Who is the woman leading this innovation?

Floriana Lombardi is leading this innovation, she is Professor, Microtechnology and Nanoscience, Quantum Device Physics Laboratory at Chalmers University of Technology.

About the innovator

Floriana Lombardi is a Professor of condensed matter physics. Her group focuses on correlated electron systems and in particular on high critical temperature superconductivity at the nanoscale and topological insulators and topological superconductors. The group activities cover material growth, nano-device fabrication and electrical transport characterization at cryogenic temperatures. A unique effort is put in the realization of hybrid devices by interfacing three dimensional topological insulators with normal conductors and superconductors. Here the goal is to engineer topological Josephson junctions hosting Majorana bound states and topological charge pumps.  

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What is the innovation

In this project we will study and exploit the properties of 3D topological insulator (TI) materials incorporated into high frequency devices. The main driver of the project is the prospect of using a TI nanoribbon to create a topologically protected single-electron charge pump that can be used as a metrological quantum current standard, or in other words to lay the technological foundations for a TI-based device that can realize the SI Ampere. An accurate charge pump that can operate at temperatures and magnetic fields achievable using affordable table-top systems would be of immediate use in the realization of the Ampere. The technological development in this project will lay the groundwork or charge pumping in TI nanoribbons, as well as for other devices that exploit the unique properties of TI for high-frequency applications including sensing, precision measurement and topologically protected quantum computation.

Out of the lab. Into the market

Topological insulators are an example of a new class of materials owning exotic properties, which have not yet made it to the market. The first foreseen applications of topological insulators will be in metrology, where the unusual properties of these materials could provide direct access to a current standard with high accuracy. The main goal of this project is therefore to demonstrate the feasibility of high frequency charge devices based on topological insulators for metrology and charge sensing. The benefits of using this new class of materials  can have an impact on industry, in particular through the new definition of the Ampere, the standard for electrical current: the properties of topological insulators could make in principle  device operation feasible under simplified and user friendly conditions, with unprecedented accuracy.

Before the anticipated innovation can be brought out of the lab, important work is needed to develop fundamental aspects of technology maturation, such as the development of a robust and scalable fabrication process, study of charge transport and the long-term stability of the devices and the establishment of a sensitive and reliable measurement technique. This more fundamental research is crucial to understand the technology gaps and the solutions to overcome them. We anticipate that the knowledge obtained while reaching the goal of the project will also lead to significant developments towards other potential applications of topological insulator-based devices, for example in the areas of optoelectronics and thermoelectrics.

In order to plan for commercialisation and bring the first topological insulators to the market, we have a process to identify key research results that may be patented, with the help from Chalmers Innovation office. Furthermore, they will also perform market analysis as well as technical verifications. For start-ups, Chalmers Ventures provides funding and business support to reach the market. In the project we are also working together with one of the leading national measurement institutes in Europe, which gives us a direct route for the innovation in metrology and dissemination of electrical standards to industry.

Benefits of participation in Horizon 2020

In order to make the greatest possible headway towards the ambitious goal of realizing a topological insulator-based charge pump the Horizon 2020 programme has given us the exceptional opportunity to assemble a team with complementary expertise in materials science, nano-device fabrication and physics, microwave measurements, condensed matter theory and electrical metrology. This consortium will have full access to state-of-the art facilities for material growth, nano-fabrication, scanning probe analysis at the nanoscale and magneto transport measurements of topological insulator based high-frequency devices.

This innovation was funded via H2020 project Hitime

Team behind the innovation

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