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纳米机电系统（NEMS）的传感器在液体中采用悬浮单壁碳纳米管（SWNT）或金属纳米线（MNW）的行为。该方法概述如下：1）基于单悬浮SWNT/MNW的NEMS传感器的制造; 2）在单器件水平上系统地表征SWNT/MNW的重要机电行为（谐振和非谐振瞬态行为）; 3）研究它们对各种环境（特别是液体）的依赖性。4)探索潜在的器件应用，如液体表征和分子传感。智力优势：这里提出的研究代表了对液体环境中SWNT/MNW行为的基本物理理解的重要一步，这在很大程度上尚未探索，但具有很大的科学和技术兴趣。更重要的是，纳米机械悬浮/谐振器和微/纳米流体（两个以前很大程度上不相交的领域）的潜在集成为探索新现象和在新方向上培育新应用创造了令人兴奋的机会。更广泛的影响：提出的多功能和强大的NEMS流体传感器具有巨大的潜力，成为医学，能源，环境和国家安全领域许多关键应用的颠覆性创新。除了研究计划，研究生和代表性不足的本科生将积极招募这项前沿研究的工作。由PI成立，新成立的Paslay纳米科学与工程教育实验室在赖斯大学将作为一个平台，涉及高中学生和科学教师从休斯顿独立学区的推广活动，并从这项研究的结果也传达给公众。

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.