Research

Scientific Grand Challenge

The CEEMag EFRC is dedicated to advancing the scientific knowledge base of magnon excitation, propagation, transduction and control that is motivated by an end use of magnon-based interconnects and their integration into microelectronics. 

Magnons provide the promise for microelectronics with low-loss information and energy transfer at the nanoscale using propagating excitations with wavelengths that are orders of magnitude smaller than microwave or photonic interconnects. Fundamental innovations in materials, theory, and structures for magnonic systems in a co-design approach will enable new THz-frequency, low-loss interconnects based on spin wave excitations that can also deliver active control including switching, modulation, and amplification. Not only can information be encoded in both amplitude and phase of magnons, but also nonlinearity and non-reciprocity can provide additional functionality, making magnons far more versatile than electrons in future interconnects.

To establish the viability of a new magnon-based platform requires overcoming scientific challenges in magnon transmission in lateral geometries in the context of magnon interconnects. Discoveries in magnon excitation, transmission, control, and detection will be critical to lay the scientific foundation of such a magnon-based platform. These scientific discoveries and co-design steps made by CEEMag will enable critical elements for magnon interconnects– including sources, waveguides, amplification, mixing and non-reciprocity.

To tackle the multi-disciplinary scientific challenges of understanding magnon behavior and making useful interconnects, we have assembled an integrated EFRC-scale effort with a multi-institution team via three research thrusts.