Secure communication technology research at VCU College of Engineering receives Commonwealth Cyber Initiative support
The Commonwealth Cyber Initiative’s (CCI) Northern Virginia Node recently awarded a $75,000 grant to Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Engineering, to develop an ultra-subwavelength microwave polarization switch for secure communication.
The one-year grant comes through the Cyber Acceleration, Translation and Advanced Prototyping for University Linked Technology (CATAPULT) Fund. It supports Bandyopadhyay’s project, “An ultra-subwavelength microwave polarization switch for secure communication,” which develops a nanomagnet-based antenna integrated with a piezoelectric component. This system can switch the polarization of electromagnetic beams at specific microwave frequencies to enable secret communication between two points without traditional encryption methods.
“Secret communication sheds the need for encryption,” Bandyopadhyay said. “Any cryptography can be broken, but this scheme does not use cryptography for secret communication and does not suffer from this vulnerability. It is also entirely based on hardware and cannot be hacked.”
The technology offers significant benefits for banking, healthcare and government communications where data security is critical because a hardware-based approach makes it immune to software hacking.
Another result of the research is antenna miniaturization, with antenna sizes several orders of magnitude smaller than the radiated wavelength. This addresses limitations in algorithms, physical size and power requirements that current secure communication systems face.
Bandyopadhyay is collaborating with two researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Tech and Erdem Topsakal, Ph.D., senior associate dean for strategic initiatives and professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at VCU.
Students involved in the project will be trained in antenna engineering, microwaves and communication engineering, gaining skills increasingly vital in today’s connected world.
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay is Commonwealth Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University. He received a B. Tech degree in Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India; an M.S degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois; and a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. He spent one year as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana (1986-87) and then nine years on the faculty of University of Notre Dame. In 1996, he joined University of Nebraska-Lincoln as Professor of Electrical Engineering, and then in 2001, moved to Virginia Commonwealth University as a Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, with a courtesy appointment as Professor of Physics. He directs the Quantum Device Laboratory in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Research in the laboratory has been frequently featured in national and international media. Its educational activities were highlighted in a pilot study conducted by the ASME to assess nanotechnology pipeline challenges. The laboratory has graduated many outstanding researchers who have won numerous national and international awards.
Prof. Bandyopadhyay has authored and co-authored over 400 research publications and presented over 150 invited or keynote talks at conferences and colloquia/seminars across five continents. He is the author of three popular textbooks, including the only English language textbook on spintronics. He is currently a member of the editorial boards of ten international journals and served in the editorial boards of ten others in the past. He has served in various committees of ~100 international conferences and workshops. He is the founding Chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Technical Committee on Spintronics and past-chair of the Technical Committee on Compound Semiconductor Devices and Circuits. He was an IEEE Electron Device Society Distinguished Lecturer (2005-2012) and an IEEE Nanotechnology Council Distinguished Lecturer (2016, 2017). He is a past Vice President of the IEEE Nanotechnology Council in charge of conferences (2006-2007) and later in charge of publications (2020-2022). Prof. Bandyopadhyay is the winner of many awards and distinctions.
Industry Expertise
Education/Learning
Research
Areas of Expertise
Self-assembly of Regimented Nanostructure Arrays
Spintronics
Quantum Devices
Hot Carrier Transport in Nanostructures
Nanoelectronics
Quantum Computing
Nanomagnetism
Computing Paradigms
Optical Properties of Nanostructures
Coherent spin transport in Nanowires for Sensing and Information Processing
Nanowire-based Room Temperature Infrared Detectors
Accomplishments
University Award of Excellence
2017-08-23
Virginia Commonwealth University faculty award for performing in a superior manner in teaching, scholarly activity and service. One award is given to one faculty member in the University in any year. It is one of the highest awards the University can bestow on a faculty member. Dr. Bandyopadhyay is the only recipient of this award in the history of the College of Engineering.
Virginia's Outstanding Scientist
2016-02-15
Named by the Governor of the State of Virginia, 2016. One of two recipients in the State of Virginia in 2016. This award is given across all fields of engineering, science, mathematics and medicine.
Electrical and Computer Engineering Lifetime Achievement Award, VCU
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Virginia Commonwealth University, 2015. One of two such awards given in the department's history.
Distinguished Scholarship Award, Virginia Commonwealth University
2012-08-07
Virginia Commonwealth University faculty research award, 2012. This is the highest award given by the University for research and scholarship. One award is given to one faculty member in the University in any year. The recipient is picked from all disciplines of science, humanities, business, education, social science, engineering and medicine in the University.
