NanoTechnology: Materials, Processes & Devices

Research that includes:

  • Development of nanostructure fabrication technology
  • Nanomagnetics, Microphotonics
  • CMOS Integrated Nanowires/Nanotubes (CMOS-Inn)

BPN825: Direct On-Chip Digital Optical Synthesizer (DODOS)

Jean-Etienne Tremblay
Guan-Lin Su
Kyungmok Kwon
2018

The advent of precise microwave frequency synthesis in the 1940’s enabled a disruptive revolution in the capabilities enabled by microwave technology, including wireless and wireline communications, RADAR, electronic warfare, and atomic sensors and timing technology. It is envisioned that the DODOS program will advance a similar transformative revolution based on ubiquitous optical frequency synthesis technology. Laboratory-scale optical frequency synthesis was successfully realized in 1999 with the invention of self-referenced optical frequency combs based on femto-second pulse-...

BPN790: Two-Dimensional Materials-Based Aerogel on Low-Power Microheater Platform for Gas Sensing Application

Siyi Cheng
David Gardner
2018

There remains a strong need for miniaturized, low power gas sensors that can be deployed in wireless applications for improved environmental protection, health and safety. Aerogels have attracted significant attention in recent years due to their extremely low density, high surface area, low thermal conductivity, weak dielectric permittivity, and high stability. For gas sensing applications, two-dimensional materials offer the highest possible surface area for gas interaction, leading to high sensitivity. However, when materials are integrated into a sensor device, the surface area...

BPN835: Silicon Carbide Passivated Electrode for Thermionic Energy Conversion

Steven R. DelaCruz
Zhongtao Wang
2018

In thermionic energy converters (TECs), electrons emitted from a hot electrode (emitter) into a vacuum gap are harvested by a cooler electrode (collector), and then return to the emitter, delivering power to an external load. In this process, TECs convert heat directly into electricity and have the potential to achieve high efficiencies comparable to those of conventional heat engines. We have initiated a collaborative project to develop a microfabricated, close-gap thermionic energy converter that utilizes heat from a combustion source. Potential applications include residential...

BPN889: Fabrication and Self-Assembly of Microstructured Scaffolds for Living Material

Wei Li
2018

Design, synthesize, assemble, and characterize hard-soft hybrid composites that resemble brick-and- mortar structure of nacre, but that can switch between being porous and flexible to impermeable, stiff, and strong in response to environmental cues.

Project end date: 01/25/19

BPN875: Transfer-Free Synthesis of Graphene on Insulating Substrates

Leslie L. Chan
Zhongtao Wang
Yuhui Xie
2018

Graphene has become one of the pinnacles of nanomaterials research, touted for its manifold applications and potential as “the next silicon” in electronics. At this time, integrated production of graphene-based devices remains a barrier, requiring a process that is reliable, large-scale, and compatible with conventional fabrication approaches. One common method for graphene synthesis is chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on metal substrates, which requires a transfer step to target materials (e.g., insulating substrates for device applications). However, this extra transfer step often...

BPN904: Ultrahigh Aspect-Ratio Gold Nanostructure for Electrochemical Sensing in Liquid Media

Yuhui Xie
2019

Electrode surface structure and functional modification with higher catalytic response are of great interest in many technologies. This work aims at designing highly efficient nanostructured gold- based electrochemical catalyst. Using the calixarene-capped gold nanoclusters as the construction unit, we report on the formation of gold films with nanoporous structure via hydrogen-bubble templating under electrochemically reducing conditions. The resulting nanoporous gold (NPG) assembly possesses the highest aspect ratio (defined as the ratio of the pore size to the wall thickness)...

BPN919: SiC-Based Nanostructures for Flexible Devices

Steven R. DelaCruz
Siyi Cheng
2019

Due to their high mechanical robustness, thermal stability, chemical resilience, and breakdown field strength, silicon carbide (SiC)-based nanostructures can be broadly utilized in devices such as field emitters, supercapacitors, and gas sensors. While SiC nanostructures have been widely explored on rigid substrates, their integration on flexible substrates has been limited. Carbon cloth (CC) is an optimal substrate for direct SiC...

BPN927: CeO2/Au Nanostructured Material for Electrochemical Detection of Dopamine

Yuhui Xie
2019

Dopamine (DA) plays a significant role in the central nervous system, the loss of which is linked to various problems, e.g., schizophrenia, drug addiction and Parkinsons disease. Accordingly, the development of sensitive and selective detection method for DA is of great interest. Electrochemical DA detection has gained increasing attention due to its operation simplicity and rapid response. Despite these advantages, electrochemical methods often lack...

BPN843: Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Sensors Based on Wearable Carbon Textile

Siyi Cheng
Hu Long
2019

Wearable sensors have attracted considerable interest in various fields, such as clinical diagnosis, environmental pollution monitoring and food quality assessment, due to their practical advantages of operation convenience, low cost and in-situ analysis mode. Among different sensing methods, electrochemical sensing is very popular due to its high efficiency and accuracy. Broadly speaking, there are two kinds of electrochemical biosensors:...

BPN936: Hafnium Diboride-Based Gas Sensor

Steven R. DelaCruz
Yong Xia
Siyi Cheng
2019

While the transition metal oxides and dichacogenides have been extensively used as sensing materials, the transition metal diborides (TMDBs) have not been explored to any appreciable extent. As a class, TMDBs possess a variety of unique properties, including very high melting points, high thermal and electrical conductivities, and good corrosion resistances, and therefore hold promise as materials for the sensing of harmful gases or at elevated temperatures....