CAREER: Controlled Positioning of Nanoparticles and the Parallel Fabrication of Single Electron Devices

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The objective of this research is to develop new techniques which can reliably fabricate single electron devices within the framework of CMOS technology. The approach is to fabricate single electron devices through 1) controlled positioning of nanoparticles on Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) of organic molecules, 2) nanoscale positioning of electrodes through the combination of deposition, oxidation, and spacer formation, and 3) systematic study of single electron tunneling through nanoparticles and tunneling barriers. The new fabrication techniques are based on current CMOS technology so that reliable, parallel, and practical fabrication of single electron devices, connected among themselves and also to the outside macroscopic world, will be realized.The broader impacts of this program are educational and technological. Students will receive extensive training directly by participating in the research, and an interdisciplinary course, "Current topics in nanotechnology," will provide "hands-on" laboratories, benefiting students from various disciplines. This program will also provide "hands-on" science camps in which K-12 students and teachers will have direct exposure to cutting-edge equipment and clean room facilities. Along with the educational benefits, the technological benefits to our society and our economy would be enormous. The new technology will produce ultra-sensitive sensors to detect biological and chemical materials at the molecular level, which can help protect our nation from terrorism as well as provide better diagnostic tools for diseases. Also, this new technology will produce next generation devices that operate with ultra-low power consumption with great potential for commercial, military, and space applications.