Reliably unreliable nanotechnologies

可靠但不可靠的纳米技术

基本信息

批准号：
EP/K017829/1
负责人：
Themis Prodromakis
金额：
$ 141.3万
依托单位：
University of Southampton
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Fellowship
财政年份：
2013
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2013 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK017829%2F1
关键词：
Reliably unreliable nanotechnologies

项目摘要

Nanoscale resistive switching (RS) elements, also known as memristors, are nowadays regarded as a promising solution for establishing next-generation memory, due to their infinitesimal dimensions, their capacity to store multiple bits of information per element and the miniscule energy required to write distinct states. Currently, the microelectronics community aspires exploiting these attributes in a deterministic fashion where information encoding and processing is realised via static representations. In consequence, research efforts are focused on optimising memristor technology in a "More Moore" approach to comply with existing CMOS devices attributes, i.e. high-yield, supreme reproducibility, very long retention characteristics and conventional circuit design formalisms. The functional properties of such elements are however associated with irreversible rate-limiting electro/thermo-dynamic changes that often bring them in "far from equilibrium" conditions, manifesting opportunities for unconventional computing within a probabilistic framework.This fellowship aims exploiting the strong emergence of ultra-thin functional oxides, nanoscale resistive switching elements and large-scale systems of the same. We will first investigate the effect of quantum phase transitions and the mechanisms leading into thermodynamically stable/unstable long-range order/disorder of distinct materials. These mechanisms will then be exploited in nanoscale solid-state devices for establishing the state-of-the-art in non-volatile multi-state memory but also volatile elements that could potentially be employed as dynamic computational elements. The rich-dynamics of the later will be compared against reaction-diffusion mechanisms of naturally occurring nano-systems to facilitate novel design paradigms and emerging ICT applications for substantiating unconventional computation formalisms. A successful outcome will demonstrate a mature memristive device manufacturing technology that will be supported by the necessary design tools, for taking CMOS technology far beyond its current state-of-art.

纳米级电阻开关（RS）元件（也称为忆阻器）如今被认为是构建下一代存储器的有前途的解决方案，因为它们的尺寸无限小，每个元件存储多位信息的能力以及写入所需的极小能量不同的状态。目前，微电子界渴望以确定性的方式利用这些属性，其中信息编码和处理是通过静态表示来实现的。因此，研究工作集中在以“更多摩尔”方法优化忆阻器技术，以符合现有 CMOS 器件的属性，即高产量、最高的再现性、极长的保持特性和传统的电路设计形式。然而，这些元素的功能特性与不可逆的限速电/热动力变化相关，这些变化常常使它们处于“远离平衡”的条件，这在概率框架内体现了非常规计算的机会。该奖学金旨在利用超薄功能氧化物、纳米级电阻开关元件及其大型系统。我们将首先研究量子相变的影响以及导致不同材料热力学稳定/不稳定的长程有序/无序的机制。然后，这些机制将在纳米级固态设备中得到利用，以建立最先进的非易失性多状态存储器，以及可能用作动态计算元件的易失性元件。后者的丰富动力学将与自然发生的纳米系统的反应扩散机制进行比较，以促进新颖的设计范式和新兴的 ICT 应用，以证实非常规计算形式。成功的成果将展示成熟的忆阻器件制造技术，该技术将得到必要的设计工具的支持，从而使 CMOS 技术远远超出其当前的最先进水平。