Collaborative Research: 2D Ambipolar Machine Learning & Logical Computing Systems

新兴材料具有新的行为，为信息处理创造了新的机会，特别是如果新材料的自然行为能够被利用的话，而不是试图将它们设计成像今天的电子产品一样的行为。特别是，原子薄的材料，也被称为二维(2D)材料，可以是自然的双极材料，即可以导电电子和空穴。2D材料还具有其他特性，如磁滞和可变性，这些特性在用于微电子学时通常会被抑制。这个跨学科团队旨在利用2D材料基场效应晶体管的这些独特行为，并展示它们可以在逻辑和机器学习(ML)应用程序的面积、速度和能效方面带来显著改进。为此，该团队将开发2D双极材料和器件结构，设计双极逻辑族和ML架构，并通过实验演示小型和中型电路原型，以证明这些材料作为下一代计算系统构建块的实用性。这项研究将使人们更深入地了解双极器件的控制，以及电路和系统设计方面的创新，这些创新可以用于其他新的纳米技术实现。该项目将产生节能技术，以完成与社会许多部门相关的计算任务，包括网络安全、教育、医疗保健和物联网。三家私人投资机构设计了一项协调一致的计划，以整合拟议的教育和推广工作的成果，包括为强大而聪明的劳动力对学生进行跨学科培训；设计讲座，让更多的学生接触到这些科目；以及设计实践活动，接触到K-12女孩，以增加科学、技术、工程和数学的多样性。新兴的纳米技术展示了新的开关现象，为信息处理创造了新的机会。具体地说，二维(2D)双栅双极场效应晶体管(DG-A-FET)可以在n型和p型FET操作之间切换，从而允许利用每个单独FET的功能的紧凑计算电路。该项目旨在利用逻辑和机器学习(ML)电路和系统中DG-A-FET的独特行为，在面积、速度和能效方面提供显著改进。除了双门功能外，该团队的目标是控制和利用新兴2D材料的行为，如滞后和可变性，以利于计算。该项目将研究2D双极材料和器件结构，以设计几个双极逻辑族和ML架构，并将通过实验演示小型和中型电路原型，以证明DG-A-FET作为下一代计算系统的构建块的实用性。这项研究将导致对双极器件的双栅极控制以及电路和系统设计方面的创新有更深的理解，这些创新可以用于更多的纳米技术的新实现。该项目将产生节能技术，以完成与社会许多部门相关的计算任务，包括网络安全、教育、医疗保健和物联网。三家私人投资机构设计了一个协调一致的计划，以整合拟议的教育和外联工作的成果，包括为强大而聪明的劳动力对学生进行跨学科培训；设计讲座，让更多的学生接触到这些主题；以及设计实践活动，在多个私人投资机构的校园里，在STEM日接触到K-12女孩。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Emerging materials have novel behaviors that create new opportunities for information processing, especially if the natural behavior of the new materials can be leveraged, rather than trying to engineer them to behave like today’s electronics. In particular, atomically thin materials, also known as two-dimensional (2D) materials, can be naturally ambipolar, i.e. can conduct both electrons and holes. 2D materials also have additional properties, such as hysteresis and variability, that are usually suppressed when used for microelectronics. This interdisciplinary team aims to exploit these unique behaviors of 2D material-based field-effect transistors, and to show they can lead to significant improvements in area, speed, and energy-efficiency for both logical and machine learning (ML) applications. To do so, the team will develop 2D ambipolar materials and device structures, design ambipolar logic families and ML architectures, and experimentally demonstrate small-scale and medium-scale circuit prototypes that prove the utility of these materials as building blocks for the next generation of computing systems. This research will lead to a deeper understanding of the control of ambipolar devices, as well as innovations in circuit and system design, that could be used in additional new implementations of nanotechnology. The project will generate energy-efficient technologies to accomplish computing tasks relevant to many sectors of society, including cybersecurity, education, healthcare, and internet-of-things. The three PIs have designed a concerted plan to integrate the outcomes of the proposed work in education and outreach, including interdisciplinary training of students for a strong and bright workforce; designing lectures to expose a larger population of students to the subjects; and designing hands-on activities to reach K-12 girls to increase diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math.Emerging nanotechnologies exhibit novel switching phenomena that create new opportunities for information processing. In particular, two-dimensional (2D) dual-gate ambipolar field-effect transistors (DG-A-FETs) can be switched between n-type and p-type FET operation, permitting compact computing circuits that leverage the functionality of each individual FET. This project aims to exploit the unique behaviors of DG-A-FETs in logical and machine learning (ML) circuits and systems that provide significant improvements in area, speed, and energy-efficiency. In addition to the dual-gate functionality, the team aims to control and exploit behaviors of emerging 2D materials such as hysteresis and variability to benefit computing. This project will study 2D ambipolar materials and device structures to design several ambipolar logic families and ML architectures, and it will experimentally demonstrate small-scale and medium-scale circuit prototypes that prove the utility of DG-A-FETs as a building block for the next generation of computing systems. This research will lead to a deeper understanding of the dual-gate control of ambipolar devices, as well as innovations in circuit and system design, that could be used in additional new implementations of nanotechnology. The project will generate energy-efficient technologies to accomplish computing tasks relevant to many sectors of society, including cybersecurity, education, healthcare, and internet-of-things. The three PIs have designed a concerted plan to integrate the outcomes of the proposed work in education and outreach, including interdisciplinary training of students for a strong and bright workforce; designing lectures to expose a larger population of students to the subjects; and designing hands-on activities to reach K-12 girls at STEM days on multiple of the PIs’ campuses.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.