Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Southern California received a $317,826 Project Grant award dated October 1, 2025, from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering (CFDA 47.041) to conduct collaborative research on indium selenide-based back-end-of-line neuromorphic accelerators. The project, scheduled for completion by September 30, 2026, focuses on integrating two-dimensional (2D) materials—specifically indium-based chalcogenides such as InSe and In2Se3—with existing silicon-based complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The research team will synthesize, characterize, and fabricate an array of sensing, encoding, computing, and memory devices optimized for hardware acceleration of energy-efficient spiking neural networks (SNNs) through a cross-layer co-optimization approach spanning material discovery, synthesis and deposition techniques, and process flow development.

The deliverables include prototype neuromorphic microchips capable of processing audio, visual, tactile, and olfactory information with enhanced energy efficiency and performance. These brain-inspired computing devices are intended for applications in autonomous vehicles, drones, and robots to improve navigation and obstacle avoidance capabilities. The project incorporates workforce development objectives, emphasizing training and mentorship of next-generation scientists and engineers while promoting diversity and inclusivity in the field. By leveraging low-temperature synthesis techniques compatible with back-end-of-line processes, this research addresses a critical integration challenge in advancing 2D material adoption within mainstream semiconductor manufacturing.