ECE News Spring 2012:
Undergraduate Student Profiles
Mark Forgues and Souheil Nadri

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Fourth-year students Mark Forgues and Souheil Nadri are working with Ph.D. student Kamaram Munira and Associate Professor Avik Ghosh on multiferroics-based logic related to ultra-low power computing. “The work is part of the Virginia NanoComputing Research Group’s (VINO’s) focus on understanding non-equilibrium properties in nanoscale material structures,” said Munira.

Forgues explains that “a traditional logic unit uses transistors that get hot and are inefficient in their energy use. With computers and other devices getting smaller, we need a new kind of logic unit. What makes the work interesting is that as you get smaller in scale, the traditional physical principles break down. Materials no longer behave in the same way. It’s difficult but rewarding work,” said Forgues.

The team is working with a chain of small magnets that can be rotated by engineering strain with low voltages. Such straintronic principles promise to usher in low-power magnetic logic as compared with that of traditional silicon-based electronics.

“Our project fits with VINO’s overall goal of combining an understanding of fundamental physics, materials science and device engineering to explore new materials for existing and novel device concepts,” said Munira, who plans to continue her work on spintronics as a post-doctorate. The group’s work reflects several important goals of the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Strategic Plan, including expanding the reach of the School.

Ghosh and his students are working with colleagues at several labs, including ones at Virginia Commonwealth University and IBM.