Physics Colloquium: Two dimensional materials based “Iontronic” devices

Physics Colloquium
Two dimensional materials based “Iontronic” devices – a path to energy efficient logic, memory, and artificial intelligence

Dr. Ke Xu
Assistant Professor
School of Physics and Astronomy, RIT

Iontronics is a newly emerging, interdisciplinary concept that bridges electronics and ionics, and covers solid-state physics, electronic engineering, and biological sciences.

Abstract:
In this era of big-data, every one of us generates a massive amount of information every day. With the impending rise of wearable technology, the “Internet of Things”, and the “2nd quantum revolution”, the pace of data creation will only increase. Data processing demands will require electronics that are more powerful, but requires less energy. However, the continuous miniaturization of electronics over the past 60 years is nearing an end due to physical constraints. Novel materials systems and device concepts are needed. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are molecularly thin, layered materials that have great potential in energy-efficient electronics and photonics; however, conventional doping strategies have difficulty accessing some of their interesting properties such as superconductivity, metal-to-insulator phase transitions, and optical bandgap tuning. Iontronics is a newly emerging, interdisciplinary concept that bridges electronics and ionics, and covers solid-state physics, electronic engineering, and biological sciences. An iontronic device has electronic properties or functions controlled by ionic motion and arrangement, and they can even exceed state-of-the art. For example, an ionically gated device can have sheet carrier densities of 1014 /cm2, which is more than one order of magnitude larger than achievable by conventional gating techniques. I will describe my work using ions to control transport in 2D materials such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) for applications in next generation low-power transistors, non-volatile memory, and artificial synaptic devices at the ultimate limit of scaling.

Speaker Bio:
Dr. Ke Xu is currently a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the School of Physics and Astronomy and Program Faculty in Microsystems Engineering. Previously he was a Research Assistant Professor at University of Pittsburgh and Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Quantum Institute (PQI). He received his B.S. in Optical Engineering and Optoelectronics from Zhejiang University in China, and his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from University of Illinois at Chicago working with Prof. Michael Stroscio and Prof. Mitra Dutta. His doctoral research focused on graphene- and DNA aptamer-based micro/nano scale electronic devices and their applications in photodetectors and biomolecular sensing. He worked as a post-doctoral researcher with Prof. Susan Fullerton-Shirey at University of Notre Dame on the development of low-voltage and steep subthreshold swing components for beyond-CMOS electronic systems. His current research interests include two-dimensional (2D) materials based nanoelectronic devices, with the focus on understanding ion-electron transport at the molecular level, for application in next-generation energy efficient electronic devices at the limit of scaling for memory, logic, energy storage, neuromorphic computing, and quantum information science.

Intended Audience:
Beginners, undergraduates, graduates. Those with interest in the topic.

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