| 11. |
- Chen, Xi
(författare)
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Silicon Nanowire Field-Effect Devices as Low-Noise Sensors
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In the past decades, silicon nanowire field-effect transistors (SiNWFETs) have been explored for label-free, highly sensitive, and real-time detections of chemical and biological species. The SiNWFETs are anticipated for sensing analyte at ultralow concentrations, even at single-molecule level, owing to their significantly improved charge sensitivity over large-area FETs. In a SiNWFET sensor, a change in electrical potential associated with biomolecular interactions in close proximity to the SiNW gate terminal can effectively control the underlying channel and modulate the drain-to-source current (IDS) of the SiNWFET. A readout signal is therefore generated. This signal is primarily determined by the surface properties of the sensing layer on the gate terminal, with sensitivity close up to the Nernstian limit widely demonstrated. To achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), it is essential for the SiNWFETs to possess low noise of which intrinsic device noise is one of the major components. In metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS)-type FETs, the intrinsic noise mainly results from carrier trapping/detrapping at the gate oxide/semiconductor interface and it is inversely proportional to the device area.This thesis presents a comprehensive study on design, fabrication, and noise reduction of SiNWFET-based sensors on silicon-on-oxide (SOI) substrate. A novel Schottky junction gated SiNWFET (SJGFET) is designed and experimentally demonstrated for low noise applications. Firstly, a robust process employing photo- and electron-beam mixed-lithography was developed to reliably produce sub-10 nm SiNW structures for SiNWFET fabrication. For a proof-of-concept demonstration, MOS-type SiNWFET sensors were fabricated and applied for multiplexed ion detection using ionophore-doped mixed-matrix membranes as sensing layers. To address the fundamental noise issue of the MOS-type SiNWFETs, SJGFETs were fabricated with a Schottky (PtSi/silicon) junction gate on the top surface of the SiNW channel, replacing the noisy gate oxide/silicon interface in the MOS-type SiNWFETs. The resultant SJGFETs exhibited a close-to-ideal gate coupling efficiency (60 mV/dec) and significantly reduced device noise compared to reference MOS-type SiNWFETs. Further optimization was performed by implementing a three-dimensional Schottky junction gate wrapping both top surface and two sidewalls of the SiNW channel. The tri-gate SJGFETs with optimized geometry exhibited significantly enhanced electrostatic control over the channel, thereby confined IDS in the SiNW bulk, which greatly improved the device noise immunity to the traps at bottom buried oxide/silicon interface. Finally, a lateral bipolar junction transistor (LBJT) was also designed and fabricated on a SOI substrate aiming for immediate sensor current amplification. Integrating SJGFETs with LBJTs is expected to significantly suppress environmental interference and improve the overall SNR especially under low sensor current situations.
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| 12. |
- Hinnemo, Malkolm, 1986-
(författare)
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On the Road to Graphene Biosensors
- 2017
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Biosensors are devices that detect biological elements and then transmit a readable signal. Biosensors can automatize diagnostics that would otherwise have to be performed by a physician or perhaps not be possible to perform at all. Current biosensors are however either limited to particular diseases or prohibitively expensive. In order to further the field, sensors capable of many parallel measurements at a lower cost need to be developed. Field effect transistor (FET) based sensors are possible candidates for delivering this, mainly by allowing miniaturization. Smaller sensors could be cheaper, and enable parallel measurements.Graphene is an interesting material to use as the channel of FET-sensors. The low electrochemical reactivity of its plane makes it possible to have graphene in direct contact with the sample liquid, which enhances the signal from impedance changes. Graphene-FET based impedance sensors should be able to sense almost all possible analytes and allow for scaling without losing sensitivity.In this work the steps needed to make graphene based biosensors are presented. An improved graphene transfer is described which by using low pressure to dry the graphene removes most contamination. A method to measure the contamination of graphene by surface enhanced Raman scattering is presented. Methods to produce double gated and electrolyte gated graphene transistors on a large scale in an entirely photolithographic process are detailed. The deposition of 1-pyrenebutyric acid (PBA) on graphene is studied. It is shown that at high surface concentrations the PBA stands up on graphene and forms a dense self-assembled monolayer. A new process of using Raman spectroscopy data to quantify adsorbents was developed in order to quantify the molecule adsorption. Biosensing has been performed in two different ways. Graphene FETs have been used to read the signal generated by a streaming potential setup. Using FETs in this context enables a more sensitive readout than what would be possible without them. Graphene FETs have been used to directly sense antibodies in high ionic strength. This sensing was done by measuring the impedance of the interface between the FET and the electrolyte.
