TechBlog

Background

Boron nitride is a synthetic material, which although discovered in the early 19^th century was not developed as a commercial material until the latter half of the 20^th century. Boron and nitrogen are neighbours of carbon in the periodic table - in combination boron and nitrogen have the same number of outer shell electrons - the atomic radii of boron and nitrogen are similar to that of carbon. It is not surprising therefore that boron nitride and carbon exhibit similarity in their crystal structure.

In the same way that carbon exists as graphite and diamond, boron nitride can be synthesised in hexagonal and cubic forms.

Continue reading ‘Ceramic - Boron nitride’ »

Nanomotion introduces the new EDGE motor, one of the smallest ceramic servo motors
in the industrial market. The EGDE motor provides 30 grams of thrust with a maximum
operating velocity of 150mm/sec. Capable of driving linear or rotary motion, the EDGE
is well suited for applications in Aerospace & Military, Medical Devices, and Industrial
Automation.

The Edge motor weighs .6 grams and operates at 8 Vrms. It is supported by
Nanomotion’s dual axis ASIC which can function as a drive and control. The Edge
motor is ideal for shutter/aperture control, small medical pumps, grippers, and other
devices.

In industrial applications, a digital-to-analog (D-to-A) interface may be rather straightforward but the analog-to-digital (A-to-D) converter (ADC) can be a challenge. The capacitive input stage of both delta-sigma and successive approximation register (SAR) interfaces used for the ADC requires signal capture within a limited time frame. An improper signal chain can cause ringing and oscillation and result in inaccurate readings. However, this is just one of many factors to consider when selecting an ADC.

Signal Chain

High-performance ADCs convert the output of an analog sensor to a digital format for a microcontroller or digital signal processor. The selection of the ADC must be part of a systems approach. “When somebody starts a design, you start with the sensor, you see what kind of output impedance it has and you choose an amplifier and resistors around the amplifier and you choose that configuration based on your sensor,” says Chuck Sins, applications engineer, National Semiconductor. “Based on the accuracy of your sensor and what you are ultimately trying to achieve, then I choose the resolution of the ADC.”

Continue reading ‘Signal Conditioning Issues’ »

RF Micro Devices, Inc. (RFMD) recently announced that effective immediately RFMD is reducing its investments in wireless systems, including cellular transceivers and GPS solutions, in order to focus on core semiconductor component opportunities, including cellular front ends and other components in RFMD’s Cellular Products Group (CPG) and the expanding portfolio of semiconductor components in RFMD’s Multi-Market Products Group (MPG).

As a result, RFMD currently expects to eliminate product development expenses related to its wireless systems business by approximately $75 million this fiscal year beginning in the June 2008 quarter, with the full benefit expected to be realized in the December 2008 quarter.

Bob Bruggeworth, president and CEO of RFMD, said, “These strategic actions will enable RFMD to deliver more predictable financial results and substantially higher profitability. We are the industry leader in RF components and the world’s largest manufacturer of compound semiconductors. We are investing in growing markets where we have a demonstrated track record of success, and we will measure our progress using operating income and return on invested capital (ROIC) as key performance metrics. We anticipate steady financial improvement throughout the year, and we currently forecast at least 10% non-GAAP operating income and double-digit ROIC by the end of the calendar year.

Continue reading ‘RFMD To Eliminate Approximately $75 Million In Wireless Systems Expenses’ »

Normally fragile and brittle silicon chips have been made to bend and fold, paving the way for a new generation of flexible electronic devices. The stretchy circuits could be used to build advanced brain implants, health monitors or smart clothing.

The complex devices consist of concertina-like folds of ultra-thin silicon bonded to sheets of rubber.

Writing in the journal Science, the US researchers say the chip’s performance is similar to conventional electronics. Continue reading ‘Silicon chips stretch into shape’ »

Scratch-resistant Gorilla glass provides an ultra-durable screen for handheld devices without compromising image quality.

At Corning Incorporated’s annual investor meeting in New York, the 800-pound gorilla in the room will be a thin and elegant sheet of glass tough enough to withstand daily use and abuse—without scratching. Developed for touch-screen applications and high-end portable devices, Corning’s Gorilla glass technology addresses the challenge of providing an ultra-durable screen for handheld devices without compromising image quality. The fusion-formed glass features a pristine surface that requires no polishing, reducing time and cost for customers.

