FuSe-TG: Atomically Precise Graphene Nanoribbon-based Transistors: Materials, Devices, Circuits, and Systems

Professors Zafer Mutlu of the University of Arizona, Michael Crommie of the University of California, Berkeley, Selcuk Kose of the University of Rochester, Ulya R. Karpuzcu of the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and Mehmet E. Belviranli of Colorado School of Mines are supported by the NSF Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) Program to assemble a multidisciplinary team of experts from five institutions to identify and investigate the challenges facing graphene nanoribbon-based field effect transistor (GNRFET) computing system at the material, device, circuit, and system levels. Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs), a one-dimensional (1D) material with superb electrical, electronic, thermal, and power consumption properties, have recently emerged as a promising candidate to replace silicon-based transistors. The road to large-scale production of GNR materials, transistors, and associated devices could take decades using existing scientific processes and educational models. In this team-building effort, the interdisciplinary research team will accelerate this process through a holistic model based on co-design principles. The initial planning phase focuses on seeding synergy and establishing research connections with new stakeholders from academia and industry. The research activities are complemented by a comprehensive educational and workforce development plan addressing skilled labor needs at all levels and stages of the semiconductor industry. Workshops are planned to facilitate the involvement of students and teachers from diverse populations and institutions, including community colleges, and professionals from the semiconductor industry. In this project, a thorough exploration of the post-silicon semiconductor technology will be undertaken at different layers of abstraction. The short-term goal is to advance GNRFET technology, design basic logic gates, and benchmark circuits through discovery of nonconventional semiconducting materials suitable for processing and integration in devices. The specific targets are to improve the growth of GNRs and the single-device performance of GNRFETs, to develop n-type GNRFETs, and to build and demonstrate simple GNR circuits. Capacitive and inductive coupling challenges, as well as certain thermal characteristics of GNRFETs, will be investigated. A design space exploration towards GNRFET-based computing systems will be performed. The performance, energy and thermal behavior of potential applications will be theoretically modeled. 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.