Information für die Wissenschaft Nr. 33 | 24. April 2023

Priority Programme “Memristive Devices Toward Smart Technical Systems” (SPP 2262)

In March 2019, the Senate of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) established the Priority Programme “Memristive Devices Toward Smart Technical Systems” (SPP 2262). The programme is designed to run for six years. The present call invites proposals for the second three-year funding period.

A non-volatile memory resistor (short: memristor) is a revolutionary type of electronic memory device that combines the best features of conventional memory technologies. It has two terminals, and its resistance can be programmed and retained even after the device is powered off, making it a non-volatile memory. ReRAMs, Ferro-Electric Memories, Phase Change Memories, Atomic Switches etc. are representative examples of memristor device technologies that currently are actively researched due to their non-volatility, high density, high switching speed and low power consumption. At the same time, volatile memristors offer new possibilities for emulating brain dynamics and therefore building compact low-power bio-inspired systems. Based on these features, memristors are currently considered for a variety of applications, including memory, logic, sensing, in-memory computing, neuromorphic computing and machine learning, making them a versatile choice for AI, IoT devices and Cyber-Physical Systems. Additionally, their unique electrical properties and compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology make them a promising candidate for integration into existing electronic systems. However, their commercialisation and widespread use in electronics is still in its early stages, and more research and development are needed to fully realise their potential. The aim of this Priority Programme is to demonstrate the increasingly important role of memristors, to enable the derivation of new results in basic research, to verify the performance of memristive systems in applications and to further develop new memristive technology in shaping the future of electronics.

Scientific Scope

The development of memristor technology requires expertise from multiple disciplines. The MemrisTec programme promotes the interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers from the fields of Materials Science, Device Physics, Device and Circuit modelling, Circuit Design, Computer Architecture, Neuromorphic Computing, Artificial Intelligence and Analog Signal Processing. The goal is to advance the state of the art in memristor technology by overcoming technical challenges and limitations. Furthermore, this multidisciplinary approach will enable a top-to-bottom and/or bottom-to-top approach towards a common application-oriented memristor-based system that is in tune with the demands of the market. Investigating the underlying physical properties of memristors and their behaviour under various conditions will enable the identification of the most appropriate memristor materials with the desired electrical and memory properties. New memristor devices will be developed that fulfil the performance and reliability requirements for storing, recalling and processing data in novel designs of computing systems that mimic the behaviour of the human brain.

Importantly, since a strong theoretical foundation is essential for the successful design of memristor-based circuits and systems and for the development of new applications that leverage the unique properties of memristors, each MemrisTec project proposal must include a partner engaged in theoretical investigations. A solid understanding of the fundamental principles and behaviour of memristors is essential for circuit design, device selection and system architecture.

The Priority Programme MemrisTec focuses on the following topics:

Design of innovative adaptive analogue circuits
Development of in-memory computing arrays
Realisation of sensing devices
Memristive (neuromorphic) circuits
Hybrid approaches for in-memory computing

Project proposals should envisage the creation of memristor-centred, bio-inspired, reconfigurable, energy-efficient and real-time computing systems. It must be noted that memristor device technologies based on magnetic effects will not be considered, since they are the object of extensive research elsewhere. The same applies to common non-memristive approaches to neuromorphic system design, non-full custom ASICs, fully digital electronics and von Neumann hardware architectures, all of which are excluded from this Priority Programme.

Internationalisation

Referring to the German-American DFG roundtable discussion on memristive systems in Dresden in February 2023, it is noted that project parts carried out in other countries can be funded by the DFG if they promise to add value to the projects being pursued under the Priority Programme in Germany and if they make an important additional contribution to achieving the objectives of the Priority Programme. Note that proposals that include principal investigators from abroad can only be accepted if the scientific coordinator of the Priority Programme has explicitly acknowledged the aforementioned requirements at the time of proposal submission. Please consult DFG form 50.05, section B-III, and approach DFG’s programme contact if you plan to involve project partners abroad.

General Submission Guideline

Proposals must be written in English and submitted to the DFG by 12 July 2023. Please note that proposals can only be submitted via elan, the DFG’s electronic proposal processing system.

Applicants must be registered in elan prior to submitting a proposal to the DFG. If you have not yet registered, please note that you must do so by 7 July 2023 to submit a proposal under this call; registration requests received after this time cannot be considered. You will normally receive confirmation of your registration by the next working day. Note that you will be asked to select the appropriate Priority Programme call during both the registration and the proposal process.

If you would like to submit a proposal for a new project within the existing Priority Programme, please go to Proposal Submission – New Project – Priority Programmes and select “SPP 2262” from the current list of calls. Previous applicants can submit a proposal for the renewal of an existing project under Proposal Submission – Proposal Overview/Renewal Proposal.

In preparing your proposal, please review the programme guidelines (DFG form 50.05, section B) and follow the proposal preparation instructions (DFG form 54.01). These DFG forms can either be downloaded from our website or accessed through the elan portal.

Information on the Review Process and Timelines

The review colloquium for this Priority Programme is expected to be held in Dresden in the period of 14-18 August 2023. Applicants will be invited to Dresden to pitch their proposals. Applicants from abroad will be invited to participate remotely via video conference. Final decisions are expected by November 2023 at the latest.

Equal opportunities and diversity

The DFG strongly welcomes proposals from researchers of all genders and sexual identities, from different ethnic, cultural, religious, ideological or social backgrounds, from different career stages, types of universities and research institutions, and with disabilities or chronic illness. With regard to the subject-specific focus of this call, the DFG encourages female researchers in particular to submit proposals.

Guidelines for Safeguarding Good Research Practice

Please note that according to a resolution of the DFG General Assembly, as of 1 August 2019, DFG funding may only be awarded to institutions that have implemented the guidelines laid down in the Code of Conduct for Safeguarding Good Research Practice in their own regulations in a legally binding manner.

This means that (also for international proposals) funding from the DFG can only be received if the guidelines for safeguarding good research practice (see link below) have been implemented by the German applicant´s institution. If you have any questions on this subject, please contact the Research Integrity team at the DFG Head Office (see contact below). Further information regarding the implementation can be found on Research Integrity website (see link below).

DFG’s data protection notice on research funding

Please note the DFG’s data protection notice on research funding, which can be viewed and downloaded at the link below. If necessary, please also forward this information to those individuals whose data will be processed by the DFG due to their involvement in your project.

Further Information

More information on the Priority Programme is available under:

The elan system can be accessed at:

https://elan.dfg.de/en/

DFG forms 50.05 and 54.01 can be downloaded at:

For scientific enquiries please contact the Priority Programme coordinator:

Professor Dr. Ronald Tetzlaff
Technische Universität Dresden
Institut für Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik und Elektronik (IEE)
Professur für Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik
Mommsenstr. 12, 01069 Dresden
phone +49 351 463 33326
ronald.tetzlaff@tu-dresden.de

Questions on the DFG Priority Programme and proposal submission can be directed to:

Programme contact: