NRI-NSF Research Centers with Supplemental Grants
NRI research is conducted through university-based centers, with the involvement of NRI participants from the semiconductor industry. There are four primary NRI research centers, as well as several NSF research centers which receive supplemental funding from NRI and NSF to conduct NRI-specific research.
Current Research
- Columbia University NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Novel Quantum Switches Using Heterogeneous Atomically Layered Nanostructures
Lead PI: Philip Kim (Columbia); Co-PIs: Jing Guo (Univ. of Florida), Tony Heinz (Columbia), James Hone (Columbia), Abhay Pasupathy (Columbia); NRI Liaison Team
This project seeks to address fundamental scientific and technological issues underlying a potentially transformative technology. Specifically, we will: (i) design and develop low-dimensional material platforms using controlled assembly of atomically thin structures; (ii) explore novel physical phenomena induced by quantum coherent electronic states in these low dimensional systems; (iii) establish new state variables based on quantum coherence and many-body quantum states; and (iv) demonstrate switching devices with low energy dissipation based on these new state variables.
- Cornell University NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Ultimate Electronic Device Scaling Using Structurally Precise Graphene Nanoribbons
Lead PI: Paulette Clancy (Cornell); Co-PIs: William R. Dichtel (Cornell), Lynn (Yueh-Lin) Loo (Princeton); NRI Liaison Team
The research objective of this proposal is to design and synthesize structurally precise graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) and incorporate them into high-performance electronic devices. GNRs are narrow strips of single-layer graphene that have garnered considerable attention as possible replacement for silicon in high-performance nanoelectronic devices. Exploring the full potential of GNRs has been hampered by their limited availability and poor control of their width and edge structure. We have achieved a breakthrough in GNR synthesis that will provide large quantities of designed, structurally precise materials for the first time.
- Drexel University NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Meta-Capacitance and Spatially Periodic Electronic Excitation Devices (MC-SPEEDs)
Lead PI: Jonathan Spanier (Drexel Univ.) Co-PIs: Lane Martin (UIUC), Nadya Mason (UIUC), Andrew Rappe (Penn), Moonsub Shim (UIUC); NRI Liaison Team
The central focus of this project will be the integration of functional (e.g., ferroelectric, piezoelectric, ferromagnetic, multiferroic) oxide materials with two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs, developed at interfaces in complex oxide heterostructures or in graphene) to create a new generation of low-power, high on-off ratio, fast response switches. Results will be achieved through a combination of theoretical approaches, materials synthesis and characterization, and device fabrication and testing to create a model device architecture for the study of novel state variables which can be manipulated to create functional devices for next generation computing, data storage, sensing, etc.
- MIT NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Integrated Biological and Electronic Computation at the Nanoscal
Lead PI: Timothy Lu (MIT); Co-PIs: Rahul Sarpeshkar (MIT), Todd Thorsen (MIT); NRI Liaison Team
The research objective of this project is to breakthrough the scaling limits of conventional electronics with a transformative hybrid analog-digital computational platform that integrates heterogeneous biological and nanoelectronic systems implemented with: (1) living cells using synthetic biology, (2) bio-inspired subthreshold electronics, (3) microfluidics, and (4) self-assembling and actively patterned biological nanomaterials.
- Minnesota NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Non-Volatile Logic Devices and Circuits with Hybrid Interconnection
Lead PI: Jian-Ping Wang (Univ. of Minnesota); Co-PIs: Paul Crowell (Univ. of Minnesota), Chris H. Kim (Univ. of Minnesota), Steven Koester (Univ. of Minnesota); NRI Liaison Team
The unique combination of materials engineering, device physics, process engineering, and circuit design in this program will lead to a new family of logic devices. Just as importantly, these four technical components will play a critical role in training the engineers and scientists who will be carrying out research well beyond 2020.
- Notre Dame NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Nanoelectronics with Mixed-valence Molecular QCA
Lead PI: Craig S. Lent (Notre Dame); Co-PIs: Kenneth W. Henderson (Notre Dame), S. Alex Kandel (Notre Dame), Gregory L. Snider (Notre Dame); NRI Liaison Team
Mixed-valence molecules which can be switched by a local electric field, as pioneered by Aviram and Hush, hold the long-term promise of becoming the basic devices for a new molecular electronics in the 21st century. Having demonstrated that candidate QCA molecules can be made with the requisite bistable charge configuration, the key question becomes exploring the inter-molecular interactions on a surface. The proposed research employs a collaboration between synthesis, theory, measurement, and architecture which can probe the key elements of QCA molecular switching and develop new chemistry for an entirely new domain. This effort can pioneer the next stage in a potentially revolutionary application of inorganic chemistry to digital computation at the single-molecule scale.
