JET MAX NANO TECHNOLOGY

Nanotechnology gives sensitive read-out heads for compact hard disks

2010-02-18T03:48:00.000-08:00

This year's physics prize is awarded for the technology that is used to read data on hard disks. It is thanks to this technology that it has been possible to miniaturize hard disks so radically in recent years. Sensitive read-out heads are needed to be able to read data from the compact hard disks used in laptops and some music players, for instance.

In 1988 the Frenchman Albert Fert and the German Peter Grünberg each independently discovered a totally new physical effect – Giant Magnetoresistance or GMR. Very weak magnetic changes give rise to major differences in electrical resistance in a GMR system. A system of this kind is the perfect tool for reading data from hard disks when information registered magnetically has to be converted to electric current. Soon researchers and engineers began work to enable use of the effect in read-out heads. In 1997 the first read-out head based on the GMR effect was launched and this soon became the standard technology. Even the most recent read-out techniques of today are further developments of GMR.

A hard disk stores information, such as music, in the form of microscopically small areas magnetized in different directions. The information is retrieved by a read-out head that scans the disk and registers the magnetic changes. The smaller and more compact the hard disk, the smaller and weaker the individual magnetic areas. More sensitive read-out heads are therefore required if information has to be packed more densely on a hard disk. A read-out head based on the GMR effect can convert very small magnetic changes into differences in electrical resistance and there-fore into changes in the current emitted by the read-out head. The current is the signal from the read-out head and its different strengths represent ones and zeros.

The GMR effect was discovered thanks to new techniques developed during the 1970s to produce very thin layers of different materials. If GMR is to work, structures consisting of layers that are only a few atoms thick have to be produced. For this reason GMR can also be considered one of the first real applications of the promising field of nanotechnology.

Organic molecular nanotechnology

2010-02-18T03:47:00.000-08:00

The vision of revolutionary bottom-up nanotechnology is based on a concept of molecular assembly technologies where nanoscale materials and structures self-assemble to microscale structures and finally to macroscopic devices and products. We are a long way from realizing this vision but researchers are busily laying the foundation for nanoscale engineering. Assembling nanoscopic components into macroscopic materials is an appealing goal but one of the enormous difficulties lies in bridging approximately six orders of magnitude that separate the nanoscale from the macroscopic world. Until machinery capable of automated and industrial-scale nano-assembly can be built, the parallelism of chemical synthesis and self-assembly is necessary when controlling materials at the nanoscale. An obvious direct approach to molecular nanotechnology therefore is to start with organic molecules as building blocks. Modest from the viewpoint of molecular manufacturing visionaries, but quite fascinating to a lot of scientists, research into nanofibers, as a modification of organic crystals, is making good progress. New research results coming out of Denmark offer the basis for a novel organic-molecule-based nanotechnological concept that allows for a multitude of applications in fundamental research and in device applications. Essentially, this concept is based on three steps: 1) directed self-assembled surface growth of nanofibers from functionalized molecules; 2) transfer and manipulation of individual fibers as well as of ordered arrays; and 3) device integration. "Work in our group has allowed us to overcome the previous obstacles of growing molecular nanowires – namely the controlled growth of crystallites of predefined shapes and predefined mutual orientations and their transfer onto more complicated target substrates" Dr. Horst-Günther Rubahn tells Nanowerk."The result is an organic molecular nanotechnology that allows for the generation of mutually aligned, morphologically well-defined light-emitting organic nanofibers from functionalized molecules, essentially bridging the gap between the nanoscopic and microscopic worlds. Our nanofibers can be transferred easily and destruction-free as individual entities or in a massive parallel fashion onto pre-structured target substrates. Due to their crystalline perfection and due to the morphological control, organic nanofibers are perfectly suited for fundamental studies of optics, mechanics, and electronics on the mesoscale. Applications as passive and active elements in printed all-optical chips are within reach." The work of Rubahn, a professor at the University of Southern Denmark's Mads Clausen Institute, and his collaborators from the University of Oldenburg and the University of Bonn, both in Germany, advances bottom-up nanotechnology since it shows that it is possible to generate on a large scale well-oriented and well-defined nanostructures, the properties of which can be modified at will. "In addition" says Rubahn, "discontinuous growth of the kind demonstrated in our work is interesting per se for a better control of organic thin film growth. Such control, in turn, is most relevant for future organic electronics and photonics – from flat screens to photonic circuits." In their paper in the January 18, 2008 online edition of Small ("Organic Molecular Nanotechnology") the scientists introduce their three-step concept that provides a new route to bottom-up organic nanotechnology. Step 1: In their work the researchers came to the conclusion that the growth of oriented nanofibers from functionalized quaterphenylenes on muscovite mica is a generic process that can be performed with a variety of different functionalizations of quaterphenylenes. "The ordered form of discontinuous organic molecular film growth forms the basis of our nanotechnological concept" says Rubahn. "Our detailed investigations have shown that the growth of large, parallel oriented fibers or 'needles' is due to the unique combination of an atomically flat, single-crystalline growth substrate with large electric dipole domains and molecules that fulfill, in their crystalline bulk form, quasiepitaxial relationships between adsorbate and substrate." He describes the second step of their nanotechnological concept as the detachment, controlled transfer, and mechanical manipulation of the as-grown nanofibers. "By using an appropriate combination of liquid, external energy, and specific surface morphology, nanofibers can be stamped as single entities or as ordered arrays onto storage media and from there onto arbitrary substrates" Rubahn explains. "Alternatively, they can be transferred into liquids or gels for further manipulation. These manipulation processes appear to be working for functionalized nanofibers as well and they take great advantage of the chemical inertness and thermal stability of the nanofibers." Finally, in step three – due to the ease of nanofiber transfer – numerous possibilities for device integration come into technological reach. Rubahn cites examples such as the transfer of individual fibers onto optoelectronic circuits for electroluminescence applications or mass transfer of nanofiber arrays onto precious documents, such as banknotes, for security purposes. "It is important to note that neither the individual nor the mass transfer process mechanically affects the morphology of the nanofibers, thus their specific properties (dichroism, waveguiding, optical resonance) are fully functional on the new substrate" says Rubahn. The research team also points out that their novel concept is related to the morphology of the organic nanofibers as well as their high degree of crystallinity and the specific orientation of the molecular building blocks. The result is a new class of materials of on a nanoscale morphologically tailored fibers with specific optoelectronic and chemical properties. Typical widths of the nanofibers range from less than a hundred to a few hundred nanometers with heights of the order of a few tens of nanometers and lengths between a few hundred nanometers and a millimeter. Since the nanofibers are emitting intense visible light they are obvious candidates for basic nanophotonic investigations.

