NEB: Developing a Graphene Spin Computer: Materials, Nano-Devices, Modeling, and Circuits

该项目是在2020年及以后的纳米电子学竞赛下授予的，得到了国家科学基金会多个部门和部门以及半导体研究公司纳米电子学研究计划的支持。技术摘要 * PI/co-PI最近在室温下石墨烯中自旋的有效注入和传输以及新型磁逻辑门（MLG）和电路的设计方面取得了突破，从而实现了利用电子自旋存储和处理信息的新计算范式。在这个项目中，基于石墨烯的MLG设备和电路将通过协调一致的跨学科努力来设计和演示，包括实验（材料/设备/电路），理论和电路设计和仿真。MLG的成功实现将通过使集成逻辑和存储器的计算架构能够避免阻碍现代计算机性能的冯·诺依曼瓶颈来实现高速、低功耗的信息处理。跨学科团队将共同努力解决开发功能MLG电路的三个关键挑战：（1）理解和优化石墨烯中的自旋注入和传输，（2）开发一种高速，低功耗的方法切换与石墨烯兼容的FM电极，（3）设计和实现CMOS兼容的MLG电路。该计划将促进美国技术劳动力的多样性，并为美国电子和磁记录行业准备有价值的专家。随着硅电子接近其物理极限，有必要探索替代技术，以开发更快的计算机，消耗更少的能源。该项目将开发一种新的计算模式，利用电子在一个原子厚的碳层（称为石墨烯，2010年诺贝尔物理学奖获得者）中移动的磁极（即“自旋”）。一个长期的优势将是大大加快涉及大量数据的计算应用程序，如数据库搜索，数据压缩和图像识别，这对国土安全很重要。从技术上讲，这将通过开发一种名为“磁门”的新型电子设备来实现，该设备将作为将微处理器（用于决策）和硬盘驱动器（用于信息存储）的功能结合在一起的电路的构建模块。到单个芯片。该团队由物理学家、材料科学家和电气工程师组成，他们开创了实现这一未来技术的关键科学突破。该计划将促进美国技术劳动力的多样性，并为美国电子和磁记录行业准备有价值的专家。

This project is awarded under the Nanoelectronics for 2020 and Beyond competition, with support by multiple Directorates and Divisions at the National Science Foundation as well as by the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative of the Semiconductor Research Corporation.****Technical Abstract.****Recent breakthroughs by the PI/co-PIs on the efficient injection and transport of spin in graphene at room temperature and the design of novel magnetologic gates (MLG) and circuits enable a new paradigm for computing that utilizes the electron spin to store and process information. In this project, graphene-based MLG devices and circuits will be designed and demonstrated through a concerted interdisciplinary effort that includes experiment (materials/devices/circuits), theory, and circuit design and simulation. A successful implementation of the MLG will lead to high-speed, low-power information processing by enabling computing architectures that integrate logic and memory to avoid the von Neumann bottleneck which hampers performance in modern computers. The interdisciplinary team will work together to tackle the three critical challenges for developing a functional MLG circuit: (1) to understand and optimize the spin injection and transport in graphene, (2) to develop a high-speed, low-power method of switching the FM electrodes that is compatible with graphene, (3) to design and implement CMOS-compatible MLG circuits. The program will promote diversity within the US technical workforce and prepare valuable specialists for the US electronics and magnetic recording industries.****Non-technical abstract****As silicon electronics approaches its physical limits, there is a need to explore alternative technologies in order to develop faster computers that consume less energy. This project will develop a new paradigm for computing that exploits the magnetic poles (i.e. "spin") of electrons traveling inside a one-atom-thick layer of carbon known as graphene (recipient of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics). A long-term advantage will be to greatly accelerate computing applications that involve large amounts of data, such as database searching, data compression, and image recognition, which are important for homeland security. Technically, this will be accomplished by developing a new electronic device called a "magnetologic gate," which will serve as the building block for circuits that combine the functions of microprocessors (for decision making) and hard drives (for information storage) into a single chip. The team consists of the physicists, material scientists, and electrical engineers who have pioneered the key scientific breakthroughs that enable this future technology. The program will promote diversity within the US technical workforce and prepare valuable specialists for the US electronics and magnetic recording industries.