Alternative Computing Group

The Alternative Computing Group conducts wide ranging, cross-disciplinary research focusing on innovative measurement science in nanotechnology with an emphasis on applications in future electronics and information processing. The Group’s current expertise includes measurements and theory for emerging neuromorphic devices and architectures, theory of magnetism and electronic structure, laser-based atom manipulation, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. These capabilities are put to use in research programs that support development of new paradigms in nanoelectronics and computing, examining such areas as resistive switching-based neuromorphic processing, spintronic and other nanomagnetic devices, focused ion beam imaging and fabrication, and device metrology including atomic scale defect detection.

News and Updates

NIST and Google to Create New Supply of Chips for Researchers and Tech Startups

September 13, 2022

Cooperative research agreement aims to unleash innovation in the semiconductor and nanotechnology industries.

Nanomagnets Can Choose a Wine, and Could Slake AI’s Thirst for Energy

July 18, 2022

A new type of neural network aced a virtual wine-tasting test and promises a less energy-hungry version of artificial intelligence.

NIST Researchers Resurrect and Improve a Technique for Detecting Transistor Defects

February 3, 2022

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have revived and improved a once-reliable technique to identify and count defects in

NIST, Collaborators Develop Sensitive New Way of Detecting Transistor Defects

October 7, 2021

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and collaborators have devised and tested a new, highly sensitive method of detecting

Projects and Programs

Small array of transistors designed for single device integration.

Integrated CMOS Testbeds for Nanoelectronics and Machine Learning

Ongoing

With the rise of artificial intelligence and its insatiable demand for low-energy, high performance computing, research is accelerating into novel nanodevices

Custom-built wafer level probes in position to perform EDMR measurements on fully processed transistors.

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Ongoing

The Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Project strives to be at the forefront of understanding the roles that critical atomic-scale defects play in determining

Neuromorphic Device Measurements

Ongoing

Neuromorphic computing is a radical new approach to information processing for artificial intelligence where, instead of using digital electronics, inspiration

Novel Sources for Focused-ion Beams

Ongoing

Focused beams of ions have a wide range of uses, from nanoscale imaging to the fabrication of nanomaterials. We are developing novel cold-atom based ion sources

Publications

Breakdown of the drift-diffusion model for transverse spin transport in a disordered Pt film

October 25, 2023

Author(s)

Kirill Belashchenko, Giovanni G. Baez Flores, Wuzhang Fang, Alexei Kovalev, Mark van Schilfgaarde, Mark Stiles, Paul M. Haney

Spin accumulation and spin current profiles are calculated for a disordered Pt film subjected to an in-plane electric current within the nonequilibrium Green

Neural networks three ways: unlocking novel computing schemes using magnetic tunnel junction stochasticity

September 28, 2023

Author(s)

Matthew Daniels, William Borders, Nitin Prasad, Advait Madhavan, Sidra Gibeault, Temitayo Adeyeye, Liam Pocher, Lei Wan, Michael Tran, Jordan Katine, Daniel Lathrop, Brian Hoskins, Tiffany Santos, Patrick Braganca, Mark Stiles, Jabez J. McClelland

Due to their interesting physical properties, myriad operational regimes, small size, and industrial fabrication maturity, magnetic tunnel junctions are

Magnetic tunnel junction-based crossbars: improving neural network performance by reducing the impact of non-idealities

July 13, 2023

Author(s)

William Borders, Nitin Prasad, Brian Hoskins, Advait Madhavan, Matthew Daniels, Vasileia Gerogiou, Tiffany Santos, Patrick Braganca, Mark Stiles, Jabez J. McClelland

Increasingly higher demand in chip area and power consumption for more sophisticated artificial neural networks has catalyzed efforts to develop architectures

Characterization of Noise in CMOS Ring Oscillators at Cryogenic Temperatures

July 12, 2023

Author(s)

Prashansa Mukim, Pragya Shrestha, Advait Madhavan, Nitin Prasad, Jason Campbell, Forrest Brewer, Mark Stiles, Jabez J. McClelland

Allan deviation provides a means to characterize the time-dependence of noise in oscillators and potentially identify the source characteristics. Measurements

Awards

2021 - Samuel Wesley Stratton Award---Mark Stiles

For seminal research on theoretical nanoscale magnetism, enabling development of spintronic read heads and nonvolatile magnetic memory for computers.

2022 IEEE Fellow - Mark Stiles

For contributions to spintronics devices and data storage.

2020 Distinguished Associate Award - Son T. Le

For developing novel, best-in-class electronic biosensors being used to test and quantify therapeutics developed at NIH for Alzheimer's

2019 - Jacob Rabinow Applied Research Award---Jabez McClelland

For innovations in laser cooling of atoms resulting in the commercialization of new methods for performing ion beam fabrication and microscopy.

Press Coverage

Google and the US sign an agreement for the creation of open source chips

Tech Unwrapped

September 17, 2022

The end of the restrictions due to the Covid-19 pandemic also brought relief to the industrial and technological sector. However, no one could have foreseen

U.S. Signs Deal with Google to Promote Open-Source Chip Design

Electronic Design

September 16, 2022

The U.S. Commerce Department signed a partnership with Alphabet’s Google to produce chips that startups, researchers, and universities can use to affordably

Google and the US government partner to make open source chips

Techspot

September 15, 2022

Google and the US government want to speed up design and manufacturing of new semiconductor devices, adopting the open source model to let universities and

Google, NIST Partner to Develop Open Source Chips

The Fast Mode

September 15, 2022

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has signed a cooperative research and development agreement with Google

Alternative Computing Group

News and Updates

NIST and Google to Create New Supply of Chips for Researchers and Tech Startups

Nanomagnets Can Choose a Wine, and Could Slake AI’s Thirst for Energy

NIST Researchers Resurrect and Improve a Technique for Detecting Transistor Defects

NIST, Collaborators Develop Sensitive New Way of Detecting Transistor Defects

Projects and Programs

Integrated CMOS Testbeds for Nanoelectronics and Machine Learning

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Neuromorphic Device Measurements

Novel Sources for Focused-ion Beams

Publications

Breakdown of the drift-diffusion model for transverse spin transport in a disordered Pt film

Neural networks three ways: unlocking novel computing schemes using magnetic tunnel junction stochasticity

Magnetic tunnel junction-based crossbars: improving neural network performance by reducing the impact of non-idealities

Characterization of Noise in CMOS Ring Oscillators at Cryogenic Temperatures

Awards

2021 - Samuel Wesley Stratton Award---Mark Stiles

2022 IEEE Fellow - Mark Stiles

2020 Distinguished Associate Award - Son T. Le

2019 - Jacob Rabinow Applied Research Award---Jabez McClelland

Press Coverage

Google and the US sign an agreement for the creation of open source chips

U.S. Signs Deal with Google to Promote Open-Source Chip Design

Google and the US government partner to make open source chips

Google, NIST Partner to Develop Open Source Chips

Contacts

Group Leader