BrainMap

Sonher Ramona

- UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Researcher | Teaching staff

Web of Science ResearcherID: http://www.researcherid.com/rid/C-2605-2012

Expertise & keywords

Nanostructured hybrid architectures with tunable magneto-luminescent properties Call name: P 4 - Proiecte de cercetare exploratorie - PCE-2021
PN-III-P4-PCE-2021-1561 2022 - 2024

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/Nano-Mag@Lu/Nano-Mag@Lu%20-%20Ro.html

Abstract:

The main objective of the project is to develop new magneto-luminescent hybrid architectures based on the understanding of the effects induced by low-dimensionality, and proximity on the chemical and physical properties. The main objective will be achieved by following specific objectives: (O1) Nano-sized magnetic or luminescent particles – chemical synthesis and characterization; (O2) Mag@Lu-Sys: core-shells and multilayers heterostructures – chemical elaboration and characterization; (O3) Understanding the synergism - antagonism relationship between physical properties in elaborated hybrid systems; (O4) Development of new magneto-luminescent hybrid systems with predefined chemical composition and targeted properties and functionalities for biomedical applications.

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.

Advanced materials for smart energy-efficient windows Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-2017 2019 - 2021

Role in this project: Project coordinator

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/SMARTWIN/SMARTWIN.html

Abstract:

Electrochromic–based smart windows are able to vary their throughput of visible light and solar energy by the application of an electrical voltage and are able to provide energy efficiency and comfort in buildings. The electrochromic smart windows transparency/translucidity changes reversibly due to the reduction/oxidation of the material.

The main objective of the present project is focused elaboration and testing the multilayer electrochromic device, glass/TCE/WO3(NiO)/electrolyte/CeO2-x:M/TCE/glass for the fabrication of smart windows. Mainly, two oxide systems will be taken into account for the fabrication of the electrochromic structure: (i) the simple WO3 and NiO oxides thin films, as electrochromic component deposited by the physical methods (e.g. sputtering) and (ii) doped simple oxides, including rare earths CeO2-x:M (M=Zr4+ and/or Y3+), as counter electrodes. The solid transparent electrolyte will be chemically prepared based on lithium precursors.

High sensitivity mixed superconducting-magnetoresistive magnetic field sensors for biomedical applications Call name: P 1 - SP 1.1 - Proiecte de cercetare pentru stimularea tinerelor echipe independente
PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2016-2465 2018 - 2020

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

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

Affiliation:

Project website: http://supermagsense.weebly.com

Abstract:

The present project is concerned with the elaboration and investigation of efficient vortex pinning mechanisms to enhance the sensitivity of mixed superconducting-magnetoresistive magnetic field sensors at high operating temperatures, i.e. 77 K. Mixed superconducting-magnetoresistive sensors are developed because of their very high magnetic field sensitivity which recommends them for biomagnetic applications, in which extremely low magnetic field sources must be measured, e.g. 1 pT (10-12 T) in the case of adult signals and 1 fT (10-15 T) for brain activity. The mixed superconducting-magnetoresistive sensor consists of a high temperature superconducting (HTS) loop with a constriction which acts as a flux to field transformer. Above the constriction, a giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensor is placed. In order to increase the sensor sensitivity, the HTS constriction needs to carry sufficient current to produce a sizeable magnetic field for the GMR element. Critical current density enhancement in the HTS constriction may be achieved by limiting the vortex motion by the addition of artificial punning centres. The objective of the project is to produce highly effective vortex pinning centres within the HTS constriction. This goal will be reached by fabrication of defined arrays of nanostructures, both dots as well as holes, arranged in geometries that maximize their efficiency.

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.

High temperature superconducting fault current limiters Call name: P 2 - SP 2.1 - Proiect experimental - demonstrativ
PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2016-2084 2017 - 2018

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA

Project partners: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Project website: http://www.htsfcl.weebly.com

Abstract:

The complexity of the current power grids has registered a large increase due to both power demands as well as a growing number of power generation facilities, such as photovoltaic plants and wind farms. As a consequence, an increase in the number of short-circuits has been observed. The short circuit current intensity can reach extremely high values capable of causing irreparable damage of the transmission lines, transformers and generators. For the safe operation of power systems, methods for mastering fault currents must be used. The present project is aimed at developing a resistive superconducting fault current limiter using YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO), a high temperature superconductor. When a current that passes through a type II superconductor, exceeds a critical value, it switches from the superconducting, zero resistance phase, to a resistive electrical transport mechanism. This phenomenon, also known as quenching, is at the heart of the superconducting fault current limiter. When used in the power grid in the superconducting state the limiter has no effect on the current intensity, however, when a sharp rise in the current takes place, the resistive transition of the superconductor helps limit the current intensity values. Two fault current limiter designs will be investigated. One is based on a YBCO thin film architecture deposited over a large area substrate, while the other uses the commercially available YBCO based coated conductor tapes. Although, efforts have been made over the last decades towards the introduction of superconducting fault current limiters in the market, to the best of our knowledge at a national level, the project represents the first attempt in the elaboration of a superconducting fault current limiter demonstrator.