Interdisciplinary Research Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
2001-05-01
Given jointly by the College of Engineering, the College of Science, and the Institute for Agricultural and Natural Resources at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
IBM Faculty Award
1990-06-01
International Business Machines, 1990
College of Engineering Service Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1999-05-15
College of Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 1999
College of Engineering Research Award, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
1998-05-15
College of Engineering, University of Nebraska Lincoln, 1998
Distinguished Alumnus Award, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
2016-07-07
One of seven industry, government and academic leaders worldwide honored with this award in 2016. All are alumni of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
2005-01-01
Citation: For contributions to device applications of nanostructures
Fellow, American Physical Society
2005-01-01
Citation: For pioneering contributions to device applications of nanostructures.
Fellow of the Electrochemical Society
2006-10-13
In recognition of the contributions to the advancement of science and technology, for leadership in electrochemical and solid state science and technology and for active participation in the affairs of the Electrochemical Society
Fellow of the Institute of Physics
2005-05-03
For outstanding contributions to physics of nanostructured devices.
Fellow of the American Association for the Advancment of Science
2006-10-27
For pioneering contributions to spintronics and device applications of self assembled nanostructures
State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award
2018-01-31
The Outstanding Faculty Awards are the Commonwealth's highest honor for faculty at Virginia's public and private colleges and universities. These awards recognize superior accomplishments in teaching, research, and public service.
IEEE Pioneer in Nanotechnology Award
2020-04-15
Citation: For pioneering contributions to spintronics and straintronics employing nanostructures. It is the highest award given by the Nanotechnology Council of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Jefferson Science Fellow
2020-08-16
Prof. Bandyopadhyay served as a Jefferson Science Fellow of the US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine during 2020-2021. In that role, he acted as a Senior Adviser to the USAID Bureau for Europe and Eurasia, Division of Energy and Infrastructure, on safeguarding the energy infrastructure in the Western Balkan and South Caucasus nations.
Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award
2020-12-01
Award given by Marquis' Who's Who organization to recognize lifetime contribution.
Fellow of the Industry Academy of the International Artificial Intelligence Industry Alliance
2024-10-01
Elected Fellow for contributions in the field of artificial intelligence
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Education
Purdue University
Ph.D.
Electrical Engineering
Southern Illinois University
M.S.
Electrical Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
B.Tech
Electronics and Electrical Communications Engineering
Affiliations
American Physical Society
The Electrochemical Society
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: Past Vice President of Nanotechnology Council, Past Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices, Past Chair of the Technical Committee on Compound Semiconductor Devices and Circuits, Founding Chair of the Technical Committee on Spintronics
Institute of Physics (UK): Editorial Board Member of the journals Nanotechnology and Nano Futures
Media Appearances
Gov. Northam recognizes Outstanding Faculty Award recipients
Augusta Free Press print
2018-03-02
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay is commonwealth professor of electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University where he has worked for 17 years as director of the Quantum Device Laboratory. Bandyopadhyay was named Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist by Governor Terry McAuliffe in 2016.
RICHMOND - Governor Ralph Northam today recognized 12 Virginia educators as recipients of the 32nd annual Outstanding Faculty Award for excellence in teaching, research, and public service. The annual Outstanding Faculty Award program is administered by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and sponsored by Dominion Energy.
“These outstanding educators have devoted their lives to research and teaching.” said Governor Northam. “Each has a proven track record of academic excellence and giving back to their communities. I am pleased to support these wonderful Virginia teachers and it is my privilege to recognize each of them with the Outstanding Faculty Award.”
The recipients, all faculty members from colleges and universities across the Commonwealth, were honored today during an awards ceremony at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond.
“The 12 educators that we are recognizing play a pivotal role in the lives and successes of the people they teach and inspire,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “With this award we thank them for their service to students, to their institutions, and to the Commonwealth.”
“We are fortunate that Virginia is home to one of the world’s great systems of higher education,” said Peter Blake, director of SCHEV. “The Outstanding Faculty Awards recognize faculty members who have dedicated their lives to research, teaching, and mentorship. Their work improves the lives of everyone in the Commonwealth.”
The awards are being made through a $75,000 grant from the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Dominion Energy and the sponsor of the Outstanding Faculty Awards for the 14th year.
“Dominion Energy is pleased to partner with SCHEV once again to honor Virginia’s outstanding educators,” said Hunter A. Applewhite, president of the Dominion Energy Charitable Foundation. “Every year, I am impressed and humbled by the dedication shown by these teachers and researchers to guide and inspire our young people to excel in the classroom and in life.”
VCU Engineering Professor receives Governor's highest award for Teaching
Virginia Commonwealth University online
2018-02-07
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., Commonwealth Professor in the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Engineering, has been named a recipient of the 2018 State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) Outstanding Faculty Award
Bandyopadhyay, named Virginia’s Outstanding Scientist in 2016 by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, leads the Quantum Device Laboratory. His work centers on improving the speed and performance of electronic devices — and lowering their cost. The last piece is very important, Bandyopadhyay said.
