Multi-electrode molecular sensing devices and methods of making the same

Abstract

A molecular sensor includes a substrate defining a substrate plane, and a plurality of pairs of electrode sheets above or below the substrate at an angle to the substrate plane. The molecular sensor further includes a plurality of inner dielectric sheets between each electrode sheet in each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs, and an outer dielectric sheet between each pair of electrode sheets of the plurality of pairs.

1 . A structure usable in a molecular sensor, the structure comprising:
 a supporting substrate defining a substrate plane; and   a plurality of tri-layer device stacks stacked in parallel to one another and aligned at an angle to the substrate plane, each tri-layer device stack separated from an adjacent tri-layer device stack by an outer dielectric sheet, each outer dielectric sheet and each tri-layer device stack in contact with the supporting substrate;   wherein each tri-layer device stack comprises two electrode sheets separated by an inner dielectric sheet; and   wherein the angle to the substrate plane is from about 90° to about 70°.   
     
     
         2 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein each tri-layer device stack has a width of less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         3 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein each electrode sheet has a thickness of about 5-15 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein each inner dielectric sheet has a thickness of about 5-15 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein each outer dielectric sheet has a thickness of about 500-20,000 nm. 
     
     
         6 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein at least one tri-layer device stack in the plurality of tri-layer device stacks further includes at least one adhesion-enhancing layer disposed between an electrode sheet and an inner dielectric sheet in the tri-layer device stack. 
     
     
         7 . The structure of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one adhesion-enhancing layer comprises a 1-5 nm thick metal film comprising Ti, Cr, Al, Zr, Mo, Nb, Ta or Hf. 
     
     
         8 . The structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tri-layer device stacks in the structure number between about 2 and about 10,000. 
     
     
         9 . The structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks. 
     
     
         10 . The structure of  claim 9 , further comprising a supportive block material extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks opposite the protrusion. 
     
     
         11 . A structure usable in a sensor device, the structure comprising:
 a supporting substrate defining a substrate plane;   a protrusion extending from the supporting substrate, the protrusion including a substantially flat face defining an angle to the substrate plane; and   a plurality of tri-layer device stacks stacked in parallel to one another against the flat face of the protrusion and aligned at the angle to the substrate plane, each tri-layer device stack separated from an adjacent tri-layer device stack by an outer dielectric sheet, each outer dielectric sheet and each tri-layer device stack in contact with the supporting substrate;   wherein each tri-layer device stack comprises two electrode sheets separated by an inner dielectric sheet, and   wherein one electrode sheet absent an outer dielectric sheet is in contact with the flat face of the protrusion.   
     
     
         12 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the protrusion comprises a dielectric. 
     
     
         13 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein each inner dielectric sheet comprises an oxide, a nitride, a fluoride, an oxyfluoride, or an oxynitride. 
     
     
         14 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the angle to the substrate plane is from about 90° to about 60°. 
     
     
         15 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein the angle to the substrate plane is less than 90° and greater than 60° such that the protrusion and the plurality of tri-layer device stacks are tilted relative to the substrate plane. 
     
     
         16 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein each tri-layer device stack has a width of less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         17 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein each electrode sheet has a thickness of from about 1 nm to about 40 nm. 
     
     
         18 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein each inner dielectric sheet has a thickness of from about 1 to about 40 nm and each outer dielectric sheet has a thickness of at least one order of magnitude greater than the thickness of each inner dielectric sheet. 
     
     
         19 . The structure of  claim 11 , wherein at least one tri-layer device stack in the plurality of tri-layer device stacks further includes at least one adhesion-enhancing layer disposed between an electrode sheet and an inner dielectric sheet in the tri-layer device stack. 
     
     
         20 . The structure of  claim 19 , wherein the at least one adhesion-enhancing layer comprises a 1-5 nm thick metal film comprising Ti, Cr, Al, Zr, Mo, Nb, Ta or Hf. 
     
