Research | Nanoelectronics Research Lab

NRL Research Vision & Areas

NRL is focused on innovating nanoscale devices uniquely enabled by engineering of emerging electronic, photonic and magnetic materials for a wide range of applications – from computing and sensing, to energy conversion and communication. Our overarching research philosophy is to address major challenges in these domains by pioneering fundamentally new concepts and prototypes to enable a smarter life. We employ a distinctive “atoms to applications” approach - traversing low-dimensional materials physics, predictive ab-initio modeling, electrical/thermal transport theory, and synthesis/manipulation of nanomaterials to semiconductor device design, nanofabrication and characterization as well as circuit design.

Several NRL innovations have found wide-scale implementation in the semiconductor industry or have been successfully transitioned to industry for further R&D. NRL research has made significant impact in the following areas:

We employ a distinctive “atoms to applications” approach...

Kaustav Banerjee
NRL Director and Principal Investigator

Areas

Quantum Engineered Materials

Exploration of atomically-thin (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials (graphene, h-BN, MoS2, WSe2, etc) and their heterostructures; Intercalated vdW materials; Dirac and Weyl semimetals; Ferromagnetic and anti-ferromagnetic materials; Topological insulators; Mott insulators; Moiré engineered materials, etc., for applications in nanoelectronic, photonic, and quantum computing devices.

Beyond Moore Devices

Beyond-CMOS nanotransistors and their derivatives including logic and memory devices; 3D integration; Emerging ultra-low power quantum devices including sub kT/q transistors, and spintronics, valleytronics, mottronics devices, for applications in energy-efficient ICs and non-Von Neumann electronics including brain-inspired devices and circuits.

IoT Devices and Electronics

Ultra-low power and high-sensitivity bio/chemical/gas sensors; Device technologies for harsh environments; Wireless communication and sensing devices; Energy scavenging/conversion devices including thermoelectric devices; Nano-bio interface devices and technologies; Flexible/stretchable/wearable electronics and displays; Artificial intelligence processing edge devices.

Interconnects and Passives

Emerging interconnect technologies for next-generation ICs; Solutions to interconnect issues in multicore, network-on-chip, neuromorphic, and monolithic 3D ICs; Ultra high-frequency modeling and parasitic extraction techniques for on-chip interconnects and passive elements; RFIDs, inductors, transformers, capacitors, and antennas that exploit new materials and mechanisms for boosting performance and reliability along with area/energy- efficiency and flexibility.

Facilities

In addition to its dedicated material synthesis and characterization, simulation, and device measurement facilities, NRL has access to state-of-the-art equipment across the UCSB Nanofabrication Facility, Nanostructures Cleanroom Facility, and the Materials Research Laboratory. This makes NRL one of the most advanced research labs specializing in quantum engineered materials and devices - if we can't make it, no one can!