Integration of Novel Materials in Spintronic Devices
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Engineering
Abstract
The continued scaling of charge-based computing devices is reaching its limits and, both for more Moore (continued scaling) and more than Moore (functional diversification), the International Semiconductor Roadmap is looking at new materials and their integration in existing manufacturing technology. Two dimensional (2D) materials, such as graphene, exhibit unique electrical, thermal and mechanical properties and show promise as components for a wide range of device applications, in particular spintronics and next generation micro/optoelectronics and systems. Graphene can not only support very high carrier mobilities and current densities, but also has small spin-orbit coupling and large electron coherence length. Also, due to its atomic thickness, it is very interesting for tunnel junction device architectures. With hundreds of millions of computer hard drives sold every year, magnetism is currently the main repository of information storage. It is the electron "spin," the elementary nanomagnet, that carries the information. Beyond storage, spintronics and such new device architectures are foreseen as the foundation for a new paradigm for information processing toward low-power-consumption nonvolatile "green" electronics.
This proposal aims at creating an international research network to develop new integrated electronic and spin-based device concepts based on 2D materials, to overcome key experimental problems such as controlled interfacing and to develop integrated manufacturing technology, which would allow 2D materials to enter the semiconductor roadmap, the key to unlocking their commercial potential. The proposal thereby combines the world leading expertise of the international partners, in particular on the development and manufacture of state-of-the-art semiconductor devices of the Japanese Partners, on 2D manufacturing technology and device material know-how of the UK partners and the spintronics expertise of the French partners. The proposed research has a strong industrial alignment, paving the way for realistic routes to markets for these new materials and device architectures.
This proposal aims at creating an international research network to develop new integrated electronic and spin-based device concepts based on 2D materials, to overcome key experimental problems such as controlled interfacing and to develop integrated manufacturing technology, which would allow 2D materials to enter the semiconductor roadmap, the key to unlocking their commercial potential. The proposal thereby combines the world leading expertise of the international partners, in particular on the development and manufacture of state-of-the-art semiconductor devices of the Japanese Partners, on 2D manufacturing technology and device material know-how of the UK partners and the spintronics expertise of the French partners. The proposed research has a strong industrial alignment, paving the way for realistic routes to markets for these new materials and device architectures.
Planned Impact
The project addresses key questions relevant to industrial materials development of 2D materials, in particular their integrated manufacturing. The proposed collaboration builds on UK's track-record in carbon-based materials to make a significant impact on the area more globally, academically as well as industrially. These advanced materials and the proposed devices are areas of national importance to the UK and a key part of the EPSRC funding portfolio in particular fully in line with a number of EPSRC's emerging areas incl. the convergence of spintronics with very-large-scale-integrated-circuits.
The market for these 2D materials and all commercialisation strategies are currently limited by a lack of scalable manufacturing pathways, in particular regarding applications in the lucrative high-tech market. Hence the proposed research programme is highly relevant to the academic research relating to graphene and other 2D materials and crucial to increase the industrial relevance of these advanced materials, and to enable commercial dividends to be paid on the substantial investment that the UK (and other partner countries) has already made in graphene research, and which it will make in the future.
The project has a strong industrial alignment including a large number of existing world-wide industrial partners of the consortium. For the Cambridge team, the proposal links closely to existing EPSRC funding in particular the Graphene Centre and the grant GRAPHTED (EP/K016636/1) as well as the doctoral training centres on Nano and Graphene. The proposed international research network will significantly increase also the impact of this existing EPSRC funding. We infer that the technology IP created will yield long-term economic benefits to the UK, which will accrue as capability grows.
The long term societal impact of our project can be significant in particular through the proposed breakthrough technology for the next generation semiconductor devices. Over the last 60 years the progress in the semiconductor industry has revolutionised our society, bringing it into the Digital Age, and further progress in this technology which our programme focuses on will help to continue progressing our knowledge-based society surrounded by a high-tech global economy.
