130 likes | 148 Views
Explore the latest trends and advancements in neuroprosthetics technologies, including molecular and nanoscale electronics, organic semiconductors, chemical sensors, and DNA electronics. Learn about reducing interconnecting leads, distributing intelligence, minimizing power consumption, and improving device reliability and longevity. Discover the potential of organic compounds in electronic devices and the innovative applications of living systems in assembling molecules for energy-efficient solutions.
E N D
Neuroprosthetics Week 9 Emerging Technologies
Emerging Technologies • Neurotechnology:Microelectronics • Molecular and Nanoscale electronics
Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) • Goals and Requirements • Reduce/Eliminate interconnecting leads • Distribute intelligence • Minimize power consumption • Minimize device area (volume) • Improve reliability and longevity of implants
Molecular Electronics • Molecular materials for electronics – electronic devices using organic compounds e.g. liquid crystal displays • Molecular scale electronics – size reduction in individual processing elements
Molecular Materials • Plastic Electronics • Organic light-emitting structures • Chemical sensors
Plastic Electronics • Organic semiconductors low cost • New materials with different bandgaps • Simple fabrication for polymers • Organic thin-film transistors key for plastic circuitry as display drivers in computers, as memory elements and ID tags
Organic Light-Emitting Structures • Organic Light Emitting Devices (OLEDs) based on polymer p-phenylene vinylene (PPV) • Organic semiconductor sandwiched between low and high electrodes – when voltage applied, electrons are injected from one electrode and holes from the other • Recombination – light emission • Low molecular weight organic molecules and polymers
Chemical Sensors • Growing need for identification of chemical & biochemical substances • Usually (Oxide) sensors must be operated at high temperatures • Organic substances – high sensitivity to gas • Can be tailored to an application by modification of their structure • Array of sensors (electronic nose) to improve on sensitivity
Molecular Scale Electronics • Molecular superlattices • Single electron devices • DNA electronics
Molecular Superlattices • Pyroelectric devices good as detectors of infrared – efficient at ambient temps. • Pyroelectric – noncentrosymmetric crystal structure + thin-film fabricated • Grow thin polycrystalline film (ceramic) then apply large electric field – RF • Sequential layer build up enables unique polar structure
Single Electron Devices • Current flow determined by tunnelling through energy barriers • Structures of less than 10nm • Nanoparticles form FET – by sensing current difference between 2 states so the stored information can be read • Quantum effects become important (Quantum computing)
DNA Electronics • DNA deemed to be a molecular wire of very small resistance • DNA – most significant molecule in nature! • Charge carriers can shuttle (tunnel) along a DNA molecule for a few nm • DNA chips – short strands of DNA bind to others – can probe if certain genetic codes are present or absent • Data can be stored - DNA 1 bit in 1 nm3 DRAM 1 bit in 1000000000000 nm3
Final Words • Organic compounds attractive for electronic devices • Living systems assemble themselves from molecules – energy efficient • But extremely speculative at this stage • Most likely niche areas – infrared detection for example