Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona

Contact persons:

Montserrat Nafria (montse.nafria@uab.es)

Full Professor
Dept. Enginyeria Electrònica

Escola d’Enginyeria.
Carrer de les Sitges, s/n.

Campus de la UAB · 08193 Bellaterra
Barcelona · Spain
T +34 93 581 18 29

Jordi Sune (jordi.sune@uab.es)

UAB presentation

The group of Micro and Nanoelectronic Devices belongs to the Department of Electronic Engineering of the Universitat Autònoma Barcelona (Spain) and has a large and distinguished experience in the field of nanoelectronic devices, both ultimate CMOS devices (More Moore domain) and also emerging devices that take advantage of materials properties at the nanoscale (Beyond CMOS domain). Its activities cover the device concept, modeling, simulation, characterization and reliability. The group has built the required experimental facilities to carry out this research.

Equipment / Facilities

Processing platform

Modelling platform

Parallel Computing Laboratory.

High performance computing (HPC) cluster, with 32 AMD Opteron 248 processors (single core) and 8 Intel Xeon X5650 CPUs (6-core), with a total of 208 Gb of RAM and 1Tb of user storage, networked through dual Gigabit Ethernet and InfiniBand interconnects.
VASP 4.6, SIESTA and TRANSIESTA first-principles electronic structure and transport codes
Other GPLd software for molecular dynamics simulations.

Characterization platform

Nanoscale electrical characterization Laboratory.

Three atomic force microscopes, equipped with the modules for current (CAFM) and contact potential (KPFM) measurements, temperature and environmental control.
Prototype of Enhanced-CAFM (ECAFM) with 1pA-1mA current dynamic range, developed by the group.

Device level Electrical Characterization Laboratory.

200mm wafer probe stations electro-statically shielded (equipped with thermo-chuck)
Benches for semiconductor device measurement (Semiconductor Parameter Analyzers, LCR‑meters, switching matrix, pulse generator…).
Circuit modules for the characterization of highly specific phenomena in electron devices, developed by the group.

Expertise

		Main Expertises
Beyond CMOS	Neuromorphic Computing	Resistive switching devices (ReRAM): characterization and modeling.
	Phonon engineering	Multiscale (ab initio, molecular dynamics, finite elements) determination of thermal transport coefficients and heat flows.
	Small slope switches-NW/TFET/NEMS	x
	Alternative materials-2D layers	Electrical characterization of 2D nanodevices. Development of specialized characterization set-ups.
	Novel devices for ultra-low power	x
	1D	x
	Quantum Technologies & Very low temperature electronics	x
More Moore	Logic Nanodevices& circuits	Reliability of CMOS devices and integrated circuits. Electrical characterization and Modeling of 2D semiconductor based FETs for digital applications Development of specialized characterization set-ups and smart analysis techniques Modelling of quantum transport and simulation of nanometer scale devices using a multi-scale approach from ab-initio methods (SIESTA, BITLLES) to compact modelling. Modelling and simulation of ultra-small SOI-based MOSFETs in the scaling limit. Development of transistors for low-power switching applications based on ferroelectric materials
	Memories	Resistive switching devices (ReRAM): characterization and modeling.
	Very low power devices	x
	High temperature electronics	x
More than Moore	micro-nano-bio Sensors & Systems	x
	Energy Harvesting	x
	RF devices & circuits	Modelling and simulation of graphene and post-graphene 2D materials based field effect transistors targeting RF applications
	Photonics devices	x
	Power devices	x
	Flexible electronics	Electrical characterization and modeling of inkjet-printed devices, Organic TFTs.
Smart systems& Systems design	Smart systems	x
Smart systems& Systems design	Systems design	Device compact modeling for Reliability-Aware Design of ICs.

Research interests

		Research Interests
Beyond CMOS	Neuromorphic Computing	ReRAM compact modeling. Neuromorphic computing architectures. Stochastic Resonance in ReRAM
	Phonon engineering	Beyond-Fourier phenomena at the nanoscale. Heat management in nanodevices.
	Small slope switches-NW/TFET/NEMS	x
	Alternative materials-2D layers	Nanoscale (with CAFM) and device level electrical characterization of 2D nanodevices. Resistive switching phenomenon in 2D materials. Graphene-based devices for security applications.
	Novel devices for ultra-low power	x
	1D	x
	Quantum Technologies & Very low temperature electronics	x
More Moore	Logic Nanodevices& circuits	Characterization of aging mechanisms (RTN, BTI, HCI) in advanced nanoelectronic devices, including process-related variability. Device aging impact on ICs performance. Exploitation of device variability for security applications
	Memories	ReRAM compact modeling. Resistive switching phenomenon in 2D materials. Stochastic Resonance in RRAM
	Very low power devices	x
	High temperature electronics	x
More than Moore	micro-nano-bio Sensors & Systems	x
	Energy Harvesting	x
	RF devices & circuits	Graphene based devices targeting RF applications
	Photonics devices	x
	Power devices	x
	Flexible electronics	Emerging devices for security applications and wearable electronics
Smart systems& Systems design	Smart systems	x
Smart systems& Systems design	Systems design	Physics-based compact modelling of the CMOS aging mechanisms, for their inclusion in circuit reliability simulators.