The list of potential applications includes nanoscale frequency doublers, nanolasers with low threshold, generic nanosensor platforms etc. Rubahn has set up a company – Nanofiber A/S — to commercialize his research on organic nanofibers. One of the company's first products are security markers that incorporate organic nanofibers, called 'nanomarkers.' The work of Rubahn's team has opened the way for new materials for advanced applications such as core/shell wires and segmented nanowires from different organic materials or even from combinations of organic and inorganic compounds. For now, there are still some basic challenges to be overcome, such as the stability of the organic material as well as investigating the potential toxicity of the nanofibers.

nanotechnology in america

2010-02-18T03:46:00.002-08:00

More and more companies from the USA and Japan are investing and launching partnerships in France to take advantage of its cutting-edge nanotechnology expertise. France boasts several zones dedicated to advancing nanotechnology excellence, including the SCS cluster in Sophia Antipolis, the Systematic cluster in the Paris region and notably, the global micro-nanotechnology cluster Minalogic in Grenoble. In 2007, Minalogic will strengthen its leader status by investing €80 million (approx. $108 million) into eight new collaborative projects focused on micro and nanotechnologies for next-generation semiconductors and new manufacturing processes, and it recently welcomed Hewlett-Packard (HP) as its 50th partner. Starting in September, HP will help cluster members save valuable amounts of time and money with access to highly advanced 2-TeraFlop data processors, called Virtual Nodes. On the research side, France’s world-class nanotech laboratory CEA-Leti and the leading Japanese lithography company Nikon announced a joint effort to examine Double Patterning and Double Exposure technology for 32-nm semiconductor devices. “Leti offers an outstanding, state-of-the-art facility with all of the processes required for Double Patterning,” says Toshikazu Umatate, Executive Officer, Precision Equipment Company, Nikon Corporation. Another Japanese leader, Yamatake, is already working with Leti to develop nanotechnologies. International companies looking to expand in nanotechnology are also choosing France for their European headquarters. The California-based analog semiconductor company Monolithic Power Systems, ranked as one of the fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley by Deloitte, has now opened its headquarters in Bernin-Crolles. Boc Edwards, part of the Linde Group, has also moved its European semiconductor business headquarters from London to Grenoble to be closer to its electronics customers and to recruit skilled talent in the region. France’s expertise is expected to grow on the healthcare side of nanotechnologies following the recent announcement of the opening of Clinatec, an experimental nanotechnology-based neurosurgery clinic expected to be set up in the next three years. The clinic will benefit from the work being carried out at Minatec, Europe’s largest research center in micro-nanotechnologies.

