Architected Materials and Structures with Randomness And Defects (AMSTRAD)

Randomness is often observed in microstructures of biological systems, whereas materials architected by humans usually exhibit almost perfect periodicity. So what is optimal - random or periodic? The answer may be simple in that natural processes and evolution are fundamentally random and thus result in random distributions, whereas limited human insight, lack of efficient numerical modelling and design methods or limitations in manufacturing processes, favor simple periodicity. On the other hand, if appropriately designed, randomness and defects may be harnessed to provide for future’s ever more efficient materials and devices. The AMSTRAD project develops procedures for optimizing materials in order to answer the question of optimality of randomness in physical domains, ranging from mechanics over fluids and acoustics to quantum optomechanical systems.