Researchers Discover Predictable Behavior in Promising Material for Computer Memory
In the last few years, a class of materials called antiferroelectrics has been increasingly studied for its potential applications in modern computer memory devices. Research has shown that antiferroelectric-based memories might have greater energy efficiency and faster read and write speeds than conventional memories, among other appealing attributes. Further, the same compounds that can exhibit antiferroelectric behavior are already integrated into existing semiconductor chip manufacturing processes.
Now, a team led by Georgia Tech researchers has discovered unexpectedly familiar behavior in the antiferroelectric material known as zirconium dioxide, or zirconia. They show that as the microstructure of the material is reduced in size, it behaves similarly to much better understood materials known as ferroelectrics. The findings were recently published in the journal Advanced Electronic Materials.
Miniaturization of circuits has played a key role in improving memory performance over the last fifty years. Knowing how the properties of an antiferroelectric change with shrinking size should enable the design of more effective memory components.
The researchers also note that the findings should have implications in many other areas besides memory.
"Antiferroelectrics have a range of unique properties like high reliability, high voltage endurance, and broad operating temperatures that makes them useful in a wealth of different devices, including high-energy-density capacitors, transducers, and electro-optics circuits.” said Nazanin Bassiri-Gharb, coauthor of the paper and professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. “But size scaling effects had gone largely under the radar for a long time.”
“You can design your device and make it smaller knowing exactly how the material is going to perform,” said Asif Khan, coauthor of the paper and assistant professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Tech. “From our standpoint, it opens really a new field of research.”
Stellar Students from ATHENA & Inan Research Teams Chosen for NextProf Nexus Workshop
Aline Eid and Asim Gazi recently participated in workshops geared toward developing and diversifying the next generation of academic leaders. They are both Ph.D. students in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at Georgia Tech.
Both Eid and Gazi were chosen to participate in the NextProf Nexus Workshop. This event was held October 4-7 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and was sponsored by Georgia Tech, the University of Michigan, and the University of California, Berkeley. NextProf Nexus is part of a nationwide effort to strengthen and diversify the next generation of academic leaders in engineering, and it is designed to give participants the opportunity to explore and prepare for faculty positions in academia.
Eid's research is centered around harvesting 5G energy to wirelessly power ultra-low power devices. She was the first to propose unconventional fully-printed structures to enable batteryless devices with breakthrough wireless capabilities, by combining knowledge in electromagnetics, antennas, RFIDs, signal processing, and materials science. Eid has received more than 12 awards and is an inventor on 4 patents. She has been featured in more than 40 news outlets, and is an author/co-author of more than 35 conference and journal papers and book chapters.
Gazi’s research revolves around the monitoring, modeling, and modulation of stress by keying into the responses of the "fight or flight" and "rest and digest" branches of the autonomic nervous system. He specifically leverages multimodal physiological sensing and biosignal processing; dynamical systems, machine learning, and feedback control; and non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS). His Ph.D. efforts will culminate in algorithms that estimate and react to an individual's latent "stress state" using a diverse set of observable physiological measures, such as heart rate and respiratory timings, to enable closed-loop nVNS to attenuate hyperarousal accompanying panic attacks and trauma recall.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently announced that Associate Professor W. Hong Yeo from Georgia Tech's George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering has been awarded a Trailblazer Award for New and Early Stage Investigators. The award is for a project titled “Development of Nanomembrane Electronics and Machine-Learning Algorithms for Quantitative Screening of Dysphagia Therapeutics” and comes with $645,000 in R21 funding over three years.
Dysphagia is a difficulty or discomfort in swallowing that afflicts almost 15 million Americans, particularly individuals 50-60 years or older. Currently, there is no available treatment for dysphagia. Although ongoing research focuses on the development of new drugs, none of the existing systems provides a quantitative, continuous evaluation of drug efficacy with animal models or human subjects. Yeo and his lab aim to develop a novel, nanomembrane electronic system that offers a continuous, quantitative assessment of swallowing activities in a non-invasive way with animal models, which will help develop new dysphagia drugs.
