FLEET’s quest for topological transistors took a significant step towards wider recognition in the semiconductor industry in 2020 via its first inclusion in the global industry ‘roadmap’.

For decades, advances in semiconductor technology have been steered by an industry roadmap, the most recent iteration of which is the IEEE International Roadmap for Devices and Systems (IRDS).

This semiconductor roadmap guides development of conventional silicon-based CMOS electronics as well as an array of alternative and complementary future technologies.

For FLEET science to become more visible worldwide, particularly with the international semiconductor industry, it was vital that it be included in the IEEE roadmap. This task was facilitated in 2020 by FLEET Associate Investigator Prof Francesca Iacopi.

FLEET-relevant science is now included in the ‘Beyond CMOS’ chapter, including:

• Topological-insulator electronic devices (new in 2020)
• Excitonic devices
• Domain wall logic.

The inclusion of FLEET’s science in the IRDS will ensure that industrial R&D leaders in semiconductors are aware of our work, and will be able to consider FLEET’s breakthroughs among the potential solutions for future low-energy electronics, hence fulfilling the Centre’s mission.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is the world’s largest professional organisation for the advancement of technology.

Convening an expert panel on the future of electronics

In addition, early in 2020 FLEET and IEEE Australia convened an expert panel for a guided discussion about the future of electronics beyond CMOS and the role semiconductors and other materials can still play through radically novel approaches.

Speakers at the panel included Dr Paolo Gargini (formerly Intel, head of several international semiconductor roadmaps), Prof Michelle Simmons (UNSW; Director, ARC Centre for Quantum Computation and Communication Technology) and FLEET’s Prof Michael Fuhrer.

Around 100 attendees dialled in for a webinar and discussions moderated by FLEET Associate Investigator Prof Francesca Iacopi (Chair of the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) Chapter in New South Wales), and Dr David Cortie (Chair, FLEET Communications Committee). This colloquium marked the inauguration of the IEEE NSW Electron Devices Society Chapter.