“An electronic gadget means absolutely nothing if it is affordable to only a tiny fraction of the world’s population,” he said. “What has motivated, informed and guided my research is to make things cheaper in a more efficient way so they become more accessible. Science is never for the 1 percent; it is always for the 100 percent.”
IIT-Kharagpur to confer Distinguished Alumnus Award at the 62nd convocation
Times of India online
2016-07-12
Kolkata: Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur will confer the Distinguished Alumnus Award on the occasion of the 62nd convocation of the Institute which will be organized on July 30 and 31. Seven eminent alumni have been selected for the award for their exceptional professional achievements in the industry, in the academia or as entrepreneur. The awardees are - Dr Anurag Acharya, Ajit Jain, Asoke Deyasarkar, professor Gautam Biswas, professor Indranil Manna, professor Supriyo Bandopadhyay and Professor Venkatesan Thirumalai.
An international leader in the field of spintronics, Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay directs the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Quantum Device Lab. He was recently named one of Virginia’s Outstanding Scientists by Gov. Terry McAuliffe and the Science Museum of Virginia. This is the first of several articles on all of the 2016 Virginia Outstanding STEM Award winners...
EVMS diabetes researcher named one of two outstanding scientists of the year in Virginia
The Virginia Pilot
2016-02-05
The other is Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University. His work entails making electronic gadgets out of tiny magnets 1,000 times smaller than the thickness of a human hair. The magnets consume so little energy that they can work without a battery by harvesting energy from wireless networks and wind vibrations...
Back in the 1990s, Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Biswajit Das and Albert Miller at the University of Notre-Dame in France described how to inscribe and manipulate ‘bits’ of logic information in the spin of single electrons. Among the advantages of this computing architecture, they list speed, information density, robustness and power efficiencies. Other groups have also studied how control of single electrons may benefit quantum computing...
Straintronic spin neuron may greatly improve neural computing
ECN Magazine online
2015-07-09
"Most computers are digital in nature and process information using Boolean logic," Bandyopadhyay told Phys.org. "However, there are certain computational tasks that are better suited for 'neuromorphic computing,' which is based on how the human brain perceives and processes information. This inspired the field of artificial neural networks, which made great progress in the last century but was ultimately stymied by a hardware impasse. The electronics used to implement artificial neurons and synapses employ transistors and operational amplifiers, which dissipate enormous amounts of energy in the form of heat and consume large amounts of space on a chip. These drawbacks make thermal management on the chip extremely difficult and neuromorphic computing less attractive than it should be."
'Straintronic spin neuron' may greatly improve neural computing
Phys.org online
2015-07-08
Researchers have proposed a new type of artificial neuron called a "straintronic spin neuron" that could serve as the basic unit of artificial neural networks—systems modeled on human brains that have the ability to compute, learn, and adapt. Compared to previous designs, the new artificial neuron is potentially orders of magnitude more energy-efficient, more robust against thermal degradation, and fires at a faster rate.
The researchers, Ayan K. Biswas, Professor Jayasimha Atulasimha, and Professor Supriyo Bandyopadhyay at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, have published a paper on the straintronic spin neuron in a recent issue of Nanotechnology.
Non-volatile memory improves energy efficiency by two orders of magnitude
Phys.org online
2014-09-03
By using voltage-generated stress to switch between two magnetic states, researchers have designed a new non-volatile memory with extremely high energy efficiency—about two orders of magnitude higher than that of the previous most efficient non-volatile memories.
The engineers, Ayan K. Biswas, Professor Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, and Professor Jayasimha Atulasimha at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia, have published their paper on the proposed non-volatile memory in a recent issue of Applied Physics Letters.
SAN FRANCISCO—A team of researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was awarded two grants totaling $1.75 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation and the Nanoelectronics Research Initiative of Semiconductor Research Corp. to create powerful, energy-efficient computer processors that can run an embedded system without requiring battery power.
The research, based on a paper published by the VCU research team in the August issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters, replaces transistors with special tiny nanomagnets that can also process digital information, theoretically reducing the heat dissipation by one 1,000 to 10,000 times, according to VCU.
Hybrid spintronics and straintronics enable ultra-low-energy computing and signal processing
Kurzweil online
2011-08-17
Ref.: Kuntal Roy, Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, and Jayasimha Atulasimha, Hybrid spintronics and straintronics: A magnetic technology for ultra-low-energy computing signal processing, Applied Physics Letters, 2011; [DOI:10.1063/1.3624900]
Strain and spin could drive ultralow energy computers
Institute of Physics: PhysicsWorld online
2011-01-27
Tiny layered magnets could be used as the basic processing units in highly energy-efficient computers. So say researchers in the US who have shown that the magnetization of these nanometre-sized magnets can be switched using extremely small voltages that induce mechanical strain in a layer of the material. The resulting mechanical deformations affect the behaviour of electron spins, allowing the materials to be used in spintronics devices. These are electronic circuits that exploit the spin of the electron as well as its charge.
