In order for us to live comfortably, the devices we use on a daily basis are now increasingly modernized: smartphones, automatic vacuum cleaners, autonomous cars, etc. Please note that these electronic instruments contain silicon chips to function and ensure a certain performance. Yet, from a CMOS design, these tiny brains of digital devices are limited, both in size and in effectiveness.
More importantly, silicon consumes too much energy. So researchers are exploring new alternatives to optimize electronic instruments, while reducing energy consumption.
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory seek to design new, more efficient chips and that save more of energy. Two projects are currently underway to increase energy efficiency in microelectronics manufacturing.
Two projects already underway
The first project is a collaboration between scientists from Berkeley Lab, Sandia National Laboratory and UC Berkeley. This program is called « Co-Design and Integration of Nano-Sensors on CMOS ». It consists of integrating nanomaterials, devices invisible to the naked eye, in CMOS circuits. Serving as light sensors, these nanosensors increase performance of a conventional chip and process the data.
The second project is the result of cooperation between researchers at Berkeley AB and UC Berkeley. Entitled « Co-Design of Ultra-Low Voltage Beyond CMOS Microelectronics », this one aims to lower energy consumption. This will involve working on a magnetoelectric material capable of converting magnetic force into applied voltage having been discovered in 2014.
Towards the next generation of computing…
In a few decades, chips made from silicon will expend an immense part of the amount of energy available. Compared to devices without chips, electronic devices are much more energy intensive. Microelectronics thus always represent more expenses, because we are more and more dependent on digital technology.
In 2015, only 4-5% of the world’s total primary energy was consumed by microelectronics. From here 2030, this would reach 25%. It is very relevant to remedy this problem to reduce the carbon footprint.
Currently, many scientists are looking forinnovations fundamentals in the field of materials to significantly reduce the energy consumption of microelectronics. World-renowned experts in all relevant fields unite to constitute next generation computing.
SOURCE : SCITECHDAILY
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