On-chip characterization of molecular electronic devices using CMOS

Abstract

The focus of the field of molecular electronics in recent years has been mostly limited to the development of molecular electronic test devices and the characterization of electron transport through organic molecules. However, in order for molecular electronic technology to be realized, it is probable that these devices will have to first be integrated with traditional CMOS components and circuits. For this reason, we present the design of a molecular device/CMOS hybrid circuit that exemplifies how the two technologies can be integrated as well as how the CMOS circuitry can be used for the on-chip characterization of the molecular electronic devices. This work includes: the fabrication and characterization of a silicon-based CMOS-compatible molecular electronic device, the design of a hybrid circuit that can be used for on-chip characterization of the molecular devices, and simulations based upon the actual experimental device results that verify the effectiveness of the circuit. The components in this preliminary work have been limited to simple example devices and circuits to serve as a proof of concept, but the basic framework can be expanded in the future to include much more complex behaviors and systems.