SemiSynBio-III: Novel Memory Devices for High-Density Data Storage and In-Memory Computing Based on Integrated Synthetic DNA-Semiconductors

非易失性存储器(NVM)设备用于在智能手机、平板电脑、计算机、物联网硬件、无线路由器和通信系统以及其他电子设备中存储数据。此外，NVM还在计算硬件方面有应用，以加速人工智能和机器学习算法。然而，当前可用的存储设备具有存储海量数据的局限性和新颖的技术，其可以超过数据存储密度一千倍或更多需要调查。在合成DNA中存储数据是一条很有前途的路线，因为它是已知密度最高的存储介质，信息在有利的环境中永久编码。然而，纯粹的DNA存储是基于化学性质的，这带来了一系列挑战，如高成本、读取错误以及与互补金属氧化物半导体(CMOS)集成电路(IC)的不兼容。DNA存储的瓶颈是它的效率，因为它比硅存储芯片中的时间尺度慢数百万倍。考虑到典型DNA分子存储器的编码/解码过程耗时费力，以及基于聚合的测序识别编码机制的易失性，简单地使用DNA作为信息编码的媒介在技术上仍然是低效的。限制DNA用于数据存储的问题可以解决，如果能够协同设计合适的介质来容纳合成DNA，以控制微妙的分子间相互作用来产生多个状态，并且基于这种生物材料的设备可以与CMOSIC集成。有机金属卤化物钙钛矿(OHP)半导体由于工艺兼容性为DNA提供了一种很有前途的载体材料，这导致了基于OHP-DNA生物材料的新型高密度存储阵列的发展。这项研究将解决探索在传统半导体平台上集成DNA-半导体生物分子复合体用于高密度数据存储的新概念的重大挑战。该项目将为来自不同背景的研究生和本科生提供重要的多学科培训机会，开发一门将在辛辛那提大学(UC)和宾夕法尼亚州立大学(PSU)开设的新课程，以推动基于生物分子化合物的下一代计算，而不仅仅是传统的半导体。现有的大学项目，如G-FEST和书呆子，将被用来支持加州大学和巴黎州立大学的高中和中学外展工作。该方案的目标是开发基于混合OHP和合成DNA生物材料的高密度存储器件，并展示其在具有CMOS后端的集成光电系统中的数据存储和内存计算(IMC)方面的应用。在混合OHP-DNA存储器件中，通过改变碱基对、序列、长度、旋转度和结晶度等参数，DNA提供了调整其性质的巨大机会。该项目的具体目标包括：1.与OHP半导体集成的特定DNA序列的建模、设计和合成；2.OHP-DNA生物材料的开发和表征；3.基于OHP-DNA的高密度存储器件的开发以及与OHP-光电系统和CMOS线后(BEOL)的集成。辛辛那提大学(UC)和宾夕法尼亚州立大学(PSU)之间的合作团队拥有成功完成拟议目标所需的专业知识和最先进的资源。成功的完成将导致(I)基本了解合成DNA和OHP之间的通信以及结合DNA工程定制OHP以实现高密度多态NVM的方法，(Ii)合成能够存储数据的OHP-DNA生物材料的途径，(Iii)具有集成的OHP-DNA存储设备的集成电路，以及计算和数据存储的方法。这些结果将对为未来的数据存储需求提供新的基于DNA的技术产生革命性的影响。该项目由生物科学局(BIO)的分子和细胞生物科学部(MCB)、计算机和信息科学与工程局(CEISE)的计算和通信基础司(CCF)、工程局(ENG)的电气、通信和网络系统(ECCS)共同资助。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Non-volatile memory (NVM) devices are used to store data in smartphones, tablets, computers, hardware for Internet of Things, wireless routers and communication systems, and other electronic devices. In addition, NVMs also have applications in computing hardware to accelerate Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning algorithms. However, currently available memory devices have limitations and novel techniques for storing tremendous amount of data that can surpass the density of data storage by a thousand-fold or more needs investigation. Storing data in synthetic-DNA is a promising route as it is the densest known storage medium with the information encoded lasting forever in a conducive environment. However, purely DNA-storage is based on a chemical nature that imposes its own set of challenges such as high-cost, read error, and incompatibility with Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuits (ICs). The bottleneck with DNA-storage is its efficiency, as it is million times slower than the timescales in a silicon memory chip. Considering the time- & effort-consuming coding/decoding process for typical DNA molecular memory, as well as its volatile nature due to polymerization-based sequencing-identified coding mechanism, simply using DNA as a medium for information coding remains technically inefficient. The issues limiting DNA usage for data storage can be addressed if an appropriate medium to host synthetic-DNA can be synergistically designed to control subtle inter-molecular interaction to generate multiple states and the devices based on this biomaterial can be integrated with CMOS ICs. Organometallic halide perovskite (OHP) semiconductors provide a promising host material to support DNA due to process compatibility leading to the development of novel OHP-DNA-biomaterials based high-density memory arrays. This research will address grand-challenges of exploring novel concepts of integrating DNA-Semiconductor biomolecular complexes for high-density data storage on traditional semiconductor platforms. The project will provide significant opportunities for multi-disciplinary training of graduate and undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds by developing a new course to be offered at University of Cincinnati (UC) and Penn State University (PSU) for advancing the next generation of computing based on biomolecular complexes beyond just traditional semiconductors. Existing University programs like G-FEST and NERDS will be leveraged to support high-school and middle school outreach efforts at UC and PSU. The objective of this proposal is to develop high-density memory devices based on hybrid OHP and synthetic-DNA biomaterials and demonstrate its application for data-storage and In-Memory Computing (IMC) in integrated optoelectronic systems with CMOS-back-end. DNA provides tremendous opportunities to tune its properties by modifying the parameters such as base-pairs, sequence, length, rotation, and crystallinity for electrical and optical properties in a hybrid OHP-DNA memory device. Specific aims of the project include: 1. Modeling, design, and synthesis of specific DNA sequences for integration with OHP semiconductor; 2. Development of OHP-DNA biomaterials and characterization; 3. Development of OHP-DNA-based high-density memory devices and integration with OHP-optoelectronic systems and CMOS Back-End of Line (BEOL). Collaborative team between the University of Cincinnati (UC) and Penn State University (PSU) has expertise and state of the art resources necessary to successfully complete the proposed aims. A successful completion will lead to (i) fundamental understanding of communications between synthetic-DNA and OHP and methods for tailoring OHP in conjunction with DNA engineering to achieve high-density multi-state NVMs, (ii) routes to synthesize OHP-DNA biomaterials capable of data storage, (iii) ICs with integrated OHP-DNA memory devices with CMOS in back-end and approaches for computing and data-storage. These results will have transformative impacts on providing novel DNA-based technologies for future data storage needs.This project has been jointly funded by Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences (MCB) in the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), Division of Computing and Communication Foundations (CCF) in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE), Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems (ECCS) in the Directorate for Engineering (ENG), and the Division of Materials Research (DMR) in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.