the physics is understanding the coupling between regions, such as between the solar corona and solar wind, between the near lunar environment and the solar wind/magnetotail, between the magnetosphere and ionosphere, between the lower atmosphere and the thermosphere/ionosphere, and between the equatorial, middle latitude, and Polar Regions. Limited funds are available for exploring new instrument development for satellite instrumentation. Basic Research Objectives: Research goals include, but are not limited to: The structure and dynamics of the solar interior and its role in driving solar eruptive activity; The mechanism(s) heating the solar corona and accelerating it outward as the solar wind; The triggers of coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar energetic particles (SEPs), and solar flares; The coupling between the solar wind, the magnetosphere, and the ionosphere; The origin and energization of magnetospheric plasma; The triggering and temporal evolution of geomagnetic storms; The variations in solar radiation received at Earth and its effects on satellite drag; The impacts of geomagnetic disturbances on the thermosphere and ionosphere; Electron density structures and ionospheric scintillations; Ionospheric plasma turbulence and dynamics; The effects of neutral winds, atmospheric tides, and planetary and gravity waves on the neutral atmosphere densities and on the ionosphere; You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, and if there are any specific submission target dates. DR. JULIE J. MOSES, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: space@us.af.mil ULTRASHORT PULSE LASER-MATTER INTERACTIONS Program Description: The Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions program is focused on one of the most fundamental process in nature, the interaction of light with the basic constituents of matter. The objective of the program is to explore and understand the broad range of physical phenomena accessible via the interaction of ultrashort pulse (USP) laser with matter in order to further capabilities of interest to the U.S. Air and Space Forces, including directed energy, remote sensing, communications, diagnostics, and materials processing. The portfolio explores research opportunities accessible by means of the three (3) key distinctive features of USP laser pulses: high peak power, large spectral bandwidth and ultrashort temporal duration. Basic Research Objectives: The Ultrashort Pulse Laser-Matter Interactions program seeks innovative science concepts in the research focus areas of high-field laser physics, frequency combs and attosecond science described below: High-field laser physics: Over the last two decades, progress in laser pulse amplification techniques has resulted in a six orders of magnitude increase in achieved focused intensities. The interaction of such intense radiation with matter results in rapid electron ionization and a rich assortment of subsequent interaction physics, which are a focus of investigation for this program. Topics of interest in this area include, but are not limited to, techniques for ultrafast- laser processing (e.g., machining, patterning), mechanisms to control dynamics of femtosecond laser propagation in transparent media (e.g., filamentation), concepts for monochromatic, tunable laser-based sources of secondary photons (e.g., extreme ultraviolet, terahertz, X-rays) and particle beams (e.g., electrons, protons, neutrons), laser-based compact particle accelerators and concepts for high peak power laser architectures and technology that efficiently scale up to high repetition rates and/or new wavelengths of operation. Optical frequency combs: The large coherent spectral bandwidths intrinsic to USP lasers make them especially suitable for applications requiring high temporal and spectral precision such as telecommunications, optical clocks, time and frequency transfer, precision spectroscopy and arbitrary waveform generation. Research topics in this thrust area include, but are not limited to, dispersion management techniques to increase the spectral coverage to exceed an octave while maintaining high powers per comb, new concepts to extend frequency combs from the extreme ultraviolet into the mid-wave and long-wave infrared spectral regimes, development of novel resonator designs (e.g., micro-resonator based) and ultra-broadband pulse shaping. Attosecond science: The development of intense light pulses with attosecond durations has resulted in stroboscopic probes with the unprecedented ability to observe atomic- scale electron dynamics with attosecond temporal resolution. This highly exploratory thrust of the program is interested in developing research aimed at resolving electron dynamics in complex systems of interest to DOD (i.e., such as solid- state semiconductor, magnetic, and plasmonic systems). Topics of interest in this area include, but are not limited to, new concepts for improved attosecond sources (e.g., increased efficiency, higher flux, shorter pulses, and higher photon energy), development of pump-probe methods that investigate interactions with systems ranging from isolated atoms / molecules to condensed matter, attosecond pulse propagation, novel concepts for attosecond experiments and fundamental interpretations of attosecond measurements. You are highly