2024 IEEE Device Research Conference
Technical Briefs
2024 IEEE International
Electron Devices Meeting
Spotlights Advances in Critical
Semiconductor Technologies
with the Theme “Shaping
Tomorrow’s Semiconductor
Technology”
Since it began in 1955, the IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM) has been where the world’s best and brightest electronics technologists go to learn about the latest breakthroughs in semiconductors and related technologies. That tradition continued in 2024, when the 70th annual IEEE IEDM conference was held in-person on 7-11 December at the Hilton San Francisco Union Square hotel, with online access to recorded content available afterward.
“Society needs more computing power to satisfy the needs of fast-growing applications like artificial intelligence/high-performance computing (AI/HPC); electrification and automation of transportation and manufacturing; wireless and high-speed communications; quantum computing, and many others,” said Kang-ill Seo, 2024 IEDM Publicity Chair and Vice President, Semiconductor R&D, Samsung Semiconductor. He continued: “These needs will continue to grow, and the IEDM program shows the way to meet them. Many papers discuss striking advances in logic and memory technology, such as monolithic integration of various functions, 3D architectures, and system-level design and technology co-optimization for increased performance at reduced power and cost. Also, many applications of AI are seen throughout the program, in neuromorphic computing and other areas.” Gaudenzio Meneghesso, 2024 IEDM Publicity Co-Chair, and Head of the Department of Information Engineering at the University of Padua added, “Since the conference began in 1955, our speakers have gone from talking about single transistors to entire systems,” and “Noteworthy this year are the many papers on ways to make more efficient, higher-performing CPUs for HPC and machine learning (ML); how gate-all-around (GAA) technology is progressing for next-generation logic; and the high-speed devices which are bringing 6G wireless communications to reality.” Below, we present more details of 2024 IEDM.
The conference technical program, supporting the theme “Shaping Tomorrow’s Semiconductor Technology,” consisted of more than 270 presentations plus a full slate of events including an evening panel, Focus Sessions, Tutorials, Short Courses, a career luncheon, supplier exhibit, and IEEE/EDS award presentations.
Tutorial Sessions on emerging technologies were held on Saturday, 7 December. The following six tutorials were presented by experts in the field to bridge the gap between textbook-level knowledge and leading-edge current research, and to introduce attendees to new fields of interest:
Two full-day Short Courses were held on Sunday, 8 December. They were focused on different aspects of a single technical topic. They offered the opportunity to learn about important areas and developments, and to network with global experts.
The career-focused luncheon featuring industry and scientific leaders talking about their personal experiences in the context of career growth was held on Tuesday, 10 December. The discussion was moderated by Janina Beilner, Senior VP of Healthcare global market at Siemens, and Appointed Lecturer, FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg. The speakers were:
The Evening Panel Session was held on Tuesday evening, 10 December. The IEDM evening panel session is an interactive forum where experts give their views on important industry topics, and audience participation is encouraged to foster an open exchange of ideas. The recent panel was moderated by Ali Keshavarzi of Stanford University. It focused on the theme, “IEDM at 70 – Building on the Past while Preparing for the Future – What is Next?”
The main part of the 2024 IEDM technical program consisted of plenary, regular, and focus sessions. The Plenary session was held on Monday, 9 December, and included three keynote talks:
The Regular Sessions presentations were selected by the 2024 IEDM technical subcommittees:
We would like to draw the Readers’ attention to several works presented at the regular sessions of 2024 IEDM, corresponding to six more general thematic groups.
We want to recommend also two presentations reporting modeling and simulations for accelerating semiconductor R&D productivity and understanding heat generation and flow from atoms to circuits levels, respectively:
In parallel with the regular sessions, five Focus Sessions devoted to key emerging technologies were held.
Two additional events also worth mentioning accompanied the 2024 IEDM: a Vendor Exhibition and the 16th MRAM Global Innovation Forum. The latter one, sponsored by the IEEE Magnetics Society, was held in the same venue the day following the IEDM conference, on Thursday, 12 December.
We invite you to seek information on topics of interest to you in the 2024 IEDM materials, which will be available through IEEE Xplore. We are looking forward to meeting you at IEDM in 2025!
