NEMS Fluid Sensor Based on Suspended Nanotubes and Nanowires

基于悬浮纳米管和纳米线的NEMS流体传感器-本研究的目的是探索基于悬浮单壁碳纳米管(SWNT)或金属纳米线(MNW)的纳米机电系统(NEMS)传感器在液体中的行为。该方法概括如下：1)基于单个悬浮态SWNT/MNW制作NEMS传感器；2)在单个器件水平上系统地表征SWNT/MNW的重要机电行为(包括共振和非共振暂态行为)；3)研究它们对不同环境(特别是液体)的依赖关系。4)探索潜在的器件应用，如液体表征和分子传感。智力价值：这里提出的研究代表着朝着基本物理理解液体环境中的SWNT/MNW行为迈出了重要的一步，这在很大程度上尚未被探索，但具有重大的科学和技术意义。更重要的是，纳米机械悬浮体/谐振器和微/纳米流体(这两个以前基本上互不相交的领域)的潜在集成创造了令人兴奋的机会，以探索新现象并在新的方向上培育新的应用。更广泛的影响：所提出的多功能和坚固耐用的NEMS流体传感器具有巨大的潜力，可以成为一项颠覆性创新，在医学、能源、环境和国家安全方面有许多关键应用。除了研究项目外，还将积极招募研究生和未被充分代表的本科生从事这一前沿研究。由国际和平研究所创建的莱斯大学新成立的帕斯莱纳米科学和工程教育实验室将作为一个平台，让休斯顿独立学区的高中生和科学教师参与外展活动，并向公众传播这项研究的成果。

Lou Abstract NEMS Fluid Sensors Based on Suspended Nanotubes and Nanowires-The objective of this research is to explore the behaviors of Nanoelectro-mechanical system (NEMS) based sensors employing suspended single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) or metallic nanowires (MNW) in liquids. The approach is outlined as following: 1) Fabrication of NEMS sensors based on single suspended SWNT/MNW; 2) Systematic characterization of the important mechano-electrical behaviors (both resonant and non-resonant transient behaviors) of SWNT/MNW at a single-device level and 3) investigation of their dependence on various environments (in particular liquids). 4) Exploration of potential device applications, such as liquid characterization and molecules sensing. Intellectual Merit: The research proposed here represents a vital step toward fundamental physical understanding of SWNT/MNW behaviors in liquid environments, which has been largely unexplored but is of great scientific and technological interests. More importantly, the potential integration of nanomechanical suspensions/resonators and micro/nano fluidics (two previously largely disjoint fields) creates exciting opportunities to explore new phenomena and to breed new applications in fresh directions. Broader Impact: The versatile and robust NEMS fluid sensors proposed have great potentials to become a disruptive innovation with many critical applications in medicine, energy, environment and national security. In addition to research program, graduate and under-represented undergraduate students will be actively recruited to work on this cutting-edge research. Founded by the PI, the newly established Paslay Nanoscale Science and Engineering Educational Lab at Rice University will serve as a platform for outreach activities involving high school students and science teachers from the Houston Independent School District, and to also communicate findings from this research to the general public.