Raymond K. Tsui

Directed placement of suspended carbon nanotubes for nanometer-scale assembly

Single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) suspended in an aqueous solution have been placed selectively between two metal electrodes separated by a few tens of nanometers. After the initial patterning of the metal electrodes by electron beam lithography, no further fine-line lithography steps are necessary to achieve directed placement of SWNTs at these dimensions. An ac bias is applied between the two electrodes and the “nanoscale wiring” is completed within seconds. An additional advantage of using ac bias is the enhancement for selectively placing SWNTs between the electrode gap over competing contaminant species in the solution.

Electrical measurements of a dithiolated electronic molecule via conducting atomic force microscopy

We describe a method of measuring the electrical properties of a molecule via conducting atomic force microscopy (AFM). A dithiolated molecule is chemically inserted into defect sites in an insulating self-assembled monolayer formed on an epitaxial Au substrate and the top thiol terminus of the molecule is reacted with a Au nanoparticle. A Au-coated AFM probe is used to contact the molecule through the nanoparticle, thus electrical data can be obtained. We report preliminary transport measurements of two test molecules. Our data shows qualitative agreement with previously published results for similar molecules deposited in a nanopore containing approximately a thousand molecules. This work indicates that the measured negative differential resistance is not an intermolecular phenomenon.

A Hybrid Nanosensor for TNT Vapor Detection

Real-time detection of trace chemicals, such as explosives, in a complex environment containing various interferents has been a difficult challenge. We describe here a hybrid nanosensor based on the electrochemical reduction of TNT and the interaction of the reduction products with conducting polymer nanojunctions in an ionic liquid. The sensor simultaneously measures the electrochemical current from the reduction of TNT and the conductance change of the polymer nanojunction caused from the reduction product. The hybrid detection mechanism, together with the unique selective preconcentration capability of the ionic liquid, provides a selective, fast, and sensitive detection of TNT. The sensor, in its current form, is capable of detecting parts-per-trillion level TNT in the presence of various interferents within a few minutes.

An approach to transport measurements of electronic molecules

We present a hybrid assembly technique to facilitate the transport measurements of electronic molecules. The technique consists of forming a self-assembled monolayer of the investigated molecule on prepatterned electrodes and then bridging the electrodes with nanoparticles using an alternating electric field. This technique can potentially provide a quick and simple way to screen a large number of electronic molecules. As an example, we report preliminary transport measurements of 1-nitro-2,5-di(phenylethynyl-4*-thioacetyl)benzene as a test molecule. The data show qualitative agreement with previously published results for a similar molecule.

A Wearable and Wireless Sensor System for Real-Time Monitoring of Toxic Environmental Volatile Organic Compounds

An integrated volatile organic toxicants sensor with a Bluetooth device interface has been developed. The device is based on novel tuning fork sensor platform along with a wireless communication/interface technology taken in an integrated system approach. It features high sensitivity and selectivity. The sensitivity and selectivity are accomplished through the use of novel tuning fork sensor modified by design (molecularly imprinted) polymers and selective filtering. Experiments have shown that the device can detect toxic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) under high concentrations of common interferents from flavors and fragrances. Applications of the device for detection of BTEX in real-world situations such as outdoor and gas station VOCs have also been demonstrated. All these features make the device a promising candidate to be deployed in real-world applications, particularly in environmental health and air pollution studies.

Effects of substrate misorientation on the properties of (Al, Ga)As grown by molecular beam epitaxy

(Al,Ga)As layers have rough surface morphologies when deposited under certain growth conditions in molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). This leads to poor interfaces between GaAs and (Al,Ga)As and degraded performance in heterojunction devices. We have observed that by misorienting the substrate slightly from (100), in a manner specific to the growth conditions, smooth (Al,Ga)As layers can be grown at 675 °C for an Al mole fraction of 0.15. Similar conditions for nominal (100) result in a rough, textured morphology. The results suggest that the roughness is due to an energetic instability at the growth surface with respect to the formation of features such as terraces and hillocks. To our knowledge, this is the first reported experimental verification of singular instabilities in (Al,Ga)As grown by MBE. Smooth layers obtained by using an optimal misorientation of 2° 45’ from (100) towards (111)A also exhibit superior optical properties as determined from low‐temperature photoluminescence measurements. These find...

Properties of AlxGa1−xAs (xAl≂0.3) grown by molecular‐beam epitaxy on misoriented substrates

The effects of substrate misorientation on the morphological and optical properties of AlxGa1−xAs (xAl≂0.3) grown by molecular‐beam epitaxy (MBE) have been studied. The substrate temperatures and V/III beam‐flux ratios used were such that layers grown on nominally (100) substrates typically exhibited rough morphologies and poor 4.2 K PL characteristics. By intentionally misorienting the substrate slightly from (100), smooth layers can be grown at 620 and 650 °C at typical MBE growth rates (≂1 μm/h). These smooth layers also exhibited sharp, exciton‐related emission peaks at 4.2 K with half‐widths as narrow as 5 meV. Since rough surfaces may lead to poor interfaces between GaAs and (Al,Ga)As and in turn to degraded performance in heterojunction devices, the present results may have significant implications for the performance of such structures grown by MBE.

Chemical sensors using peptide-functionalized conducting polymer nanojunction arrays

We demonstrate a heavy metal-ion sensor for drinking water analysis using a conducting polymer nanojunction array. Each nanojunction is formed by bridging a pair of nanoelectrodes separated with a small gap (<60nm) with electrodeposited peptide-modified polyanilines. The signal transduction mechanism of the sensor is based on the change in the nanojunction conductance as a result of polymer conformational changes induced by the metal-ion chelating peptide. The nanojunction sensor allows real-time detection of Cu2+ and Ni2+ at ppt range.

A Breath Ammonia Sensor Based on Conducting Polymer Nanojunctions

We present an ammonia sensor for human breath analysis based on electrically conducting polymer nanojunctions. Each nanojunction is formed by bridging a pair of gold nanoelectrodes on a silicon chip separated by a small gap (<60 nm) with electrodeposited polyaniline. The signal transduction mechanism of the sensor is the change in the nanojunction conductance as a result of polymer dedoping by ammonia. The sensor response to human breath is validated by comparison with a reference method for detection of ammonium ion combined with an optimized breath ammonia trapping system. The nanojunction sensor is capable of in situ detection of parts per billion (ppb) levels of ammonia in human breath.

Selective formation and alignment of InAs quantum dots over mesa stripes along the [011] and [001] directions on GaAs (100) substrates

We have studied the selective formation of InAs self-organized quantum dots on top of [001]- and [011]-oriented mesa stripes on patterned GaAs (100) substrates. The GaAs stripes are also grown by selective area epitaxy. The dot density and spatial distribution depend on both the stripe orientation and the width of the (100) top facet of the stripe. The density is higher for stripes aligned in the [001] direction, and lower for those aligned in the [011] direction, respectively, when compared to that obtained on a planar substrate under the same growth conditions. In addition, the dot uniformity is improved by reducing the top facet width below 200 nm in the growth of the mesa stripes, and well-aligned rows of dots are obtained for sub-100-nm widths.We have studied the selective formation of InAs self-organized quantum dots on top of [001]- and [011]-oriented mesa stripes on patterned GaAs (100) substrates. The GaAs stripes are also grown by selective area epitaxy. The dot density and spatial distribution depend on both the stripe orientation and the width of the (100) top facet of the stripe. The density is higher for stripes aligned in the [001] direction, and lower for those aligned in the [011] direction, respectively, when compared to that obtained on a planar substrate under the same growth conditions. In addition, the dot uniformity is improved by reducing the top facet width below 200 nm in the growth of the mesa stripes, and well-aligned rows of dots are obtained for sub-100-nm widths.