CAREER: Dynamically Tuning 2D Semiconducting Crystals and Heterostructures for Atomically-Thin Signal Processing Devices and Systems

非技术描述：原子薄的半导体晶体可以由层状材料通过弱范德华相互作用键合而成。它们提供了广泛的有吸引力的特性，并为功能器件提供了新的二维纳米结构和构建块，有望为未来的电子和光电子学提供一条新的途径，超越了传统材料自上而下纳米制造的主流器件的规模。然而，二维晶体中许多有趣的效应，以及它们转化为实现重要信号处理功能的器件平台，仍未被探索。进一步的创新需要系统地研究二维半导体的耦合和调谐机械、电子和光电子特性。该项目的目标是研究二维晶体和异质结构中不同信号域（机械，电气和光学）的这些基本现象，并利用这些效应来创新信号处理功能（如滤波，混合，定时，函数生成和放大），具有新的特性和优势。这项研究推动了当前二维材料和器件的前沿。这些结果将阐明基本的器件物理和将有吸引力的二维晶体转化为应用器件的潜力。该项目将推进二维纳米机电系统、电子学、光电子学、多物理场分析和建模以及二维器件制造等领域的科学知识。该项目将为从K-12到研究生的各个年龄段的学生提供非凡的教育材料和灵感。外联方案将扩大代表性不足和处境不利群体的参与。PI已经开始与克利夫兰音乐学院和儿童博物馆合作，在科学和艺术的十字路口开发创新项目，以二维晶体和异质结构的纳米结构的迷人本质为特色。技术描述：该项目的目的是直接探测和理解二维半导体晶体和光机电的基本行为和光机电的异质结构与设计的机械自由度。此外，这种对耦合效应的理解将用于推导和验证信号处理函数，并直接在合理设计的纳米结构中进行测试。将强调实验方法，并将通过分析建模和计算机模拟来加强。研究活动包括悬浮通道场效应晶体管的设计和实验，具有动态可调谐机电相互作用的射频谐振通道器件，调谐，非线性，参数行为和光电子功能的研究，所有这些都在二维晶体和异质结构中进行。这个项目的直接目的是研究新的设备基础和开发新的技术前体。实验测量，器件原型，理论分析和模拟将提供深入，综合的理解如何动态调整二维晶体的一些关键特性，以及如何有效地利用机电和光机电效应来创新用于超低功耗，超灵敏信号转导的新型二维器件。这些研究活动和方法将使二维纳米机电系统成为与二维电子学和光电子学平行的一个新分支，为未来利用二维器件和系统进行信息技术新范式的研究铺平道路。

Non-Technical Description: Atomically-thin semiconducting crystals can be derived from layered materials bonded by weak van der Waals interactions. They offer a wide spectrum of attractive properties and enable new two-dimensional nanostructures and building blocks for functional devices, promising a new route to future electronics and optoelectronics beyond the scaling of mainstream devices that are top-down nanofabricated from conventional materials. Yet, many intriguing effects in two-dimensional crystals, and their translations into device platforms for realizing important signal processing functions, remain unexplored. Further innovations require systematic studies of coupling and tuning mechanical, electronic, and optoelectronic properties in two-dimensional semiconductors. The objective of this project is to investigate these fundamental phenomena across different signal domains (mechanical, electrical and optical) in two-dimensional crystals and heterostructures, and to harness such effects to innovate signal processing functions (such as filtering, mixing, timing, function generation and amplification), with new features and benefits. This research advances the current frontiers of two-dimensional materials and devices. The results will elucidate the essential device physics and potential of transforming the attractive two-dimensional crystals into applicable devices. This project will advance scientific knowledge in areas including two-dimensional nanoelectromechanical systems, electronics, optoelectronics, multiphysics analysis and modeling, and two-dimensional device fabrication. This project will generate extraordinary educational materials and inspirations for students at all ages, from K-12 to graduate students. The outreach programs will broaden participations from underrepresented and disadvantaged groups. The PI has initiated collaborations with Cleveland Institute of Music and Children's Museum, developing innovative programs at the crossroad of science and arts, featuring the fascinating nature of nanostructures enabled by two-dimensional crystals and heterostructures. Technical Description: The objective of this project is to directly probe and understand the fundamental electromechanical and optoelectromechanical behavior in two-dimensional semiconducting crystals and heterostructures with designed mechanical degrees of freedom. Furthermore, such understandings of the coupling effects will be harnessed to derive and validate signal processing functions, and directly tested in rationally designed nanostructures. An experimental approach will be emphasized, and will be reinforced by analytical modeling and computer simulations. The research activities include designs and experiments on suspended-channel field-effect transistors, radio-frequency resonant-channel devices with dynamically tunable electromechanical interactions, investigations of tuning, nonlinear, parametric behavior and optoelectronic functions, all in two-dimensional crystals and heterostructures. This project directly aims at investigating new device fundamentals and developing novel technological precursors. The experimental measurements, device prototypes, theoretical analysis and simulations will provide an in-depth, integrated understanding of how to dynamically tune some of the key properties of two-dimensional crystals, and how to efficiently exploit the electromechanical and optoelectromechanical effects to innovate new two-dimensional devices for ultralow-power, ultrasensitive signal transduction. The research activities and the approaches will establish two-dimensional nanoelectromechanical systems as a new branch in parallel to two-dimensional electronics and optoelectronics, paving the way toward future research in a new paradigm of information technology with two-dimensional devices and systems.