The IEN - Biocleanroom, has two direct write lithography tools available for Faculty, Students, and staff to use for the hourly rate of $22.
The Nanoscribe GT+
This tool is a 2PL system that can be used to print in acrylate and PDMS materials. The smallest feature size is 340nm when using the 63x objective. Nanoscribe also has an extensive support program ensuring successful Prints
The BMF microarch S140
This tool is a DLP system that can be used to print in acrylate and PDMS materials. The smallest feature size is 10μm, and has a quicker workflow than when compared to the nanoscribe. The BMF is also brand new to the cleanroom with training starting in November!
Novel Ways to Use POC and Nanotechnology in Clinical Medicine
November 23, 2021 | 12PM - 1PM EDT
Marcus Nanotechnology Building 1116 - 1118 | 345 Fest Drive
David N. Ku | Lawrence P. Huang; Endowed Chair in Engineering & Entrepreneurship and Regents' Professor, School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech; Professor of Surgery, Emory University
Abstract: Nano and microtechnologies have a big potential to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases. In this seminar, I will highlight three examples that may be unusual to the audience. (1) ThromboCheck has been developed from the Atlanta Center for Microengineering for Point of Care Technologies (ACME-POCT). We converted a complex system to recreate heart attacks from the flow of whole blood using microfluidics into a simple POC device that can be run by the phlebotomist to yield clinically relevant info within 5 minutes. (2) Nanoparticles have been suggested for drug delivery systems. However, we have recently found that the nanoparticles themselves may have therapeutic value in preventing heart attacks as a novel therapy. These nanoparticles act by physics so have a device instead of pharmaceutical regulatory pathway with potential $1 bn savings in development cost. (3) Lastly, new microPCR techniques have been used for diagnosing COVID-19. The next pathogen ripe for POC development should be other respiratory diseases such as TB that is the number one killer of children around the world. A novel sampling technique may allow better surveillance and adoption than sputum or nasal swabs while providing more information on who need not be quarantined.
Boxed Lunches will be served on a first-come first-served basis.
Can't make it to campus?
Watch a live-stream of the seminar here:
Nano@Tech Fall 2021 Schedule All Lectures 12PM - 1PM EST
December 14th | Gleb Yushin | School of Materials Science & Engineering, GT
IEN Industry Seminar Series The Future of Advanced Manufacturing
November 22, 2021 | 2pm - 3pm
Virtual Event
Abstract: This seminar will focus on the future of advanced manufacturing and how Nanotronics is bringing tools and software to market to help achieve that vision. Central to that vision is the concept of Artificial Intelligence Process Control – a concept that will be enabled through innovation taking place in our labs and from feedback at customer sites that are beginning to transform their production lines with our technology. We plan to address advancements in image analysis software, automation, and a variety of specific use-cases we’ve encountered over the course of the past several years.
Bio: Dr. Matthew Putman is an American scientist, educator, musician, and film/stage producer. He is best known for his work in nanotechnology. Putman currently serves as the CEO of Nanotronics, an advanced machines and intelligence company that has redefined factory control through the invention of a platform that combines AI, automation, and sophisticated imaging to assist human ingenuity in detecting flaws in manufacturing. The new Nanotronics headquarters serves as New York’s first high-tech manufacturing hub and is located in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
A webinar link will be sent to all those registered prior to the event
Contact:
Paul Joseph, Ph.D., MBA
Faculty - Principal Research Scientist
Director of External User Programs
Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC)
Georgia Tech - Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology paul.joseph@ien.gatech.edu
Covid-19 vaccines are available to all Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff, as well as their family members ages 12 and older. Vaccine clinics are now taking place every Tuesday on campus.
Testing continues to be available during the summer. If you're on campus and have not been vaccinated, keep testing weekly to help make campus as safe and healthy as possible.
Our mailing address is:
Institute for Electronics and Nanotechnology
Georgia Institute for Technology
Marcus Nanotechnology Building
345 Ferst Drive | Atlanta GA | 30332
The BMF microarch S140
