Redesigning the transistor at the atomic-scale. Australian researchers have a world-wide leadership position in atomic-scale electronics. Through the development of powerful new fabrication technologies, Australian scientists are now poised to uncover the physical properties of electronic systems operating on the atomic-scale. This research will be internationally significant, providing ongoing international profile for Australian science. Perhaps more significantly, it will also lay the groundw ....Redesigning the transistor at the atomic-scale. Australian researchers have a world-wide leadership position in atomic-scale electronics. Through the development of powerful new fabrication technologies, Australian scientists are now poised to uncover the physical properties of electronic systems operating on the atomic-scale. This research will be internationally significant, providing ongoing international profile for Australian science. Perhaps more significantly, it will also lay the groundwork for future miniaturisation - and redesign - of the conventional transistor. Over the longer-term, it offers an opportunity for Australia to lift its involvement in the multi-trillion dollar global semiconductor industry.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0454224
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,234,800.00
Summary
Scanning probe facility for atomic-scale device fabrication in silicon and its integration with molecular electronics. This application will establish a unique scanning probe facility to launch two major new initiatives in electronic device fabrication in Australia: (i) atomic-scale device fabrication in silicon and (ii) the integration with molecular electronics. The revolutionary features of the Nanoprobe system exploits recent advances in scanning probe techniques to allow for the first time ....Scanning probe facility for atomic-scale device fabrication in silicon and its integration with molecular electronics. This application will establish a unique scanning probe facility to launch two major new initiatives in electronic device fabrication in Australia: (i) atomic-scale device fabrication in silicon and (ii) the integration with molecular electronics. The revolutionary features of the Nanoprobe system exploits recent advances in scanning probe techniques to allow for the first time fully functional silicon and hybrid silicon-molecular electronic devices to be fabricated and tested at the atomic-scale. Such a facility will draw together a host of experienced researchers in this emerging field enabling Australia to actively lead the development of this new technology at its early stages.Read moreRead less
Fundamental conduction mechanisms in atomic-scale silicon devices. This proposal will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of worldwide research into atomic-scale electronics. It links leading nanotechnologists from Canada and Italy to a dynamic and growing Australian team, which already has strong collaborations with researchers in the UK, the US, Japan, and Taiwan. In the long-run, Australia stands to benefit indirectly from the research as it is a significant user of semiconductors ....Fundamental conduction mechanisms in atomic-scale silicon devices. This proposal will ensure that Australia remains at the forefront of worldwide research into atomic-scale electronics. It links leading nanotechnologists from Canada and Italy to a dynamic and growing Australian team, which already has strong collaborations with researchers in the UK, the US, Japan, and Taiwan. In the long-run, Australia stands to benefit indirectly from the research as it is a significant user of semiconductors across all major industries. More importantly, by anticipating the problems that electronic device manufacturers will face over their long-term horizons, the proposed research also seeks to provide Australia with a chance to lift its involvement in the multi-trillion dollar global semiconductor industry.Read moreRead less
Atomic-scale Devices in Silicon - the Ultimate Limit of Microelectronics. Miniaturisation is the driving force behind the microelectronics industry, but beyond 2015 there is no known route to reduce device sizes below 10nm. The Fellowship will launch a major new initiative for the fabrication of silicon electronic devices at the atomic-scale (0.1nm). The project will exploit recent advances in scanning probe techniques to develop smaller and faster conventional transistors, nanoscale integrated ....Atomic-scale Devices in Silicon - the Ultimate Limit of Microelectronics. Miniaturisation is the driving force behind the microelectronics industry, but beyond 2015 there is no known route to reduce device sizes below 10nm. The Fellowship will launch a major new initiative for the fabrication of silicon electronic devices at the atomic-scale (0.1nm). The project will exploit recent advances in scanning probe techniques to develop smaller and faster conventional transistors, nanoscale integrated circuits, and address device reproducibility at this scale. This will extend Australia's early lead in atomic-scale silicon electronics to the stage where interested industry partners can evaluate it commercially in a way that will maximise benefits to Australia.Read moreRead less
Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design bett ....Modelling quantum dynamics of electronic excited states in complex molecular materials. Understanding new materials that are the basis of new sources of renewable energy sources represents a major scientific challenge. Many of these materials are composed of large organic molecules containing hundreds of atoms. Their properties and the concepts needed to understand these materials are distinctly different from semiconductors such as silicon. This research will enhance our ability to design better materials and optimize the performance of organic solar cells and LEDs. Australia's capacity for research and development in this scientifically challenging and technologically important field will be enhanced by this project. Read moreRead less