Dr. Joseph A. Miller, Chief Technology Officer, will confirm during his investor update that Gorilla glass is now commercially available and is being sold to mobile-device manufacturers. Corning’s newest technology joins a growing platform of innovations addressing key challenges, shaping the future of portable displays: durability, longevity, and functionality.

Other recent technology developments addressing these challenges include: Continue reading ‘Corning Extends Fusion Process to Touch-Screen Applications’ »

In a significant breakthrough, researchers at Northwestern University’s Center for Quantum Devices (CQD) have demonstrated visible-blind avalanche photodiodes (APDs) capable of detecting single photons in the ultraviolet region (360-200 nm).

Previously, photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) were the only available technology in the short wavelength UV portion of the spectrum capable of single photon detection sensitivity. However, these fragile vacuum tube devices are expensive and bulky, hindering true systems miniaturization.

The Northwestern team, led by Manijeh Razeghi, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Northwestern’s McCormick School of Engineering, became the world’s first to demonstrate back-illuminated single photon detection from a III-nitride photodetector. These back-illuminated devices, based on GaN compound semiconductors, benefit from the larger ionization coefficient for holes in this material. The back-illumination geometry will facilitate future integration of these devices with read-out circuitry to realize unique single-photon UV cameras. Towards that end, the team has already demonstrated excellent uniformity of the breakdown characteristics and gain across the wafer.

Continue reading ‘Tiny Avalanche Photodiode Detects Single UV Photons’ »

A simple surface treatment technique demonstrated by a collaboration between researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Penn State and the University of Kentucky potentially offers a low-cost way to mass produce large arrays of organic electronic transistors on polymer sheets for a wide range of applications including flexible displays, “intelligent paper” and flexible sheets of biosensor arrays for field diagnostics. In a paper posted this week, the team describes how a chemical pretreatment of electrical contacts can induce self-assembly of molecular crystals to both improve the performance of organic semiconductor devices and provide electrical isolation between devices.

Organic electronic devices are inching towards the market. Compounds with tongue-twisting names like “5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl) anthradithiophene” can be designed with many of the electrical properties of more conventional semiconductors. But unlike traditional semiconductors that require high-temperature processing steps, organic semiconductor devices can be manufactured at room temperature. They could be built on flexible polymers instead of rigid silicon wafers. Magazine-size displays that could be rolled up or folded to pocket size and plastic sheets that incorporate large arrays of detectors for medical monitoring or diagnostics in the field are just a couple of the tantalizing possibilities.

One unsolved problem is how to manufacture them efficiently and at low cost. Large areas can be coated rapidly with a thin film of the organic compound in solution, which dries to a semiconductor layer. But for big arrays like displays, that layer must be patterned into electrically isolated devices. Doing that requires one or more additional steps that are costly, time-consuming and/or difficult to do accurately.

Continue reading ‘Directed Self-Ordering Of Organic Molecules For Electronic Devices’ »

Courtesy Atsushi Asano, Cornell University

While not quite on the nanoscale, an average human sperm on average is about 0.055 mm long, sperm have provided inspiration for how to power nano-sized devices. Energy to power the sperm tail (flagellum) comes from the mitochondria, the power stations of the cell, while the rear section of the tail or ‘principal piece’ gets it’s energy from glycolysis, the direct breakdown of glucose to produce energy. It’s this process that has inspired researchers at the Cornell NanoScale Science and Technology Facility to try and mimic this process to provide a power source for nanodevices.

In sperm, the 10 enzymes required for glycolysis are attached to scaffolding proteins in the sperm tail, holding them in place in a unique conformation. Scientists engineered and tethered 3 of the 10 proteins to a gold surface covered in nickel ions, whilst retaining the enzymes activity. Researchers are now looking to extend the project to include all 10 protens necessary to complete a nano ‘power supply’.

DETROIT–Drivers have never had so many distractions tempting them to take their eyes off the road and their hands off the wheel.

Talking on cell phones and typing text messages while driving has already led to bans in many states. But now auto companies, likening their latest models to living rooms on the road, are turning cars into cocoons of communication systems and high-tech entertainment.

Some drivers are packing their car interiors with GPS navigation screens, portable DVD players and even computer keyboards and printers.

Continue reading ‘More high-tech invitations to take your mind off road’ »