Four MSI PIs have published a paper in the journal Nature Materials in which they describe a new material that may improve computer processing and memory capabilities. The PIs are Jian-Ping Wang (professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering); Mo Li (associate professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering); K. Andre Mkhoyan (associate professor, Chemical Engineering and Materials Science); and Tony Low (assistant professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering).
The paper describes creating a thin film of bismuth selenide using a method called “sputtering.” This method, while common in the semiconductor industry, is here used for the first time to create a topological insulator material. The nano-sized particles in the material change the way it behaves, resulting in a material that is much more efficient for computer processing and memory compared to current materials.
An article about this study can be found on the University of Minnesota news website: New material could improve efficiency of computer processing and memory. The article can be read on the Nature Materials website: Room-temperature high spin-orbit torque due to quantum confinement in sputtered BixSe(1-x) films.
Professor Wang is currently using MSI resources on a project to calculate the electronic structures and magnetic properties of the FeN and FeCN. Professor Low uses MSI to study the structures and optical properties of 2D crystals such as graphene and black phosphorus. Professor Li uses MSI for projects to design and fabricate nanoscale photonics devices to enable strong light interaction. Professor Mkhoyan uses MSI for simulations to support several projects involving transmission electron microscopy.