Spin tunnelling transport and quantum effects in magnetic nanostructures. A new field of "spintronics" takes advantage of the spin of electrons and revolutionises electronics leading to quantum devices. By understanding the behaviour of electron spin in materials we can learn new fundamentals in solid-state physics that will lead to a new generation of electronic, optoelectronic and magneto-electronic devices. The aim of this project is to study the spin tunnelling transport and noise, and relat ....Spin tunnelling transport and quantum effects in magnetic nanostructures. A new field of "spintronics" takes advantage of the spin of electrons and revolutionises electronics leading to quantum devices. By understanding the behaviour of electron spin in materials we can learn new fundamentals in solid-state physics that will lead to a new generation of electronic, optoelectronic and magneto-electronic devices. The aim of this project is to study the spin tunnelling transport and noise, and related quantum effects in various magnetic nanostructures, such as ferromagnet/semiconductor/ferromagnet junctions, using quantum statistics approsches. The outcome of the project is of considerable relevance to the researches of nanostructure and quantum information/computation in Australia.Read moreRead less
Hydrogen Absorption by Nanostructured Carbons. Carbon-based materials show great promise for clean energy storage through the absorption and desorption of hydrogen. The project aims to use powerful theoretical and experimental methods to resolve the controversy that surrounds reports of massive hydrogen absorption by nanostructured carbons, by understanding why particular structures should or should not absorb hydrogen atoms or molecules. We will particularly study and model intercalated graphit ....Hydrogen Absorption by Nanostructured Carbons. Carbon-based materials show great promise for clean energy storage through the absorption and desorption of hydrogen. The project aims to use powerful theoretical and experimental methods to resolve the controversy that surrounds reports of massive hydrogen absorption by nanostructured carbons, by understanding why particular structures should or should not absorb hydrogen atoms or molecules. We will particularly study and model intercalated graphite and nanotubes made in Australia. Their hydrogen capacity will be compared to the US DOE target of 6.5 weight percent for viable automotive hydrogen fuel storage. Reproducibly exceeding this target would constitute a great advance in the field.Read moreRead less
Single atom defined nanostructures: atom-electronics beyond the miniaturization limit. The emerging era of atom-electronics promises to revolutionise microelectronics in the 21st century by going beyond the conventional miniaturization limit of microelectronics. Emerging atom level fabrication and control techniques offer the promise of building devices whose fundamental components are built atom-by-atom and function under completely new rules. This Discovery Project will apply critical new theo ....Single atom defined nanostructures: atom-electronics beyond the miniaturization limit. The emerging era of atom-electronics promises to revolutionise microelectronics in the 21st century by going beyond the conventional miniaturization limit of microelectronics. Emerging atom level fabrication and control techniques offer the promise of building devices whose fundamental components are built atom-by-atom and function under completely new rules. This Discovery Project will apply critical new theoretical tools, in partnership with leading experimental groups, to enable the exploration of this technology and the creation of new and innovative applications which will have far reaching implications in all areas of society and significant national benefit.Read moreRead less
Silicon-based molecular electronics. A whole new class of electronic devices based on single atoms and molecules is emerging. At this scale, the device components cease to behave like ordinary matter and novel quantum effects can be exploited. The tremendous potential for both device miniaturisation and the exploitation of quantum effects afforded by single-molecule devices has already been demonstrated. However, methods for assembling single-molecules into circuits and integrating them with con ....Silicon-based molecular electronics. A whole new class of electronic devices based on single atoms and molecules is emerging. At this scale, the device components cease to behave like ordinary matter and novel quantum effects can be exploited. The tremendous potential for both device miniaturisation and the exploitation of quantum effects afforded by single-molecule devices has already been demonstrated. However, methods for assembling single-molecules into circuits and integrating them with conventional technology remain elusive. Here, a strategy is presented for combining the functionality of organic, carbon-based components, with more conventional, silicon-based technology. The potential economic benefits for Australia of this hybrid carbon/silicon strategy are huge.Read moreRead less
Imaging surface topography using Lloyd's Mirror in photo-emission electron microscopy. The wide-ranging and innovative nature of the proposal will significantly raise Australia's international profile in condensed matter physics through high impact publications and invited presentations at major international conferences. Researchers will be trained in cutting-edge electron microscopy and synchrotron science. A spin-off company will be formed to commercialise software for reconstructing surface ....Imaging surface topography using Lloyd's Mirror in photo-emission electron microscopy. The wide-ranging and innovative nature of the proposal will significantly raise Australia's international profile in condensed matter physics through high impact publications and invited presentations at major international conferences. Researchers will be trained in cutting-edge electron microscopy and synchrotron science. A spin-off company will be formed to commercialise software for reconstructing surface topography and generating movies of dynamic events. The development of new synchrotron based electron microscopy techniques will establish the expertise for the future creation of a dedicated nanotechnology beamline equipped with photo-emission electron microscopy which will have far reaching national benefit in the physical sciences.Read moreRead less