CAREER: An Integrated Approach to the Control of Nanoscale Electronic Properties

这项拨款的研究目标是了解和利用纳米级系统（如碳纳米管）中高表面体积比的后果。由于其高表面体积比，局部化学环境对单壁纳米管的性能有很大的影响。自组装的单分子层将用作化学上可调节的表面，在其上放置碳纳米管。控制表面化学将允许控制半导体纳米管的电阻和掺杂。表面在不同的位置会有不同的化学图案。在这些区域的边界上延伸的纳米管将有图案掺杂，从而形成可控的纳米管器件。如果成功，这些实验为大规模纳米管器件制造提供了可能。除了这些潜在的应用之外，了解局部化学环境如何影响纳米管的电阻在科学上也很重要。密切相关的实验将研究纳米晶体阵列。在阵列的电子环境局部变化的后果将被理解和利用来控制阵列的性质。这两组实验的目标是更好地控制纳米材料的性质，使用超小型材料及其周围环境的综合视图。该项目的教育目标是增加高中毕业后从事科学研究的女性人数。从高中到大学的过渡阶段被认为是学生需求得到更好满足的时期。特别是，导师式的互动将被用来更好地解释在本科阶段早期开始科学课程的重要性和提供的机会。为了更好地为初中生和高年级学生服务，将制定一项计划，利用现有的外展活动，使这些互动成为可能。该计划将通过个人接触和网络互动提供实用的职业信息。这项资助的研究目标是更好地控制碳纳米管的电学性能。纳米管将被放置在化学性质控制良好的表面上。我们将利用纳米管与表面的相互作用来控制纳米管的电阻。表面化学的变化将被用来改变纳米管的性质。通过创建不同表面化学的模式，我们将在放置在这些表面上的纳米管中创建模式电学特性。如果成功，这种模式将使在纳米管中制造晶体管的新方法成为可能。这种新工艺有可能生产出比目前更高密度的晶体管。这也是朝着解决将许多超小型晶体管连接在一起的问题——互连问题——迈出的一步。在密切相关的实验中，我们将研究局部电环境对纳米尺寸金属晶体的影响。正如刚才描述的纳米管实验一样，这些纳米晶体实验的目标是更好地理解如何控制纳米尺度材料的电性能，使用超小型电子设备及其周围环境的综合视图。该项目的教育目标是增加高中毕业后从事科学研究的女性人数。从高中到大学的过渡阶段被认为是学生需求得到更好满足的时期。特别是，导师式的互动将被用来更好地解释在本科阶段早期开始科学课程的重要性和提供的机会。为了更好地为初中生和高年级学生服务，将制定一项计划，利用现有的外展活动，使这些互动成为可能。该计划将通过个人接触和网络互动提供实用的职业信息

The research objective of this grant is to understand and exploit the consequences of high surface to volume ratios in nanoscale systems, such as carbon nanotubes. Because of their high surface to volume ratio, the local chemical environment has a large impact on single wall nanotube properties. Self-assembled monolayers will be used as chemically adjustable surfaces on which to lay carbon nanotubes. Controlling the surface chemistry will allow control of semiconducting nanotube resistance and doping. Surfaces will be patterned with different chemistries at different locations. Nanotubes stretched across the boundaries of these regions will have patterned doping, leading to the formation of controlled nanotube devices. If successful, these experiments offer the potential for large-scale nanotube device fabrication. In addition to such potential applications, it is scientifically important to understand how local chemical environments affect nanotube resistances. Closely related experiments will study nanocrystal arrays. The consequences of local variations in the electronic environment of the array will be understood and exploited to control the array properties. The goal of both these groups of experiments is to better control the properties of nanoscale materials, using an integrated view of the ultra-small material and its surrounding environment. The educational objective of this project is to increase the number of women who pursue science past high school. The transition from high school to college has been identified as a time when students' needs can be better addressed. In particular, mentor-type interactions will be used to better explain the importance of, and the opportunity offered by beginning a science curriculum early in the undergraduate years. A program to enable these interactions will be developed which leverages existing outreach in order to better serve high school juniors and seniors. The program will provide practical career information through both personal contact and web-based interactions.%%%The research objective of this grant is to better control the electrical properties of carbon nanotubes. Nanotubes will be placed on surfaces with well controlled chemical properties. We will use the interaction of the nanotube with the surface to control the nanotube resistance. Changes in the surface chemistry will be used to change the nanotube properties. By creating patterns of different surface chemistry, we will create patterned electrical properties in nanotubes placed on these surfaces. If successful, this patterning will enable a new method to create transistors in nanotubes. This new process has the potential to produce a higher density of transistors than currently possible. It is also a step towards a solution to the problem of connecting many ultra-small transistors together - the interconnect problem. In closely related experiments, we will study the effect of the local electrical environment on nanometer-size crystals of metal. As is the case with the nanotube experiments just described, the goal of these nanocrystal experiments is to better understand how to control the electrical properties of nanometer-scale materials, using an integrated view of the ultra-small electrical device and its surrounding environment. The educational objective of this project is to increase the number of women who pursue science past high school. The transition from high school to college has been identified as a time when students' needs can be better addressed. In particular, mentor-type interactions will be used to better explain the importance of, and the opportunity offered by beginning a science curriculum early in the undergraduate years. A program to enable these interactions will be developed which leverages existing outreach in order to better serve high school juniors and seniors. The program will provide practical career information through both personal contact and web-based interactions.***