Project description
Exploring resistive switching devices for next-generation computing systems
Digital computers use CMOS technology, which boosts performance via downscaling according to Moore’s law. But with transistor sizes nearing a few nanometres, new logic switches are needed to push Moore’s law beyond CMOS limits. The ERC-funded RESCUE project plans to develop a novel computing paradigm based on resistive switching devices, which change their resistance through electrically induced redox reactions. This phenomenon serves as the foundation for resistive memory technology, a potential future computer memory and storage solution. RESCUE will focus on fabricating devices, designing new logic gates and demonstrating computing circuits. By comparing resistive switching logic to CMOS, it will determine the technology strengths and potential applications in computing.
Objective
Digital computers rely today on CMOS (complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor) technology, which improves its performance every generation thanks to the Moore’s law of downscaling. As CMOS transistor size approaches few nm, alternative logic switches with better scaling capability must be identified to prolong Moore’s law beyond CMOS. Among the emerging switching concepts, resistive switching (RS) devices can change their resistance by electrically-induced redox reactions. RS provides the basis for the resistive memory (ReRAM) technology which is currently investigated as future computer memory and storage technology. The objective of this project is to design, develop and demonstrate a novel computing paradigm based on RS devices. The project will pursue this objective at 3 levels of increasing complexity, namely the device fabrication, the design of new logic gates and the demonstration of computing circuits. RS logic will be finally compared to CMOS and other approaches to identify the strength and the potential applications of RS logic in the computing scenario.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantHost institution
20133 Milano
Italy