Among the physical limitations which challenge progress in nanoelectronics for aggressively scaled More Moore, process variability is getting ever more critical. Effects from various sources of process variations, both systematic and stochastic, influence each other and lead to variations of the electrical, thermal and mechanical behavior of devices, interconnects and circuits. Correlations are of key importance because they drastically affect the percentage of products which meet the specifications. Whereas the comprehensive experimental investigation of these effects is largely impossible, modelling and simulation (TCAD) offers the unique possibility to predefine process variations and trace their effects on subsequent process steps and on devices and circuits fabricated, just by changing the corresponding input data. This important requirement for and capability of simulation is among others highlighted in the International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors ITRS. SUPERAID7 will build upon the successful FP7 project SUPERTHEME which focused on advanced More-than-Moore devices, and will establish a software system for the simulation of the impact of systematic and statistical process variations on advanced More Moore devices and circuits down to the 7 nm node and below, including especially interconnects. This will need improved physical models and extended compact models. Device architectures addressed in the benchmarks include especially TriGate/ΩGate FETs and stacked nanowires, including alternative channel materials. The software developed will be benchmarked utilizing background and sideground experiments of the partner CEA. Main channels for exploitation will be software commercialization via the partner GSS and support of device architecture activities at CEA. Furthermore, an Industrial Advisory Board initially consisting of GLOBALFOUNDRIES and STMicroelectronics will contribute to the specifications and will get early access to the project results.

Our modern society has gained enormously from novel miniaturized microelectronic products with enhanced functionality at ever decreasing cost. However, as size goes down, interconnects become major bottlenecks irrespective of the application domain. CONNECT proposes innovations in novel interconnect architectures to enable future CMOS scaling by integration of metal-doped or metal-filled Carbon Nanotube (CNT) composite. To achieve the above, CONNECT aspires to develop fabrication techniques and processes to sustain reliable CNTs for on-chip interconnects. Also challenges of transferring the process into the semiconductor industry and CMOS compatibility will be addressed. CONNECT will investigate ultra-fine CNT lines and metal-CNT composite material for addressing the most imminent high power consumption and electromigration issues of current state-of-the-art copper interconnects. Demonstrators will be developed to show significantly improved electrical resistivity (up to 10µOhmcm for individual doped CNT lines), ampacity (up to 108A/cm2 for CNT bundles), thermal and electromigration properties compared to state-of-the-art approaches with conventional copper interconnects. Additionally, CONNECT will develop novel CNT interconnect architectures to explore circuit- and architecture-level performance and energy efficiency. The technologies developed in this project are key for both performance and manufacturability of scaled microelectronics. It will allow increased power density and scaling density of CMOS or CMOS extension and will also be applicable to alternative computing schemes such as neuromorphic computing. The CONNECT consortium has strong links along the value chain from fundamental research to end‐users and brings together some of the best research groups in that field in Europe. The realisation of CONNECT will foster the recovery of market shares of the European electronic sector and prepare the industry for future developments of the electronic landscape

Clinical experts make design decisions on treatments, interventions, or on devices. ICT empowers them with patient-specific simulation models that enable better-informed design decisions. But patient-specific computational medicine is currently cumbersome, slow, and unintuitive; it relies on complex processing by technical experts, and it is hence far from reaching its full potential on clinical design, and scarcely used. RAINBOW envisions next-generation biomechanics simulation and optimization tools for personalized clinical design that are rapidly setup for a particular patient, have a fast learning curve, are easy-to-use by clinical experts, and do not require intervention by a technical team. Research objectives entail automated processing of patient data; automated setup of representations and parameters, capability to manage variance across patients; robust and accurate simulation as a latent part of design tools; and fast optimization methods that allow intuitive exploration of the design space. Novel computational methods will be created to reach the objective of rapid biomechanics simulation. RAINBOW will apply research solutions for diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring, surgical training, planning, guidance, design of prosthetics, implants, and medical devices, and will address health conditions such as osteoarthritis, scoliosis, hearing impairment, cardiovascular diseases, obesity etc. RAINBOW has 5 excellent academic participants: UCPH (medical imagine, machine learning), URJC (data-driven modeling), UL (computational mechanics), CARDIFF (model reduction), AAU and one hospital HH (bone modeling) and 8 industries 3Shape (prosthesis), Kitware (imaging), Insimo (surgical simulation), GMV (eHealth), Simpleware (CAD/CAE), inuTech (numerics), Anatascope (Patient specific modeling) and Next-Limit (CFD). This combined expertise will ensure diverse impact and training of highly qualified individuals.

REMINDER aims to develop an embedded DRAM solution optimized for ultra-low-power consumption and variability immunity, specifically focused on Internet of Things cut-edge devices. The objectives of REMINDER are : i) Investigation (concept, design, characterization, simulation, modelling), selection and optimization of a Floating-Body memory bit cell in terms of low power and low voltage, high reliability, robustness (variability), speed, reduced footprint and cost. ii) Design and fabrication in FDSOI 28nm (FD28) and FDSOI 14nm (FD14) technology nodes of a memory matrix based on the optimized bit-cells developed. Matrix memory subcircuits, blocks and architectures will be carefully analysed from the power-consumption point of view. In addition variability tolerant design techniques underpinned by variability analysis and statistical simulation technology will be considered. iii) Demonstration of a system on chip application using the developed memory solution and benchmarking with alternative embedded memory blocks. The eventual replacement of Si by strained Si/SiGe and III-V materials in future CMOS circuits would also require the redesign of different applications, including memory cells, and therefore we also propose the evaluation of the optimized bit cells developed in FD28 and FD14 technology nodes using these alternative materials. The fulfilment of the objectives above will also imply the development of: i) New techniques for the electrical characterization of ultimate CMOS nanometric devices. This will allow us to improve the CMOS technology by boosting device performance. ii) New behavioural models, incorporating variability effects, to reach a deep understanding of nanoelectronics devices iii) Advanced simulation tools for nanoelectronic devices for state of the art, and emerging devices. iv) Extreme low power solutions The consortium supporting this proposal is ideally balanced with 2 industrial partners, 2 SMEs, 2 research centers and 3 universities.

GeoRes aims to expand the scope of the involved teams’ research in addressing some of the outstanding challenges in geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering: developing innovative solutions for the reuse of waste geomaterials generated by construction and mining industries across Europe. Geomaterial waste represents half of the waste volume generated in EU-27. These waste geomaterials generally exhibit poor engineering characteristics that prevent their direct reuse on construction/mining sites. However, if adequately treated, they could represent an excellent resource for construction purposes with significant money saving and reduction in the environmental footprint, thus contributing to the establishment of a circular economy. To achieve this, GeoRes will develop protocols, software and tools to improve the engineering characteristics of waste geomaterials, and to guarantee the level of performance over the service life of geostructures built from waste geomaterials considering site-specific conditions. The fundamental concern of the research in the GeoRes network is thus to develop strategies and tools for sustainable reuse of waste geomaterials generated by geoengineering activities, and to determine how to turn a waste geomaterial into a valued durable material, with a positive revenue stream. The proposed network is at the interface of two domains of engineering; geotechnical and geoenvironmental. Even today, it is not easy to find researchers with expertise in both geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering. We intend to form a multidisciplinary and intersectoral consortium composed of 8 academic and 6 industrial beneficiaries and 6 Third Country partners which aim to address this problem. GeoRes will create a multidisciplinary and intersectoral network of creative and innovative researchers and practising engineers ready to face geotechnical and geoenvironmental engineering challenges which arise in the vanguard of technological innovation.