INL

INL – International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory

Contact persons:

Clivia Sotomayor-Torres

International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory
Avenida Mestre José Veiga s/n
4715-330 Braga
Portugal

Beyond CMOSMore MooreMore than MooreSystem Integration

Main expertises

  • Fabrication of state-of-the-art Magnetic Tunnel Junctions that have been optimized to act as:
    • Ultra-high sensitivity magnetic field sensors
    • Spin Transfer Torque Nano-oscillators (with electrically programable frequency and non-volatile memory effects)
  • These devices can be used for multiple purposes, including:
    • Magnetic, vibration and electrical current sensing
    • DC->RF and RF->DC transduction
    • True Random Number Generators (Cryptography and Monte Carlo Accelerators)
    • Physically Unclonable Functions (Security)
    • Energy Harvesting (Zero-threshold rectifiers)
    • Artificial Synapses and Artificial Neurons for Neuromorphic Computation
  • INL has integrated MTJ devices (sensors and artificial neurons/synapses) and small spintronic circuits monolithically with CMOS at a node of 180nm on 200mm wafers.
  • Expertise: 2D-material memristors; neuromorphic device physics; non-von Neumann architectures
  • Design and fabrication of MEMS/NEMS devices (resonators, oscillators and switches) for ultra-low-power mechanical computing
  • MEMS/NEMS platforms for edge computing, in-sensing computing and distributed signal processing
  • High-transconductance graphene FETs
  • Advanced TEM/STEM coupled with EELS and EDS. In situ TEM/STEM, in particular in situ heating, biasing and cryo
  • NEMS switches for ultra-low-power operation
  • Mechanical logic elements and switching devices based on nano-mechanical actuation
  • Graphene, hBN, MoSe2, MoS2, and other TMDCs by thermal CVD or MOCVD over 200 mm wafers
  • Wafer-scale molecular beam epitaxy deposition of InSe, In2Se3, GaSe, and Bi2Se3.
  • Device fabrication of these 2D materials at wafer-scale
  • Advanced TEM/STEM coupled with EELS and EDS. In situ TEM/STEM, in particular in situ heating, biasing and cryo
  • In situ TEM electrical biasing and heating
  • Down to Liquid Nitrogen temperature, advanced TEM/STEM coupled with EELS and EDS
  • Amorphous and nanocrystalline thin-film Si FETs
  • MoSe2, MoS2 FETs
  • Graphene liquid-gate FETs
  • MEMS/NEMS devices for cross-domain applications in sensing, RF and emerging computing

Research interests

  • Integrating MTJ based artificial neurons and synapses with MTJ sensors to enable intelligent sensors with all-hardware neuromorphic processing of sensor data in real time with the aim of developing ultra-low power smart sensors operating at the edge.
  • Hardware implementation of neuromorphic networks using spintronic devices for different types of problems and within multiple neuromorphic paradigms (feed-forward, recurrent, spiking, etc…)
  • Minimization of energy consumption both in the training and in the inference phase exploring novel physical mechanisms such as STT Torques
  • Development of novel types of nano-oscillators with the aim of exploring alternative dynamic modes that extend beyond those already present in the current state-of-the-art
  • Integration of memory effects in artificial synapses using multiple physical mechanisms operating at multiple time scales
  • Development of 3D nanofabrication processes that increase the density of neurons/synapses per unit area and non-local programming methods that enable changing synaptic weights without local electrical access to each synapse.
  • Neuromorphic computing, hybrid neuromorphic–CMOS platforms; hybrid neuromorphic-bio interface
  • MEMS/NEMS-based mechanical computing architectures exploiting nonlinear dynamics
  • In-sensor computing using MEMS/NEMS devices for signal pre-processing and feature extraction (event-driven sensing)
  • Graphene ambipolar devices and junctions
  • Engineered interfaces, defect control, ionic/electronic coupling
  • Understanding the atomic/nano structure-property relationships, in 2D and 3D Dirac materials, in particular the atomic electric field and charge distribution, and their influence on applied external electric fields.
  • Investigation of hysteresis, memory-effect, reliability and dynamic behavior in NEMS switching devices
  • 2D materials, van der Waals stacking
  • Wafer-scale molecular beam epitaxy deposition of InSe, In2Se3, GaSe, and Bi2Se3.
  • Device fabrication of these 2D materials at wafer-scale
  • Understanding the atomic/nano structure-property relationships, in particular the presence of defects in single and multilayer twisted and non-twisted 2D materials.
  • Single nanotube/NW/1D-2D van der Waals heterostructures transport measurements combined simultaneously with atomic scale imaging and spectroscopy.
  • Quantum transport in layered materials
  • Phase and structural change investigations by using in situ TEM methods from room temperature to LN2 temperature
  • Photodetectors
  • Analog devices and circuits
  • Chemical sensors

Main expertises

  • 2D-CMOS integration; contact/interface engineering
  • sub-1-V switching in 2D memristors
  • Mechanical devices for ultra-low-power switching and leakage reduction in advanced circuits
  • Development of mechanical resonators and switches compatible with high-temperature operation

