COMMISSARIAT A L'ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES

Development of memory cells utilizing resistive switching or phase-change materials, including novel material compositions, multi-layered structures, and integration with selector devices like bipolar junction transistors, to achieve non-volatile storage.

Design and operation of transistors optimized for memory applications, including floating body devices, ferroelectric FETs (FeFETs), vertical TFTs for 3D arrays, and charge-trapping memory cells.

Techniques and methodologies for fabricating semiconductor devices, including etching, deposition, annealing, isolation, and doping steps, aimed at improving yield, performance, or enabling new structures.

Methods and compositions for identifying, quantifying, or characterizing specific biological molecules (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, metabolites, antibodies) or microbial species, often for diagnostic, prognostic, or quality control applications.

Techniques and systems for precisely measuring electrical or electromagnetic properties of materials or components, often involving specialized resonators, waveguides, or multi-range measurement systems to ensure accuracy.

Novel materials and processes for forming low-resistance electrical contacts and interconnects within semiconductor devices, including selective deposition, silicidation, and barrier layers for improved performance and scaling.

Advanced techniques for forming and optimizing gate dielectrics, work function layers, and other dielectric layers within transistor structures to improve performance, reliability, and scaling.

Techniques for stacking multiple semiconductor dies or active layers vertically to achieve higher density and shorter interconnections, often utilizing through-silicon vias (TSVs) or other vertical conductive paths like through-hole electrodes.

Process and equipment for producing solid-state battery cells, including solid electrolyte synthesis (sulfide/oxide/polymer), thin-film deposition, lamination, sintering, dry-electrode fabrication, and stacking under controlled atmosphere.

Devices leveraging superconductivity or quantum phenomena for applications such as quantum computing, high-efficiency power transmission, or sensitive detection, including materials like graphene Josephson junctions and quantum bits.

Focuses on the design and manufacturing of transistors where the gate material fully encircles the channel, often using nanosheets or fins, to improve electrostatic control and reduce short-channel effects.

Methods and apparatus for measuring magnetic fields or utilizing magnetic resonance principles for medical diagnostics, material analysis, or precise localization, including gradient field measurement in MRI.

Layout, material composition, and structural arrangement of photoelectric conversion elements and associated circuitry within image sensor arrays, including infrared detectors and back-side illuminated structures.

Techniques for optimizing light capture, transmission, and internal reflection within photovoltaic devices, including surface texturing, anti-reflection coatings, and light concentration or redistribution.

Focuses on novel semiconductor materials, heterostructures, and doping profiles to improve photovoltaic conversion efficiency, stability, and spectral response.

Structural innovations in individual transistors, such as fin-based field-effect transistors (FinFETs), 3D gate structures, or multi-layer active regions, aimed at improving performance or density.

Techniques for designing and fabricating the conductive pathways (interconnects) and their contacts between different components within an integrated circuit, focusing on density, reliability, and performance.

The design and manufacturing of integrated circuits that combine optical and electronic components, particularly for high-speed data communication between processors and memory.

Systems that incorporate solar panels as a primary or auxiliary power source for various applications, including visual displays, remote devices, and portable battery charging, often emphasizing efficiency and adaptability.

Innovations in the physical components and architectures of radar, lidar, and sonar systems, including antenna design, RF signal generation, beam steering mechanisms, and optical elements for improved performance.

Methods for temporarily attaching a wafer or substrate to a carrier for thinning, dicing, or other processing, followed by controlled debonding, often using light-sensitive resins, temporary adhesives, or roughened interfaces.

Methods and components for electrically connecting photovoltaic cells within a module and ensuring long-term reliability, including busbar designs, bypass diodes, and flexible module assembly techniques.

Incorporation of novel semiconductor, dielectric, or metallic materials into transistor structures to achieve enhanced performance, new functionalities, or specific device characteristics.

Processes and apparatus for disassembling spent batteries and recovering valuable materials (e.g., metals, electrolytes, plastics) through mechanical, chemical, or electrochemical methods for reuse or sustainable disposal.

Engineering of artificial subwavelength structures (meta-atoms) to create metasurfaces that manipulate light properties (phase, polarization, wavelength) for multi-functional optical devices.

Software, algorithms, and associated hardware for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing battery performance, safety, and lifespan, including charge/discharge cycles, thermal regulation, and system integration.