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| 13. |
- Hu, Qitao
(författare)
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Silicon Nanowire Based Electronic Devices for Sensing Applications
- 2021
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Silicon nanowire (SiNW) based electronic devices fabricated with a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) compatible process have wide-range and promising applications in sensing area. These SiNW sensors own high sensitivity, low-cost mass production possibility, and high integration density. In this thesis, we design and fabricate SiNW electronic devices with the CMOS-compatible process on silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates and explore their applications for ion sensing and quantum sensing. The thesis starts with ion sensing using SiNW field-effect transistors (SiNWFETs). The specific interaction between a sensing layer and analyte generates a change of local charge density and electrical potential, which can effectively modulate the conductance of SiNW channel. Multiplexed detection of molecular (MB+) and elemental (Na+) ions is demonstrated using a SiNWFET array, which is functionalized with ionophore-incorporated mixed-matrix membranes (MMMs). As a follow-up, polyethylene glycol (PEG) doping strategy is explored to suppress interference from the hydrophobic molecular ion and expand the multiplexed detection range. Then, the SiNW is downscaled to sub-10 nm with a gate-oxide-free configuration for single charge detection in liquid. We directly observe the capture and emission of a single H+ ion with individually activated Si dangling bonds (DBs) on the SiNW surface. This work demonstrates the unprecedented ability of the sub-10 nm SiNWFET for investigating the physics of the solid/liquid interface at single charge level.Apart from ion sensing, the SiNWFET can be suspended and act as a nanoelectromechanical resonator aiming for electrically detecting potential quantized mechanical vibration at low temperature. A suspended SiNW based single-hole transistor (SHT) is explored as a nanoelectromechanical resonator at 20 mK. Mechanical vibration is transduced to electrical readout by the SHT, and the transduction mechanism is dominated by piezoresistive effect. A giant effective piezoresistive gauge factor (~6000) with a strong correlation to the single-hole tunneling is also estimated. This hybrid device is demonstrated as a promising system to investigate macroscopic quantum behaviors of vibration phonon modes.Noise, including intrinsic device noise and environmental interference, is a serious concern for sensing applications of SiNW electronic devices. A H2 annealing process is explored to repair the SiNW surface defects and thus reduce the intrinsic noise by one order of magnitude. To suppress the external interference, lateral bipolar junction transistors (LBJTs) are fabricated on SOI substrate for local signal amplification of the SiNW sensors. Current gain and overall signal-to-noise ratio of the LBJTs are also optimized with an appropriate substrate voltage.
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| 14. |
- Lind, Lars, et al.
(författare)
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Heterogeneous contributions of change in population distribution of body mass index to change in obesity and underweight NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC)
- 2021
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Ingår i: eLife. - : eLife Sciences Publications Ltd. - 2050-084X. ; 10
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- From 1985 to 2016, the prevalence of underweight decreased, and that of obesity and severe obesity increased, in most regions, with significant variation in the magnitude of these changes across regions. We investigated how much change in mean body mass index (BMI) explains changes in the prevalence of underweight, obesity, and severe obesity in different regions using data from 2896 population-based studies with 187 million participants. Changes in the prevalence of underweight and total obesity, and to a lesser extent severe obesity, are largely driven by shifts in the distribution of BMI, with smaller contributions from changes in the shape of the distribution. In East and Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, the underweight tail of the BMI distribution was left behind as the distribution shifted. There is a need for policies that address all forms of malnutrition by making healthy foods accessible and affordable, while restricting unhealthy foods through fiscal and regulatory restrictions.
