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Biotemplated precise assembly approach toward ultra-scaled high-performance electronics

Nature Protocols volume 18, pages 2975–2997 (2023)Cite this article

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Abstract

Structural DNA nanotechnology can be programmed into complex designer structures with molecular precision for directing a wide range of inorganic and biological materials. However, the use of DNA-templated approaches for the fabrication and performance requirements of ultra-scaled semiconductor electronics is limited by its assembly disorder and destructive interface composition. In this protocol, using carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as model semiconductors, we provide a stepwise process to build ultra-scaled, high-performance field-effect transistors (FETs) from micron-scale three-dimensional DNA templates. We apply the approach to assemble CNT arrays with uniform pitches scaled between 24.1 and 10.4 nm with yields of more than 95%, which exceeds the resolution limits of conventional lithography. To achieve highly clean CNT interfaces, we detail a rinsing-after-fixing step to remove residual DNA template and salt contaminations present around the contact and the channel regions, without modifying the alignment of the CNT arrays. The DNA-templated CNT FETs display both high on-state current (4–15 μA per CNT) and small subthreshold swing (60–100 mV per decade), which are superior to previous examples of biotemplated electronics and match the performance metrics of high-performance, silicon-based electronics. The scalable assembly of defect-free three-dimensional DNA templates requires 1 week and the CNT arrays can be synthesized within half a day. The interface engineering requires 1–2 d, while the fabrication of high-performance FET and logic gate circuits requires 2–4 d. The structural and performance characterizations of molecular-precise DNA self-assembly and high-performance electronics requires 1–2 d. The protocol is suited for users with expertise in DNA nanotechnology and semiconductor electronics.

Key points

  • One-pot multistage isothermal annealing assembles DNA bricks into templates to which single-stranded DNAs/carbon nanotubes are hybridized. Source and drain electrodes and Y2O3 and HfO2 for the gate dielectrics of the field-effect transistors are layered via e-beam lithography, e-beam evaporation and atomic layer deposition.

  • Nanometer-sized DNA features fall below the resolution of conventional lithography. The resulting field-effect transistor channel pitches are smaller than typical silicon-based electronics, yet display high on-state current and small subthreshold swing.

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Fig. 1: Flowchart of the biotemplated precise assembly of ultra-scaled high-performance CNT FETs.
Fig. 2: Preparation of DNA templates and parallel CNT arrays within DNA templates.
Fig. 3: TEM images of DNA templates and CNT arrays within the DNA templates with different pitches.
Fig. 4: Overview of the CNT array deposition and rinsing-after-fixing process.
Fig. 5: Schematics of the different compositions.
Fig. 6: The fabrication and measurement of multichannel CNT FETs.
Fig. 7: Scaling down the channel length of single-channel CNT FETs.
Fig. 8: p-type single-channel CNT FET logic circuits.

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Data availability

The main data discussed in this protocol, as well as those in the Supplementary Figures are available in the supporting primary research papers38,39. The raw datasets are too large to be publicly shared but are available for research purposes from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

Y.C., M.Z., Y.O., Z.L., K.W., Z. Zhang and W.S. acknowledge the National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFF1200300, 2020YFA0714703), the National Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 21875003, 21991134 and T2125001), Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission (grant no. JQ20007), Peking University, and Zhangjiang Laboratory for financial support. Y.C., S.Z., C.Y. and Z. Zhu acknowledge the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant nos. 21974113, 21735004 and 21521004), National Key R&D Program of China (2021YFA0909400) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (20720210001). Y.L. acknowledges City University of Hong Kong for financial support. J.S. acknowledges the National Key R&D Program of China (2022YFB3503700) and the National Science Foundation of China (grant no. 22271003). We acknowledge the Peking Nanofab for the support of device fabrication.

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Yahong Chen, Mengyu Zhao.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices and Center for Carbon-Based Electronics, School of Electronics, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, China

    Yahong Chen, Mengyu Zhao, Yifan Ouyang, Zhihan Liu, Kexin Wang, Zhaoxuan Zhang, Wei Sun & Jie Shen

  2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials, The MOE Key Laboratory of Spectrochemical Analysis and Instrumentation, State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Key Laboratory for Chemical Biology of Fujian Province, Department of Chemical Biology, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, China

    Yahong Chen, Suhui Zhang, Chaoyong Yang & Zhi Zhu

  3. Department of Systems Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Yingxia Liu

  4. Zhangjiang Laboratory, Shanghai, China

    Wei Sun

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Contributions

Y.C. and M.Z. developed the protocol, conducted the whole experiments, interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript. Y.O., S.Z., Z.L., K.W. and Z. Zhang contributed to the protocol development, conducted the experiments and analyzed the data. Y.L. and C.Y. analyzed the data and supervised the study. W.S. conceived, designed and supervised the study, interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript. J.S. designed and supervised the study, and interpreted the data. Z. Zhu designed, supervised the study, interpreted the data and wrote the manuscript. All the authors edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Wei Sun, Jie Shen or Zhi Zhu.

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Nature Protocols thanks Mihai Irimia and Haitao Liu for their contribution to the peer review of this work.

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Key references using this protocol

Ke, Y. et al. Nat. Chem. 6, 994–1002 (2014): https://doi.org/10.1038/nchem.2083

Sun, W. et al. Science 368, 874–877 (2020): https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz7440

Zhao, M. et al. Science 368, 878–881 (2020): https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz7435

Shen, J. et al. Nat. Mater. 20, 683–690 (2021): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-021-00930-7

Chen, Y. et al. Nat. Commun. 13, 2707 (2022): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30441-1

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Chen, Y., Zhao, M., Ouyang, Y. et al. Biotemplated precise assembly approach toward ultra-scaled high-performance electronics. Nat Protoc 18, 2975–2997 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41596-023-00870-3

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