Nanomaterials - Worldwide Market Challenges & Opportunities

2010-02-18T03:46:00.001-08:00

NanoMaterials are redefining trends in vital industries such as automobile, and paints & coatings among others. Nanomaterials of all types are poised to find growing interest from healthcare and electronics sectors. Oxides and metals are expected to capture a major share of global NanoMaterial revenues in the short-term. Emerging NanoMaterials such as single-wall nanotubes, and dendrimers are forecast to contribute significantly to market growth. In terms of end-use, healthcare and electronics are key segments. Commercial usage of NanoMaterials is limited to few applications such as sunscreen lotions, wafer polishing, and treatment of textiles.

These and other market data and trends are presented in 'Nanomaterials: Worldwide Market Challenges & Opportunities' by BizAcumen, Inc. Our reports are designed to be most comprehensive in geographic coverage and vertical market analyses.

Carbon Fibers - Global Strategic Business Report

2010-02-18T03:45:00.000-08:00

This report analyzes the worldwide markets for Carbon Fibers in Metric Tons.The market for ‘Carbon Fiber’ is analyzed by the following end-use segments: Aerospace and Defense, Sports Goods, and Industrial Applications. The report provides separate comprehensive analytics for US, Japan, Europe, and Rest of World. Annual forecasts are provided for each region for the period of 2006 through 2015. A ten-year historic analysis is also provided for this market. The report profiles 61 companies including many key and niche players worldwide such as Cytec Industries, Inc., Hexcel Corp., Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., Grafil, Inc., SGL Carbon Group, Teijin Ltd., Toho Tenax Co., Ltd., Toho Tenax America, Inc., Toray Industries, Inc., Toray Carbon Fibers America, Inc., and Zoltek Companies, Inc. Market data and analytics are derived from primary and secondary research. Company profiles are mostly extracted from URL research and reported select online sources.

Please note: Reports are sold as single-site single-user licenses. The delivery time for hard copies is between 3-5 business days, as each hard copy is custom printed for the organization ordering it. Electronic versions require 24-48 hours as each copy is customized to the client with digital controls and custom watermarks.

Nanomaterials - Worldwide Market Challenges and Opportunities

2010-02-18T03:43:00.000-08:00

The Global Market for Nanotubes to 2015: A Realistic Assessment

Carbon nanotubes open up tremendous possibilities for materials enhancement in a wide range of markets. Contrary to most hyperbolic estimates, the current global market for carbon nanotubes has been measured by Nanoposts.com at approximately $90.5million. At present nanotubes represent a niche materials additives market; but one with limitless revenue potential.

New functionalised nanotubes applications will come onto the market in the next few years that will greatly increase global revenues to $1.4 billion plus by 2015; driven mainly by the needs of the electronics and data storage, defence, energy, aerospace and automotive industries. As commercial-scale production ramps up, the significant decrease in cost for these high performance materials will also drive new applications. Up to now, most carbon nanotubes production has been on a pilot-scale level; however scale-up of production by large multi-nationals such as Arkema, Bayer MaterialsScience and Showa Denko and access to cheaper nanotubes from Russian and China will greatly increase commercialization opportunities.