Hybrid spintronics/straintronics processors made from such magnets would require very little energy and therefore could work battery-free by harvesting energy from their environment. As a result they could find a host of unique applications, including implantable medical devices and autonomous sensors.
Dr. Supriyo Bandyopadhyay: Spintronics Drives Next-Gen Computing
NanoScienceWorks online
2008-01-17
“Spin based computers can be powered by small lightweight batteries. I am particularly interested in organic spintronics. Organics can sustain spin memory for very long times and organics can be integrated with flexible substrates. One day that may lead to wearable spin based organic supercomputers housed in a wristwatch and powered by a wristwatch battery,” Dr. Bandyopadhyay told NanoScineceWorks.org.
Dr. Bandyopadhyay also serves as Professor of Electrical Engineering and Professor of Physics at VCU.
Researchers have made an important advance in the emerging field of 'spintronics' that may one day usher in a new generation of smaller, smarter, faster computers, sensors and other devices, according to findings reported in today's issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
The research field of 'spintronics' is concerned with using the 'spin' of an electron for storing, processing and communicating information.
The research team of electrical and computer engineers from the Virginia Commonwealth University's School of Engineering and the University of Cincinnati examined the 'spin' of electrons in organic nanowires, which are ultra-small structures made from organic materials. These structures have a diameter of 50 nanometers, which is 2,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The spin of an electron is a property that makes the electron act like a tiny magnet. This property can be used to encode information in electronic circuits, computers, and virtually every other electronic gadget.
"In order to store and process information, the spin of an electron must be relatively robust. The most important property that determines the robustness of spin is the so-called 'spin relaxation time,' which is the time it takes for the spin to 'relax.' When spin relaxes, the information encoded in it is lost. Therefore, we want the spin relaxation time to be as long as possible," said corresponding author Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the VCU School of Engineering.
Spintronics, the Way to Faster and Smaller Computers
Softpedia News online
2007-03-27
"In order to store and process information, the spin of an electron must be relatively robust. The most important property that determines the robustness of spin is the so-called 'spin relaxation time,' which is the time it takes for the spin to 'relax.' When spin relaxes, the information encoded in it is lost. Therefore, we want the spin relaxation time to be as long as possible," said corresponding author Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Researchers spin out smaller electronics than ever before
Computer World online
2007-03-23
A research team of electrical and computer engineers in the U.S. is taking a new approach to electronics that harnesses the spin of an electron to store and process information. Dubbed 'spintronics', the new technology is expected to one day form a basis for the development of smaller, smarter, faster devices.
Current day electronics are predominantly charge-based; that is, electrons are given more or less electric charge to denote the binary bits 0 and 1. Switching between the binary bits is accomplished by either injecting or removing charge from a device, which can, in more resource-intensive applications, require a lot of energy.
"This [energy consumption] is a fundamental shortcoming of all charge based electronics," said lead researcher Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, a professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University.
"In order to store and process information, the spin of an electron must be relatively robust. The most important property that determines the robustness of spin is the so-called spin relaxation time, which is the time it takes for the spin to "relax." When spin relaxes, the information encoded in it is lost. Therefore, we want the spin relaxation time to be as long as possible," said corresponding author Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, PhD, a professor in the department of electrical and computer engineering at the VCU School of Engineering.
Researchers study electron spin relaxation in organic nanostructures
Phys.org online
2007-03-19
Researchers have made an important advance in the emerging field of 'spintronics' that may one day usher in a new generation of smaller, smarter, faster computers, sensors and other devices, according to findings reported in today's issue of the journal Nature Nanotechnology.
The research field of 'spintronics' is concerned with using the 'spin' of an electron for storing, processing and communicating information.
The research team of electrical and computer engineers from the Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of Engineering and the University of Cincinnati examined the ‘spin’ of electrons in organic nanowires, which are ultra-small structures made from organic materials. These structures have a diameter of 50 nanometers. The spin of an electron is a property that makes the electron act like a tiny magnet. This property can be used to encode information in electronic circuits, computers, and virtually every other electronic gadget.
LINCOLN, Neb. — Fashioning themselves "latter-day Edisons," researchers at the University of Nebraska contend that their architecture for quantum-dot development is 500 percent better than its nearest competition. Quantum-dot devices, which use the quantum nature of electrons to switch between binary states, could be a solution to problems encountered by ever-shrinking conventional transistors.
"We set a world record by demonstrating the largest nonlinear coefficient for a semiconductor quantum dot," said Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, the lead researcher. "Previous architectures have been highly praised for achieving a tiny percent increase, but we got a 500 percent increase with our design.
Self-assembly route to quantum dots said to be simpler, cheaper than others
Laboratory Network online
2000-11-16
Quantum dots are nanoscale structures that have the potential for use as superdense computer data storage media, highly tunable lasers and nonlinear optical devices. But making them has always been difficult and expensive. At the University of Nebraska, Lincoln (UNL), however, researchers are working on a self-assembling dot production method they say is far simpler and potentially cheaper than standard methods.
