NIRT: Single Nanoparticle Devices, A New Technique for Bottom-Up Manufacturing

该项目将用晶体半导体纳米颗粒取代半导体晶片。 这将允许构建三维电路（一层以上的晶体管），并将化学和结构不兼容的单晶材料集成在单个衬底上。 这种基底可以包括低损耗陶瓷或低成本的柔性塑料。 高密度硅烷等离子体将用于形成这些纳米颗粒。电子和光电系统通常由集成电路、激光器和其他单独封装和组装在电路板上的器件构成。 这些器件建立在互不兼容的晶体半导体晶片上。 因此，所需的混合组装方法极大地限制了整个系统的性能。该研究小组已经表明，可以合成尺寸为30至150 nm的近立方体单晶硅颗粒。 纳米颗粒将被充电，并且静电力将被用于将它们组装在基底上的预定位置。这将通过使用来自柔性印模的电荷转移来实现。 使用这些纳米粒子的高性能晶体管将被建造，并为它们开发数值模型。 早期的结果表明，肖特基势垒场效应器件是最适合这种应用。 高分辨率电子显微镜将用于支持这项工作，特别是关键金属-半导体接触的发展。由于纳米粒子器件是一个新的研究领域，预计毕业的学生将成为这一领域的领导者，并将有助于传播这项技术。 外展将是NIRT的重要组成部分，因为它将与现有的MRSEC和IGERT外展计划相结合，特别是吸引美国原住民学生和教师进入这个新的研究领域。 该小组还预计将支持至少两名美国公民女研究生参加该计划，因为她们目前正在IGERT和MRSEC的赞助下从事这一领域的工作。 此外，PI将开发新的基于网络的资源，以教育更广泛的社区关于纳米粒子设备，包括电荷存储设备和纳米粒子/量子点结构。

This project will replace semiconductor wafers with crystalline semiconductor nanoparticles. This would allow the construction of three-dimensional circuits (more than one layer of transistors) and the integration of otherwise chemically and structurally incompatible single-crystal materials on a single substrate. Such substrates could include low loss ceramics or low cost, flexible plastics. High-density silane plasmas will be used for forming these nanoparticles. Electronic and optoelectronic systems are typically built from integrated circuits, lasers, and other devices that are individually packaged and assembled on a board. These devices are built on crystalline semiconductor wafers that are mutually incompatible. The hybrid assembly approach required therefore greatly limits overall system performance. The research group has already shown that nearly cubic, single crystal silicon particles can be synthesized with dimensions of 30 to 150 nm. Nanoparticles will be electrically charged and electrostatic forces will be used to assemble them at predetermined sites on a substrate. This will be accomplished using charge transfer from a flexible stamp. High performance transistors using these nanoparticles will be built and numerical models for them developed. Early results suggest that Schottky barrier field effect devices are most suitable for this application. High resolution electron microscopy will be used to support this work, in particular, the development of the critical metal-semiconductor contacts. Since nanoparticle devices is a new field of study, it is expected that students graduating will become leaders in this field and will help disseminate the technology. Outreach will be an important part of the NIRT as it will integrate with existing MRSEC and IGERT outreach programs, particularly drawing in Native American students and faculty into this new research area. The group also anticipates supporting at least two US citizen female graduate students in the program as they are currently working in this area under IGERT and MRSEC sponsorship. In addition, the PIs will develop new web-based resources to educate the broader community about nanoparticle devices, including both charge storage devices and the nanoparticle/quantum dot structures.