Research interests

  • Heterogeneous integration of vdW channels
  • 2D material-based memories (resistive, capacitive)
  • energy-per-event minimization (<fJ regime)
  • MEMS/NEMS for sensing and switching in extreme environments (high temperature, vibration, radiation)

Main expertises

  • State-of-art Magnetic Tunnel Junction Sensors with noise levels down to 1-10pT/Hz @1 Hz.
  • High Yield and high uniformity micro and nanofabrication processes
  • Tailoring of sensor stacks and fabrication processes for specific applications and requirements
  • Monolithic integration of MTJ sensors with other technologies (such as MEMS, CMOS, flexible interconnects, etc…)
  • Graphene electrolyte-gate multitransistor array bio-sensing chips
  • Graphene/CMOS chiplets (heterogeneous integration)
  • Graphene-on-CMOS chips (homogeneous integration)
  • Wafer-scale Microfluidic-coupled platforms
  • Graphene/MXene sensors
  • NEMS resonators and oscillators for ultra-sensitive mass detection of single molecules and nanoparticles sensing
  • Integration of microwave sensors with microfluidic channels for human cell characterization
  • Novel microwave sensors for non-contact, and continuous sensing of organoids, spheroids and organ-on-a-chip system
  • Micro solar cells
  • Thin film solid state batteries
  • Advanced TEM/STEM coupled with EELS and EDS. In situ TEM/STEM, in particular in situ cycling
  • MTJ Nano-oscillators with non-uniform Vortex free layers (deposition, nanofabrication, simulation, electrical characterization)
  • Monolithic integration of nano-oscillators with CMOS
  • Characterization of RF devices up to 40GHz in frequency domain and up to 20GHz in time domain.
  • Micromagnetic simulations of magnetodynamics
  • Graphene RF FET and circuits
  • Single-photon-on-demand devices based on hBN and graphene
  • 2D-optoelectronics
  • Design, fabrication and characterization of surface relief diffractive optical elements and flat optics for imaging and sensing applications in the visible and infrared range
  • Fabrication of large aperture diffractive and meta optics
  • Graphene and TMDCs flexible devices on thin polyimide substrates
  • 2D materials inks and pastes by liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE)
  • Flexible sensors for textile integration
  • 2D materials inks with controlled rheology, flake size, and concentration

Research interests

  • Novel magnetic field sensing concepts
  • Development of sensors capable of detecting magnetic fields at room temperature in the ft/Hz range
  • Integration of novel materials with the goal of improving key performance specs (TMR, noise, power consumption, thermal stability, etc…)
  • Point-of-care biosensing with record-low detection limit
  • Brain-machine interfaces, optogenetics, neurotransmitter detection
  • Study of novel dynamics in NEMS and microwave devices for applications in life and environmental sciences
  • Rapid drug screening and drug sensitivity testing on organoids and organ-on-a-chip systems using non-contact microwave sensors.
  • Micro solar cells
  • Integrated on-chip micro-batteries
  • Integration of thin film batteries into energy harvesting devices
  • Integration of memory effects in nano-oscillators using multiple energy efficient physical mechanisms that allow the definition of a reprogrammable frequency range upon fabrication.
  • Exploration of novel materials, processes and concepts with direct impact on key specs (output power, minimum excitation current, phase noise, etc..)
  • Exploration of unconventional applications of nano-oscillators (random number generators, physically unclonable functions, etc…)
  • Investigation of basic physical mechanisms driving magneto dynamic effects (STT and SOT).
  • 2D materials for RF electronics
  • Quantum communication devices, quantum computing
  • Integrated vdW photonics
  • Integrated light-structuring components to improve efficiency of sensing systems
  • Novel methods and optics targeting unexplored spectrums THz-MIR and EUV to X-Ray (PetaHz optics)
  • Implantable devices for in vivo data acquisition
  • 2D materials contacts and interconnects for electronic circuits
  • Strain sensors, micro supercapacitors, touch screen displays
  • EMI shielding coatings
  • Fabrication and integration of flexible sensors (microfabrication, inkjet printing, EHD …)
  • Ion-selective water-filtering membranes
  • Sustainable 2D materials production via LPE in non-toxic solvents

Main expertises

  • Integration of MTJ sensors at system level with data acquisition electronics and data processing techniques (including conventional AI methods)
  • Surfaces with multi-hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions
  • MEMS/NEMS-based systems for real-time operation
  • MEMS/NEMS platforms for in-sensor computing and zero-power operation
  • CMOS BEOL design for homogeneous, heterogeneous, and hybrid integration with 2D material devices

Research interests

  • Development of smart-sensors operating at the edge for a multitude of different applications including monitoring of Industrial Machines, monitoring of vehicles, monitoring of distributed infrastructures like power lines.
  • Demonstration and pilot installations of MTJ sensors in real application environments in the context of Industry 5.0, asset monitoring and predictive maintenance.
  • Anti-bacterial coatings
  • Development of mechanical smart systems for edge computing and autonomous operation
  • Explore mechanical domain for smart, zero-power operation
  • High throughput, low noise, 2D material-based data acquisition systems
Meet the team

Minatec –  CROMA
3 Parvis Louis Néel, CS 50257
38016 Grenoble Cedex 1,  France

+33 456 52 95 09
 sinano@minatec.grenoble-inp.fr