Emerging Electronics

Current projects

Solid-state nanopore technology for biomedical applications

Novel nanopore designs for protein studies

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Contributing scientists: Ngan Pham, Yao Yao, Chenyu Wen

Internal collaborators: Zhen Zhang’s group (Shuangshuang Zeng, Zhen Zhang)

External funding: SOEB

The sub-project explores novel nanopore designs for protein studies. This project builds on the rich outcomes of our recently successfully concluded framework project on nanopores for DNA sequencing sponsored by the Swedish Research Council (VR). The outcomes span from knowledge, process technology, modelling capability to advanced characterisation facilities. The fabrication process for the novel nanopores is based on standard silicon technology and is being developed in the cleanroom laboratory at Ångström. Theoretical modelling with a focus on strategies for signal enhancement and noise mitigation has been instrumental for our design and operation of nanopores and nanopore systems.

Nanopores for DNA sequencing

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Contributing scientists: Shiyu Li, Shuangshuang Zeng, Klas Hjort, Chenyu Wen, Zhen Zhang

The sub-project represents our final efforts to demonstrate DNA sequencing based on our novel silicon-based nanopore technology. The detection capability has been extended to including advanced optical means, thereby making our characterisation more versatile. Theoretical modelling continues to both support our understanding and improve our device and characterisation design.

A novel optoelectronic device for sensing at single-molecule level

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Contributing scientists: Yupeng Yang, Apurba Dev

Internal collaborators: Apurba Dev’s group

With this new project, we explore a novel optoelectronic device for sensing at single-molecule level. Smart exploitation of emerging technologies such as efficient phototransistors based on ultrathin semiconductors including 2D layered structures, upconversion nanocrystals and Förster resonant energy transfer will be key to the success of this project. The research is conducted in the Ångström Laboratory, but we also seek collaborations.

External funding: VR

Brain-inspired computing

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Internal collaborators: Zhibin Zhang’s group (Libo Chen, Zhibin Zhang); Robin Augustine’s group; Tomas Kubart’s group; Zhen Zhang’s group

Advanced electronic components constitute the core research area of our scientific discipline “Solid-State Electronics”. In the past, we carried out research on innovative technologies to enable extremely down-scaled silicon CMOS devices. To cope with the drastic changes in device research towards next/generation computing, we have been initiating this new direction on brain-inspired computing. This represents an effort to strengthen our research portfolio, to support new activities being conducted at the various research groups and to exploit and further develop our existing strengths in thin-film, silicon processing and semiconductor device technologies. A couple of examples of the new activities are neuromorphic electronics and ultralow-temperature electronics.

Concluded projects

Nanodevices for DNA sequencing

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Work package leaders: Zhen Zhang (nanofabrication), Klas Hjort (nanofluidics), Ralph Scheicher (ab initio simulations), Shi-Li Zhang (characterization and physics)

Other scientists: Chenyu Wen, Shuangshuang Zeng, Shiyu Li, Tomas Nyberg

Collaborations: Dr. Kai Arstila and Prof. Timo Sajavaara of Nanoscience Center at University of Jyväskylä, Finland; Prof. Gregory Schneider of Leiden University, the Netherlands; Paul Solomon of IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in New York.

External funding: VR, SOEB

The project explores novel device concepts for DNA sequencing. The nanodevices are silicon-based and have been fabricated in the cleanroom laboratory at Ångström. Theoretical modelling with a focus on strategies for signal enhancement and noise mitigation has been instrumental for our design and operation of nanopores and nanopore systems. Apart from our state-of-the-art electron-beam lithography system, we collaborate internationally for novel nanopore fabrication approaches. Advanced electrical characterization facilities have already been established.

Low-dimensionality materials for sensing and energy

Project leader: Shi-Li Zhang

Other scientists: Malkolm Hinnemo, Patrik Ahlberg, Tomas Nyberg, Zhi-Bin Zhang, Youwei Zhang

Collaborations: Prof. Ulf Jansson and Dr. Mikael Ottosson of Chemistry-Ångström; Prof. Zhijun Qiu of Fudan University, Shanghai

External funding: VR, KAW, SOEB

We have been exploring graphene as a novel electrode for ion sensing. The idea builds on a dual-mode, field-effect electronic device with which more information can be extracted in order to understand the surface adsorption and desorption that influence the sensing outcome. Emerging 2D materials such as MoS2 and WS2 are joining this activity. We employ both CVD and PVD methods for large-area synthesis of the 2D materials. A novel method termed ALD will soon be added to this family of advanced synthesis techniques. The potential of such 2D materials for energy applications has also been investigated.

Novel metallization for WBG devices towards energy-efficiency electronic system

Project leader: Hans Norström

Scientists: Shabnam Mardani, Ulf Smith, Jörgen Olsson, Shi-Li Zhang

External funding: SSF

Wide band gap (WBG) materials and devices have been the subject of several successful Swedish research projects. The work so far has mainly concentrated on those material properties that give WBG devices a far better performance than silicon counterparts under similar operating conditions. Although these devices are eminently suited for harsh conditions, the applications are presently limited by the metallurgical stability of the metallization. We have therefore been investigating if a metallization scheme based on Ag or Cu, combined with barrier and cap layers of Ta and TaN, can be optimized to provide reliable operation at very high temperatures and very high electrical current densities.