BETR News
Discovery of Ferroelectricity in Ultrathin Titanium Dioxide
Led by BETR co-Director Prof. Sayeef Salahuddin, a UC Berkeley and LBNL research team (including BETR co-Director Prof. Ramesh) reported a major breakthrough in the journal Science by discovering a thickness-dependent dielectric-to-ferroelectric phase transition in titanium dioxide. The unique properties of this new phase, which can be grown by low-temperature atomic layer deposition enables new avenues for 3D integrated electronics.
Save-the-Date: 2026 BETR Symposium
The 2026 BETR Symposium will take place on May 20 in the Banatao Auditorium (Sutardja Dai Hall) on the UC Berkeley campus. As UC Berkeley’s premier hub for academia-industry collaborations in physical electronics research, we expect the BETR Symposium to again bring together attendees from a wide range of industry, national labs, and academic institutions for a day of networking, exchanging ideas, and building partnerships. Registration will open on April 15.
Spectral Kernel Machines
The research group of BETR co-Director Prof. Ali Javey, in collaboration with colleagues at LBNL and UCLA, has developed an entirely new approach to intelligent imaging and sensing using spectral kernel machines (SKMs). As reported in the journal Science, SKMs integrate spectral machine learning analysis directly into the photodetector and offer new applications in mobile devices, robotics, and satellite technologies.
Biomimetic High-Speed In-Memory Sensor
BETR Center faculty member Prof. Junqiao Wu and colleagues reported a high-speed in-memory sensor — a memsensor — in the journal Nature Materials. This new type of sensor can both detect and remember its chemical environment without the need of an external power input or complex circuitry. The team further showed that by mimicking the microscopic roundworm C. elegans, the new memsensor can be used to navigate a small robotic boat.
Ferroic Gate Dielectrics Reduce Leakage in GaN Transistors
BETR Center co-Director Prof. Sayeef Salahuddin led a team in the development of a new high-electron-mobility transistor based on two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). The team showed that by adding a ferroic HfO2– ZrO2 bilayer as the gate dielectric, a simultaneous increase of the ON current and decrease in leakage current can be achieved in GaN transistors. This work was published in Science.
Prof. Liu Named NAE President
BETR Center co-Director Prof. Tsu-Jae King Liu was named president of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE). Quoting from the NAE press release: “The NAE is pleased to announce the appointment of Tsu-Jae King Liu as its next president. A trailblazing researcher, innovator, educator and academic leader, Dr. Liu will begin her six-year term on July 1, 2025.”
NSTC Technical Advisory Board
Natcast announced that BETR Center co-Director and TSMC Distinguished Professor Sayeef Salahuddin was selected to join the inaugural NSTC Technical Advisory Board. The Advisory Board comprises a team of leading experts spanning the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem, which will provide strategic guidance and expertise to help shape NSTC Research Agenda, advance U.S.-led innovation and economic and national security.
2025 BETR Symposium: Hardware for AI
The inaugural Berkeley Emerging Technologies Research Symposium, held on May 28 at the UC Berkeley campus, focused on Hardware for AI and brought together attendees from leading semiconductor companies, national labs, and academic institutions. For more information, visit the Symposium website.
Google Academic Research Award
BETR Center co-Director, Prof. Alp Sipahigil, has been awarded a Google Academic Research Award on quantum transduction and networking for scalable computing applications. This award will support research on developing microwave-to-
ME Commons Northwest-AI-Hub
BETR Center Sr. Executive Director, Dr. Michael Bartl, has been appointed to the same role in the newly formed Microelectronics Commons Northwest-AI-Hub at Berkeley. Starting September 15, Dr. Bartl will oversee all day-to-day operations and programmatic activities of both centers.
Max Planck-Humboldt Medal
BETR co-Director Prof. Laura Waller was named the 2024 recipient of the Max Planck-Humboldt Medal for her work in computational imaging. The award will be presented by the Max Planck Society and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation on December 3rd in Berlin, Germany.
2024 IEEE Founders Medal
BETR co-Director Prof. Tsu-Jae King Liu was awarded the 2024 IEEE Founders Medal for her leadership in the advancement and commercialization of nanometer semiconductor technologies and the promotion of microelectronics workforce development.
Berkeley Symposium on 2D Semiconductors
The 2024 Berkeley Symposium on 2D Semiconductors, hosted by the BETR Center, brought together experts from industry, UC Berkeley, and LBNL to explore opportunities and challenges for 2D materials to transition from research into future technologies.
Sloan Research Fellowship
BETR co-Director Prof. Sophia Shao has been named 2024 Sloan Research Fellow by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for her research on improving the performance of computing platforms through hardware acceleration.
EDGE Consortium
BETR co-Director Prof. Tsu-Jae King Liu is part of the new Education group for Diversification and Growth in Engineering (EDGE) Consortium, which aims to improve training and increase diversity in the semiconductor workforce. (Story in Science)