Nanoelectronics

Description

Different kinds of devices are studied as possible replacement or integration to standard MOS transistor digital circuits. The devices include spintronic devices, like Magnetic RAM,  Racetrack Memories and Skyrmions, that have the ability to store and compute data, leading to advanced integrated circuits. Other devices that are of particular interest are molecular transistors or molecular field coupled devices, that show promising performance due to their small size and extremely fast switching speed. These devices are studied using an integrated approach, from device to system/architectural level. Physical simulation, together with high level models are used to describe and simulate complex circuits. When possible experiments are used to validate the technologies. Furthermore, to effectively use these devices, they must be successfully integrated with standard transistors, leading to hybrid circuits. The integration of such different technologies is complex and is studied both from a circuit point of view and a fabrication process point of view. Circuits solutions to efficiently interface these two worlds are developed, along fabrication techniques that allow the integrate non-CMOS technology in the standard top-down design process used to fabricate state of the art microchips.

ERC sectors 

  • PE7_3 Simulation engineering and modelling
  • PE7_4 (Micro- and nano-) systems engineering
  • PE7_11 Components and systems for applications (in e.g. medicine, biology, environment)
  • PE3_12 Molecular electronics

Keywords 

  • Magnetic devices and circuits
  • Molecular devices and circuits
  • Hybrid integrated circuits