The conventional process for making quantum dot structures involves film growth (such as by atomic layer epitaxy or chemical vapor deposition), some type of lithographic patterning, and finally etching, such as by reactive ions. This is a complex series of steps. Now, UNL electrical engineering professor Supriyo Bandyopadhyay believes he's got a better way to make quantum dot structures.
Quantum Mechanics May Contribute to Military Surveillance
The Daily Nebraskan online
2000-11-21
Quantum dots promise to pave the way for a new world in technology.As minuscule entities that are 10,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair, quantum dots have properties which make them the ideal building blocks for a new quantum computing system.Unlike traditional computers that rely on classical physics, the new generation of computers would operate under the strange and fascinating laws of quantum mechanics."With quantum mechanics it is possible for an entity to coexist in two different states at the same time," said electrical engineering professor Supriyo Bandyopadhyay.The ability to be in two different places simultaneously is known as quantum parallelism."The concept of a parallel existence is difficult to explain," Bandyopadhyay. "It appears very strange and mystical."
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, Ph.D. receives 2020 IEEE Nanotechnology Pioneer Award
Virginia Commonwealth University online
2020-08-25
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay is the sixteenth recipient of the IEEE Pioneer in Nanotechnology Award which was established in 2007. This is the highest award given by the Nanotechnology Council of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Citation: For pioneering contributions to spintronics and sttaintronics employing nanostructures.
Announcement of the 2020-2021 Jefferson Science Fellows
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine online
2020-09-10
The 2020-2021 class of Jefferson Science Fellows (JSF) is the 16th class of Fellows selected since the program was established in 2003 as an initiative of the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State. The Jefferson Science Fellows Program is designed to further build capacity for science, technology, and engineering expertise within the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, PhD, Presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis Who's Who
Marquis Who's Who online
2020-10-10
RICHMOND, VA, October 20, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present Supriyo Bandyopadhyay, PhD, with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, Dr. Bandyopadhyay celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Spintronics is the science and technology of storing, sensing, processing and communicating information with the quantum mechanical spin properties of electrons.
Straintronics is the technology of rotating the magnetization direction of nanomagnets with electrically generated mechanical stress. It has applications in extremely energy-efficient Boolean and non-Boolean computing.
Infrared photodetectors have applications in night vision, collision avoidance systems, healthcare, mine detection, monitoring of global warming, forensics, etc. Room temperature detection of infrared light is enabled via quantum engineering in nanowires and by exploiting spin properties of electrons.
Antennas based on tripartite phonon-magnon-photon coupling, spin Hall effect, topological insulators. Beam steering without a phased array using directed surface acoustic waves or using spin-momentum locking in topological insulators.
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Patents
Magneto-elastic non-volatile multiferroic logic and memory with ultralow energy dissipation
9379162
2016-06-28
Memory cells, non-volatile logic gates, and combinations thereof have magneto-tunneling junctions (MTJs) which are switched using potential differences across a piezoelectric layer in elastic contact with a magnetostrictive nanomagnet of an MTJ. One or more pairs of electrodes are arranged about the MTJ for supplying voltage across the piezoelectric layer for switching. A permanent magnetic field may be employed to change the positions of the stable magnetic orientations of the magnetostrictive nanomagnet. Exemplary memory cells and universal non-volatile logic gates show dramatically improved performance characteristics, particularly with respect to energy dissipation and error-resilience, over existing methods and architectures for switching MTJs such as spin transfer torque (STT) techniques.
Room temperature nanowire IR, visible and UV photodetectors
8946678
2015-02-03
Room temperature IR and UV photodetectors are provided by electrochemical self-assembly of nanowires. The detectivity of such IR detectors is up to ten times better than the state of the art. Broad peaks are observed in the room temperature absorption spectra of 10-nm diameter nanowires of CdSe and ZnS at photon energies close to the bandgap energy, indicating that the detectors are frequency selective and preferably detect light of specific frequencies. Provided is a photodetector comprising: an aluminum substrate; a layer of insulator disposed on the aluminum substrate and comprising an array of columnar pores; a plurality of semiconductor nanowires disposed within the pores and standing vertically relative to the aluminum substrate; a layer of nickel disposed in operable communication with one or more of the semiconductor nanowires; and wire leads in operable communication with the aluminum substrate and the layer of nickel for connection with an electrical circuit.