- Notre Dame NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Physics-Inspired Non-Boolean Computation based on Spatial- Temporal Wave Excitations
Lead PI: Wolfgang Porod (Notre Dame); Co-PIs: Gary H. Bernstein (Notre Dame), Gyorgy Csaba (Notre Dame); Xiaobo Sharon Hu (Notre Dame); Michael T. Niemier (Notre Dame); NRI Liaison Team
This proposal will lay the groundwork for a radically different approach to information processing, which is based on physics-inspired and brain-like wave behavior in large-scale arrays of nanoelectronic processing elements. Specifically, our research will identify computational building blocks of future computing systems, along with the inherent state variables, where each computational task directly maps onto the underlying physical structure. Our research will also identify which information-processing tasks will find their natural implementation in such architectures.
- Pittsburgh NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Scalable Sensing, Storage and Computation with a Rewritable Oxide Nanoelectronics Platform
Lead PI: Jeremy Levy (Univ. of Pittsburgh); Co-PIs: Chang-Beom Eom (U of Wisconsin/Madison), Chandralekhu Singh (Univ. of Pittsburgh); NRI Liaison Team
This research addresses many of the core requirements for a reconfigurable storage, computing and optical sensing platform that can scale beyond what is currently possible for silicon. We have created a research team that will directly address these scientific and technological challenges with the variety of perspectives essential for the development of breakthrough technologies.This project seeks to transform exciting scientific achievements into cutting-edge information technologies. The proposed research directly addresses the need for scaling beyond Moore’s law and has the potential to create new high-tech industries within the US, thus creating new jobs that require advanced skill sets.
- University of California/Riverside NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Developing a Graphene Spin Computer: Materials, Nano-Devices, Modeling, and Circuits
Lead PI: Roland Kawakami (UC/Riverside); Co-PIs: Hanan Dery (Univ. of Rochester), Ilya Krivorotov (UC/Irvine), Lu Jeu Sham (UC/San Diego), Igor Zutic (Univ. at Buffalo); NRI Liaison Team
The proposed transformative research has several technological and educational broader impact components. Our graphene magneto-logic gate can become the main building block of novel computer architectures for fast and energy-efficient data processing, including database searches, image recognition and data compression. These common tasks are becoming increasingly important in the modern information society, and performing these tasks more efficiently should have a far-reaching positive impact on the US economy. The practical realization of the graphene-based spintronic magneto-logic gate will contribute to the development of other important nascent technologies such as graphene electronic sand non-volatile spin torque memories.
- University of California/Riverside NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Charge-Density-Wave Computational Fabric: New State Variables and Alternative Material Implementation
Lead PI: Alexander Balandin (UC/Riverside) Co-PIs: Roger Lake (UC/Riverside), John Stickney (Univ. of Georgia); NRI Liaison Team
The successful project will lead to a revolutionary new technology for replacing or complementing Si CMOS. The low-dissipation, massively parallel information processing with the collective state variables can satisfy the computational, communication, and sensor technology requirements for decades to come.
- University of California/Santa Barbara NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Superlattice-FETs, Gamma-L-FETs, and Tunnel-FETs: Materials, Devices and Circuits for Fast Ultra-Lower-Power ICs
Lead PI: Mark Rodwell (UC/Santa Barbara); Co-PIs: Arthur C. Gossard (UC/Santa Barbara, Mykhailo Povolotskyi (Purdue), Susanne Stemmer (UC/Santa Barbara); NRI Liaison Team
New physical principles for high current and low leakage transistors will be developed. These are based upon manipulating the semiconductor band structure through orientation, quantization, and strain. These band structure designs are guided by both semiconductor device physics and by digital circuit design. New logic gates and interfaces to interconnects will be demonstrated.
- Virginia Commonwealth University NEB2020
NRI Project 2011-2015: Hybrid Spintronics and Straintronics: A New Technology for Ultra-Low Energy Computing and Signal Processing Beyond the Year 2020
Lead PI: Supriyo Bandyopadhyay (VCU)); Co-PIs: Jayasimha Atulasimha (VCU), Avik Ghosh (UVA), Alexander Khitun (UC/Riverside), Pinaki Mazumder (Univ. of Michigan); NRI Liaison Team
We will develop hybrid straintronic/spintronic nanomagnetic logic and memory where bit information is encoded in the magnetization orientation of coupled piezoelectric/magnetostrictive multi-ferroic nanomagnets.
