The objective is to develop methods for power efficient high-speed signal processing with components based on nano size elements. We also develop advanced materials and methods to design and control material properties to achieve high strength, tailored electrical/thermal conductivity, and specific optical or RF properties. By characterizing and further developing the unique properties of nanomaterials for nanocomputing we simultaneously create a basis for future adaptive, ubiquitous and wearable devices.
The research is multidisciplinary and requires linking of different physical scales. We range from atomic level to full scale products using multi-scale computational physics. We study the interfaces between both atom to meso-scale and meso to continuum scale.
Research topics
- Graphene electronics: Electromechanical properties of graphene are studied to investigate if and how graphene can challenge the present domination of silicon on any areas of nanoelectronics, i.e. from the level of single components to systems architecture.
- New signal processing methods and devices: A top down approach to signal processing and information storage with nano components. In order to build nanotechnology based devices we study different architectures for systems of nanocomponents, bio-inspired and other computing algorithms, interfaces between different scales, as well as noise effects.
- Self-assembled functional materials: A bottom up approach with the main goal to create total novel (multi)functional materials and specific structures with unique properties as enablers for future ubiquitous devices. Researchers at TKK have already been able to build a variety of specific supramolecular structures utilizing self-organization and biomimetic approach to combine different molecular scale building blocks. Our ultimate targets are externally controllable functional materials which can specifically change their properties on command.
- Low cost electronics: Printable electronics is studied using carbon nanotube networks as a flexible semiconductor material. Manufacturing methods are investigated and a transistor built, and its properties are characterized using measurements and computational physics.
Publications
Asta Kärkkäinen, presentation and podcast, Nanotechnology and environmental solutions in Nokia: The way we live next, Oulu, Finland, October 2007.
Asta Kärkkäinen, an invited talk Challenges for future mobile phones in the 9th Leti annual review, Minatec, Grenoble, France, June 18-19, 2007.
Mikko Uusitalo, an invited talk From Micro- to Nanoelectronics in the 7th International Workshop on Future Information Processing Technologies, Dresden, Germany, September 4, 2007.
Collaborators
- University of Cambridge
- Helsinki University of Technology
- CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd.
Contact
Asta Kärkkäinen, Team Leader