Planar multiferroic/magnetostrictive nanostructures as memory elements, two-stage logic gates and four-state logic elements for information processing
8921962
2014-12-30
A magnetostrictive-piezoelectric multiferroic single- or multi-domain nanomagnet whose magnetization can be rotated through application of an electric field across the piezoelectric layer has a structure that can include either a shape-anisotropic mangnetostrictive nanomagnet with no magnetocrystalline anisotropy or a circular nanomagnet with biaxial magnetocrystalline anisotropy with dimensions of nominal diameter and thickness. This structure can be used to write and store binary bits encoded in the magnetization orientation, thereby functioning as a memory element, or perform both Boolean and non-Boolean computation, or be integrated with existing magnetic tunneling junction (MTJ) technology to perform a read operation by adding a barrier layer for the MTJ having a high coercivity to serve as the hard magnetic layer of the MTJ, and electrical contact layers of a soft material with small Young's modulus.
Accessing of two-terminal electronic quantum dot comprising static memory
6501676
2002-12-31
A method of storing and accessing data utiliaing two-terminal static memory cells made from semiconductor quantum dots. Each quantum dot is approximately 10 nm in dimension so as to comprise approximately 1000-10,000 atoms, and each memory cell has in a volume of approximately 6.4×107 cubic Angstroms, thereby corresponding to about 300,000 atoms. In use one of at least two possible stable states is set in the static memory cell by application of a D.C. voltage across the two terminals. The stable state is then monitored by application of A.C. voltage across the two terminals while monitoring the resulting A.C. current flow.
Electrochemical synthesis of quasi-periodic quantum dot and nanostructure arrays
5747180
A method of fabricating two-dimensional regimented and quasi periodic arrays of metallic and semiconductor nanostructures (quantum dots) with diameters of about 100 angstroms (10 nm) includes the steps of polishing and anodizing a substrate to form a regimented quasi-periodic array of nanopits. The array forms a template for metallic or semiconductor material. The desired material is deposited in the nanopits by immersing the substrate in an appropriate solution and using the substrate as one cathode and inserting a second cathode in the solution.
Subwavelngth antennas, drivers and systems
12,217,890
2025-02-04
Embodiments generally relate to subwavelength antennas and, more particularly, extreme subwavelength antennas with high radiation efficiency.
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Research Grants
Non-volatile Ultra-Low-Power Magnetic Non-Binary Matrix Multipliers as Hardware Accelerators for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence
Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation $75000
2023-01-01
To commercialize a non-binary all-spin matrix multiplier for deep learning tasks via customer discovery.
To commercialize an all spin matrix multiplier for deep learning and artificial intelligence via specific prototype fabrication.
Ultralow-power straintronic switch implemented with a nanomagnet and a topological insulator for “processor in memory” architectures
Virginia Microelectronics Consortium $33000
2023-06-01
To demonstrate a novel switch implemented with a nanomagnet possessing perpendicular magnetic anisotropy deposited on a topological insulator thin film deposited on a piezoelectric substrate. When the nanomagnet is strained with a voltage applied to the piezoelectric, its anisotropy changes to in-plane and exchange interaction opens up a gap in the topological insulator and changes its resistivity.
Topological Nano-antennas for Secure and Compact Wireless Communication
Virginia Microelectronics Consortium $15000
2024-12-15
Beam steering in antennas consisting of ultra-sub-wavelength arrays of nanomagnets deposited on a topolgical insulator thin film.
Nano-antenna for embedded applications
Virginia Commonwealth University Commercialization Fund $50000
2025-02-13
Ultra-sub-wavelngth antennas based on spin injection and the spin Hall effect.
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Courses
EGRE 620: Electron Theory of Solids
Introduces graduate students to quantum theory of solids with emphasis on applications in solid state devices.
EGRE 621: Introduction to Spintronics
Introduces advanced graduate students to various facets of spintronics, spin physics, spin devices and elements of spin based quantum computing.
EGRE 610: Research Practices in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Introduces graduate students to grant writing, paper writing and perfects their skills in oral presentations.
EGRE 303: Solid State Devices
Introduces undergraduates to the physics and operating principles of electronic and optical devices.
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Selected Articles
Roadmap for unconventional computing with nanotechnology
Nano Futures, 8, 012001 (2024)
Giovanni Finocchio, et al.
2024-03-28
In the 'Beyond Moore's Law' era, with increasing edge intelligence, domain-specific computing embracing unconventional approaches will become increasingly prevalent. At the same time, adopting a variety of nanotechnologies will offer benefits in energy cost, computational speed, reduced footprint, cyber resilience, and processing power. The time is ripe for a roadmap for unconventional computing with nanotechnologies to guide future research, and this collection aims to fill that need. The authors provide a comprehensive roadmap for neuromorphic computing using electron spins, memristive devices, two-dimensional nanomaterials, nanomagnets, and various dynamical systems. They also address other paradigms such as Ising machines, Bayesian inference engines, probabilistic computing with p-bits, processing in memory, quantum memories and algorithms, computing with skyrmions and spin waves, and brain-inspired computing for incremental learning and problem-solving in severely resource-constrained environments. These approaches have advantages over traditional Boolean computing based on von Neumann architecture. As the computational requirements for artificial intelligence grow 50 times faster than Moore's Law for electronics, more unconventional approaches to computing and signal processing will appear on the horizon, and this roadmap will help identify future needs and challenges. In a very fertile field, experts in the field aim to present some of the dominant and most promising technologies for unconventional computing that will be around for some time to come. Within a holistic approach, the goal is to provide pathways for solidifying the field and guiding future impactful discoveries.
