NER: Controlled Synthesis of Hierarchical One-Dimensional Heterostructures for Nanodevice Applications

随着电子器件小型化趋势的继续，目前由金属氧化物半导体结和金属互连组成的硅技术将面临漏电流大、薄膜电阻增加和原子电迁移等严重缺陷。在这方面，一维纳米材料，如碳纳米管和纳米线，作为当前硅基设备的纳米级替代品提供了优势。该NER项目的目标是制造和测试基于碳纳米管和纳米线的分层设计的一维异质结构。具体目标是：(A)以氧化氧化铝纳米通道为模板，利用化学气相沉积和电沉积技术，精确控制(直径、长度和几何形状)各种构型的纳米管/纳米线异质结构，(B)表征和研究它们的结构、结和输运性质，以及(C)对纳米管/纳米线异质结构的结构和电子性质进行计算研究。这项研究的学术价值在于首次进行了详细的研究，试图创建和表征基于碳纳米管和纳米线的新型异质结构和分级分子尺度的结。这项研究将展示对基于一维纳米材料的纳米设备的定制、传输特性和构建的控制。这些异质结构材料将为基础研究和构建真正的纳米级互联和体系结构开辟新的机会。具体地说，这些纳米管-纳米线混合结构将使先进的纳米电子学能够用于逻辑器件、多端纳米电子器件、开关、集成电路和多功能纳米系统。这项研究强调本科生和研究生的参与、教育和培训，他们都将从三所参与大学的纳米科学和纳米技术研究中受益。

As the trend towards smaller electronic devices continues, current silicon technology consisting of metal-oxide semiconductor junctions and metal interconnect will face significant deficiencies such as a large leakage current, increase in film resistance and electromigration of atoms. In this regard, one-dimensional nanomaterials such as carbon nanotube and nanowire offer advantage as nanoscale alternatives to current silicon-based devices. The goal of this NER project is to fabricate and test hierarchically designed one-dimensional heterostructures based on carbon nanotubes and nanowires. The specific goals are to: (a) create precisely controlled (diameter, length, and geometry) nanotube/nanowire heterostructures in various configurations using anodize aluminum oxide nanochannels as templates followed by chemical vapor deposition and electrodeposition techniques, (b) characterize and study their structures, junctions, and transport property, and (c) perform computational investigations of structural and electronic properties of nanotube/nanowire heterostructures. The intellectual merit of the research lies in the first detailed study that will attempt to create and characterize novel heterostructured and hierarchical molecular scale junctions based on carbon nanotubes with nanowires. The research will demonstrate control over tailoring transport properties and building of one-dimensional nanomaterial based nanodevices. These heterostructured materials will open up new opportunities for both fundamental research and building of true nanoscale interconnection and architecture. Specifically, these nanotube-nanowire hybrid structures will enable advanced nanoelectronics for logic devices, multi-terminal nanoelectronic devices, switches, integrated diode circuits, and multifunctional nanosystems. The research emphasizes the participation, education, and training of undergraduates, and graduate students who will all benefit from exposure to nanoscience and nanotechnology research in three participating universities.