For 2025 IEDM registration and other information, visit www.ieee-iedm.org. Follow also IEDM via social media:
Your comments are most welcome. Please write directly to the Editor-in-Chief of the Newsletter at
daniel.tomaszewski@imif.lukasiewicz.gov.pl
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2024 IEEE Device Research Conference |
The 82nd Device Research Conference (DRC), the world’s longest-running device research meeting, was held on 23-26 June 2024, at the University of Maryland, College Park. A gathering of 285 leading scientists, researchers, and students, the DRC continues its legacy as a premier forum for sharing groundbreaking advancements in device science, technology, and modeling.
This year’s program offered a rich and diverse array of content, including 121 oral presentations — comprising 3 plenary, 11 keynote, 46 invited, and 61 contributed talks— as well as 61 poster presentations. The inclusion of a special focus topic, Devices for Neuromorphic Computing, was a major highlight of the conference. This focus area featured 11 dedicated sessions and a one-day short course, where industry and academic experts provided a comprehensive exploration of this rapidly growing field, shedding light on its potential to revolutionize computing.
The conference began on a poignant note, with a tribute to the late Dr. Herbert Kroemer, (1928-2024) a distinguished DRC veteran and Nobel laureate, celebrated for his pioneering contributions to semiconductor heterostructures. Dr. Kroemer’s enduring impact on the field served as an inspiration for attendees as they embarked on three days of thought-provoking discussions and knowledge exchange.
Saptarshi Das, 2024 DRC Technical Chair hosting Q&A following Sanjay Banerjee’s Plenary talk.
The plenary sessions, which set the tone for the conference, featured visionary talks by leaders in the field. Sanjay Banerjee (UT Austin) delivered a compelling presentation titled, “Microelectronics: The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?” In his talk, he shared historical anecdotes and explored the future trajectory of microelectronics, addressing both the challenges and opportunities ahead. Gouri Sankar Kar (imec) followed with an insightful presentation titled, “Future of Logic Scaling: Opportunities for New Materials, Devices, Process, and System Integration,” highlighting innovative approaches and the potential for scaling in the semiconductor industry.
Abu Sebastian (IBM Zurich) presenting at the 2024 DRC industry session.
Technical sessions were organized into four parallel tracks, ensuring broad coverage of cutting-edge topics. These sessions were complemented by an evening poster session, which opened with dynamic two-minute oral pitches by each presenter, fostering engaging discussions and networking opportunities.
The second day featured another impactful plenary session by Tibor Grasser (TU Wien), who delivered an insightful presentation titled, “Insulators for Devices Based on 2D Materials.” His talk explored the critical role of insulators, focusing on their interfaces, reliability, and the quest for the optimal semiconductor-insulator combinations for next-generation devices. The day also included morning and afternoon technical sessions, culminating in the highly anticipated evening industry session. Representatives from major companies such as Samsung, Qorvo, Western Digital, Applied Materials, Intel, Army Research Laboratory, and IBM Research Zurich delivered concise, few-minute pitches. This session sparked vibrant roundtable discussions, offering students and researchers valuable opportunities to engage directly with industry leaders.
A key aspect of the DRC is its strong focus on student contributions. This year we introduced a dedicated student award session, organized into three parallel tracks, which followed the opening plenary talks on the first day. The awards were announced during dinner on the second evening, with Md Sazzadur Rahman (Duke University) receiving the prestigious Best Student Oral Presentation Award for their talk, “A Circuit-design Friendly Light Intensity-dependent Conductance Tuning Approach Using Floating Gate Optoelectronic Synapse with 2D Material.” More information about the best student awards can be found at https://2025.deviceresearchconference.org/about/awards. This recognition underscores the importance of nurturing young talent in the device research community.
2024 DRC Evening Rump Session. Panelists (from left to right) Lu Shi, Deji Akinwande, Haozhe Wang, and Matthew Parker engage in a lively discussion on “Device Research as a Chess Blitz: Publish Faster or Get More Results?”
Social activities played a vital role in enriching the conference experience. Highlights included the conference banquet, the industry session, and the much-anticipated Rump Session: a lively and sometimes controversial debate on provocative topics. This year’s Rump Session addressed the theme: “Device Research as a Chess Blitz: Publish Faster or Get More Results?” Panelists Haozhe Wang (Duke University), Deji Akinwande (UT Austin), Lu Shi (Nature Nanotechnology), and Matthew Parker (Nature Electronics) engaged in spirited discussions that captivated the audience.
The final day began with a joint DRC-EMC plenary session, exemplifying the conference’s interdisciplinary spirit. This was followed by a series of technical presentations across three parallel tracks, concluding the event with valuable insights into the latest developments in device science and technology.
