GOALI: Gallium Nitride Nanowire-Nanocluster Hybrids for Chemical Sensing

这项研究的目标是利用氮化镓(GaN)纳米线开发新一代超灵敏、低功耗、多组分化学传感器。该方法是利用介电泳法实现高度取向的GaN纳米线阵列，并用金属和金属氧化物纳米团簇对其进行功能化。在研究了化学物种与这些功能化纳米线的电物理相互作用后，将实现能够在极端条件下工作的超灵敏、低功率传感器。商用薄膜传感器在灵敏度、选择性和可靠性方面有很大的局限性。提议的？混合动力车？设备将为分子的吸附和随后的化学反应催化提供大量的活性中心。通过将纳米团簇的增强催化性能与纳米线的敏感转导能力相结合，将创建一个超灵敏和高选择性的化学传感架构。生长后的组装和功能化将使传感器阵列能够在单个芯片上用于多组分传感，该项目的成功完成将促进我们对各种化学物种与纳米级表面的基本相互作用的理解，这对超灵敏传感器的发展至关重要。基于氮化物的高选择性气体/化学纳米传感器可以有多种应用，包括环境监测、临床上的生物检测以及检测化学和生物威胁。这项研究的结果将被纳入研究生水平的纳米电子学课程。来自代表性不足群体的学生和本科生将被招募到这个项目中工作。一名科学教师和当地一所科技磁铁高中的学生将参与这项拟议的研究。

The objective of the research is to develop next-generation ultra-sensitive, low-power, multi-component chemical sensors utilizing gallium nitride (GaN) nanowires. The approach is to realize highly-oriented arrays of GaN nanowires by utilizing dielectrophoresis and functionalize them with metal and metal oxide nanoclusters. After studying the electro-physical interactions of chemical species with these functionalized nanowires, ultra-sensitive, low-power sensors capable of operating in extreme conditions will be realized. Commercial thin film sensors have significant limitations in terms of sensitivity, selectivity, and reliability. The proposed ?hybrid? devices will provide numerous active sites for adsorption of molecules and subsequent catalysis of chemical reactions. By combining the enhanced catalytic properties of the nanoclusters with the sensitive transduction capabilities of the nanowires, an ultra-sensitive and highly selective chemical sensing architecture will be created. Post-growth assembly and functionalization will enable the development of sensor arrays in a single chip for multi-component sensing.Successful completion of this project will advance our understanding of the fundamental interactions of various chemical species with nanoscale surfaces, which is essential for the development of ultra-sensitive sensors. Nitride based highly selective gas/chemical nanosensors could have multitude of applications including environmental monitoring, biological detection for clinical purposes, and for detection of chemical and biological threats. Results of this research will be incorporated into a graduate level course on nano-electronics. Students from underrepresented groups and undergraduate students will be recruited to work on this project. A science teacher and students of a local Science and Technology magnet high school will be involved in the proposed research.