 |
|
A new technique for building nanodevices in the lab
June 26, 2007Philadelphia -- Physicists at the University of Pennsylvania are using a new technique to craft some of the tiniest metal nanostructures ever created, none larger than 10 nanometers, or 10,000 times smaller than the width of a single human hair.
The technique employs transmission electron beam ablation lithography, or TEBAL, to "carve" nanostructures from thin sheets of gold, silver, aluminum and other metals. TEBAL provides a more dependable method for producing quality versions of these microscopic devices, which are studied for their novel mechanical properties and their potential use in next-generation sensors and electronics. The method also permits simultaneous, real-time atomic imaging of the devices as they are made.
Traditional techniques for building nanodevices employ electron beam lithography but also require the use of polymers and chemicals in which the metal is evaporated. Typical results are closer to 50 nanometers in size and rarely as small as 10.
Marija Drndić, professor of physics at Penn, and her team created nanodisks, nanorings, nanowires, nanoholes and multi-terminal nano-transistors. The results were published in the journal Nano Letters.
"Many different approaches have been undertaken to fabricate the small structures needed to probe the phenomena that take place at the nanoscale, but the most widely used and versatile techniques are limited to tens of nanometers," Drndić said. "Reliably and consistently fabricating devices at the sub-10-nanometer scale from the top down is generally still challenging, but our technique offers a route to this regime."
Furthermore, the TEBAL method creates a resistance-free connection between the nanostructure and an electrical lead that might provide power to the device. The more parts involved, the greater the chance of a drop in electrical conduction between parts. Plus, structures made from bottom-up techniques, i.e., assembled from smaller components, typically first need to be placed on a chip and then connected to larger circuitry. Working with a single piece of metal means there are no additional parts to reduce efficiency.
The team used the superior control of the electron beam to reproduce multiple, identical copies of each structure. The ability to rapidly produce these tiny devices will provide the samples needed for a better understanding of the mechanical and conductive properties of metal at the molecular scale. Future research may lead to computer-based creation of such devices with more intricacy and faster production cycles.
Superconducting circuits, magnets and molecule-sized transistors are among the real-world applications that may result from this research. Penn physicists also propose that a more rapid method of DNA sequencing can be developed from this process, by threading DNA strands through an electronic "nanoport" that could read the base pairs that constitute a species' genetic code.
University of Pennsylvania
Marija Drndić, professor of physics at Penn, and her team created nanodisks, nanorings, nanowires, nanoholes and multi-terminal nano-transistors. The results were published in the journal Nano Letters.
"Many different approaches have been undertaken to fabricate the small structures needed to probe the phenomena that take place at the nanoscale, but the most widely used and versatile techniques are limited to tens of nanometers," Drndić said. "Reliably and consistently fabricating devices at the sub-10-nanometer scale from the top down is generally still challenging, but our technique offers a route to this regime."
Furthermore, the TEBAL method creates a resistance-free connection between the nanostructure and an electrical lead that might provide power to the device. The more parts involved, the greater the chance of a drop in electrical conduction between parts. Plus, structures made from bottom-up techniques, i.e., assembled from smaller components, typically first need to be placed on a chip and then connected to larger circuitry. Working with a single piece of metal means there are no additional parts to reduce efficiency.
The team used the superior control of the electron beam to reproduce multiple, identical copies of each structure. The ability to rapidly produce these tiny devices will provide the samples needed for a better understanding of the mechanical and conductive properties of metal at the molecular scale. Future research may lead to computer-based creation of such devices with more intricacy and faster production cycles.
Superconducting circuits, magnets and molecule-sized transistors are among the real-world applications that may result from this research. Penn physicists also propose that a more rapid method of DNA sequencing can be developed from this process, by threading DNA strands through an electronic "nanoport" that could read the base pairs that constitute a species' genetic code.
University of Pennsylvania
Nanodevices Current Events and Nanodevices News RSSUnderstanding mechanical properties of silicon nanowires paves way for nanodevices
Silicon nanowires are attracting significant attention from the electronics industry due to the drive for ever-smaller electronic devices, from cell phones to computers.
LANL Roadrunner simulates nanoscale material failure
Very tiny wires, called nanowires, made from such metals as silver and gold, may play a crucial role as electrical or mechanical switches in the development of future-generation ultrasmall nanodevices.
Harvard scientists bend nanowires into 2-D and 3-D structures
Taking nanomaterials to a new level of structural complexity, scientists have determined how to introduce kinks into arrow-straight nanowires, transforming them into zigzagging two- and three-dimensional structures with correspondingly advanced functions.
