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Award Abstract # 2235945
NSF Convergence Accelerator Track I: Sustainable Topological Energy Materials (STEM) for Energy-efficient Applications

NSF Org: ITE
Innovation and Technology Ecosystems
Recipient: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Initial Amendment Date: December 14, 2022
Latest Amendment Date: December 14, 2022
Award Number: 2235945
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Linda Molnar
ITE
 Innovation and Technology Ecosystems
TIP
 Directorate for Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships
Start Date: December 15, 2022
End Date: February 29, 2024 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $750,000.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $750,000.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2023 = $750,000.00
History of Investigator:
  • Mingda Li (Principal Investigator)
    mingda@MIT.EDU
  • Susanne Stemmer (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Tomas Palacios (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Liang Fu (Co-Principal Investigator)
  • Qiong Ma (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE
CAMBRIDGE
MA  US  02139-4301
(617)253-1000
Sponsor Congressional District: 07
Primary Place of Performance: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE
CAMBRIDGE
MA  US  02139-4301
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
07
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): E2NYLCDML6V1
Parent UEI: E2NYLCDML6V1
NSF Program(s): Convergence Accelerator Resrch
Primary Program Source: 01002324DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s):
Program Element Code(s): 131Y00
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.084

ABSTRACT

The discovery of a new class of materials, known as topological quantum materials, over the past decade represents a major new frontier in condensed matter physics and materials science. In topological materials, the quantum states of electrons are described by, and protected by, topology, which describes robust global properties that local perturbations cannot change. Topological materials are of interest for applications, such as in quantum information science, energy harvesting, and microelectronics. However, despite promising lab demonstrations, environmentally friendly topological materials that are ready for room-temperature deployment are scarce. This project aims at catalyzing research in sustainable topological quantum materials, with a particular emphasis on energy efficient applications. To realize these applications, the project seeks to identify promising material candidates, assess their performance, and design suitable devices architectures. The research team will systematically search for, investigate, and benchmark topological materials that are environmentally sustainable and that have the required topological properties through complementary expertise in topological materials theory, material informatics and machine learning, materials synthesis, characterization, and device fabrication. To bridge existing gaps between different research fields and between academia and industry, the project will develop resources and activities, such as a data-sharing infrastructure with industry partners, and cultivate a future workforce for a topological material industry. The team consists of pioneers in topological materials research from different disciplines (physics, material engineering, electrical engineering, data science) along with industry partners interested in topological materials opportunities for microelectronics and energy applications. This research will create industry internship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, encouraging them to pursue industry-relevant problems. The research team will train a diverse workforce of topological material industry and data science through virtual-reality-augmented interactive learning and bring resources to high-school and K-12 teachers and mentors.

The research builds on the recent discovery of topological diode effects. Contrary to the conventional diodes, where the rectification requires heterostructures or regions with different doping, a topological diode is based on the intrinsic Berry curvature dipole, which offers new principles in photodetection and thermoelectric energy harvesting with much-improved efficiency. In Phase I, the overarching goals include: (a) A topological materials database, which includes crystal structures, topological invariants, synthesis pathways, and most importantly, performance indicators for topological diodes. The database targets not only physicists, but also solid-state chemists, materials scientists, and semiconductor industries to accelerate large scale production. (b) Identify proper descriptors that can effectively link the structures of topological materials to functionalities, and identify the most environmentally sustainable candidates for energy-efficient topological applications. Such descriptors, enabled by data-driven methods, will serve as the cornerstone for future topological materials discovery. (c) Building the foundation for a Center for Sustainable Topological Energy Materials, based at MIT, that will bring together experts in topological materials and energy applications from academia and industry through meetings, forums, and workshops. The goal is to engage semiconductor and clean-energy industries to collaborate with forefront scientists in academia to foster a topological materials solutions that will contribute to addressing critical needs energy efficient technologies.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Drucker, Nathan C. and Nguyen, Thanh and Han, Fei and Siriviboon, Phum and Luo, Xi and Andrejevic, Nina and Zhu, Ziming and Bednik, Grigory and Nguyen, Quynh T. and Chen, Zhantao and Nguyen, Linh K. and Liu, Tongtong and Williams, Travis J. and Stone, Mat "Topology stabilized fluctuations in a magnetic nodal semimetal" Nature Communications , v.14 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-40765-1 Citation Details
Gao, Anyuan and Liu, Yu-Fei and Qiu, Jian-Xiang and Ghosh, Barun and V. Trevisan, Thaís and Onishi, Yugo and Hu, Chaowei and Qian, Tiema and Tien, Hung-Ju and Chen, Shao-Wen and Huang, Mengqi and Bérubé, Damien and Li, Houchen and Tzschaschel, Christian a "Quantum metric nonlinear Hall effect in a topological antiferromagnetic heterostructure" Science , v.381 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf1506 Citation Details
Yan, Xiaodong and Zheng, Zhiren and Sangwan, Vinod K and Qian, Justin H and Wang, Xueqiao and Liu, Stephanie E and Watanabe, Kenji and Taniguchi, Takashi and Xu, Su-Yang and Jarillo-Herrero, Pablo and Ma, Qiong and Hersam, Mark C "Moiré synaptic transistor with room-temperature neuromorphic functionality" Nature , v.624 , 2023 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06791-1 Citation Details

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

The Phase I Convergence Accelerator project aimed to advance sustainable topological quantum materials, a class of quantum materials with fundamental robustness, for energy-efficient computing applications. The project brings together physicists, materials scientists,  electrical engineers and industry partners. This project sought to identify promising materials, assess their performance, and design suitable semiconductor device architectures. Key achievements in Intellectual Merit include the innovative Sustainable Topological Materials Database, comprising over 16,000 entries, with the top 200 identified for their environmental responsibility and potential applications in semiconductor devices and energy harvesting. A number of pivotal research results have been published, including a comprehensive sustainability-driven exploration of topological materials and studies on THz detection, quantum ratchet effects, and energy harvesting using topological insulators. These contributions have advanced theoretical and practical understanding, setting new standards for research in topological materials and their applications. As to Broader Impacts, our research has practical applications in advanced microelectronics, particularly in energy-efficient devices, and has engaged with leading industry partners for long-term partnerships in innovative materials. The team has fostered robust collaborations through in-depth interviews and workshops with industrial leaders in semiconductor industry, identifying promising applications in 6G mobile phones, topological adhesives, and wearable thermoelectric devices. Additionally, resources and activities to bridge gaps between academia and industry have been developed, cultivating a future workforce for the topological material industry. This work not only advances technological innovation but also promotes sustainable practices and environmental stewardship, paving the way for responsible and sustainable industrial adoption of topological materials


Last Modified: 05/29/2024
Modified by: Mingda Li

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