BrainMap

Elena- Mirela ȘTEȚCO

Lecturer, PhD Eng. - UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Researcher | Teaching staff

Web of Science ResearcherID: not public

Curriculum Vitae (09/10/2019)

Expertise & keywords

European Consortium for Accelerating Innovations in Electronic Packaging Manufacturing Call name: P 5.8 - SP 5.8.1 - Parteneriate și misiuni europene
PN-IV-P8-8.1-PME-2025-0062 2026 - 2028

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AG (DE); EXTOLL GMBH (DE); FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG EV (DE); NANOWIRED GMBH (DE); ROBERT BOSCH GMBH (DE); Swissbit Germany AG (DE); TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET CHEMNITZ (DE); AT & S AUSTRIA TECHNOLOGIE & SYSTEMTECHNIK AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT (AT); APPLIED MATERIALS EUROPE BV (NL); BESI AUSTRIA GMBH (AT); INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG (AT); MATERIALS CENTER LEOBEN FORSCHUNG GMBH (AT); PROFACTOR GMBH (AT); SILICON AUSTRIA LABS GMBH (AT); VEREIN ZUR FORDERUNG DER ELEKTRONENMIKROSKOPIE UND FEINSTRUKTURFORSCHUNG (AT); INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUM (BE); MELEXIS TECHNOLOGIES (BE); ROARTIS BVBA (BE); OKMETIC OY (FI); ABB OY (FI); EDR & Medeso Oy (FI); MURATA ELECTRONICS OY (FI); TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY (FI); THALES (FR); COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVES (FR); MICRO PACKS (FR); UNITY SEMICONDUCTOR (FR); 3DIS TECHNOLOGIES (FR); NOVA LTD (IL); STMICROELECTRONICS SRL (IT); CONSIGLIO NAZIONALE DELLE RICERCHE (IT); Eles Semiconductor Equipment SpA (IT); TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT (NL); ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. (NL); BESI NETHERLANDS BV (NL); BOSCHMAN TECHNOLOGIES BV (NL); NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO (NL); NEXPERIA BV (NL); PRODRIVE TECHNOLOGIES INNOVATION SERVICES B.V. (NL); SIGNIFY NETHERLANDS BV (NL); TFA EUROPE B.V. (NL); AMKOR TECHNOLOGY PORTUGAL SA (PT); INSTITUTO DE CIENCIA E INOVACAO EM ENGENHARIA MECANICA E ENGENHARIA INDUSTRIAL (PT); INTERNATIONAL IBERIAN NANOTECHNOLOGY LABORATORY (PT); INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES MANUFACTURING PORTO, UNIPESSOAL LDA (PT); PICADVANCED, SA (PT); RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN AB (SE); ALSTOM RAIL SWEDEN AB (SE); ERICSSON AB (SE); LULEA TEKNISKA UNIVERSITET (SE); SENSEAIR AB (SE); SIVERS WIRELESS AB (SE); SLOVENSKA TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA V BRATISLAVE (SK); MARMARA UNIVERSITY (TR); BIGTRI BILISIM ANONIM SIRKETI (TR); SAYKAL ELEKTRONIK AS (TR)

Affiliation:

Project website:

Abstract:

The E2PACKMAN – European Consortium for Accelerating Innovations in Electronic Packaging Manufacturing project, funded under the Horizon Europe – JU Chips program, aims to accelerate the development and adoption of advanced electronic packaging solutions in microelectronics, contributing to the strengthening of Europe’s technological sovereignty in the semiconductor domain. The Technical University of Cluj-Napoca (UTCN), as a project partner, carries out research, design, and validation activities during the 2026–2027 period, in close alignment with European objectives related to performance, reliability, sustainability, and energy efficiency.

UTCN’s activities focus on defining requirements and specifications for materials and interfaces dedicated to advanced microelectronic packaging, developing simulation and analysis databases, and assessing technological synergies and trade‑offs in current packaging solutions. The project also addresses the impact of packaging technologies from the perspective of European sustainability policies, the Green Deal, and energy consumption reduction.

A major emphasis is placed on the design and integration of smart sensors, communication systems, and intelligent power modules, including spintronic devices, wide bandgap (WBG) systems, and advanced packaging architectures for multimodal energy applications. UTCN develops innovative Design for Manufacturing (DfM) and Design for Reliability (DfR) solutions, employing artificial intelligence and machine learning methods to optimize production, extend operational lifetime, and predict reliability.

The project includes extensive testing activities, real‑time degradation monitoring, and the development and validation of predictive models and digital twins for high‑performance microelectronic systems. The results are validated on dedicated test platforms for spintronic sensors and Smart Power systems, with direct applicability in areas such as electric mobility, high‑performance computing, and intelligent systems.

Through dissemination activities and contributions to best‑practice guidelines, E2PACKMAN supports knowledge transfer, advanced skills development, and the creation of a sustainable European ecosystem for heterogeneous electronic packaging in microelectronics.

