IUCRC Planning Grant North Carolina State University: Center for Interface Sciences for Emerging Devices & Systems (CISEDS)

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

Semiconductor technology is highly globalized, and its future relies on innovations in materials and their applications in novel device structures. Interfaces between different parts of semiconductor devices are of paramount importance in micro-, nano-, and optoelectronics devices and heterogeneous systems. Therefore, fundamental and applied research on semiconductor interfaces is critical for emerging technologies that impact a wide range of industrial sectors. This award supports the planning phase of the proposed Center for Interface Sciences for Emerging Devices & Systems (CISEDS), which is composed of North Carolina State University and Purdue University. The mission of CISEDS is to produce fundamental science to address electrical and thermal interface challenges of upcoming devices in virtually all sectors of the semiconductor industry, including low and high-power electronics, power transmission, communications, energy, and medicine. The industry is well aware that unresolved or undiscovered challenges related to interfaces can significantly limit achievable device performance and reliability. The Center aims to work with various industries to identify and address key interface challenges that limit the performance or lifetime of the devices. The research that will be conducted under CISEDS has the potential for high economic and societal impact and will provide a robust educational framework to train next-generation U.S. graduate students for the industry. The Center will endeavor to broaden the participation of underserved and underrepresented student groups by leveraging the existing relationships and actively building new ones with local minority-serving institutions and organizations on the local campuses. There has been significant progress in semiconductor materials, devices, and manufacturing over the last couple of decades. These advances were often made possible by inserting new materials into mature device structures. The semiconductor industry learned that to achieve the desired performance and device reliability, it is critically important to understand the scientific challenges in interfacing these new materials with those currently used in existing devices (e.g., metals, insulators, and other semiconductors). Quite often, such interfaces share similar science. As such, four thrust areas were selected as an initial research focus for the proposed Center: 1) Energy Conversion Devices, 2) Flexible/Stretchable Electronics, 3) Si & (Ultra) Wide Bandgap (WBG) Materials & Devices, and 4) 2D Materials & Devices. The fundamental science governing the interfaces, and the critical impact of interfaces on semiconductor device performance, are the backbone of the Center. The fundamental work on interfaces will enable advances within a given material/device technology as well as integration of various material systems into multifunctional components. 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.