Radiation detector based on charged self-assembled monolayers on nanowire devices

A radiation detection device, comprising:

• at least one transistor comprising:
• a back gate formed in a wafer;
• at least one nanowire on the wafer over the back gate, the nanowire having a radiation-labile coating on a surface thereof, wherein the radiation-labile coating comprises a monolayer of charged molecules having charged moieties tethered to the charged molecules and extending out from the surface of the nanowire, and wherein the radiation-labile coating is configured to degrade upon exposure to radiation such that the charged moieties are irreversibly cleaved from the radiation-labile coating upon exposure to radiation and thereby affect a transconductance of the nanowire;
• and
• source and drain electrodes in contact with opposite ends of the nanowire.

A method of forming a radiation detection device, the method comprising the steps of:

• forming a back gate in a wafer;
• depositing at least one nanowire on the wafer over the back gate;
• forming source and drain electrodes in contact with opposite ends of the nanowire;
• and
• covering a surface of the nanowire with a radiation-labile coating having charged moieties, wherein the radiation-labile coating comprises a monolayer of charged molecules having charged moieties tethered to the charged molecules and extending out from the surface of the nanowire, and wherein the radiation-labile coating is configured to degrade upon exposure to radiation such that the charged moieties are irreversibly cleaved from the radiation-labile coating upon exposure to radiation and thereby affect a transconductance of the nanowire.

A method for radiation detection, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a transconductance output signal from a radiation detection device at time t, wherein the radiation detection device comprises at least one nanowire having a radiation-labile coating on a surface thereof, wherein the radiation-labile coating comprises a monolayer of charged molecules having charged moieties tethered to the charged molecules and extending out from the surface of the nanowire, and wherein the radiation-labile coating is configured to degrade upon exposure to radiation such that the charged moieties are irreversibly cleaved from the radiation-labile coating upon exposure to radiation and thereby affect a transconductance of the nanowire;
• comparing the transconductance output signal obtained from the radiation detection device at time t to an initial transconductance output signal of the radiation detection device;
• determining whether the transconductance output signal obtained from the radiation detection device at time t is the same as the initial transconductance output signal of the radiation detection device;
• and
• determining that the radiation detection device has not been exposed to radiation if the transconductance output signal obtained from the radiation detection device at time t is the same as the initial transconductance output signal of the radiation detection device, otherwise determining that the device has been exposed to radiation.