Development of ZnO Thin Films and Nanostructures on CMOS Wafers for Gravimetric Biosensors and "Touch" Pressure Sensors

建议：ECS0601481在用于重力式生物传感器和触摸式压力传感器的CMOS晶片上开发氧化锌薄膜和纳米结构这项研究的目标是开发能够检测空气和液体环境中单个蛋白质分子的超高灵敏度生物传感器阵列，以及用于人造皮肤应用的触压式纳米复合CMOS传感器。方法是利用具有重要表面和压电性能的新兴材料如氧化锌，研究和改进生物-氧化锌界面和纳米结构氧化锌-二氧化硅系统，在技术上具有重要意义的二氧化硅和硅的不同衬底上开发高质量的外延生长的氧化锌薄膜，以及创新的基于表面声波的传感技术和基于氧化锌纳米结构的压力传感器。智力优势：这种先进传感器技术的发展将对该国至关重要的社会经济领域产生影响。通过改进病原体检测和疾病监测，大幅减少时间和成本，医疗保健领域，通过有效解决冲突的早期预警检测，在体内和外地对危险生物材料进行环境监测，通过开发用于假肢跛行患者的人造皮肤的触摸压力传感器阵列，保护人口和士兵，假肢跛行和永久性神经损伤患者，以及为截瘫患者提供痛感。更广泛的影响：这项技术在两个方面都有广泛的经济影响。首先是通过在生物分析上节省资金和时间，其次是为集成传感器技术创造一个新的高科技产业，为大学毕业生提供大量的就业机会。这些工程和理科毕业生将具有很高的技能，因为他们将从生物材料与无机半导体接口的基本知识以及开发这种集成传感器技术所涉及的参数所带来的教育发展中受益。它们将是一项重要的资产，有助于保持该国的高科技领先地位。

Proposal: ECS0601481Development of ZnO Thin films and Nanostructures on CMOS Wafers for Gravimetric Biosensors and Touch Pressure Sensors The objective of this research is to develop ultra-high sensitivity biosensor arrays capable of detecting single protein molecules in air and liquid environments, and touch pressure nanocomposite CMOS based sensors for artificial skin applications. The approach is to use emerging promising materials like ZnO having important surface and piezoelectric properties, study and improve the properties of the bio-ZnO interface, and the nanostructured ZnO-SiO2 system, and develop high quality epitaxially grown thin ZnO films on the technologically important dissimilar substrate of SiO2 and Si, as well as innovative surface acoustic wave based sensing technology, and ZnO nanostructured CMOS based pressure sensors. Intellectual merit: The development of such advanced sensor technology will impact socio-economic areas crucial to the country. The area of health care by improving detection of pathogens and monitoring of illnesses at substantially reduced time and cost, the area of environmental monitoring of hazardous biomaterials in vivo and in the field by early warning detection for effective conflict resolution, protecting population and soldiers, the area of prosthetic limp and permanent nerve damage patients, by developing touch pressure sensor arrays for artificial skin in prosthetic limp patients, and provide the sense of pain to paraplegic patients. Broader Impact: This technology has a broad economic impact on two fronts. First by saving money and time on bio-analysis, and second on creating a new high tech industry for integrated sensor technologies providing a substantial number of jobs for college graduates. These engineering and science graduates will be highly skilled as they benefit from the educational development resulting from the fundamental knowledge of the interfacing of biomaterials with inorganic semiconductors, and the parameters involved in developing such integrated sensor technology. They will represent an important asset contributing to maintain the high technology leadership of the country.