Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology, including field effect transistors and other devices used as sensors (for example, for electrophysiological studies), nanotube structures, and applications. Certain aspects of the present invention are generally directed to transistors such as field effect transistors, and other similar devices. In one set of embodiments, a field effect transistor is used where a nanoscale wire, for example, a silicon nanowire, acts as a transistor channel connecting a source electrode to a drain electrode. In some cases, a portion of the transistor channel is exposed to an environment that is to be determined, for example, the interior or cytosol of a cell. A nanotube or other suitable fluidic channel may be extended from the transistor channel into a suitable environment, such as a contained environment within a cell, so that the environment is in electrical communication with the transistor channel via the fluidic channel. In some embodiments, the rest of the transistor channel may be coated, e.g., so that the electrical properties of the transistor channel reflect the electrical behavior of the environment that the fluidic channel is in communication with. Other aspects of the invention are generally directed to methods of making such sensors, methods of using such sensors, kits involving such sensors, or the like.
Abstract:
Kinked nanowires are used for measuring electrical potentials inside simple cells. An improved intracellular entrance is achieved by modifying the kinked nanowires with phospholipids.
Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and submicroelectronic devices that can be used in circuitry and, in some cases, to nanoscale wires and other nanostructures able to encode data. One aspect of the invention provides a nanoscale wire or other nanostructure having a region that is electrically-polarizable, for example, a nanoscale wire may comprise a core and an electrically-polarizable shell. In some cases, the electrically-polarizable region is able to retain its polarization state in the absence of an external electric field. All, or only a portion, of the electricallypolarizable region may be polarized, for example, to encode one or more bits of data. In one set of embodiments, the electrically-polarizable region comprises a functional oxide or a ferroelectric oxide material, for example, BaTiO 3 , lead zirconium titanate, or the like. In some embodiments, the nanoscale wire (or other nanostructure) may further comprise other materials, for example, a separation region separating the electricallypolarizable region from other regions of the nanoscale wire. For example, in a nanoscale wire, one or more intermediate shells may separate the core from the electricallypolarizable shell.
Abstract:
An architecture for nanoscale electronics is disclosed. The architecture comprises arrays of crossed nanoscale wires having selectively programmable crosspoints. Nanoscale wires of one array are shared by other arrays, thus providing signal propagation between the arrays. Nanoscale signal restoration elements are also provided, allowing an output of a first array to be used as an input to a second array. Signal restoration occurs without routing of the signal to non-nanoscalewires.
Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wires, nanoscale sensing elements, and/or injectable devices. In some embodiments, the present invention is directed to electronic devices that can be injected or inserted into soft matter, such as biological tissue or polymeric matrixes. For example, the device may be passed through a tube into the medium. To avoid or minimize crumpling, the device may exit the tube at substantially the same rate that the tube is withdrawn from the medium. Other components, such as fluids or cells, may also be injected or inserted. In addition, in some cases, the device, after insertion or injection, may be connected to an external electrical circuit, for example, by printing a conductive path on a medium or on a flexible substrate. The path may be printed using conductive inks, e.g., containing carbon nanotubes or other suitable materials.
Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to nanoscale wires, including anisotropic deposition in nanoscale wires. In one set of embodiments, material may be deposited on certain portions of a nanoscale wire, e.g., anisotropically. For example, material may be deposited on a first facet of a crystalline nanoscale wire but not on a second facet. In some cases, additional materials may be deposited thereon, and/or the portions of the nanoscale wire may be removed, e.g., to produce vacant regions within the nanoscale wire, which may contain gas or other species. Other embodiments of the invention may be directed to articles made thereby, devices containing such nanoscale wires, kits involving such nanoscale wires, or the like.
Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to nanotechnology and sub-microelectronic circuitry, as well as associated methods and devices, for example, nanoscale wire devices and methods for use in determining nucleic acids or other analytes suspected to be present in a sample (for example, their presence and/or dynamical information), e.g., at the single molecule level. For example, a nanoscale wire device can be used in some cases to detect single base mismatches within a nucleic acid (e.g., by determining association and/or dissociation rates). In one aspect, dynamical information such as a binding constant, an association rate, and/or a dissociation rate, can be determined between a nucleic acid or other analyte, and a binding partner immobilized relative to a nanoscale wire. In some cases, the nanoscale wire includes a first portion comprising a metal-semiconductor compound, and a second portion that does not include a metal-semiconductor compound. The binding partner, in some embodiments, is immobilized relative to at least the second portion of the nanoscale wire, and the size of the second portion of the nanoscale wire may be minimized and/or controlled in some instances. Articles and devices of size greater than the nanoscale are also included in certain embodiments. Still other aspects of the invention include assays, sensors, kits, and/or other devices that include such nanoscale wires, methods of making and/or using such nanoscale wires, or the like.
Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to devices and components for use in nanotechnology and sub-microelectronic circuitry that include metal-semiconductor compounds such as metal silicides. The present invention also, in some embodiments, provides methods of forming such devices and components by allowing a first material to diffuse into a second material, optionally creating a new compound. Thus, as an example, metal atoms are allowed to diffuse into a semiconductor to create the metal-semiconductor compound. In some cases, the device may include a component that is a single crystal. Certain metal-semiconductor compounds of the invention have novel physical/electrical properties, for example, low resistivities, high conductivities, high current density capacities, and the like. In some embodiments, a component of the invention may have two or more regions that differ in composition, where one or both of the regions can include a metal-semiconductor compound. In some cases, the regions may be created by using a mask or a nanoscale wire to define the two or more regions.
Abstract:
The present invention relates generally to sub-microelectronic circuitry, and more particularly to nanometer-scale articles, including nanoscale wires which can be selectively doped at various locations and at various levels. In some cases, the articles may be single crystals. The nanoscale wires can be doped, for example, differentially along their length, or radially, and either in terms of identity of dopant, concentration of dopant, or both. This may be used to provide both n-type and p-type conductivity in a single item, or in different items in close proximity to each other, such as in a crossbar array. The fabrication and growth of such articles is described, and the arrangement of such articles to fabricate electronic, optoelectronic, or spintronic devices and components. For example, semiconductor materials can be doped to form n-type and p-type semiconductor regions for making a variety of devices such as field effect transistors, bipolar transistors, complementary inverters, tunnel diodes, light emitting diodes, sensors, and the like.