     
         21 . A structure usable in a sensor device, the structure comprising:
 a supporting substrate defining a substrate plane; and   a plurality of tri-layer device stacks stacked in parallel to one another and aligned at an angle to the substrate plane, each tri-layer device stack separated from an adjacent tri-layer device stacks by an outer dielectric sheet, each outer dielectric sheet and each tri-layer device stack in contact with the supporting substrate;   wherein each tri-layer device stack comprises two electrode sheets separated by an inner dielectric sheet;   wherein each inner electrode sheet comprises a groove in an exposed top edge opposite the supporting substrate; and   wherein the angle to the substrate plane is from about 90° to about 60°.   
     
     
         22 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein at least one tri-layer device stack in the plurality of tri-layer device stacks further includes at least one adhesion-enhancing layer disposed between an electrode sheet and an inner dielectric sheet in the tri-layer device stack. 
     
     
         23 . The structure of  claim 22 , wherein the at least one adhesion-enhancing layer comprises a 1-5 nm thick metal film comprising Ti, Cr, Al, Zr, Mo, Nb, Ta or Hf. 
     
     
         24 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein the plurality of tri-layer device stacks in the structure number between about 2 and about 10,000. 
     
     
         25 . The structure of  claim 21 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks. 
     
     
         26 . The structure of  claim 25 , further comprising a supportive block material extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks opposite the protrusion. 
     
     
         27 . The structure of  claim 25 , wherein the angle to the substrate plane is less than 90° and greater than 60° such that the protrusion and the plurality of tri-layer device stacks are tilted relative to the substrate plane. 
     
     
         28 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein each tri-layer device stack has a width of less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         29 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein each electrode sheet has a thickness of from about 1 nm to about 40 nm. 
     
     
         30 . The structure of  claim 21 , wherein each inner dielectric sheet has a thickness of from about 1 to about 40 nm and each outer dielectric sheet has a thickness of at least one order of magnitude greater than the thickness of each inner dielectric sheet. 
     
     
         31 . A structure usable in a sensor device, the structure comprising:
 a supporting substrate defining a substrate plane; and   a plurality of tri-layer device stacks stacked in parallel to one another and aligned at an angle to the substrate plane, each tri-layer device stack separated from an adjacent tri-layer device stack by an outer dielectric sheet;   wherein with each outer dielectric sheet and each tri-layer device stack is in contact with the supporting substrate; and   wherein each tri-layer device stack includes two electrode sheets separated by an inner dielectric sheet, and a molecule connecting exposed top edges of the two electrode sheets opposite the supporting substrate forming a molecular bridge over the inner dielectric sheet.   
     
     
         32 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein each inner electrode sheet comprises a groove in an exposed top edge opposite the supporting substrate so as to prevent contact between the molecule and the inner dielectric sheet in each tri-layer device stack. 
     
     
         33 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein each tri-layer device stack has a width of less than about 50 nm. 
     
     
         34 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein each inner dielectric sheet has thicknesses of from about 1 nm to about 40 nm, and wherein each outer dielectric sheet has a thickness of at least one order of magnitude greater than the thickness of each inner dielectric sheet. 
     
     
         35 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein the angle to the substrate plane is from about 90° to about 60°. 
     
     
         36 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein at least one tri-layer device stack in the plurality of tri-layer device stacks further includes at least one adhesion-enhancing layer disposed between an electrode sheet and an inner dielectric sheet in the tri-layer device stack. 
     
     
         37 . The structure of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one adhesion-enhancing layer comprises a 1-5 nm thick metal film comprising Ti, Cr, Al, Zr, Mo, Nb, Ta or Hf. 
     
     
         38 . The structure of  claim 31 , wherein the plurality of tri-layer device stacks in the structure number between about 2 and about 10,000. 
     
     
         39 . The structure of  claim 31 , further comprising a protrusion extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks. 
     
     
         40 . The structure of  claim 39 , further comprising a supportive block material extending from the supporting substrate at the angle to the substrate plane, disposed parallel to and against an electrode sheet present at an end of the plurality of tri-layer device stacks opposite the protrusion.