Silicon integrated sensors

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The past thirty years have seen exponential growth in the processing power of silicon integrated circuits. Silicon chips have become indispensable in providing control and computing power in an enormous range of industrial products. In the coming decades the most important economic opportunities in the semiconductor industry are likely to involve the integration of new functions with control electronics on the same silicon chip. These new functions might include, for example, a specialized sensor for biomedical applications or an optoelectronic block capable of providing communication with other chips at enormously high data rates. Support is sought here for several specific projects under this general theme of expanding the functionality of silicon chips. One project involves use of CMOS to provide components for an inexpensive radon gas monitor. A second aims to develop a new class of biosensing array based on CMOS technology. A third targets improved integrated optical waveguide devices in silicon for applications ranging from communication to biosensing. The final project investigates the monolithic integration of high voltage/high power devices in the gallium nitride material system with CMOS.