Overall, the 82nd DRC was a resounding success, providing a dynamic platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and inspiration. Attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and a clearer vision of the challenges and opportunities ahead.
The next IEEE DRC will be hosted by Duke University on 22-25 June 2025. For more details, visit https://2025.deviceresearchconference.org/.
Eilam Yalon
2024 DRC Publicity Chair
The European Flagship Conference ESSERC 2024
The 2024 IEEE 50th European Solid-State Electronics Research Conference-ESSERC was held in Bruges on 9-12 September. Or should we say the first ESSERC? After 53 years of the European Solid-State Device Research Conference (ESSDERC) and 49 years of the European Solid-State Circuits Conference (ESSCIRC), the two conferences have been merged into one single conference: ESSERC. Initially, both conferences were organized annually in different weeks in September and in different European cities. Answering the general need for a stronger interaction between technologists, device experts, and circuit designers, in 2002, it was decided to co-locate the two conferences and organize them at the same time, at the same location. Further strengthening the link between device technology and circuit design even more, the Steering Committee (EStC) decided to reorganize the ESSDERC and ESSCIRC conferences into a single conference format under the new name ESSERC. The conference is organized by KU Leuven, Belgium and sponsored by IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS), IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS), and IEEE Circuits and Systems Society (CAS).
Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of ESSERC.
The celebration of the 50th anniversary of both conferences deserved a historical European location. Therefore, the conference took place in Bruges, a very beautiful and historically important city in Europe, designated a UNESCO world heritage site. This “Venice of the North” is yearly visited by millions of tourists from all over the world. A birthday party is never complete without a birthday cake. It was the honor of Wim Dehaene, the ESSERC 2024 general chair, and Michiel Steyaert, the ESSERC Steering Committee (EStC) chair, to cut the cake.
The aim of ESSERC is to provide an annual European forum for the presentation and discussion of recent advances in solid-state devices and circuits, for research from both academia and industry researchers. The wide scope of technology advances up to the most recent Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) hardware implementations was presented. In the latter, the level of integration for system-on-chip design is rapidly increasing. This is made available by advances in semiconductor technology. Therefore, more than ever before, a deeper interaction among technologists, device experts, IC, and system designers is required. At ESSERC these interactions were more than a success. Keynote papers given by experts in the field included:
The 2024 edition of ESSERC received a record number of 495 submissions from 28 countries. From these submissions, 185 papers have been accepted. About 37.6% of the submissions came from Europe, 47.1% from Asia and the-Pacific, and 14% from North America, clearly demonstrating the international character of the conference. The number of attendees was close to 700, far more than was anticipated.
The peer-reviewed papers are published in IEEE Xplore and extended versions of selected manuscripts will be published in the IEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits (JSSC) (circuits-oriented papers), the Journal of the Electron Devices Society (JEDS) (technology-oriented papers) and IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems (TCAS-1) (system-oriented papers).
Organizing a conference requires a lot of support. The IEEE Solid-State Circuits Society (SSCS), the IEEE Circuit and System Society (CASS), and the IEEE Electron Devices Society (EDS) sponsored the conference. The financial sponsors from industry and academia included Melexis, Huawei, imec, Rohde&Schwarz, ST Microelectronics, Synopsys, TSMC, and the many silver and bronze sponsors. For many years the Professional Conference Organizer (PCO) Sistema Congressi has taken care of all logistic and administrative support and the on-site conference organization including the social activities. Much attention is given to attracting PhD students to the conference as they will be the leading researchers in the future. The voluntary PhD students (the purple T-shirt crew) have been guiding the attendees in a professional way and their support is highly appreciated.
Staff of ESSERC 2024.
Finally, the real success of a conference is based on the trust of all the authors who submitted their papers to the conference and on their willingness to come and share their knowledge and insights. We strongly acknowledge the efforts of all our solid-state circuits and devices community to stay together and make this new edition of ESSERC a great success. We hope to see you all again in Munich, Germany, for the next year’s edition, ESSERC 2025.
Wim Dehaene, General Chair
Michiel Steyaert, General co-Chair
Patrick Reynaert General Technical Program Chair
Filip Tavernier, TPC Chair Circuit Papers
Anne Verhulst, TPC Chair Device Papers
James Myers, TPC Chair Joint Papers
Marian Verhelst, Tutorials/Workshop Chair
Georges Gielen, Sponsoring Chair
Cor Claeys, Chair Local Arrangement
Ann Naeye, Chair Local Logistics