The market for these 2D materials and all commercialisation strategies are currently limited by a lack of scalable manufacturing pathways, in particular regarding applications in the lucrative high-tech market. Hence the proposed research programme is highly relevant to the academic research relating to graphene and other 2D materials and crucial to increase the industrial relevance of these advanced materials, and to enable commercial dividends to be paid on the substantial investment that the UK (and other partner countries) has already made in graphene research, and which it will make in the future.
The project has a strong industrial alignment including a large number of existing world-wide industrial partners of the consortium. For the Cambridge team, the proposal links closely to existing EPSRC funding in particular the Graphene Centre and the grant GRAPHTED (EP/K016636/1) as well as the doctoral training centres on Nano and Graphene. The proposed international research network will significantly increase also the impact of this existing EPSRC funding. We infer that the technology IP created will yield long-term economic benefits to the UK, which will accrue as capability grows.
The long term societal impact of our project can be significant in particular through the proposed breakthrough technology for the next generation semiconductor devices. Over the last 60 years the progress in the semiconductor industry has revolutionised our society, bringing it into the Digital Age, and further progress in this technology which our programme focuses on will help to continue progressing our knowledge-based society surrounded by a high-tech global economy.
Organisations
Publications
Cho S
(2016)
Self-assembled oxide films with tailored nanoscale ionic and electronic channels for controlled resistive switching.
in Nature communications
Panciera F
(2016)
Controlling nanowire growth through electric field-induced deformation of the catalyst droplet.
in Nature communications
Lu H
(2016)
Chemical trends of Schottky barrier behavior on monolayer hexagonal B, Al, and Ga nitrides
in Journal of Applied Physics
Perconte D
(2017)
Tunable Klein-like tunnelling of high-temperature superconducting pairs into graphene
in Nature Physics
Sugime H
(2017)
Low temperature growth of fully covered single-layer graphene using a CoCu catalyst.
in Nanoscale
Description | Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are key components within magnetic storage devices such as hard disk drives. We have realised that a layered material, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) could be a good tunnel barrier layer instead of the presently used crystalline MgO. We know so far that h-BN is an excellent diffusion barrier (which MgO is not). The project has been able to demonstrate that by switching the h-BN/ferromagnet interaction magneto-resistance signals in excess of 80% can be achieved. We have also systematically refined the integrated growth of h-BN for such new devices. This resulted in a number of very strong publications. The Japanese partner Prof T Endoh of Tohoku University has been running an industrially oriented program to apply STT-MRAM and its performance has resulted in it moving up from the ~5th memory technology (because it contains many layers) to the 2nd (because of its endurance and reliability). It has resulted in key collaborations with major electronics groups, Intel, TSMC etc. |
Exploitation Route | We expect our succesful proof of principle demonstration to lead to further research into 2D material based magnetic tunnel junctions, as well as informing the industrial roadmap in this field. Our developed process knowledge will be of use to many research groups to explore further applications. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Electronics Energy Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Transport |
URL | http://www.material.tohoku.ac.jp/~kotaib/CCPGRIEC/CCPGRIECHP/invited.html |
Description | The use of h-BN in magnetic tunnel barriers could have valuable technical uses, and the project and network's output inform the likely industrial Roadmap and Moore's law scaling of the STT-RRAM memory device architecture. The industrial impact of the memory technology STT-MRAM has grown over the period of the project. |
First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
Sector | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Electronics,Energy,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | International Exchange Grant |
Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | IEC\R3\213007 |
Organisation | The Royal Society |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2021 |
End | 02/2024 |
Title | Data supporting "Enhancing Photoluminescence and Mobilities in WS2 Monolayers with Oleic Acid Ligands" |
Description | The data presented supports the results shown in the article. Origin file contains folders for data sets representing each figure in publication. Each folder can be accessed via the Project Explorer. Each folder is named according to the data it contains. The first folder (Fig 1a-d, Fig.3 SI) contains photoluminescence (PL) statistics of chemically treated tungsten disulphide (WS2) and WS2 monolayer absorption spectra respectively. The second folder (Fig 2.a.-f, Fig 2a-d, Fig 6 SI) contains steady-state PL excitation series, trion emission characterization, and PL spectra of oleic acid (OA) treated WS2 on different substrates respectively. The third folder (Fig. 3a-b, Fig 4a-d SI) contains time-resolved PL data for pristine, Oleic acid and TFSI treated WS2 at the lowest laser fluence with variation in fast decay component with carrier concentration (Fig 3a-b); time-resolved PL data for all treatments with variation in slow decay component with initial carrier concentration (SI Fig 4a-d). The fourth folder (Fig 4a and SI Fig 5) contains Raman spectra of OA treated WS2 and the effect of toluene on WS2 monolayer PL. The fifth folder (Fig 4b) contains transfer characteristics of a gated WS2 transistor. The sixth folder (Fig 4c) contains the transfer characteristics of a gated WS2 transistor with detail on the difference in gradient between OA treated and untreated WS2. The seventh folder (Fig 1 SI) shows the raw excitation series PL data fitted with Gaussian curves for OA treated WS2, which were used in characterizing trion emission seen in SI figure 2. The eighth folder (Fig 7 SI) contains transfer characteristics for a TFSI treated transistor |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Title | Data supporting "Graphene-passivated nickel as an efficient hole-injecting electrode for large area organic semiconductor devices" |
Description | Figure 1: (d) Raman spectrum of few-layer graphene on Ni. (e) XPS of Ni 2p3/2 region of sputtered Ni (Ni/NiOx) and Ni after multilayer graphene growth (Ni/FLG), with peak fitting indicating metallic nickel (NiM) and nickel oxide (NiOx). (f) Magnetic moment measured at room temperature by DC-mode SQUID magnetometry of graphene-passivated Ni films for magnetic fields parallel and perpendicular to the plane of the film. Figure 2: (b) Comparison of hole injection into F8BT from graphene-passivated Ni and PEDOT:PSS bottom contacts, each using a top contact of MoO3 / Au. (c) Binding energy, referenced to the Fermi level, measured on a Ni/FLG sample by means of UPS (excitation light with energy = 21.21 eV). (d) Hole injection into P3HT from graphene-passivated Ni, with MoO3 /Au top contact. Figure 3: Current density hysteresis as a function of voltage for hole injection into F8BT using (a) unprotected sputtered Ni electrodes and (b) graphene-passivated Ni. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/306104 |
Title | Research data supporting "Automated Computer Vision-Enabled Manufacturing of Nanowire Devices" |
Description | Figure2c,e: Detected spatial distribution, length and orientation of isolated InAs nanowires in a 1 × 1 mm^2 region. Figure 4: Transfer characteristics of automatically fabricated nanowire devices with (a) 0.5 µm channel length, (b) 1.0 µm channel length, (c) 2.0 µm channel length, and (d) 2.5 µm channel length at source-drain voltage VDS = 10 mV. (e) Statistical data of nanowire device misalignment measured from the center of the nanowire to the center of the electrode pattern. Statistical data of (f) on/off ratio, (g) peak current, and (h) threshold voltage measured in automatically fabricated nanowire devices. Figure S8: Statistical data of (a) mobility and (b) hysteresis measured in automatically fabricated nanowire devices. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/341921 |
Title | Research data supporting "Directed Energy Transfer from Monolayer WS2 to Near Infrared Emitting PbS-CdS Quantum Dots" |
