Nanoscale Power and Memory Unit Design for Nanoscale Sensor Systems

ABSTRACT Nanoscale sensor systems require the development of nanometer scale integrated circuits and components. Due to limits in device physics, new components must be developed to operate at the nanoscale level. As part of this effort, the authors have constructed nanoscale battery arrays that can implement power supply units for nanoscale sensor systems. In addition, the authors are currently developing a nanoscale crossbar system that will use the nanoscale battery cells as data bit storage units. The intended application is a nanoscale memory unit for sensor systems that can be used to store data collected from the sensors. Both the power supply and memory units will allow for the design of independent nanoscale sensor systems that can be embedded at various locations. INTRODUCTION Test, instrumentation, and control systems require reliable sensors to measure various environmental parameters, such as temperature, pressure, and radiation. For critical applications, such as military systems, these sensors must be small enough to be embedded in uniforms, weapons, and equipment [1]. Other applications, such as medicine, require sensors that can be used to monitor and assist patients [2]. Often, these sensors must be self-contained systems that include both the sensor and supporting electronic units. These typically include a power unit to supply power to the sensor system, and a memory unit to store data collected by the sensor [3]. Due to limits in device physics, microscale integrated circuits that previously have been used for sensor system designs will not operate properly at the nanoscale level [4]. Therefore, new nanotechnology components must be developed to implement the sensor, power, and memory unit functions. There has been previous research in nanoscale sensor design, such as optical biosensors [5], carbon nanotube thermal sensors [6], silicon nanowire chemical sensors [7], and SrTiO