The 87 page report “The Global Market for Nanotubes to 2015: A realistic assessment” provides in-depth coverage of one of the most active and commercially important areas of nanotechnology and includes:

Global revenue figures and projections 2006-2015 across all markets
Key drivers across all markets
Products, applications and market trends

Profiles of over 80 major and minor companies developing commercial applications of nanotubes including:
Bayer MaterialScience
BASF
Thomas Swan
Nanocomp
Nanocyl
Arkema
Mitsui
Toray
IBM
Surrey Nanosystems
Nanotero
Natural Nano
Unidym
Eikos

Sectors covered include:

Aerospace & Aviation
Automotive
Construction
Defence
Electronics & Data Storage
Energy
Environment
Healthcare & Life Sciences
Personal Care
Printing & Packaging
Sporting Goods
Textiles

Nanomaterials - Global Strategic Business Report

2010-02-18T03:42:00.000-08:00

Nacbo (Italy)
Nano Interface Technology, Inc (USA)
Nano Science and Technology Network of CAS (China)
Nano- DTU (Denmark)
Nanobiomagnetics, Inc (USA)
NanoBioTec GmbH (Germany)
Nanobiotix SA (France)
Nano-C, Inc (USA)
Nanocarblab (Russia)
Nanocarrier Company (Japan)
Nanocerox, Inc (USA)
Nanoco Technologies Ltd (UK)
Nanocraft, Inc (USA)
Nanocrystal Imaging Corporation (USA)
Nanocs, Inc (USA)
Nanocyl SA (Belgium)
Nanodynamics, Inc (USA)
Nanoener, Inc (USA)
Nanofactory Instruments AB (Sweden)
Nanofilm Limited (USA)
Nanogate Technologies GmbH (Germany)
NanoGram Corporation (USA)
Kainos Energy Corporation (USA)
NanoHorizons, Inc (USA)
NanoLab, Inc (USA)
Nanoledge (France)
Nanologica AB (Sweden)
Nanomat, Inc (USA)
Nanomaterials Company (USA)
Nanomaterials Discovery Corporation (USA)
Nanomaterials Research LLC (USA)
Nanomaterials Technology Pte, Ltd (Singapore)
NanoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc (USA)
Nanometrix, Inc (Canada)
Nanominerals Corporation (Canada)
Nanomix, Inc (USA)
Nanophase Technologies Corporation (USA)
Nanopore, Inc (USA)
Nanopowder Enterprises, Inc (USA)
Nanoprobes, Inc (USA)
Nanoproducts Corporation (USA)
Nanoquest Pty, Ltd (Australia)
NANOSAFE (USA)
Nanoscale Materials, Inc (USA)
Nanoscape AG (Germany)
NL Nanosemiconductor GmbH (Germany)
Nanosolar, Inc (USA)
Nanosolutions GmbH (Germany)
Nanosonic, Inc (USA)
Nanosphere, Inc (USA)
The NanoSteel Company (USA)
Nanostellar, Inc (USA)
Nanostructured & Amorphous Materials, Inc (USA)
Nanosys, Inc (USA)
Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
Nano-Tex (USA)
Nanothinx SA (Greece)
Nanova LLC (USA)
Nanowerk LLC (USA)
Nano-X GmbH (Germany)
Nantero, Inc (USA)
NaturalNano, Inc (USA)
NEC Corporation (Japan)
NEI Corporation (USA)
Nektar Therapeutic (USA)
Neophotonics Corporation (USA)
Netcomposites (UK)
NexTech Materials Ltd (USA)
nGIMAT Co (USA)
NN-Labs (USA)
Noble Polymers LLC (USA)
n-TEC (Norway)
Ntera (Ireland)
Nucryst Pharmaceuticals Corporation (USA)
Nyacol
Nano Technologies, Inc (USA)
Optiva, Inc (USA)
Ormecon GmbH (Germany)
Oxford Applied Research Ltd (UK)
Oxonica Ltd (UK)
Pacific Fuel Cell Corporation (USA)
PharmaSol GmbH (Germany)
Phelps Dodge Corporation (USA)
Climax Engineered Materials (USA)
Plasmachem GmbH (Germany)
PolyOne Corporation (USA)
Powdermet, Inc (USA)
PowerMetal Technologies, Inc (USA)
Praxair, Inc (USA)
Psimedica Limited (UK)
Qinetiq Group PLC (UK)
QinetiQ Nanomaterials Ltd (UK)
Qtech Nanosystems (P) Ltd (India)
Quantiam Technologies, Inc (Canada)
QuantumSphere, Inc (USA)
Raymor Industries, Inc (Canada)
AP&C Advanced Powders and Coatings, Inc (Canada)
Rhodia SA (France)
Reactive Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
Rockwell Scientific Company LLC (USA)
Rosseter Holdings Limited (Cyprus)
RTP Company (USA)
Saigon Hi-Tech Park (SHTP) (Vietnam)
Salvona Technologies LLC (USA)
Samsung Electronics Co, Ltd (South Korea)
Thai Samsung Electronics (Thailand)
