Electronic Materials (PGI-7)

At Peter Grünberg Institute 7 (PGI-7, Electronic Materials), we develop and apply novel approaches to materials discovery, materials characterization, and device engineering & implementation for beyond-state-of-the-art information technologies and artificial intelligence (AI).

The PGI-7 research ranges from ‘materials and phenomena’ to ‘devices and integration technology’ to ‘memristive neuromrophic hardware’, spanning a broad spectrum of expertise for a comprehensive approach to new materials, electronics, and information processing. We specifically explore the nanoionic processes in oxides and 2D materials. Our research on memristive devices covers basic phenomena, modelling from the atomistic to the circuit level and the development of physics-aware test algorithms. We are contributing to the international research communities in solid state ionics, oxide electronics, and neuromorphic computing, and linking our research to the fields of energy materials, quantum materials, and functional ceramics.

Director: Prof. Dr. Regina Dittmann

It is our vision to contribute to the discovery and development of new disruptive computing technologies by excellent research and an integrative approach starting from basic research and reaching up to systems development. In this way, we aim to take a key role in the PGI’s general mission to discover and interpret new phenomena in solid matter, to develop new materials and functional nanostructures, and to innovate experimental and theoretical models, with the major focus on long-term applications in information technology.

Prof. Dr. Ilia Valov Shares Insights in Nature Materials Interview “Material Considerations of Memristors at the Nanoscale”

Prof. Dr. Ilia Valov talks to Nature Materials about the relationship between nanoscale structure, composition, electrochemistry and the properties and functionalities of memristors.

Women in STEM Podcast mit Regina Dittmann

In the Women in STEM Podcast Series, Regina Dittmann shares insights into her scientific career, her research on innovative electronic materials, and her experiences within the international research community—an engaging conversation full of personal perspective and technical expertise.

Publication highlights

The Influence of Residual Ion Drift During Programming of Chip-Integrated Nanoscale HfO2-Based Memristive Devices

Oliver Artner analyzed the transient SET behavior of HfO2 devices in a 1T1R configuration and demonstrated that residual ion drift during SET affects the level and variability of the programmed states, whilst the variability could be reduced by a controlled decrease of the transistor’s gate voltage.

Reduced Variability in Threshold Switches Using Heterostructures of SiOx and Vertically Aligned MoS

Here, we employ vertically aligned 2D MoS2 (VAMoS₂) for reliable threshold switching (TS) in resistive switching devices.

Extrinsic and Intrinsic Charge Transfer at Interfaces of Membrane-Based Oxide Heterostructures

In this study led by Kapil Nayak (PGI-7) in collaboration with the University of Twente (Christoph Baeumer), we introduced a novel route for fabricating an atomically defined TiO2-terminated SrTiO3 membranes.

A Flexible and Energy-Efficient Compute-in-Memory Accelerator for Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks

In this study, led by Chirag Sudarshan and John Paul Strachan (PGI-14), we present KA-CIM, a compute-in-memory accelerator for Kolmogorov–Arnold Networks (KANs).

Material sustainability evaluation of electrocatalysts in early-stage research – case study on La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ and La0.6Ca0.4FeO3-δ in alkaline water electrolysis

In this collaborative study with ICE-2 (Andrea Schreiber) and the University of Twente (Chris Baeumer), we highlight the benefits of assessing sustainability criteria as an additional dimension for materials choice already at the early stage of research.

Peter Grünberg Institute (PGI)