EAGER: SHF: Three-Dimensional Electronics Integration Facilitated by Molecular Assembly

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

For the production of electronic devices like computers and smart phones, conventional lithographic techniques provide error-free circuits, but their development in critical directions is limited by their inherently two-dimensional nature. On the other hand, biological structures are inherently three-dimensional, however their error-prone self-assembly procedures require biological systems to utilize error-tolerant architectures. This project will mimic biology using materials that self-assemble by molecular recognition for programmed fabrication of electronic devices. Such fabrication methods could potentially generate revolutionary technology in information processing, computer, and communications applications. This research could increase the speed and energy efficiency of some computations and decrease the cost of their production. The project will provide interdisciplinary research training at the graduate, undergraduate, and postdoc levels. Participation by under-represented groups will be pursued and encouraged at all levels including through Project SEED for high school students. By applying techniques of affinity peptide-based assembly and structural DNA nanotechnology to create bioinspired materials with macro-scale dimensions and nano- scale feature resolution, this project will generate unique, electronically-active, materials with integral networks that are expected to display interesting non-linear behaviors. These materials have potential for use in novel three-dimensionally integrated circuits with extremely-high connectivity that are predicted to display useful electrical behaviors and will be developed for computation, communications, signal processing, and control applications.