The Department of Energy (DOE) is spearheading a $179 million investment to develop next-generation microelectronics, aiming to address the escalating energy demands driven by modern technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Leading institutions, including SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, are at the forefront of this effort, exploring innovative materials, AI-driven sensing technologies, and brain-inspired computing to enhance energy efficiency.
The Rising Energy Demand of Microelectronics
Microelectronics form the backbone of today’s technological advancements, powering everything from computers and medical devices to cutting-edge scientific instruments. However, the rapid integration of AI and other advanced technologies has significantly increased energy consumption, raising concerns about sustainability.
To tackle this issue, the DOE is funding three Microelectronics Science Research Centers, bringing together researchers from various disciplines and institutions to create energy-efficient microelectronics capable of operating reliably in extreme conditions.
SLAC’s Pivotal Role in Microelectronics Innovation
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is a key player in this initiative, leading two projects under the Microelectronics Energy Efficiency Research Center for Advanced Technologies (MEERCAT). Additionally, SLAC is collaborating on research at the Extreme Lithography & Materials Innovation Center (ELMIC) and the Co-design & Heterogeneous Integration for Microelectronics in Extreme Environments (CHIME) center.
“Breakthroughs in microelectronics are essential for advancing scientific discovery,” said Harriet Kung, DOE Office of Science Deputy Director for Science Programs. “The innovations emerging from these centers will not only improve everyday life but also reinforce U.S. leadership in science and technology.”
Redefining Microelectronics for Sustainability
As traditional methods of miniaturizing devices near their limits, researchers are exploring new approaches to balance the growing need for computational power and data processing with reduced energy consumption. MEERCAT is focused on pioneering new materials, device architectures, and system designs to push the boundaries of current computing and sensing capabilities.
One of MEERCAT’s flagship projects, Enabling Science for Transformative Energy-Efficient Microelectronics (ESTEEM), is led by Paul McIntyre, SLAC’s associate lab director for the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource.
The project involves collaboration with Stanford University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and University of Texas, San Antonio. The team aims to revolutionize manufacturing, metrology, design, and simulation processes for energy-efficient microelectronics, including the development of nanostructured materials and integrated hardware-software systems.
Brain-Inspired Computing: A Path to Efficiency
Researchers are drawing inspiration from the human brain to create more energy-efficient computing systems. Instead of relying on traditional configurations where data travels between separate memory and logic chips, the team is exploring ways to integrate multiple functions into a single device.
“The brain is far more energy-efficient than silicon-based computers,” McIntyre explained. This approach requires an “atoms-to-algorithms” strategy, which involves controlling physical processes across various scales and mapping them to software. SLAC’s expertise in materials science, device design, and advanced tools like X-ray and cryogenic electron microscopes will be instrumental in this effort.
Revolutionizing Data Sensing and Analysis
Modern scientific instruments generate vast amounts of data at unprecedented speeds, overwhelming conventional data storage and analysis methods. To address this, researchers are reimagining sensing systems to process and analyze data in real time, closer to the source.
The Adaptive Ultra-Fast Energy-Efficient Intelligent Sensing Technologies (AUREIS) project, part of MEERCAT and led by Angelo Dragone, SLAC’s deputy associate lab director, focuses on developing intelligent sensing systems.
By leveraging AI, machine learning, and advanced fabrication processes, the team aims to create adaptive, energy-efficient technologies that minimize the volume of data requiring computer processing. Collaborators include six national laboratories and universities, with access to world-class facilities like the Stanford Nanofabrication Facility and SLAC’s Instrumentation Division.
Microelectronics in Extreme Environments
Microelectronics often operate in harsh conditions, such as extreme cold, high radiation, or strong magnetic fields. SLAC’s experience in designing scientific instruments for high-energy physics, quantum sensing, and ultrafast X-ray science positions it uniquely to tackle these challenges.
ELMIC, for instance, focuses on integrating new materials and processes for future microelectronics, including plasma-based nanofabrication and extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Siegfried Glenzer, director of SLAC’s High Energy Density Science division, is collaborating on a project to develop a novel plasma source for EUV lithography, which could significantly reduce the energy required for chip manufacturing.
CHIME: Pioneering Next-Generation Technologies
CHIME aims to advance technologies from the atomic scale to fully integrated systems for use in demanding environments. One of its projects, Single Photon Detectors Integrated with Cryogenic Electronics (SPICE), led by Fermilab, focuses on developing advanced detectors for fundamental particle research. SLAC’s expertise in designing cryogenic electronics and X-ray detectors will play a critical role in this endeavor.
Driving Innovation in Microelectronics
“The DOE centers are addressing our growing energy needs by advancing fundamental research in microelectronics,” said John Sarrao, SLAC laboratory director. “This collaborative, co-design approach allows us to work closely with partners across the microelectronics ecosystem to develop groundbreaking technologies.”
The Microelectronics Science Research Centers are funded by the DOE Office of Science, with SLAC’s Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource (SSRL) and Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) serving as key user facilities in this transformative initiative.
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