Magnetic Straintronics for Ultra-Energy-Efficient Unconventional Computing: A Review
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, 9, 4100110 (2024)
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay
2024-05-22
With rapidly increasing edge intelligence, domain-specific computers in heterogeneous fabrics are likely to rule the roost. Judicious choice of device technology and computational paradigms can drastically reduce the size, weight, and power (SWaP) of such computers, while also making them fully autonomous (clockless) and resilient against malicious attacks. Here, we review the promise of an emerging device technology—magnetic straintronics—in implementing extremely energy efficient hardware for a wide variety of computing paradigms: neuromorphic, probabilistic, Bayesian belief networks, Boltzmann (BM) and Ising machines (IMs), matrix multipliers for deep learning networks, and reconfigurable stochastic neurons for p-computing. Magnetic straintronics has two important features—non-volatility and very low energy expenditure—which are conducive to edge processing and hardware cybersecurity. We discuss some unconventional computing paradigms implemented with magnetic straintronics while pointing out the remarkable energy efficiency in all cases.
Stochastic neurons are efficient hardware accelerators for solving a large variety of combinatorial optimization problems. ‘Binary’ stochastic neurons (BSN) are those whose states fluctuate randomly between two levels +1 and −1, with the probability of being in either level determined by an external bias. ‘Analog’ stochastic neurons (ASNs), in contrast, can assume any state between the two levels randomly (hence ‘analog’) and can perform analog signal processing. They may be leveraged for such tasks as temporal sequence learning, processing and prediction. Both BSNs and ASNs can be used to build efficient and scalable neural networks. Both can be implemented with low (potential energy) barrier nanomagnets (LBMs) whose random magnetization orientations encode the binary or analog state variables. The difference between them is that the potential energy barrier in a BSN LBM, albeit low, is much higher than that in an ASN LBM. As a result, a BSN LBM has a clear double well potential profile, which makes its magnetization orientation assume one of two orientations at any time, resulting in the binary behavior. ASN nanomagnets, on the other hand, hardly have any energy barrier at all and hence lack the double well feature. That makes their magnetizations fluctuate in an analog fashion. Hence, one can reconfigure an ASN to a BSN, and vice-versa, by simply raising and lowering the energy barrier. If the LBM is magnetostrictive, then this can be done with local (electrically generated) strain. Such a reconfiguration capability heralds a powerful field programmable architecture for a p-computer whereby hardware for very different functionalities such as combinatorial optimization and temporal sequence learning can be integrated in the same substrate in the same processing run. This is somewhat reminiscent of heterogeneous integration, except this is integration of functionalities or computational fabrics rather than components. The energy cost of reconfiguration is miniscule. There are also other applications of strain mediated barrier control that do not involve reconfiguring a BSN to an ASN or vice versa, e.g. adaptive annealing in energy minimization computing (Boltzmann or Ising machines), emulating memory hierarchy in a dynamically reconfigurable fashion, and control over belief uncertainty in analog stochastic neurons. Here, we present a study of strain engineered barrier control in unconventional computing.
Perspective: There is plenty of room for magnetic straintronics in the analog domain
npj Spintronics, 2, 15 (2024)
Supriyo Bandyopadhyay
2024-03-28
Magnetic straintronics made its debut more than a decade ago as an extremely energy-efficient paradigm for implementing a digital switch for digital information processing. The switch consists of a slightly elliptical nano-sized magnetostrictive disk in elastic contact with a poled ultrathin piezoelectric layer (forming a two-phase multiferroic system). Because of the elliptical shape, the nanomagnet’s magnetization has two stable (mutually antiparallel) orientations along the major axis, which can encode the binary bits 0 and 1. A voltage pulse of sub-ns duration and amplitude few to few tens of mV applied across the piezoelectric generates enough strain in the nanomagnet to switch its magnetization from one stable state to the other by virtue of the inverse magnetostriction (or Villari) effect, with an energy expenditure that is roughly an order of magnitude smaller than what it takes to switch a modern-day electronic transistor. That possibility, along with the fact that such a switch is non-volatile unlike the conventional transistor, generated significant excitement. However, it was later tempered by the realization that straintronic switching is also extremely error-prone, which may preclude many digital applications, particularly in Boolean logic. In this perspective, we offer the view that there is plenty of room for magnetic straintronics in the analog domain, which is much more forgiving of switching errors, and where the excellent energy-efficiency and non-volatility are a boon. Analog straintronics can have intriguing applications in many areas, such as a new genre of aggressively miniaturized electromagnetic antennas that defy the Harrington limits on the gain and radiation efficiency of conventional antennas, analog arithmetic multipliers (and ultimately vector matrix multipliers) for non-volatile deep learning networks with very small footprint and excellent energy-efficiency, and relatively high-power microwave oscillators with output frequency in the X-band. When combined with spintronics, analog straintronics can also implement a new type of spin field effect transistor employing quantum materials such as topological insulators, and they have unusual transfer characteristics which can be exploited for analog tasks such as frequency multiplication using just a single transistor. All this hints at a world of new possibilities in the analog domain that deserves serious attention.
