This project aims to develop GaN nanoelectromechanical system (NEMS) biosensors utilizing the excitation of nanoscale beam mechanical resonators modulated by the mass or surface energy change of specific binging between receptors and target analytes. The NEMS biosensors will be integrated with an on-chip low noise amplifier for signal amplification on a microfluidic platform. To improve the device sensitivity, piezoelectric materials, namely, AlGaN/GaN heterostructures will be used for freely suspended beam resonators and vertical beam resonators. The proposed NEMS devices promise to be extremely fast and ultrahigh sensitive devices for sensor applications such as displacement and charge detection due to specific analyte binding. The ultra-sensitive NEMS sensors can find various applications from food safety, homeland security to disease diagnostics for human health care. Special efforts will be made to recruit female and underrepresented minority graduate and undergraduate students for participation of this interdisciplinary research. Outreach activities include school visits, summer camp and training of high school senior students.
