SENSORS: SOLID STATE INTEGRATED PLATFORM FOR SENSING ARRAYS

Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Atlanta GA

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT The first objective of this proposal is to fabricate from silicon a test platform chip (GT03) that will be used for testing of new organic semiconductors for chemical sensing and for organic electronics. With this chip it will be possible to compare directly the electronic performance parameters of the new materials with those of silicon, as the "gold standard". This chip will be particularly useful in the search for the elusive "semiconductor field-effect" in organic semiconductors. In order to achieve a broad impact in the engineering and scientific community the bare chip will be made available to interested research groups developing organic field-effect transistors and gas sensors. A uniform testing protocol will be developed that will allow comparison of properties of these materials prepared in different laboratories. It will expand the range of selective materials proposed for chemical sensing. The platform is particularly suitable for organic semiconductors that can be deposited by either solvent casting or by sublimation. The chemical sensing and electronic chips in sensing arrays that were previously fabricated separately will be combined in one chip in order to by-pass the low-yield and expensive flip-chip bonding step needed for the two separate chips. The resulting array will have CMOS electronic circuitry integrated on the same chip. It will be the smallest, fully integrated, low power sensing platform for gas sensing that could be incorporated into an existing portable electronics, e.g. cell phones, pagers PDA's, in order to create a dynamically distributed array of arrays, i.e. superarrays. The expression "dynamically distributed" implies that the location of the individual arrays in space is not predetermined and that it is continuously changing as the person carrying this enhanced personal electronics moves around. The intellectual merit of this new technology is that it enables the realization of the new, stochastic paradigm of chemical information acquisition. Recognizing that highly specialized fabrication facility, such as exists at the Georgia Tech, may not be available to most research groups working in chemical sensing field we are proposing to make the new sensing platform available to interested sensing groups in academia. Making the chips generally available would have a broad impact on the chemical sensing field. The interested groups should contact the PI (404 894 4828) or by e-mail: jiri.Janata@chemistry.gatech.edu.