Beam Patterning With Directed Surface Acoustic Waves In Extreme Sub-Wavelength Magneto-Elastic Nano-Antennas
IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation
R Fabiha, J Lundquist, E Topsakal, S Bandyopadhyay
2024-12-01
Conventional electromagnetic antennas cannot be aggressively miniaturized since their gain and radiation efficiency plummet when their sizes become much smaller than the radiated wavelength. Recently, we demonstrated a new genre of unconventional extreme sub-wavelength nano-antennas that are several orders of magnitude smaller than the wavelength they radiate, and yet they radiate efficiently, beating the conventional Harrington limits on the gain and radiation efficiency by many orders of magnitude. This is made possible by their unique unconventional mechanism of activation. These nano-antennas are implemented with two dimensional periodic arrays of ~100 nm sized nanomagnets deposited on piezoelectric substrates. A surface acoustic wave (SAW) launched in the substrate excites resonant spin waves in the nanomagnets at discrete (GHz) frequencies via phonon-magnon coupling, which radiate electromagnetic waves very efficiently at those frequencies via magnon-photon coupling. Normally, one would expect such ultrasmall antennas to behave as point sources that radiate isotropically. Surprisingly, they do not because of the intrinsic anisotropy in the nanomagnet array. The radiation patterns in the plane of the nanomagnets and the two transverse planes are anisotropic. By changing the direction of SAW propagation in the plane of the nanomagnets, one can change the radiation patterns in all three planes, which heralds a new method of beam steering or active electronic scanning.
Tripartite phonon–magnon–plasmon coupling, parametric amplification, and formation of a phonon–magnon–plasmon polariton in a two-dimensional periodic array of magnetostrictive …
Journal of Applied Physics 136 (24) 243101 (2024)
S Pal, PK Pal, R Fabiha, S Bandyopadhyay, A Barman
2024-12-01
Coupling between spin waves (SWs) and other types of waves in nanostructured magnetic media has attracted increased attention in recent years because of the rich physics and the potential to spawn disruptive technologies. Among this family of intriguing phenomena, we recently reported a new one: coupling between SWs and hybridized phonon–plasmon waves, resulting in tripartite coupling of magnons, phonons, and plasmons. Here, this acousto-plasmo-magnonic phenomenon is studied in a two-dimensional periodic array of bilayered Co/Al nanodots on a silicon substrate, where Co is a magnetostrictive constituent responsive to magnetoelastic coupling and Al acts as a source of surface plasmons. Time-resolved magneto-optical-Kerr-effect microscopy revealed parametric amplification and strong coupling between two SW modes mediated by a hybrid phonon–plasmon mode. The strong coupling forms a new quasi-particle: the phonon–plasmon–magnon polariton.
Stress Engineering of Magnetization Fluctuation and Noise Spectra in Low-Barrier Nanomagnets Used as Analog and Binary Stochastic Neurons
Micromachines 15(9), 1174 (2024)
R Rahman, S Bandyopadhyay
2024-12-01
A single-domain nanomagnet, shaped like a thin elliptical disk with small eccentricity, has a double-well potential profile with two degenerate energy minima separated by a small barrier of a few
Ternary stochastic neuron-implemented with a single strained magnetostrictive nanomagnet
Nanotechnology, 36, 125201 (2025)
Rahnuma Rahman and Supriyo Bandyopadhyay
2025-03-01
Stochastic neurons are extremely efficient hardware for solving a large class of problems and usually come in two varieties – 'binary' where the neuronal state varies randomly between two values of ±1 and 'analog' where the neuronal state can randomly assume any value between −1 and +1. Both have their uses in neuromorphic computing and both can be implemented with low- or zero-energy-barrier nanomagnets whose random magnetization orientations in the presence of thermal noise encode the binary or analog state variables. In between these two classes is n-ary stochastic neurons, mainly ternary stochastic neurons (TSNs) whose state randomly assumes one of three values (-1, 0, +1), which have proved to be efficient in pattern classification tasks such as recognizing handwritten digits from the MNIST data set or patterns from the CIFAR-10 data set. Here, we show how to implement a TSN with a zero-energy-barrier (shape isotropic) magnetostrictive nanomagnet subjected to uniaxial strain.
