Skip to main content
RESEARCH LINES

Materials for Electronics

Advanced molecular and oxide materials for next-generation electronics, spintronics, quantum devices, photodetection and energy-efficient computing.

Explore Challenges
People
Research Lines

Functional materials for future electronics

Materials for Electronics is one of the strategic ICMAB research lines, bringing together expertise in molecular electronics, oxide materials, spintronics, superconductivity, magnetism, quantum materials and nanoscale device concepts.

Research in electronics based on molecular and oxide materials has been a main pillar of ICMAB since its foundation. In recent years, the line has been reinforced with consolidated younger researchers leading new directions in advanced functional materials for electronic applications.

The line connects materials design, synthesis, processing, characterization, modelling and device-oriented research to address the challenges of sustainable, energy-efficient and high-performance electronics.

A coordinated research ecosystem for advanced electronics

The Materials for Electronics line integrates molecular materials, oxide heterostructures, quantum coherence, ultrafast computing, magnetism and curved materials into a coherent research strategy.

Organic systems

Molecular electronics

Multicomponent organic materials, charge-transfer thin films and molecular heterostructures for photodetection and electronic functionalities.
Functional oxides

Oxide electronics

Ferroelectric, magnetic, superconducting and oxide-based systems for memory, logic, sensors and emerging devices.
Quantum materials

Spintronics and quantum devices

Spin-orbit torque, superconducting spintronics, coherent transport and quantum correlated phases.
Future technologies

Energy-efficient computing

Materials and heterostructures for low-power, high-speed and sustainable computing paradigms.

Research challenges

The line is structured around scientific challenges that connect fundamental materials science with future electronic and quantum technologies.

Molecular electronics

Organic heterostructures for photodetection

Multicomponent organic materials for electronic functions are an emerging area of research. While commonplace in photovoltaic cells, most devices are single component. The combination of materials can translate...
Quantum devices

Quantum coherence phenomena for new sensors and devices

The line aims to invent a new generation of sensors and quantum devices by engineering heterostructures that merge functional materials in unconventional ways. Oxide ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, ferrimagn...
Efficient computing

Materials for energy-efficient ultrafast computing

New computing paradigms require low power use and high speed. Ferroelectric HfO 2 , rare-earth iron garnets and atomically sharp heterostructures can provide transformative routes towards non-volatile memory an...
Quantum materials

Non-trivial magnetism and quantum correlated phases

Understanding correlated and frustrated magnetic materials with complex states and transitions is essential for future quantum applications. The line investigates hidden orders, magneto-orbital phenomena, enta...
Curved materials

Emerging functionalities in curved materials

Curvature is ubiquitous at the nanoscale, from suspended 2D layers to oxide membranes, and can strongly influence electrical, magnetic, charge and heat transport properties. ICMAB research contributes to under...

Challenge 1: Organic heterostructures for photodetection

Multicomponent organic materials for electronic functions are an emerging area of research. While commonplace in photovoltaic cells, most devices are single component. The combination of materials can translate into new functionalities.

The line works on molecular design and synthesis, composition and structure control, processing and interface engineering to prepare large-area thin films of charge-transfer materials for NIR photodetection, photothermal conversion and ferroelectricity.

Associated researchers

Challenge 2: Quantum coherence phenomena for new sensors and devices

The line aims to invent a new generation of sensors and quantum devices by engineering heterostructures that merge functional materials in unconventional ways.

Oxide ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, ferrimagnetic and superconducting materials are combined to explore spin-orbit torque, superconducting spintronics, coherent transport and high-temperature superconducting sensors.

Associated researchers

Challenge 3: Materials for energy-efficient ultrafast computing

New computing paradigms require low power use and high speed. Ferroelectric HfO2, rare-earth iron garnets and atomically sharp heterostructures can provide transformative routes towards non-volatile memory and logic.

The research explores switching speed, endurance, retention, domain walls, skyrmions and ultrafast displacement by spin-orbit torques for computing devices beyond 1 GHz with ultralow energy consumption.

Associated researchers

Challenge 4: Non-trivial magnetism and quantum correlated phases

Understanding correlated and frustrated magnetic materials with complex states and transitions is essential for future quantum applications.

The line investigates hidden orders, magneto-orbital phenomena, entangled states and excitations in non-collinear, molecular, degenerate and quantum magnets, combining complex materials preparation with quantum beams and international collaborations.

Associated researchers

Challenge 5: Emerging functionalities in curved materials

Curvature is ubiquitous at the nanoscale, from suspended 2D layers to oxide membranes, and can strongly influence electrical, magnetic, charge and heat transport properties.

ICMAB research contributes to understanding flexoelectricity, flexomagnetism, electron-phonon interactions and phonon Hall effects in curved materials using theory and advanced experimental characterization.

Associated researchers

Coordination and research leadership

The Materials for Electronics line is coordinated by ICMAB researchers and supported by senior scientific expertise across molecular, oxide and quantum materials.

Ad-honorem professors

Postdoctoral researchers and PhD candidates

A dynamic research community contributes to the Materials for Electronics line through experimental, theoretical and device-oriented work.

Postdocs

PhD candidates

Connected to the ICMAB research ecosystem

Materials for Electronics connects research groups, research units and scientific services working across advanced functional materials, nanoscience and device-oriented applications.

Exploring advanced materials for future electronics?

Use this research line as a gateway to ICMAB expertise in molecular electronics, oxide materials, spintronics, superconductivity, quantum phases and energy-efficient computing.

Explore Research Groups
Contact ICMAB