Mercer Times

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) two Microelectronics Science Research Center projects. These projects are part of a collaborative effort involving national labs, academic institutions, and industry partners. Researchers from Princeton University will serve as deputy directors alongside PPPL project directors.

Each project will receive $3 million annually over four years. The awards highlight PPPL's expertise in plasma processes crucial for advancing semiconductor manufacturing and developing materials essential for maintaining U.S. competitiveness globally.

These DOE-funded projects stem from the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, which prioritized research on energy-efficient microelectronics and those suitable for extreme environments. Out of 16 approved projects, eight were awarded to DOE national labs focusing on extreme environments, while the remaining eight emphasized energy efficiency. These projects form a networked center within each theme.

Both PPPL awards focus on extreme environments due to their emphasis on plasma science. One project aims to create smaller, more capable microelectronics using 2D materials produced in high-temperature plasma chambers. The other explores the properties of diamond material for sensors and electronics that can endure harsh conditions.

“These projects will provide a better understanding of how to craft the materials needed for next-generation semiconductors at the atomic scale,” said Emily Carter, Gerhard R. Andlinger Professor in Energy and the Environment at Princeton University and associate laboratory director of applied materials and sustainability sciences (AMSS) at PPPL. “The outcomes of this research have the potential to profoundly influence multiple industries worldwide, reflecting the integral role microelectronics play in our daily lives.”

AMSS researchers are leveraging their plasma expertise to develop new technologies in microelectronics, quantum sensing, and sustainability. They collaborate with industry partners like Applied Materials, Lam Research, and Samsung to innovate techniques for microchip fabrication and etching. In March 2024, AMSS also opened the Quantum Diamond Laboratory (QDL) at PPPL.

Yevgeny Raitses leads a project aimed at integrating 2D materials into 3D complex nanostructures for next-generation microelectronics as devices continue to shrink in size but increase in complexity.

“Plasma is a critical component of nearly half of all semiconductor manufacturing processes,” said Raitses. “We aim to create a science-based plasma-processing toolbox to enable the integration of 2D materials into next-generation semiconductor device manufacturing processes.”

The team includes researchers from Princeton University, University of Michigan, University of Houston, UCLA, and IBM Research’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center.

Alastair Stacey heads another project focused on developing resilient sensors from diamond material.

“There are a set of really extreme environments that most electronics can’t survive and that diamond might be able to do well in,” said Stacey.

Diamond's hardness and thermal conductivity make it promising for use in challenging conditions such as space or nuclear reactors where high-energy particles pose risks.

“There are a bunch of really technical questions about actually making diamond work as an electronic material,” Stacey noted. His research includes exploring transistors made from diamond instead of silicon and examining its capacity for handling high-power loads.

“One of the things we have to figure out is how close can we get right to the fusion reactor before we just completely wipe out the material,” he added.

This project involves researchers from QDL, Princeton University, UCLA, MIT, The Ohio State University, RMIT, and International FemtoScience Inc., each contributing unique expertise.

“By working together," Stacey concluded,"we should be able to produce something bigger than the sum of its parts within each project but also within each overarching networked center."