Advanced spintronic devices for communication and data storage technologies based on Heusler compounds Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-1820 2015 - 2017

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: http://www.c4s.utcluj.ro/SPINCOD/spincod.html

Abstract:

The purpose of the project consists in elaboration of next generation spintronic devices based on perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions with engineered magnetic and magneto-transport properties. We will integrate full-Heusler alloy materials with remarkable properties such as low Gilbert damping and high spin polarization. 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. Our upstream research strategy is expected to have a major impact on the development of spintronics based on half-metallic materials, allowing enhanced data storage and data processing speed, low power consumption and high level of downscaling of the device dimensions. All these aspects are fully compatible with the needs of the next generation of spin-electronic devices. 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.

Nano-engineered Magnetic Pinning Centers in High Temperature Superconducting Epitaxial Thin Films Call name: Projects for Young Research Teams - RUTE -2014 call
PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-2848 2015 - 2017

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: http://proiect-magpin.weebly.com/

Abstract:

The main objective of the present project is to investigate the potential of magnetic pinning for the enhancement of the transport properties of high temperature superconducting (HTS) epitaxial films close to the critical temperature, where, due to the thermal activation, the condensation energy pinning is not effective. As HTS films the YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) epitaxial films will be considered due to their technological relevance in the fabrication of HTS coated conductors. Two different innovative approaches are taken into consideration in order to create nanometric magnetic pinning centers in the YBCO film: magnetic nanoparticle surface decoration using polymer based methods and YBCO/ferromagnetic core-shell nanocomposites films. It is to be noted that the proposed methods are scalable and, therefore, they could rapidly be implemented at an industrial level.

Thick YBa2Cu3O7 films with improved parameters for superconducting coatings Call name: Joint Applied Research Projects - PCCA-2011 call, Type 1
PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.1-0258 2012 - 2016

Role in this project:

Coordinating institution: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA

Project partners: INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE - DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA MATERIALELOR BUCURESTI RA (RO); UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO); INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE DEZVOLTARE PENTRU FIZICA LASERILOR, PLASMEI SI RADIATIEI - INFLPR RA (RO)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA DIN CLUJ - NAPOCA (RO)

Project website: http://lab20.infim.ro/projects/TYBCO/index.html

Abstract:

The project is devoted to the fabrication of thick YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) films with improved critical current density Jc for superconducting coatings. It is well known that Jc decreases with increasing film thickness, and our aim is to introduce combined artificial pinning centres and to grow super-lattices in a few micron thick films so that Jc to remain well above 1 MA/cm2 (at 77 K and self field). The fabrication route will involve Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) and chemical deposition (CSD), and the optimal conditions will be decided after the structural characterization (XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM, STM) of nanostructured thick YBCO superconducting films, correlated with a detailed investigation of the supercurrent transport properties (resistive measurements and SQUID magnetometry). The novelty of this proposal is to use a combined vortex pinning effect resulting from the presence of columnar defects, randomly distributed nanoparticles, and the substrate decoration with metal nanodots, as well as the quasi-multilayer approaches, in order to diminish the detrimental effects of various vortex excitations. The starting materials will be mainly those for YBCO with various inclusions, and different substrates, including LZO and Gd-added CeO2-buffered textured substrates (RABiTS approach), will be probed. The proposed project is multi-disciplinary one: materials science, surface science, nanotechnology, chemistry, condensed matter physics, applied and superconductivity and magnetism. A special care will be devoted to the changes in the vortex dynamics (dissipation processes) appearing with the modification of the complex film microstructure, which necessitates a better understanding of the effects of many vortex excitations and vortex creep regimes appearing in this situation: half vortex loops, double vortex kinks, super-kinks, variable range vortex hopping, plastic and elastic vortex creep.

European development of Superconducting Tapes: integrating novel materials and architectures into cost effective processes for power applications and magnets Call name: EC-FP7
FP7-104063-280432 2019 -

Role in this project: Partner team leader

Coordinating institution: AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS

Project partners: AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS (ES); TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN (AT); UNIVERSITEIT ANTWERPEN (BE); THE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (UK); NEXANS FRANCE S.A.S (FR); PERCOTECH AG (DE); UNIVERSITEIT GENT (BE); BRUKER HTS GMBH (DE); LA FARGA LACAMBRA SA (ES); UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO); NEXANS DEUTSCHLAND GMBH (DE); THEVA DUENNSCHICHTTECHNIK GMBH (DE); AGENZIA NAZIONALE PER LE NUOVE TECNOLOGIE, L'ENERGIA E LO SVILUPPO ECONOMICO SOSTENIBILE (IT); DEUTSCHE NANOSCHICHT GMBH (DE); LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUER FESTKOERPER- UND WERKSTOFFFORSCHUNG DRESDEN E.V. (DE); KARLSRUHER INSTITUT FUER TECHNOLOGIE (DE); EVICO GMBH (DE); OXOLUTIA SL (ES); Institute of Electrical Engineering, Slovak Academy of Sciences (SK); ACONDICIONAMIENTO TARRASENSE ASSOCIACION (ES); UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA (ES); CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS (FR)

Affiliation: UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA CLUJ-NAPOCA (RO)

Project website: http://eurotapes.eu/

Abstract:

FILE DESCRIPTION	DOCUMENT
List of research grants as project coordinator or partner team leader	Download (13.44 kb) 19/08/2021
Significant R&D projects for enterprises, as project manager
R&D activities in enterprises
Peer-review activity for international programs/projects