Description | Optical characterisation data of 2D/QD heterostructure. i.e. steady state photoluminescence, absorption data of monolayer WS2, PbS-CdS quantum dots and WS2/PbS-CdS heterostructure; Time resolved PL of WS2, PbS-CdS and WS2/PbS-CdS heterostructure. Each data set is entitled with figure name in article i.e Main_Fig1c-e_SI_Fig3 contains raw data and figures for Figure 1c-e in main article and figure 3 in Supplementary information (SI) Main_Fig2_b-e_SI_Fig1-2 contains raw data and figures for Figure 2b-e in main article and figures 1-2 in Supplementary information (SI) Main_Fig_2a_RHS contains raw data for Figure 2a in main article Main_Fis_2a_RHS_processed contains figure for Figure 2a in main article Main_Fig3_Main_Fig5 contains raw data and figures for Figure 3 and 5 in the main article Main_Fig4 contains raw data and figures for Figure 4 in the main article |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/311242 |
Title | Research data supporting 'Giant Magnetoresistance in a CVD Graphene Constriction' |
Description | The zipped file contains the resistance and conductance data from measurements of graphene channels as a function of magnetic field, temperature, and source-drain bias. Data are provided in separate .txt files for each figure. The README.txt file contains the column information and units for plotting. Specific data included are: Figure 1: (1) Resistance of the primary graphene channel as a function of back gate voltage at magnetic field B = 0 T and temperature T = 0.29 K. (2) Derivative of resistance as a function of back gate voltage at different magnetic fields and back gate voltages. Figure 2: The graphene conductance as a function of magnetic field at temperatures T = 0.29, 0.6, 1, 2, 5, 8, 11.3, 14, 17.8 and 25 K. Figures 3 and 4: Graphene resistance as a function of total source-drain bias applied to the circuit at different back gate voltages V_G = 0.2, 0.26, and 0.32 V, at temperature T = 0.29 K. The graphene resistance at charge neutrality as a function of total source-drain bias is also provided at different temperatures T = 0.29, 2, 5, 8, 11.2, 14.1, 17.8, and 25 K. These data are measured at B = 0 T. Figure 5: Transfer characteristics from a second graphene device. (1) The resistance is given as a function of back gate voltage at magnetic fields B = 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 T, at temperature T = 1.5 K. (2) The resistance as a function of back gate voltage and magnetic field. (3) The resistance as a function of back gate voltage at different temperatures T = 1.5, 5, 11, and 30 K, and magnetic field B = 12 T. (4) The maximum resistance of the charge neutrality peak 'a' near gate voltage ~42 V, and peak 'b' at gate voltage 18 V, as a function of B at T = 1.5 K. (5) The resistance of peaks 'a' and 'b' as a function of temperature at B = 12 T. Data contained in the supporting information is also provided. This includes: (1) The conductance of the primary graphene channel as magnetic field is swept at high carrier density, for temperatures from 0.29 to 25 K. (2) Graphene resistance as a function of total source-drain bias applied to the circuit at different back gate voltages V_G = 0.2, 0.28, 0.3, 0.32, 0.34, 0.38, 0.4, and 0.5 V, at temperature T = ~1.4 K. (3) Raman spectra of the graphene as a function of location over a 10 by 10 micron square area with a 1 micron grid spacing. |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/332887 |
Title | Research data supporting 'High-Throughput Electrical Characterisation of Nanomaterials From Room to Cryogenic Temperatures' |
Description | |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2020 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/311600 |
Title | Research data supporting Giant photoluminescence enhancement in MoSe2 monolayers treated with oleic acid ligands |
Description | Main_Fig1b-d_SI_Fig8: Photoluminescence scatter data, Meidan PL spectra absolute, Median PL spectra scaled to compare FWHM; and Raman spectra Main_Fig2a-d_Fig3a-f: PL intensity series spectra, PL intensity series, relative PLQE series and; PL species characterization Main_Fig4a-b_SI_Fig5a-b_SI_Fig6: Time resolved PL spectra, Time resolved PL fluence series and; all Time resolved PL spectra from series Main_Fig5a: Transistor transfer characteristics Main_Fig5b: Transistor threshold voltage Main_Fig5c: Transistor sub-threshold swing Main_Fig5d: Transistor on/off ratio SI_Fig1: PL spectra of WS2 monolayers washed with toluene SI_Fig3-4_All_data: PL spectra from intensity series fitted with Gaussians SI_Fig7: Oleic Acid treated tungsten diselenide spectra |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/324063 |