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| 15. |
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| 16. |
- Shi, Peng, et al.
(författare)
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Age- and gender-specific trends in respiratory outpatient visits and diagnoses at a tertiary pediatric hospital in China : a 10-year retrospective study
- 2020
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Ingår i: BMC Pediatrics. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2431. ; 20:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Respiratory infections are one of three leading causes of childhood mortality, and worldwide increase and recent plateau in childhood asthma has been reported. However, data on trends of respiratory diseases over long period of time is limited. This study aimed to determine the trends of respiratory disease outpatient visits (ROVs) and diagnoses (RODs) in one of the largest children's teaching hospitals in China between 2009 and 2018.METHODS: A retrospective study based on routine administrative data was designed and implemented according to the RECORD statement. Demographic details and diagnoses of the outpatients < 18 years visiting the respiratory department of the hospital were extracted from the Hospital Information System. Age- and gender-specific trends were illustrated by calculating average annual growth rate (AAGR) for ROVs and comparing change of proportion for different RODs over time.RESULTS: There were 698,054 ROVs from 285,574 children (40.4% female). AAGR of ROVs was 15.2%. Children aged 4 to < 7 years had a faster increase than other age groups. Bronchitis (27.6%), pneumonia (18.5%), pneumonia affecting other systems (18.4%), asthma and status asthmaticus (10.7%), and vasomotor and allergic rhinitis (9.2%) accounted for 84.4% of all RODs. The proportion of bronchitis decreased across years, with the concomitant increasing trend in the proportion of pneumonia. Age-specific trend in diagnoses showed greater proportion of asthma in all visits for the children aged 7 to < 18 years than younger children. Gender-specific trend in diagnoses showed the proportion of asthma was greater for males but the AAGR was greater for females.CONCLUSION: The persistent upward trend in ROVs was observed among children at different ages and a gender difference was also seen. In contrast to what has been reported, burden of asthma and allergies diseases continues to increase locally.
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| 17. |
- Wen, Chenyu
(författare)
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Solid-State Nanopores for Sensing : From Theory to Applications
- 2019
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Nanopore based sensing technology has been widely studied for a broad range of applications including DNA sequencing, protein profiling, metabolite molecules, and ions detection. The nanopore technology offers an unprecedented technological solution to meeting the demands of precision medicine on rapid, in-field, and low-cost biomolecule analysis. In general, nanopores are categorized in two families: solid-state nanopore (SSNP) and biological nanopore. The former is formed in a solid-state membrane made of SiNx, SiO2, silicon, graphene, MoS2, etc., while the latter represents natural protein ion-channels in cell membranes. Compared to biological pores, SSNPs are mechanically robust and their fabrication is compatible with traditional semiconductor processes, which may pave the way to their large-scale fabrication and high-density integration with standard control electronics. However, challenges remain for SSNPs, including poor stability, low repeatability, and relatively high background noise level. This thesis explores SSNPs from basic physical mechanisms to versatile applications, by entailing a balance between theory and experiment.The thesis starts with theoretical models of nanopores. First, resistance of the open pore state is studied based on the distribution of electric field. An important concept, effective transport length, is introduced to quantify the extent of the high field region. Based on this conductance model, the nanopores size of various geometrical shapes can be extracted from a simple resistance measurement. Second, the physical causality of ionic current rectification of geometrically asymmetrical nanopores is unveiled. Third, the origin of low-frequency noise is identified. The contribution of each noise component at different conditions is compared. Forth, a simple nano-disk model is used to describe the blockage of ionic current caused by DNA translocation. The signal and noise properties are analyzed at system level.Then, nanopore sensing experiments are implemented on cylinder SiNx nanopores and truncated-pyramid silicon nanopores (TPP). Prior to a systematic study, a low noise electrical characterization platform for nanopore devices is established. Signal acquisition guidelines and data processing flow are standardized. The effects of electroosmotic vortex in TPP on protein translocation dynamics are excavated. The autogenic translocation of DNA and proteins driven by the pW-level power generated by an electrolyte concentration gradient is demonstrated. Furthermore, by extending to a multiple pore system, the group translocation behavior of nanoparticles is studied. Various application scenarios, different analyte categories and divergent device structures accompanying with flexible configurations clearly point to the tremendous potential of SSNPs as a versatile sensor.
