Researchers develop diamond micromachines using amorphous diamond, eliminating internal stresses and reducing stiction. The machines have potential applications in medical devices, such as drug-dispensing units, without generating allergic reactions.
Researchers at U of T have created a new kind of luminescent silicon film that emits and transmits photons, a significant step forward in photonics. The discovery holds out the promise of new improved light-emitting diodes, optical interconnectors, displays, and chemical sensors.
Researchers at Purdue University have developed a technique that combines porous silicon with mass spectrometry to streamline biochemical analyses. The technique, called desorption ionization on silicon (DIOS), allows for the simultaneous testing of large numbers of compounds in a fraction of the time required by current methods.
Researchers at De Montfort University discovered a porous version of silicon with potential for biocompatibility, allowing for the transmission of signals between mechanical devices and human tissue. This breakthrough could lead to innovative applications in sensing and prosthetics.
Researchers at the University of Delaware developed a new technique to produce extremely thin alumina films with an electrical storage capacity three times greater than silicon dioxide. These films could potentially eliminate reliability problems in semiconducting circuits by storing more electricity and reducing current-blocking flaws.
The Sandia chuck uses a thin layer of helium gas to cool silicon wafers, utilizing electrostatic attraction to seal the wafer to a bottom plate. The device features a patterned silicon wafer with tiny islands that support the wafer and allow for rapid clamping and release.
Researchers at Cornell University have developed an array of microscopic scanning tunneling microscopes (STMs) to speed up data storage. By depositing small bumps on a surface, the array can store up to 12 terabytes of data in a square centimeter, exceeding modern computer hard disk storage capabilities.
Porous silicon, a light-emitting material, can now be stabilized using a developed process at Purdue University. This allows for the creation of faster, smaller computers and new types of sensing devices. The treatment enables the manipulation of light-emitting properties to respond to certain chemicals or conditions.
Chemists directly observed how hydrogen atoms behave and bond to surfaces at high temperatures using a scanning tunneling microscope. They found that dangling bonds on the surface unpaired, re-paired multiple times depending on temperature, showing favorable conditions for growing more silicon.
University of Delaware researchers have developed a silicon-based device that can convert some light into electricity using a germanium-carbon alloy. The device, which was tested with laser light, showed a conversion rate of 1.4 percent and demonstrated efficient rectification numbers. This breakthrough has the potential to bridge the ...
Scientists at Sandia National Laboratories and France Telecom have developed a prototype memory-retention device that uses embedded protons to preserve information. The 'protonic' device is inexpensive, low-powered, and simple to fabricate, and can retain data even when power is turned off.