CAREER: Reliable and Fault Tolerant Super Energy Efficient Nanomagnetic Computing in the Presence of Thermal Noise

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Nanomagnetic logic and memory have emerged as powerful alternatives to conventional transistor based circuits because a multiferroic nanomagnet, switched with electrically generated strain ("straintronics"), is a far more energy-efficient switch than a transistor. However, nanomagnetic logic is extremely error-prone at room temperature since thermal fluctuations can seriously disrupt magnetization dynamics during switching. In order to make nanomagnetic logic viable, the issue of high error rate must be addressed and a solution found to mitigate its deleterious effects. This project pursues an approach for reducing error rates without calling for impractical on-chip error-correction resources. This research could enable processors to be built with superbly energy-efficient technology that can lead to implantable smart medical devices, button-sized face recognition systems, structural health monitoring systems, and consumer applications such as wearable electronics. A graduate course on nanoscale magnetism with an emphasis on nanomagnetic computing will be created. With the support of the Richmond Area Program for Minorities in Engineering, minority high school students will be hosted in the Principle Investigator's lab every summer. The Principle Investigator will develop innovative hands-on workshops to explain nanomagnetic memory and logic to K-12 students from selected schools that have low representations in Virginia science fairs and will also transfer this knowledge and expertise to teachers from these schools. Science fair participation from such schools will be analyzed to study the impact of this 5-year innovative outreach effort in K-12 teaching.