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| 18. |
- Zhang, Zhen, 1979-
(författare)
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Integration of silicide nanowires as Schottky barrier source/drain in FinFETs
- 2008
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The steady and aggressive downscaling of the physical dimensions of the conventional metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistor (MOSFET) has been the main driving force for the IC industry and information technology over the past decades. As the device dimensions approach the fundamental limits, novel double/trigate device architecture such as FinFET is needed to guarantee the ultimate downscaling. Furthermore, Schottky barrier source/drain technology presents a promising solution to reducing the parasitic source/drain resistance in the FinFET. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to integrate Schottky barrier source/drain in FinFETs, with an emphasis on process development and integration towards competitive devices. First, a robust sidewall transfer lithography (STL) technology is developed for mass fabrication of Si-nanowires in a controllable manner. A scalable self-aligned silicide (SALICIDE) process for Pt-silicides is also developed. Directly accessible and uniform NWs of Ni- and Pt-silicides are routinely fabricated by combining STL and SALICIDE. The silicide NWs are characterized by resistivity values comparable to those of their thin–film counterparts. Second, a systematic experimental study is performed for dopant segregation (DS) at the PtSi/Si and NiSi/Si interfaces in order to modulate the effective SBHs needed for competitive FinFETs. Two complementary schemes SIDS (silicidation induced dopant segregation) and SADS (silicide as diffusion source) are compared, and both yield substantial SBH modifications for both polarities of Schottky diodes (i.e. φbn and φbp). Third, Schottky barrier source/drain MOSFETs are fabricated in UTB-SOI. With PtSi that is usually used as the Schottky barrier source/drain for p-channel SB-MOSFETs, DS with appropriate dopants leads to excellent performance for both types of SBMOSFETs. However, a large variation in position of the PtSi/Si interface with reference to the gate edge (i.e., underlap) along the gate width is evidenced by TEM. Finally, integration of PtSi NWs in FinFETs is carried out by combining the STL technology, the Pt-SALICIDE process and the DS technology, all developed during the course of this thesis work. The performance of the p-channel FinFETs is improved by DS with B, confirming the SB-FinFET concept despite device performance fluctuations mostly likely due to the presence of the PtSi-to-gate underlap.
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Luo, Dan, et al.
(författare)
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Green, General and Low-cost Synthesis of Porous Organic Polymers in Sub-kilogram Scale for Catalysis and CO2 Capture
- 2023
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Ingår i: Angewandte Chemie International Edition. - : John Wiley & Sons. ; n/a:n/a
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Porous organic polymers (POPs) with high porosity and tunable functionalities have been widely studied for use in gas separation, catalysis, energy conversion and energy storage. However, the high cost of organic monomers, and the use of toxic solvents and high temperatures during synthesis pose obstacles for large-scale production. Herein, we report the synthesis of imine and aminal-linked POPs using inexpensive diamine and dialdehyde monomer in green solvents. Theoretical calculations and control experiments show that using meta-diamines is crucial for forming aminal linkages and branching porous networks from [2 + 2] polycondensation reactions. The method demonstrates good generality in that 6 POPs were successfully synthesized from different monomers. Additionally, we scaled up the synthesis in ethanol at room temperature, resulting in the production of POPs in sub-kilogram quantities at a relatively low cost. Proof-of-concept studies demonstrate that the POPs can be used as high-performance sorbents for CO2 separation and as porous substrates for efficient heterogeneous catalysis. This method provides an environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach for large-scale synthesis of various POPs.
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