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Material Science

Assistant, Associate & Full Professors

The initial guidelines for the Centre defined its focus on ‘Cognitive Materials’. Several material systems and areas of expertise were already being studied within the Zernike Institute. The researchers working on these topics are therefore central participants, with leading roles in current research. The materials science contributions aim to explore, study and further design (opto-)electronic materials that can both transfer signals over short timescales and exhibit learning effects over long timescales (e.g. as is present in established memristor functionality). Thereby, the material is suited to the cognitive processing of information, with learning features (adaptivity/plasticity). The long-term learning dynamics may come from effects such as ion displacement and phase changes, while short-term signal transfer typically concerns electronic or optical transport properties. Operating modes with low-energy consumption and toggling (gradual) between learning modes and operational modes, may occur via the tuning of the spiked character of signals or via the gating of field-effects in the material.

We aim to explore this functionality in various material systems and devices: i) where both aspects are intrinsically present at the nanoscale within a material; ii) in hybrid systems where part of the functionality is in the material, while additional transistors are present for feedback routes and tuning; iii) through a fully device-based approach, particularly relevant to devices that have the prospect of dense integration and very low power consumption. In this regard, we are building on our expertise in materials with tuneable conducting domain walls, skyrmions, functionalized carbon nanotubes, phase change or ferroic materials, as well as expertise on optoelectronics, spintronics, thermoelectrics, polymer self-assembly, nano-ionics and device physics.

Tamalika Banerjee
Tamalika Banerjee

Prof. dr. Tamalika Banerjee
Spintronics of Functional Materials

Elisabetta Chicca
Elisabetta Chicca

Prof. dr. Elisabetta Chicca
Bio-Inspired Circuits and Systems

Caspar van der Wal
Erika Covi

Dr. Erika Covi
Cognitive Devices

Bart Kooi
Bart Kooi

Prof. dr. ir. Bart Kooi
Nanostructured Materials and Interfaces

Maria Loi
Maria Loi

Prof. dr. Maria Loi
Photophysics and OptoElectronics

Beatriz Noheda
Beatriz Noheda

Prof. dr. Beatriz Noheda
Nanostructures of Functional Oxides

Georige Palasantzas
Georige Palasantzas

Prof. dr. George Palasantzas
Physics (Surface interactions and Nanostructures)

Petra Rudolf
Petra Rudolf

Prof. dr. Petra Rudolf
Experimental Solid State Physics

Last modified:02 February 2024 1.37 p.m.