Gate voltage controlled chiral magnetic domain wall SpinorbiTRonIc deVicEs Call name: P 5.1 - Proiecte de Cercetare Exploratorie - Competiția 2023
PN-IV-P1-PCE-2023-1548 2025 - 2027

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://c4s.utcluj.ro/STRIVE/strive.html

Abstract:

Emerging new information technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, or artificial intelligence (AI) are at the forefront of the next technological revolution. They are currently based almost exclusively on CMOS (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) von Neumann architecture computing machines, for which computation and data storage are physically separated. This constitutes a bottleneck since the transfer of information between the memory elements and the computation core leads to critical issues of energy consumption and power dissipation. With the advent of these new information technologies, the demand for computation power is bound to increase and so is the power consumption. Thus, optimizing power consumption is a prerequisite for sustainable development. Spin-based beyond-CMOS technologies are attracting increased interest, as they are expected to provide ultra-low power operation, scalability, and higher bandwidths, while merging non-volatile data retention and data processing. Within this project, we target to demonstrate viable fully electrically controlled, fast, ultra-low power operation, spin-current-driven chiral magnetic domain wall transistor devices. The implementation of the project relies on a wide range of experimental techniques and methods, starting from thin film heterostructures elaboration, structural, magnetic, magneto-electric and magneto-optic characterization, to micro-patterning of functional spin-orbitronic chiral devices.

Spin orbit torque driven field-free artificial synapses and neurons Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de Cercetare Exploratorie, 2020
PN-III-P4-ID-PCE-2020-1853 2021 - 2023

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://c4s.utcluj.ro/SPINSYNE/spinsyne.html

Abstract:

The artificial intelligence (AI) computing systems that can engage in human-like processes are at the forefront of the next technological revolution that will influence most aspects of society. Training an AI emulated on conventional von Neuman computers is an energy intensive process. Therefore, optimizing the power consumption is a prerequisite for the sustainable development of the AI industry. One method to improve the power consumption by orders of magnitude is to use dedicated hardware for neuromorphic computing, like the Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs). Artificial synapses and neurons are at the core of SNNs. Within this project we target to demonstrate viable field-free spin-orbit torque (SOT) driven domain wall (DW) synaptic devices and neurons. The envisioned synaptic device will meet the requirements of spike-timing dependent plasticity, will be energetically efficient, will have superior endurance and a reduced complexity. The SOT driven DW neuron will possess the leaky-integrate-and-fire functionality and the functional characteristics will be programmable via gate voltage. The implementation of the project relies on a wide range of techniques starting form thin films elaboration to micro-patterning of functional spin-orbitronic devices.

High temperature superconducting RF coil fabrication on flexible ceramic substrates for magnetic resonance imaging applications Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2019-1777 2021 - 2022

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Affiliation:

Project website: https://supraflex.weebly.com/

Abstract:

The object of the present proposal is to develop a high temperature superconducting (HTS) thin film deposition technology on flexible ceramic wafers. This technology will be then used for the development of radio-frequency coils used in magnetic resonance imaging applications. The advantage of such devices is two-fold. First, the use of high temperature superconducting films leads to an increased signal-to-noise ratio of the coil, due to the low surface resistance of such materials. Secondly, the flexibility of the surface coils would extend the field-of-view of the investigated sample, while also allowing a phased coil array configuration of multiple superconducting coils. This again will benefit the larger field-of-view and increased penetration of the investigated sample. The superconducting coil fabrication will be performed using state-of -the-art processes used in field of HTS thin film growth. A solution deposition planarization layer will be deposited on the ceramic substrate in order to prepare a low roughness template for further growth. Next, a bi-axially textured buffer layer architecture will be deposited. This will ensure an epitaxial growth of the superconducting YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) which will be deposited by pulsed laser deposition. The epitaxial structure of the YBCO is needed for optimal DC and RF properties. Finally, after a ultra-violet lithography step, the as obtained superconducting RF coil will be characterized and its performance evaluated (Q-factor and S parameters).

Spin-orbitronic devices for non-volatile magnetic memory elements Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-2131 2018 - 2020

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Project website: https://c4s.utcluj.ro/SOTMEM/sotmem.html

Abstract:

In the coming decades, the microelectronics industry will face major challenges relate to power dissipation. As the transistor size continues to shrink down, the leakage current continues to increase affecting both static and dynamic consumption. One possible solution to reduce the leakage power consumption in computing machines is to use non-volatile memory elements. This would immediately reduce the power consumption, since there is no need for uninterrupted power on the memory element and it would also allow highly energetic efficient "normally-off and instant-on" operation. Within this project we target the fabrication of magnetic tunnel junction based non-volatile memory elements whose state is controlled by spin-orbit toque effects. The envisioned device will met the requirements of non-volatility, scalability and high speed operation. The multilayer architectures will be epitaxially grown on single-crystal substrates and textured grown on thermally oxidized Si/SiO2 substrates. The textured structures are extremely important due to their compatibility with the conventional microelectronics technology. The implementation of the project relies on a wide range of experimental techniques starting form thin films elaboration to micro- and nano-patterning of functional spintronic devices.

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects