This Cross-disciplinary Small Grant Exploratory Research program will demonstrate prototypical 3-D tera-scale networks of semiconductor nanocrystals that are interconnected by conducting chain-like biomolecules through efficient self-assembly techniques. Electrical measurements of the conductivities of these tera-scale networks will be made for different levels of molecular interconnects. If successful, the results of these studies will potentially establish the basis for new approaches to 3-D massive integration of nano-scale semiconducting elements. Specifically, the success of this effort will lead to demonstrations of bio-hybrid structures based on conducting biomolecular interconnects, and radical concepts for directed/self-assembly of interconnected 3-D networks of >> 1012 nano-scale semiconducting elements. We plan to demonstrate that chain-like biomolecules may be used as electrical interconnects between 3-D nano-scale semiconductors in tera-scale 3-D networks. In addition, biomolecules will be used to establish interconnects between these networks and metallic contacts, and the conductivity of these interconnected networks --- with ~1013 nano-scale semiconductor elements per mm3 --- will be measured. In order to accomplish these goals, the investigators will apply their existing models, characterization tools, and techniques for synthesizing suspensions of semiconductor nanocrystals, and designing biomolecules that bind to semiconductors and nanostructures. While there may been many reports of chemically directed assembly, the approach here with the use of chain-like biomolecules as electrically conducting interconnects between nano-scale semiconductors and between nano-scale semiconductors and metallic structures will be in both understanding the fundamental aspects of the electrical properties of such structures as well as the possibilities and limitations of scaling this to large 3D structures.