Friction force differences could offer a new means for sorting and assembling nanotubes
Nanotubes and nanowires are promising building blocks for future integrated nanoelectronic and photonic circuits, nanosensors, interconnects and electro-mechanical nanodevices. But some fundamental issues remain to be resolved - among them, how to position and manipulate the tiny tubes.
Charging ahead: University of Houston team revealing secrets of electricity-producing materials
Much like humans, materials are capable of some pretty remarkable things when they're placed under pressure. In fact, under the right conditions, materials can even produce electricity.
Spontaneous Assembly: A New Look at How Proteins Assemble and Organize Themselves into Complex Patterns
Self-assembling and self-organizing systems are the Holy Grails of nanotechnology, but nature has been producing such systems for millions of years.
Biomimetic-engineering design can replace spaghetti tangle of nanotubes in thermal materials
Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) devices have the potential to revolutionize the world of sensors: motion, chemical, temperature, etc. But taking electromechanical devices from the micro scale down to the nano requires finding a means to dissipate the heat output of this tiny gadgetry.
Scientists create custom 3-dimensional structures with 'DNA origami'
By combining the art of origami with nanotechnology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers have folded sheets of DNA into multilayered objects with dimensions thousands of times smaller than the thickness of a human hair.
A New Family of Molecules for Self-Assembly: The Carboranes
To be useful in real-world applications, a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of molecules on a surface must have a stable and controllable geometry. Researchers at Penn State and the Sigma-Aldrich company have found a way to control geometry and stability by making SAMs out of different carboranethiol isomers, which are cage-like molecules.
New research identifies faster detection of viruses
A more specific and faster detection of viruses has been identified in new research by Trinity College Dublin's Professor of Physics, Martin Hegner at Trinity College's Centre of Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices (CRANN) and an international team of researchers.
More Nanodevices Current Events and Nanodevices News Articles
 |
Bionanotechnology: Proteins to Nanodevices by V. Renugopalakrishnan (Editor), Randy V. Lewis (Editor) Bionanotechnology is the key integrative technology of the 21st century and aims to use the knowledge, gathered from the natural construction of cellular systems, for the advancement of science and engineering. Investigating the topology and communication processes of cell parts can lead to invention of novel biological devices with exciting applications. Though microscale to nanoscale research offers an excellent space for the development of futuristic technologies, a number of challenges must be overcome. Due to paucity of a dedicated literature on the protein based nanodevices, we bring you this monograph that combines collective research works of scientists probing into this fascinating universe of bionanotechnology. The monograph has been written with an aim of surveying engineering... |
 |
Nanoparticles and Nanodevices in Biological Applications: The INFN Lectures - Vol I (Lecture Notes in Nanoscale Science and Technology) by Stefano Bellucci (Editor) This is the first volume in a series of books on selected topics in Nanoscale Science and Technology based on lectures given at the well-known INFN schools of the same name. The aim of this collection is to provide a reference corpus of suitable, introductory material to relevant subfields, as they mature over time, by gathering the significantly expanded and edited versions of tutorial lectures, given over the years by internationally known experts. The present set of notes results in particular from the participation and dedication of prestigious lecturers, such as Vincenzo Balzani, Santina Carnazza, Andrea Salis Barbara Panessa-Warren and Stefano Bellucci. As usual, the lectures were subsequently carefully edited and reworked, taking into account the extensive follow-up... |
 |
Enabling Technologies for MEMS and Nanodevices (Advanced Micro and Nanosystems) by Henry Baltes (Editor), Oliver Brand (Editor), Gary K. Fedder (Editor), Christofer Hierold (Editor), Jan G. Korvink (Editor), Osamu Tabata (Editor) Microstructures, electronics, nanotechnology - these vast fields of research are growing together as the size gap narrows and many different materials are combined. Current research, engineering sucesses and newly commercialized products hint at the immense innovative potentials and future applications that open up once mankind controls shape and function from the atomic level right up to the visible world without any gaps. Sensor systems, microreactors, nanostructures, nanomachines, functional surfaces, integrated optics, displays, communications technology, biochips, human/machine interfaces, prosthetics, miniaturized medical and surgery equipment and many more opportunities are being explored. This new series, Advanced Micro & Nanosystems, provides... |
|
