Computational Devices and Applications of 2D Materials

Computational Devices and Applications of 2D Materials with Dr. Shaloo Rakheja

ABSTRACT

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as promising candidates for beyond-silicon channel materials in gate-all-around (GAA) transistor architectures, thanks to their exceptional performance at the atomic scale. Their atomically thin nature gives rise to strong coupling between electronic, optical, and mechanical properties, enabling functionalities that are difficult to achieve with bulk materials. Thousands of 2D materials with intriguing electronic characteristics have been computationally predicted, offering a vast design space for next-generation devices.

In this talk, the focus is on a particularly important class of 2D materials—transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)—which are not only integral to beyond-silicon logic transistors but also hold significant potential for emerging technologies such as memristive devices for neuromorphic computing and reconfigurable electronics for hardware security. The webinar will cover recent advances in TMD-based transistors, emphasizing the role of mechanical strain in enhancing carrier mobility and device performance, and will present benchmarking results against projected silicon-based technologies. Furthermore, the speaker will share latest research on non-volatile devices that combine 2D ferroelectrics with TMD channel materials in Schottky barrier transistor architectures. These devices are reconfigurable, that is, they can dynamically alter their functionality, enabling logic locking and offering a lightweight, robust solution for integrated circuit security. Finally, the speaker will outline a vision for a "More-than- Moore" future, where 2D materials and devices unlock entirely new functionalities and computing paradigms beyond conventional scaling.

BIO

Shaloo Rakheja is an Associate Professor and Intel Alumni Endowed Faculty Fellow in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Previously, she was Assistant Professor of ECE at New York University (2015 – 2019) and a Postdoctoral Associate at the Microsystems Technology Laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2012 – 2014). She leads the Center for Advanced Semiconductor Chips with Accelerated Performance (ASAP) – an Industry-University Cooperative Research Center, funded by the NSF, industry, and government and addressing the energy challenge of computing systems. She is also the Director of Illinois Semiconductor Workforce Network (ISWN), a collaboration between academic institutions, national labs, industry, and IL ecosystem to address the workforce needs of the semiconductor industry. Shaloo is an expert in physics-based modeling of nanoelectronic devices for energy-efficient computing and communication. She has developed multi-scale models that enable materials-to-circuits co-design for a wide range of technologically relevant applications.