Collaborative Research: Fabrication of Functional Oxide Nanotubes and Nanorods for Nanoelectromechanical Devices

一维纳米结构如纳米管和纳米棒可以作为微型器件和电互连，因此可能成为纳米电子学和机械学的重要组成部分。本计画拟研究二元氧化物半导体氧化锌奈米管及奈米棒之控制成长，及其在奈米机电学上之应用。本研究的目标包括：可控制备直径从几十纳米到几微米，长度从几微米到几百微米的二元半导体（压电）ZnO纳米管和纳米棒。ZnO纳米结构的片上组装以制造片上纳米谐振器。片上纳米谐振器的机械、电气和机电特性的表征。基于ZnO纳米管和纳米棒的压电特性的纳米谐振器的设计、建模和表征，用于RF和微波频率通信应用。 本研究的预期成果包括：系统研究二元氧化物纳米管和纳米棒的可控制备，开发用于制造纳米器件的创新性片上组装技术，以及表征这些新型片上纳米谐振器的机电特性。本研究的潜在技术应用包括片上纳米器件和包括纳米谐振器的系统，用于RF和微波频率控制应用的纳米机电滤波器、用于传感器应用以及用于光学器件应用的纳米谐振器等。所提出的制造处理方法可以应用于制造其它二元半导体纳米材料，例如AlN，GaN，氧化锌纳米结构的压电或纳机电性能及其尺度化趋势的研究将为纳米器件的设计和制造提供基础性的理解，以实现传统块体材料和微米尺度材料无法达到的应用。对教育和培训的更广泛影响将包括：通过匹兹堡大学INVEST NOW计划和多样性和少数民族工程计划，在每个夏季学期为K-12学生和代表性不足的本科生提供实践研究培训机会;培训本科生和研究生研究人员制造和纳米材料和纳米机电设备的应用;将氧化物奈米结构与元件的制造纳入目前的微制造实验室课程，作为奈米制造的一部分。

One-dimensional nanostructures such as nanotubes and nanorods can function as miniaturized devices as well as electrical interconnect, thus may become important building blocks for nanoscale electronics and mechanics. This project proposes to study the controlled growth of binary oxide semiconductor ZnO nanotubes and nanorods, and their applications in nanoelectromechanics. The objectives of this research include: Controlled fabrication of binary semiconductor (piezoelectric) ZnO nanotubes and nanorods with diameter from a few tens of nanometers to a few micrometers, and length from a few microns to a few hundred microns. On-chip assembly of ZnO nano-structures to fabricate on-chip nano-resonators. Characterization of mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical properties of on-chip nano-resonators. Design, modeling and characterization of nano-resonators based on the piezoelectric properties of ZnO nanotubes and nanorods for RF and microwave frequency communication applications. The expected outcomes of this research include a systematic study for controlled fabrication of binary oxide nanotubes and nanorods, a development of innovative on-chip assembling techniques for manufacturing nanodevices, and the characterization of the electromechanical properties of these novel on-chip nano-resonators.The potential technical applications of this research include on-chip nano-devices and systems including nano-resonators, nano-electro-mechanical filters for RF and microwave frequency control applications, nano-resonators for sensor applications, as well as for optical device applications, etc. The proposed fabrication processing methods can be applied for manufacturing other binary semiconductor nano-materials, such as AlN, GaN, etc. The study of piezoelectric or nanoelectromechanical properties and their scaling trend of zinc oxide nanostructures will provide fundamental understanding of nanoscale device design and fabrication for applications that conventional bulk materials and micro-scale materials could not reach. The broader impacts to education and training will include: Providing hands-on research training opportunities for K-12 students and underrepresented undergraduate students in each summer semester through University of Pittsburgh INVEST NOW program and the Diversity and Minority Engineering Programs; Training undergraduate and graduate researchers on the fabrication and applications of nanomaterials and nanoelectromechanical devices; Incorporating the fabrication of oxide nanostructures and devices into the current Microfabrication Lab course as a nanofabrication component.