NER: Novel Applications Based on Attractive and Repulsive Electrostatic Forces in Nanoscale

基于吸引和排斥静电力在纳米尺度上的新应用提出的NER研究的重点是在微米和纳米尺度上建立纳米电子学与生物分子系统之间的静电界面。主要研究行动包括：1。通过CMOS/EEPROM（电可擦可编程只读存储器）器件控制的非易失性静电电荷，寻求纳米到微米尺度的静电吸引力和排斥力操纵的概念演示。建立CMOS与生物系统之间静电力的空间和能量分辨极限。建立CMOS器件与硅和介电介质中没有化学污染的环境电解质溶液之间的静电界面。在后续NIRT工作中制定现实的目标和实施方法，以建立基于纳米级CMOS技术的分子识别和驱动能力，如果NER工作取得了有希望的结果。这项提议的NER研究是独特的，因为CMOS EEPROM器件中的非易失性静电荷被应用在接口上，因此相互作用的静电力可以同时具有吸引力和排斥性。对于分子识别和驱动，界面上的吸引力和排斥力的可用性对于高选择性和灵敏度至关重要。在NER的工作中，将建立两个技术演示，以研究CMOS/EEPROM器件产生的静电吸引力和斥力的规模和分辨率。第一种是微米级静电镊子。对于静电镊子的收放作用，需要静电斥力。这可以通过非易失性静电荷产生的力来实现。二是基于表面引力和斥力的纳米尺度分子识别。利用互补的非易失性静态电荷可以在浮动纳米晶EEPROM结构中实现纳米级分子识别。外围源/漏结构具有可选的掺杂剂类型，以促进互补的静电荷注入。控制门部分由地平面后门实现，以暴露纳米晶体与环境的静电相互作用。微米尺度[1,2]和纳米尺度[3-6]的非挥发性静电荷控制的初步概念已经在PI的小组中得到了实验证明。微米级控制目前比纳米级控制提供更快的电荷重构（以毫秒为单位）（通过浮动的Si和金属纳米晶体实现，由于外围接触限制，像素可达性与分辨率成反比）。鉴于与本NER提案的关系，将讨论PI目前在资助研究项目中的努力。除了现有的教育外展计划外，还将提出一个小项目。已经提出了合理的理由，以使拟议的努力符合为期一年的NER计划。如果概念演示成功，明年将根据初步建模和实验结果编写NIRT提案。

Novel Applications Based on Attractive and Repulsive Electrostatic Forces in NanoscaleThe focus of the proposed NER research is to establish an electrostatic interface between nanoelectronics and the biological molecular systems in the micron and nanometer scales. The main research actions include: 1. To seek concept demonstration for nanometer-to-micron-scale manipulation of the electrostatic attractive and repulsive forces through nonvolatile static charges controlled by CMOS/EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory) devices.2. To establish the spatial and energy resolution limits of the electrostatic forces between CMOS and biological systems3. To establish the electrostatic interface between CMOS devices and the ambient electrolyte solution without chemical contamination in Si and dielectrics.4. To formulate realistic goals and implementation methods in the follow-on NIRT effort for building molecular recognition and actuation capabilities derived from nanoscale CMOS technology, if the NER efforts give promising results.This proposed NER investigation is unique in the sense that the nonvolatile static charges in CMOS EEPROM devices are employed at the interface, and hence the interaction electrostatic forces can be both attractive and repulsive. For molecular recognition and actuation, availability of both attractive and repulsive forces at interface is crucial for high selectivity and sensitivity.Two technology demonstrations will be established in the NER effort to investigate the scale and resolution of the electrostatic attractive and repulsive forces derivable from the CMOS/EEPROM devices. The first one is the micron-scale electrostatic tweezers. For electrostatic tweezers actions of pickup and drop, an electrostatic repulsive force is needed. This can be accomplished by forces induced from nonvolatile static charges. The second one is the nano-scale molecular recognition from surface attractive and repulsive forces. Nanometer-scale molecular recognition by complementary nonvolatile static charges can be achieved in floating nanocrystal EEPROM structures. The peripheral source/drain structures have alternative dopant types to facilitate complementary static charge injection. The control gate is partially implemented by the ground-plane back gate to expose the nanocrystals for electrostatic interaction with the ambient. Preliminary concepts for the micron-scale [1,2] and nano-scale [3-6] nonvolatile static charge control have already been experimentally demonstrated in the PI's group. The micron-scale control currently offers much faster charge reconfiguration (in milliseconds) than the nanoscale one (achieved by floating Si and metal nanocrystals with pixel accessibility inversely proportional to resolution due to peripheral contact constraints). Present efforts by the PI in funded research programs will be discussed in view of the relations with this NER proposal. A small addition to the existing educational outreach program will be presented. Rationale has been made to fit the proposed effort to the one-year span of the NER program. If the concept demonstration is successful, a NIRT proposal will be composed next year based on the preliminary modeling and experimental results.