Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Cracking a tough nut for the semiconductor industry

Researchers at NIST have developed a new technique to measure the toughness of thin insulating films used in high-performance integrated circuits. This breakthrough could help improve the reliability and manufacturability of ICs by identifying films with brittle fracture failure, affecting both manufacturing yields and device reliability.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalJournal of Materials Research·DateDec 23, 2008

Polymer electric storage, flexible and adaptable

Researchers developed ferroelectric polymer-based capacitors that deliver power more rapidly and are much lighter than conventional batteries. By tuning the dielectric property and energy density, they created materials with high performance and flexibility.

SourcePenn State·DateAug 20, 2008
Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Making a good impression: Nanoimprint lithography tests at NIST

Researchers at NIST have demonstrated that nanoimprint lithography can accurately stamp delicate insulating structures on advanced microchips without damaging them. The process also increases the population of small pores, improving performance and reducing the risk of short circuits.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateApr 29, 2008

Novel gate dielectric materials: perfection is not enough

Researchers at the London Centre for Nanotechnology discovered that even perfect structure in high-dielectric constant materials can lead to 'self-trapping' of charges, which affects device performance. This new understanding could open the way to suppressing undesirable characteristics in these materials.

SourceUniversity College London·DateOct 16, 2007
Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only)

Sony Alpha a7 IV (Body Only) delivers reliable low-light performance and rugged build for astrophotography, lab documentation, and field expeditions.

New nanocomposite processing technique creates more powerful capacitors

Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed a new technique to create films of barium titanate nanoparticles in a polymer matrix, allowing for improved capacitors that store twice as much energy as existing devices. The technique uses tailored organic phosphonic acids to encapsulate and modify the surface of the nanoparticles.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateApr 25, 2007

How can we make nanoscale capacitors even smaller?

UCSB researchers discovered that a 'dielectric dead layer' at the metal-insulator interface limits the size of thin-film capacitors. The team found metals with good screening properties can improve capacitance properties.

SourceUniversity of California - Santa Barbara·JournalNature·DateOct 12, 2006
GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Rice develops first method to sort nanotubes by size

Researchers at Rice University have developed a new method to sort semiconducting nanotubes based on their dielectric constant, which is determined by their diameter. The system uses electric fields to trap and separate nanotubes of different sizes, allowing for the collection of samples with varying proportions of small and large tubes.

SourceRice University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·DateJun 23, 2006

New EU project on ferroelectric films

A new EU project is focused on developing cheaper, smaller ferroelectric films for use in microwave communication devices. These films have high dielectric permittivity and can be used to create voltage-controlled capacitors and tuneable microwave components.

SourceSwedish Research Council·DateDec 16, 2005

T. P. Ma, pioneer of integrated circuitry, receives IEEE award

T.P. Ma, Yale University professor, receives IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award for his pioneering work on CMOS gate dielectrics, a crucial technology in modern silicon chips. He has made significant contributions to increasing integrated circuit operating speed and reliability while lowering cost per function.

SourceYale University·DateSep 28, 2005

A new model of quantum dots: Rethinking the electronics

Researchers have found that a quantum dot's dielectric function is virtually identical to its bulk material counterpart, except near the surface. This discovery could revolutionize electronic devices by allowing for more precise control over their properties.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJun 15, 2005
SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Improved dielectric developed for chip-level copper circuitry

The new dielectric material has a high thermal stability, low moisture pick-up, and can withstand chemical-mechanical polishing. By adding porogens, the researchers lowered the dielectric constant to 1.85 while maintaining hardness and stiffness.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·DateMar 29, 2005

T.P. Ma receives the 2005 IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award

T.P. Ma, a Yale University professor, is honored with the 2005 IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award for his groundbreaking research on complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) gate dielectrics. His work has focused on microelectronics, semiconductors, and memory applications.

SourceYale University·DateSep 20, 2004

Mirror fibers could create novel fabrics

MIT scientists develop polymer fibers with a 'perfect mirror' structure, enabling reflection of light across various wavelengths and potential applications in optical textiles. The breakthrough utilizes dielectric materials to control the fiber's optical properties.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalScience·DateApr 24, 2002
Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Scientists detect clue to material's unusual electrical properties

Researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding a perovskite-related oxide with an extremely high dielectric constant, which remains stable over a wide temperature range. The material's unique property is attributed to the rearrangement of atomic charges without structural distortion.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalScience·DateJul 26, 2001

'Smart' material grows dumber with shrinking size, scientist says

Scientists at the University of Illinois found that piezoelectric ceramics' properties decrease as they become thinner, affecting their performance in microelectromechanical systems. To optimize thin-film structures, researchers must understand the factors influencing material properties.

SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateMay 31, 2000

Polymer-based mirror outshines all others

Researchers at 3M have developed a new type of reflective film made from polyester and other polymers that reflects light with great efficiency from all angles. The mirrors created by Dr. Ouderkirk and his team outperform conventional dielectric mirrors, which have limitations in reflecting light at certain angles.

SourceAmerican Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)·JournalScience·DateMar 30, 2000
CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock

CalDigit TS4 Thunderbolt 4 Dock simplifies serious desks with 18 ports for high-speed storage, monitors, and instruments across Mac and PC setups.

Simple Polymer Moves With Electricity

A team of Penn State materials scientists has developed a new polymer material that can move significantly when an electric field is applied. The material, Poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) Copolymer, exhibits electrostrictive properties and shows potential for use in artificial muscles, skin, and organs.

SourcePenn State·JournalScience·DateJun 26, 1998

Air Could Be The Secret To Faster Computers

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have created aerogels with a dielectric constant of 1.0, making them ideal insulators for computer chips. The new materials could double computing speeds and be used by industry within five years.

SourceRensselaer Polytechnic Institute·DateDec 10, 1997