CCI Phase I: Center for Nanostructured Electronic Materials

第一阶段CCI重点关注如何使用分子来取代集成电路（IC）中的块体材料作为组件的重要问题。 电子器件性能的显著改善是制造IC的“自上而下”方法的稳定改进的直接结果，但是特征尺寸正在迅速接近传统光刻方法的极限。 此外，器件的改进并没有随着最新一代的线宽改进而扩展，并且正在探索进行计算和数据存储的新方法。 分子电子学取代了纳米粒子和分子结构，取代了目前IC中使用的大块材料，为解决这些挑战提供了潜力。 释放这种潜力将需要新的制造方法，允许在分子水平上控制位置，尺寸和方向。 纳米结构电子材料第一阶段中心的最初重点是研究2D定向生长与化学前体和合成方法的新用途，如表面等离子体介导的化学沉积（SPMCD），利用纳米粒子的光学特性在特定位置选择性生长材料。 电子束诱导解离（EBID）和电沉积接触材料的非破坏性制造并列分子电子元件之间的电接触（结）将接近。 该研究将扩展到3D生长技术，其中涉及自组装单层和定制化学前体的特定化学相互作用可以应用于诱导z方向的优先生长。 该计划中探索的纳米结构的大小和接近程度将使量子限制，库仑充电和近端光学耦合的前所未有的利用成为可能，用于制造新的纳米电子和纳米光子器件。 该CCI将促进新纳米电子材料开发专家与创建具有直接技术相关性的原型专家之间的密切合作。 佛罗里达大学、伊利诺伊大学厄巴纳-香槟分校和格鲁吉亚大学的与会者将与来自分子电子学发展前沿公司的工业导师合作，他们将提供有关材料要求、设备设计和制造的工业观点。 纳米结构电子材料中心专注于基于化学的分子电子学方法在微电子工业中的应用，是美国技术竞争优势的重要组成部分。 这种创新将有助于美国国家经济竞争力，正如美国竞争力倡议所阐述的那样。在此背景下，该中心将通过建立以团队为基础的解决问题的技能，达到学生自己的学科以外的跨学科合作教育学生。实习，本科研究人员的指导，以及与工业研究人员的互动将被用来进一步拓宽学生的视野。为了向公众传达科学的兴奋，CCI将开发一系列两分钟的广播节目和播客，这些节目将以化学和材料科学研究的真实的世界应用为特色。 为了使代表性不足的群体能够更广泛地参与，CCI将与参与该CCI的三所大学的既定扩大参与计划合作，招募和指导少数民族和女性本科生和博士。学生 化学创新中心（CCI）计划支持研究中心，可以解决重大的，长期的基础化学研究挑战，有很高的可能性都产生变革性的研究和创新。这些中心将通过分享他们对这一挑战性问题的创新方法的结果，吸引广泛的科学和公众兴趣。

This Phase I CCI focuses on the important question of how to use molecules to replace bulk materials as components in integrated circuits (IC's). The dramatic improvements of electronic device performance have been a direct consequence of steady improvements in "top-down" methods to fabricate IC's, but feature sizes are rapidly approaching the limits of traditional lithographic methods. In addition, device improvements have not scaled with the latest generations of line-width improvements and new ways to carry out computation and data storage are being explored. Molecular electronics, which substitute nanoparticles and molecule based structures in place of bulk materials currently used in IC's, offer the potential to address these challenges. Unleashing this potential will require new fabrication methods that allow control of the location, dimension, and orientation at the molecular level. The initial focus of the Phase I Center for Nanostructured Electronic Materials is research in 2D directional growth with novel use of chemical precursors and synthetic methods, such as surface plasmon-mediated chemical deposition (SPMCD) that exploits the optical properties of nanoparticles for selective growth of material at specific locations. The non-destructive fabrication of electrical contacts (junctions) between juxtaposed molecular electronic components will be approached by electron beam induced dissociation (EBID) and electrodeposition of contact materials. The research will be extended to 3D growth techniques where specific chemical interactions, involving self-assembled monolayers and tailored chemical precursors, can be applied to induce preferential growth in the z direction. The size and proximity of the nanostructures explored in this program will enable the unprecedented utilization of quantum confinement, coulomb charging and proximal optical coupling for fabrication of potentially new nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices. This CCI will foster close collaborations between experts in the development of new nanoscale electronic materials and specialists in the creation of prototypes with direct technological relevance. Participants at the University of Florida, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Georgia will collaborate with industrial mentors from companies on the forefront of development of molecular electronics, who will provide an industrial perspective on materials requirements, device design and manufacturing. The focus of the Center for Nanostructured Electronic Materials on chemistry-based approaches to molecular electronics for applications in the microelectronics industry is a crucial component of America's competitive edge in technology. Such innovation would aid US national economic competitiveness as articulated in the American Competitiveness Initiative. Within this context, the center will educate students for interdisciplinary collaborative work by building team-based problem solving skills that reach outside the students' own disciplines. Internships, mentoring of undergraduate researchers, and interactions with industrial research personnel will be used to further broaden the students' perspectives. In order to communicate the excitement of science to the general public, the CCI will develop a series of two-minute radio spots and podcasts that will feature real world applications of chemistry and materials science research. To enable broader participation by under-represented groups, the CCI will partner with the established broadening participation programs of the three universities participating in this CCI to recruit and mentor minority and female undergraduates and Ph.D. students. The Centers for Chemical Innovation (CCI) Program supports research centers that can address major, long-term fundamental chemical research challenges that have a high probability of both producing transformative research and leading to innovation. These Centers will attract broad scientific and public interest by sharing the results of their innovative approach to this challenging question.