Focuses on the design, fabrication, and application of piezoelectric materials and devices for sensing, actuation, or wave generation, including material properties, single crystal growth, and protective layers.

Development of sophisticated optical lens assemblies and computational methods to achieve high-resolution, precise, or specialized imaging, often for medical or scientific applications.

Focuses on the structural integrity, housing, mounting, and physical integration of battery cells into robust and protected packs within electric vehicles, including manufacturing considerations.

Methods for depositing thin films with controlled conformality, thickness, and material properties, including selective deposition on specific areas, often using atomic layer deposition (ALD), chemical vapor deposition (CVD), or epitaxial growth.

Slurry compositions and coating processes for battery electrodes, including binder/active-material slurries, surface coating layers, and electrode-to-foil adhesion for cathode and anode.

Systems and methods that utilize optical fibers as sensing elements or for transmitting sensing signals, often for distributed monitoring of environmental conditions, phase changes, or integrating sensing with communication.

Manufacturing processes and structural designs for transistors utilizing fin-shaped channels or multiple gates (e.g., FinFETs, Gate-All-Around FETs) to enhance gate control and reduce short-channel effects.

Development and manufacturing of semiconductor devices using wide bandgap materials like Silicon Carbide (SiC) or Gallium Nitride (GaN) for high-power, high-frequency, or high-temperature applications.

Systems that employ imaging and image processing to automatically detect defects, verify states, or ensure quality control in manufactured goods, printed materials, or industrial processes.

Techniques for precise material removal, pattern shaping, and controlling etch selectivity or uniformity, often involving plasma, wet chemistry, or directed beams to achieve desired features on semiconductor substrates.

Specialized hardware, architectural designs, and computational methods to improve the speed, efficiency, and security of artificial intelligence and machine learning model execution, particularly for inference and data processing.

Techniques for combining data from disparate sensor types (e.g., cameras, radar, mobile device signals) to achieve a more robust and comprehensive understanding of an environment or subject, often leveraging machine learning for interpretation and correlation.

Techniques for forming electrical contacts, vias, and interconnects to semiconductor devices, including advanced methods like contact-over-active-gate (COAG) and backside contacts for improved density and performance.

Design and integration of thermoelectric modules for converting heat into electricity (power generation) or using electricity for cooling/heating, often involving p-type/n-type semiconductor pellets and waste heat recovery.

Developing and applying machine learning algorithms that leverage quantum computing principles, such as quantum circuits or autoencoders, for tasks like simulation or data processing.

Design and modification of antibodies or antibody-derived fragments for targeted therapeutic intervention, including bispecific formats, Fc region modifications, and activatable constructs.

Development and use of engineered biological systems, such as organ-on-a-chip devices, dynamic hydrogels, or genetically modified cells, to mimic physiological conditions, study disease mechanisms, screen compounds, or develop cell-based therapies.

Optical systems and components specifically designed for head-mounted displays, augmented reality (AR) glasses, and virtual reality (VR) headsets, focusing on image projection, waveguide integration, and display durability.

Methods and systems for accurately determining the absolute or relative position of an object or device, often integrating satellite navigation (GNSS), inertial measurement units (IMU), and local ranging or wireless communication technologies.

Methods and systems for identifying anomalies, failures, or impending issues within electric motors or their associated drive and power management circuits, often by monitoring electrical or operational parameters.

Techniques and apparatus for electrically testing semiconductor devices, integrated circuits, or wafers during manufacturing or post-assembly, including built-in self-test (BIST) and contact reliability assessment.

Devices and methods for accurately measuring or monitoring electrical current draw and power usage in various systems, often for control, optimization, or safety purposes.

Systems designed to manage the temperature of multiple components in electric or hybrid vehicles, such as batteries, electric motors, power electronics, and the passenger cabin, often using shared or interconnected cooling/heating circuits.

Active anode materials and manufacturing techniques for rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, including silicon-carbon composites, graphite, lithium-metal anodes, and electrode coating processes that improve capacity, cycle life, and rate capability.

Processes involving chemical and mechanical forces to planarize surfaces (CMP) or wet chemical treatments for cleaning, etching, or material removal, often utilizing specialized compositions, nozzles, or fluid management systems.

Techniques used by sensing systems to identify the presence, location, and characteristics of objects or unusual conditions in an environment, including methods to suppress false positives or 'ghost' detections.