Handbook of Nanoceramics and Their Based Nanodevices, 5-Volume Set by Tseung-Yuen Tseng and Hari Singh Nalwa (Author), Tseung-Yuen Tseng (Editor), Hari Singh Nalwa (Editor) The field of nanoceramics has witnessed a tremendous growth as evidenced by the ever-growing numbers of research publications, patents, scientific meetings, specialized workshops and symposia organized to disseminate and exchange information on the science, technology and applications of nanoceramics. Handbook of Nanoceramics and Their Based Nanodevices summarizes all experimental and theoretical aspects of the nanoceramics to bring a broader awareness and understanding of the most recent emerging new advances of nanoceramics from science to engineering to medicine. This book focuses on an interdisciplinary approach of nanoceramics by blending their nanoscale chemistry, physics, engineering, and biology. The book include research topics related to nanoscale ceramic materials such as... | |
 |
The 2010-2015 Outlook for Nanotools, Nanodevices, and Nanomaterials in Europe by Icon Group International (Author) This econometric study covers the outlook for nanotools, nanodevices, and nanomaterials in Europe. For each year reported, estimates are given for the latent demand, or potential industry earnings (P.I.E.), for the country in question (in millions of U.S. dollars), the percent share the country is of the region and of the globe. These comparative benchmarks allow the reader to quickly gauge a country vis-a-vis others. Using econometric models which project fundamental economic dynamics within each country and across countries, latent demand estimates are created. This report does not discuss the specific players in the market serving the latent demand, nor specific details at the product level. The study also does not consider short-term cyclicalities that might affect realized sales. The... |
 |
Physics And Modeling Of Tera- And Nano-Devices (Selected Topics in Eletronics and Systems) by Maxim Ryzhii (Author), Maxim Ryzhii (Editor), Victor Ryzhii (Editor) Physics and Modeling of Tera- and Nano-Devices is a compilation of papers by well-respected researchers working in the field of physics and modeling of novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. The topics covered include devices based on carbon nanotubes, generation and detection of terahertz radiation in semiconductor structures including terahertz plasma oscillations and instabilities, terahertz photomixing in semiconductor heterostructures, spin and microwave-induced phenomena in low-dimensional systems, and various computational aspects of device modeling. Researchers as well as graduate and postgraduate students working in this field will benefit from reading this book. Contents: Semiconductor Device Scaling: Physics, Transport, and the Role of Nanowires (D K Ferry et al.);... |
 |
Near-field Characterization of Photonic Nanodevices: Near-field Scanning Optical Microscopy (NSOM) characterization of photonic nanodevices and nanoscale optical phenomena by Maxim Abashin (Author) The increasing density of data transmission, speed of all-optical signal processing, and demand for higher resolution microscopy and spectroscopy stimulate the development of the nanophotonics. Near- field microscopy is not limited by light diffraction and thus it can achieve sufficiently subwavelength resolution. Therefore this approach is perfect for nanophotonic device characterization. Heterodyne detection allows resolution of the optical phase and improves signal-to-noise performance in near-field microscopy. The book describes a Heterodyne Near- field Scanning Optical Microscope (HNSOM) and applications of this approach to characterization of several classes of the photonic nanodevices. |
 |
DNA-Based Nanodevices: International Symposium on DNA-Based Nanodevices (AIP Conference Proceedings / Materials Physics and Applications) by Wolfgang Fritsche (Editor), Frank F. Bier (Editor) The use of molecular units promises novel materials and devices with special properties. This approach requires the combination of these novel structures with today’s technical environment. DNA could potentially solve this integration probelem by providing highly specific -- but on the other side -- nearly unlimited variations of coupling schemes in order to combine molecular structures with typical technical elements, e.g. on a chip surface. |
|
Fullerenes and Nanotubes: The Building Blocks of Next Generation Nanodevices by D. M. Guldi (Editor), F. D'Souza (Editor) | |
 |
The 2009-2014 Outlook for Nanodevices in Latin America by Icon Group International (Author) This econometric study covers the outlook for nanodevices in Latin America. For each year reported, estimates are given for the latent demand, or potential industry earnings (P.I.E.), for the country in question (in millions of U.S. dollars), the percent share the country is of the region and of the globe. These comparative benchmarks allow the reader to quickly gauge a country vis-a-vis others. Using econometric models which project fundamental economic dynamics within each country and across countries, latent demand estimates are created. This report does not discuss the specific players in the market serving the latent demand, nor specific details at the product level. The study also does not consider short-term cyclicalities that might affect realized sales. The study, therefore, is... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |