Research Focus
Chip-level integrated recognition systems capable of rapid and renewable direct detection of a spectrum of molecular targets are of intense interest to the security, defense, and health communities. As with mature integrated technologies, a standard cell approach to building complex system functions from device functional building blocks will ultimately emerge. This notion of standard cell recognition devices provides a useful conceptual framework within which to see the challenges facing realization of these systems. It also serves to motivate WVNano’s research focus and organization.
At the functional building block level, research individually advancing molecular recognition and transport is an area of growing interest. WVNano is built upon our core capacity for discovery in materials, devices, and proteomics. We have successfully achieved nucleation of critical interdisciplinary teams connecting these core groups, which are now addressing discovery targeting needed functional building blocks.
The standard cell level is characterized by the co-integration of specific molecular recognition and transport building blocks to achieve a desired recognition device function. Connectivity to the chip-level molecular transport network not only defines overall chip-level system function, but also establishes the material interface with the macro-world to compliment the electronic and photonic interface required for the physical transduction of molecular recognition. Despite its importance, the standard cell level remains comparatively under-explored in part due to the added challenges it presents. These include co-integration of a range of potentially multifunctional materials and design of not only the recognition components (e.g. transduction device and biolayer for specific probe and target combinations) and transport components (layout, field strengths, electrode structure, fluid dynamics) individually, but also their interdisciplinary co-design.
WVNano’s key research objective is to identify enabling technologies for achieving viable integrated molecular recognition standard cells through the testbed exploration of novel co-integrated molecular recognition and transport functional building blocks. Our selected testbed device standard cells are inspired by an evolving set of security, health, environment and energy applications.