Industrial deployment of spintronics: a recap of the first industrial day of the PEPR SPIN
On November 28, the SPIN Research Program organized its first industrial day at the World Trade Center in Grenoble, bringing together 110 participants on-site, while others were able to attend online. At the heart of the discussions: the industrial deployment of spintronics, a promising technology for a more sustainable digital future, its opportunities, as well as the challenges to overcome. A day full of exchanges and perspectives.
Objective of the day: To consider the integration of spintronics in industry
The objective of this day was to bring together experts and scientists to collaboratively explore the integration of spintronics into industry. The discussions mainly focused on improving energy efficiency and achieving significant energy savings in the fields of electronics and information technology.
Key players and innovation
The event brought together key players in innovation, such as Thales, Allegro MicroSystems, and GlobalFoundries, as well as startups and growing companies like Nellow, Hprobe, Yole Group, and ICAlps. All key sectors were represented, including equipment manufacturers, designers of new components, as well as innovations in the fields of MRAM, STT-RAM, and ultra-low power ferroelectric devices dedicated to logic circuits.
The spintronics market and its prospects
The spintronics market, growing both in France and internationally, was at the heart of the discussions. Companies shared their experiences and reflected on future prospects. Olivier Faynot, Head of Silicon Components at CEA-LETI, presented the role of spintronics in European pilot lines, structured around three pillars: strengthening technological capabilities and innovation in semiconductors, securing the EU’s supply chain, and establishing a monitoring and crisis response mechanism.
State expectations for the SPIN programme
To complement this European vision, Hervé Martin, Head of the Department of Mathematics, Physics, Nanosciences, and ICT at the Ministry of Higher Education and Research, presented the state’s expectations for the SPIN Research Program. These expectations include reducing the energy consumption of electronic systems, exploring new opportunities in computing, IoT, and telecommunications, as well as creating innovative technological sectors (advanced components, sensors, microcontrollers). They also aim to attract talent, structure a dynamic ecosystem, strengthen European synergies, and ensure coordination with other PEPRs.
Round table: Obstacles to the development of industrial champions in spintronics
At the end of the day, Hervé Ribot led the roundtable discussion titled: “What are the barriers to the development of national industrial champions in spintronics, and what actions are needed to make them emerge?” The discussion focused on the challenges of financing spintronic startups and sovereign technologies. It was concluded that French spintronics must focus on creating a MPW (Multi-Project Wafer) offering to facilitate prototyping, leverage existing CMOS nodes to integrate spintronic post-processing, and conduct rapid testing for defense applications. A targeted funding approach, focused on high-potential innovations, particularly in AI and computing, is essential to support this dynamic.
Conclusion: Growing demand and a commitment to sovereign spintronics
This day highlighted the opportunities offered by spintronics and the sector’s needs to support its development. It is now clear that there is a growing demand in the market.
The Minalogic and Systematic Paris-Region clusters reaffirmed their support for this initiative and their commitment to promoting cutting-edge technologies, thereby contributing to the dynamics of sovereign spintronics.
Speakers: Lucian Prejbeanu, SPINTEC | Simone Bertolazzi, Yole | Lucille Engels, ICAlps | Johannes Müller, GlobalFoundries | Berthold Ocker, Singulus | Siamak Salimy, Hprobe | Olivier Faynot, CEA-LETI | Jeremy Perret, CIME-P | Hervé Martin, MESR | Mihai Miron, Golana Computing | Ali Aloui, Allegro MicroSystems | Johannes Paul, Sensitec | Jean-Philippe Attané, Nellow | Marko Erman – Paolo Bortolotti, THALES | Louis Hutin, CEA-LETI | Damien Bretegnier, Supernova invest
Revivez les temps forts en images ci-dessous.
