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）设备用于将数据存储在智能手机、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。此外，NVMs还在计算硬件中应用，以加速人工智能和机器学习算法。然而，当前可用的存储器设备具有限制，并且需要研究用于存储可能超过数据存储密度千倍或更多的大量数据的新颖技术。将数据存储在合成DNA中是一种很有前途的方法，因为它是已知的存储介质，编码的信息在有利的环境中永远存在。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，例如高成本、读取错误以及与互补金属氧化物半导体（CMOS）集成电路（IC）的不兼容性。DNA存储的瓶颈是其效率，因为它比硅存储芯片的时间慢了一百万倍。考虑到典型DNA分子记忆的耗时编码/解码过程，以及由于基于聚合的测序识别的编码机制而导致的其易失性，简单地使用DNA作为信息编码的介质在技术上仍然是低效的。如果可以协同设计用于宿主合成DNA的适当介质来控制微妙的分子间相互作用以产生多个状态，并且基于这种生物材料的器件可以与CMOS IC集成，则可以解决限制DNA用于数据存储的问题。有机卤化物钙钛矿（OHP）半导体由于工艺兼容性而提供了一种有前途的支持DNA的主体材料，从而导致基于新型OHP-DNA-生物材料的高密度存储器阵列的发展。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物进行高密度数据存储的新概念的巨大挑战。该项目将为来自不同背景的研究生和本科生提供多学科培训的重要机会，开发一门新课程，在辛辛那提大学（UC）和宾夕法尼亚州立大学（PSU）开设，以推进基于生物分子复合物的下一代计算，而不仅仅是传统的半导体。现有的大学计划，如G-FEST和NERDS将被用来支持高中和初中在UC和PSU的推广工作。 本提案的目的是开发基于混合OHP和合成DNA生物材料的高密度存储器件，并展示其在集成光电系统中的数据存储和内存计算（IMC）与CMOS后端的应用。DNA提供了巨大的机会，通过修改参数，如碱基对，序列，长度，旋转，和结晶度的电和光学性能的混合OHP-DNA存储设备来调整其属性。该项目的具体目标包括：1。用于与OHP半导体集成的特定DNA序列的建模、设计和合成; 2. OHP-DNA生物材料的开发与表征; 3.开发基于OHP-DNA的高密度存储器件，并与OHP光电系统和CMOS后端线（BEOL）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。成功完成将导致（i）对合成DNA和OHP之间的通信的基本理解，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生物材料的路线，（iii）集成OHP-DNA存储器件的集成电路与后端CMOS以及计算和数据存储方法。该项目由生物科学理事会（BIO）分子和细胞生物科学部（MCB）、计算机和信息科学与工程理事会（CISE）计算和通信基础部（CCF）、电气和通信技术部（CSE）、电子和通信技术部（CCF）共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.