Ultra-Sensitive Electrometers for Nano-Fluidics

用于纳米流体的超灵敏静电计

• 批准号: 0901659
• 负责人: Gregory Snider
• 金额: $ 32.17万
• 依托单位: University of Notre Dame
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-07-01 至 2013-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0901659&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ultra; Sensitive; Electrometers; Nano; Fluidics

AbstractNanofluidics is a promising area where the fields of Chemistry, Biology, andEngineering all play a role. As the name implies, nanofluidics involves nano-scalechannels used to transport fluids. By scaling down the size of the channels only a tinyamount of fluid is required to fill them, an important quality when dealing with expensivereagents. Scaled channels also enable concepts such as ?Lab on a Chip?, where nanochannels transport reactants and analytes to a number of pico-liter sized reactionchambers so that a number of tests can be carried out quickly in a very small package.This proposal presents a methodology to interface electronics to nanofluidics. Theelectronics portion will provide ultra-sensitive electrometers placed in one wall of thenanochannel. An electrometer senses charge, so it can be used to detect charge change atthe wall of the nanochannel or in the fluid near the wall. The surface of the electrometercould be functionalized to provide specific binding of reaction products, and theelectrometer signal would then represent the density of the bound product. The goal is toachieve single ion detection in the channel.The intellectual merit of this proposal is that it addresses the lack of a suitableelectrical transducing element. Most fluidic experiments done today use opticaltransduction based on fluorescence. Electrical transduction would enable a simpleinterface to standard electronics, leading to reduction in system size and cost. Singleelectrontransistor electrometers are the most sensitive known, but have yet to be appliedto nanofluidics. The proposed research is transformative in a number of ways. It willdevelop a process that should be scalable and manufacturable, and it will extend CMPprocessing into nanoscale dimensions. The integration of room temperature electrometerswith nanofluidic channels will enable a number of applications, perhaps even the rapidsequencing of DNA. A key feature is the easy integration of these devices with CMOSwill form an excellent bridge between nanoelectronics and the enormous base of CMOSinfrastructure.The broader impact of the proposed project will be in both scientific and educationalimpact. The scientific impact will come from the research developing the theory anddevices for silicon-based QCA. This project will also make a significant outreach tomiddle school students in the South Bend, Indiana area. South Bend public schools havea diverse student population with a large number of students from groupsunderrepresented in the areas of science and technology. The outreach program proposedwill target middle school students through classroom activities involving faculty andgraduate students, and field trips to bring students to the Notre Dame labs. Middle schoolaged children are an excellent group for outreach since they are advanced enough tounderstand science, but are still making choices about their areas of interests. Theoutreach will benefit the middle schoolers by giving them a first-hand taste of science inboth the classroom and lab.

摘要 纳米流体学是一个有前景的领域，化学、生物学和工程学领域都发挥着作用。顾名思义，纳米流体涉及用于传输流体的纳米级通道。通过缩小通道的尺寸，只需要少量的液体来填充它们，这在处理昂贵的试剂时是一个重要的品质。缩放通道还实现了“芯片实验室”等概念，其中纳米通道将反应物和分析物传输到许多皮升大小的反应室，以便可以在非常小的封装中快速进行大量测试。该提案提出了一种将电子器件与纳米流体连接的方法。电子部分将提供放置在纳米通道的一壁中的超灵敏静电计。静电计感测电荷，因此可用于检测纳米通道壁或壁附近流体中的电荷变化。静电计的表面可以被功能化以提供反应产物的特异性结合，然后静电计信号将代表结合产物的密度。目标是实现通道中的单离子检测。该提案的智力优点在于它解决了缺乏合适的电转换元件的问题。当今进行的大多数流体实验都使用基于荧光的光转导。电转换将实现与标准电子设备的简单接口，从而减小系统尺寸和成本。单电子晶体管静电计是已知最灵敏的，但尚未应用于纳米流体。拟议的研究在很多方面都具有变革性。它将开发一种可扩展和可制造的工艺，并将 CMP 加工扩展到纳米级尺寸。室温静电计与纳米流体通道的集成将实现许多应用，甚至可能是 DNA 的快速测序。一个关键特征是这些器件与 CMOS 的轻松集成将在纳米电子学和 CMOS 基础设施的巨大基础之间形成一座出色的桥梁。拟议项目的更广泛影响将在科学和教育方面产生影响。科学影响将来自于开发硅基 QCA 理论和设备的研究。该项目还将对印第安纳州南本德地区的中学生进行重大宣传。南本德公立学校拥有多元化的学生群体，其中大量学生来自科学和技术领域代表性不足的群体。拟议的外展计划将通过教师和研究生参与的课堂活动以及带学生参观圣母大学实验室的实地考察来针对中学生。中学生是一个很好的外展群体，因为他们已经足够先进，能够理解科学，但仍在选择自己感兴趣的领域。此次推广活动将使中学生在课堂和实验室中亲身体验科学，从而使他们受益。