encouraged to contact our Program Officer prior to developing a full proposal to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how your research would advance it, and the approximate cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort, but not required. DR. ANDREW STICKRATH, AFOSR/RTB1 E-mail: short.laser@us.af.mil CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS Program Description: The Condensed Matter Physics program seeks to investigate modern directions in the fundamental physics of condensed matter. The ultimate goal is to lead discoveries of new states of matter and understanding of fundamental phenomena towards exploitation and engineering of electronic, magnetic and photonic properties for future disruptive capabilities that are of critical interest to the U.S. Air and Space Forces. Basic Research Objectives: This program pursues balanced experimental and theoretical studies, aimed at discovery and understanding of new matter states and phase transitions in both equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions, as well as understanding of their properties. The topics of interest include but are not limited to the following: Topological phases and states: The topological states in electronic materials provide protections to physical properties, for example, conductivity and spin. The interest of this topic includes prediction and discovery of interacting topological materials, new approaches for identifying topological states and effects, and characterization and understanding of defects, e.g. dislocation, in topological phases. The prediction and realization of high temperature topological states is of particular interest. Strongly correlated systems: Strongly correlated systems exhibit complex types of ordering and multifunctional properties arising from the subtle interplay between competing degrees of freedom in a near degenerate energy landscape. The interest of this topic includes prediction and realization of correlated electronic topological phases, control and modulation of electronic correlation in heterostructures, new theoretical approaches for strongly correlated systems, and unique methods of probing emergent phenomena associated with strong correlation. Quantum phase transitions: Understanding quantum critical points is a stepping stone to understanding important phenomena in many condensed matter systems, such as high-temperature superconductivity, heavy fermions, and quantum magnetism. This thrust seeks experimental efforts in identifying quantum critical points, exploring phase diagrams, and probing the dynamics of physical properties near quantum critical points in model systems. Studies of physical properties (spin, charge, thermal transport), and effects of chemical doping and strain on quantum criticality are of particular interest. This program does not focus on the synthesis or applications of high TC superconductors, metamaterials, or device physics. You are strongly encouraged to contact our Program Officer before developing a full proposal to discuss your ideas, your proposed methods, the scope of your proposed effort, as well as the resources required for a three (3) to five (5) year effort. DR. JIWEI LU, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: CMPhysics@us.af.mil ASTRODYNAMICS Program Description: This program seeks to provide revolutionary advances in the fundamental understanding of the physical processes that impact the motion and control of both natural and artificial objects moving in the gravity fields associated with the Earth/Moon/Sun system. Allied questions of precision navigation and timing, logistics, and sensing associated with maneuvering spacecraft also inform this portfolio, especially where they impact our understanding of dynamics associated with current and future United States Space Force (USSF) missions. Basic Research Objectives: The future utilization of space is anticipated to involve increasing operations beyond Geostationary Earth Orbit (XGEO) and growing use of In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM). Space also continues to be increasingly congested and contested. These trends will result in more intensive utilization of complex orbital mechanics and more intensive interactions between spacecraft. The fundamental physics and mathematics associated with spacecraft dynamics need to be re-examined in order to enable Space Situational Awareness (SSA) and Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) for future missions. Improved fundamental understanding of space robotics and in-space logistics are also needed. Specific attention will be paid to proposals focusing on challenges to dynamic operations that will be faced by USSF missions, such as dealing with large uncertainties, acting on responsive timescales, allowing autonomous operations, and handling adversarial scenarios. Researchers are highly encouraged to contact the Program Officer prior to developing full proposals to briefly discuss the current state-of-the-art, how the proposed effort would advance it, and the approximate yearly cost for a three (3) to five (5) year effort. Collaborative efforts with researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory are encouraged when appropriate but are not required. DR. ANDREW SINCLAIR, AFOSR/RTB1 Email: astrodynamics@us.af.mil