High-throughput heterogeneous integration of diverse nanomaterials on a single chip for sensing applications

PLoS One. 2014 Oct 28;9(10):e111377. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0111377. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

There is a large variety of nanomaterials each with unique electronic, optical and sensing properties. However, there is currently no paradigm for integration of different nanomaterials on a single chip in a low-cost high-throughput manner. We present a high throughput integration approach based on spatially controlled dielectrophoresis executed sequentially for each nanomaterial type to realize a scalable array of individually addressable assemblies of graphene, carbon nanotubes, metal oxide nanowires and conductive polymers on a single chip. This is a first time where such a diversity of nanomaterials has been assembled on the same layer in a single chip. The resolution of assembly can range from mesoscale to microscale and is limited only by the size and spacing of the underlying electrodes on chip used for assembly. While many applications are possible, the utility of such an array is demonstrated with an example application of a chemical sensor array for detection of volatile organic compounds below parts-per-million sensitivity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Biological Assay
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Electrodes
  • Electronics
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Equipment Design
  • Gases
  • Graphite / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Nanostructures / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry
  • Nanowires / chemistry
  • Optics and Photonics
  • Polymers / chemistry
  • Volatile Organic Compounds

Substances

  • Gases
  • Nanotubes, Carbon
  • Polymers
  • Volatile Organic Compounds
  • Graphite

Grants and funding

Support from the National Science Foundation grant no: ECCS-0955024 is acknowledged. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.