NER: Manufacturing of Superionic Active Metallic Nanostructures

该项目利用一种创新的纳米制造工艺--固态超级冲压来实现一套离子调制的活性纳米结构。这种电化学纳米印迹技术与利用快离子导体材料增强了转换和信息处理的纳米离子器件的融合，为经济上可行的、活性的纳米结构开辟了新的途径。具体地说，该团队正在探索：(A)用于太赫兹频率的可调纳米线谐振器/天线，这将可能导致新一代高速光电互连；(B)用于化学传感亚飞升分析物的等离子体器件；以及(C)需要极低电压、以更高应变率运行并能适应恶劣环境的机械执行器。此外，我们还开展了(固态)快离子导体中离子输运在纳米尺度上的计算和实验表征的基础研究，使我们对离子传导生长纳米结构以及积极控制和调制它的策略有了基本的了解。这个项目通过向学生介绍先进的光学和光子学、纳米级系统设计、集成和制造工艺，为未来机械、化学和电子电路的实际设计和制造创造了一个全新的平台，为纳米制造的教育目标做出了贡献。这些努力包括为本科生提供研究机会，参与伊利诺伊大学工程学院内研究中心的外展活动和计划，以及确定和吸引代表人数不足的少数族裔和女性学生参与工程研究和教育。此外，在亚特兰大举行的2007年ASME MSEC会议上，私营部门正在组织一次关于纳米制造的专题讨论会。

This project exploits an innovative nanomanufacturing process, solid-state superionic stamping to realize a suite of ionically modulated active nanostructures. The convergence of this electrochemical nanoimprint technique with the nano-ionic devices with enhanced transduction and information processing using superionic conductor materials opens up new routes to economically viable, active nanostructures. Specifically the team is exploring: (a) tunable nanowire resonators/antennae for THz frequencies, which will potentially lead to a new generation of high speed opto-electronic interconnects; (b) plasmonic devices for chemically sensing sub-femtoliter analytes and (c) mechanical actuators that require dramatically lower voltages and operate with much higher strain rat es and are amenable to harsh environment. In addition, we undertake fundamental research in computational and experimental characterization of ionic transport in (solid-state) superionic conductors at nanoscale, leading to a fundamental understanding of nanostructure growth by ionic conduction and strategies to actively control and modulate it. This, along with the ability to fabricate such nanostructures, creates a whole new platform for practical design and manufacturing of future mechanical, chemical and electronic circuitry.This project also contributes to educational goals of nanomanufacturing by introducing students to advanced optics and photonics, nanoscale systems design, integration and manufacturing processes. Efforts include research opportunities to undergraduates, participation in outreach activities and programs of research centers within the college of engineering at the University of Illinois and to identify and engage underrepresented minority and female students in engineering research and education. In addition, the PIs are organizing a focused symposium on the Nanomanufacturing at the 2007 ASME MSEC meeting in Atlanta.