Processes for Fabrication of Atomically Precise Strongly Correlated Materials

Developing knowledge-driven nanoelectronics for military applications requires understanding the fundamental physics that governs the behavior of the underlying materials. Strongly correlated materials have very desirable properties such as interfacial superconductivity, ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, and huge magnetoresistance, which make them an ideal set of candidates to integrate with semiconductor materials as device dimensions approach the atomic scale. These materials achieve their superb properties via electron-electron and electron-lattice interactions and have the potential to find military applications in the fields of supercomputing, memory, imaging and energy generation. However, since the physical, electrical and chemical phenomena underlying the operation of such materials occur at the nanoscale level, they require spatially and temporally resolved localized studies. Thus, the continued development of novel devices and materials geared toward such military oriented applications must involve extensive probing and characterization. The proposed nanomachine technology leverages powerful nano-electro-mechanical capabilities to perform tip-based nanofabrication, imaging, and testing of thin film materials and semiconductor devices. Research project objectives include synthesis of atomically precise strongly correlated thin films, fabrication of a nanomachine probe, and assembly of a nanomachine probe station. The outcome of this project will result in the fabrication of atomically precise strongly correlated nanowires with sub-10 nanometer critical dimensions.