Seldon Laboratories LLC (USA)
Sensatex, Inc (USA)
SES Research (USA)
Shenzhen Chengyin High-Tech Company Limited (China)
Shenzhen Junye Nano Material Co, Ltd (SJNMC) (China)
Shenzhen Nanotech Port Co, Ltd (China)
Shin-Etsu Chemical Co, Ltd (Japan)
Showa Denko KK (Japan)
Sigma Technologies Intl, Inc (USA)
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (USA)
Southern Clay Products, Inc (USA)
Southwest Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
Spire Corporation (USA)
Starpharma Holdings Limited (Australia)
Strem Chemicals, Inc (USA)
Süd-Chemie AG (Germany)
Sumi Long Nanotechnology Materials (Shenzhen) Co, Ltd
(China)
Sumitomo Corporation (Japan)
Sun Nanotech Company Limited (China)
Sunraynano Advanced Science Co, Ltd (USA)
Sunyx GmbH (Germany)
Synthesechemie GmbH (Germany)
Tailored Materials Corporation, Inc (USA)
Technische Universiteit Eindhoven (The Netherlands)
The AWM Companies (Switzerland)
Thomas Swan & Co, Ltd (UK)
Toray Industries, Inc (Japan)
Tosoh Corporation (Japan)
TPL, Inc (USA)
Triton Systems, Inc (USA)
Umicore SA (Belgium)
US Global Nanospace, Inc (USA)
Versilant Nanotechnologies (USA)
Voridian (USA)
Vulvox Nano/Biotechnology Corporation (USA)
Wacker-Chemie GmbH (Germany)
Wilson Greatbatch Technologies, Inc/Greatbatch, Inc (USA)
Xintek (USA)
Zia Laser, Inc (USA)
Zyvex Corporation (USA)
B RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS
Ball State University (USA)
California Institute Of Technology (USA)
CASE-Southwest Missouri State University (USA)
Centre For Nanomaterials Applications In Construction
(Spain)
Clarkson University (USA)
CNT@Cambridge (UK)
CNT-Center For Nanotechnology (USA)
Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research
Organization (CSIRO) (Australia)
GE Global Research (USA)
Georgia Institute Of Technology (USA)
Goddard Space Flight Center (USA)
Hebrew University Of Jerusalem (Israel)
IBM Almaden Research Center (USA)
IBM Research
Nanoscale Science Department (USA)
Johnson Space Center (USA)
Kettering University (USA)
Kyoto University (Japan)
Los Alamos National Laboratory (USA)
Motorola Labs (USA)
Nanux Co, Ltd (Korea)
NASA Ames Research Center (USA)
National Physical Laboratory (UK)
National Polytechnique Institute Of Toulouse (France)
NTT Basic Research Laboratories (Japan)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (USA)
Philips Research (The Netherlands)
Polymer Research Center (Japan)
Purdue University (USA)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Carbon Nanomaterials
Research Group (USA)
Rice University (USA)
Samsung Advanced Institute Of Technology (South Korea)
Seoul University (South Korea)
Superconductivity Technology Center (USA)
Superlattice Nanomaterials Lab (Republic Of Korea)
Swiss Federal Institute Of Technology (Switzerland)
The National Dendrimer And Nanotechnology Center (USA)
The University Of Tokyo
Hirao Laboratory (Japan)
University of Akron (USA)
University of California (USA)
University of Cambridge (UK)
University of Illinois (USA)
University of North Carolina (USA)
University of Texas (USA)
Weizmann Institute (Israel )

Nanomaterials - Global Strategic Business Report

2010-02-18T03:41:00.000-08:00

D Systems Corporation (USA)
Adnano (Degussa AG) (Germany)
Advanced Magnetics, Inc (USA)
Advanced Nano Products Co, Ltd (Korea)
Advanced Nano Technologies Pty, Ltd (Australia)
Advance Nanotech, Inc (USA)
Advanced Powder Technologies Pty, Limited (Australia)
Advectus Life Sciences, Inc (Canada)
Ahwahnee Technology, Inc (USA)
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc (USA)
ALCove Surfaces GmbH (Germany)
ALD NanoSolutions, Inc (USA)
Altair Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
AMCOL International Corporation (USA)
Nanocor, Inc (USA)
American Dye Source, Inc (USA)
American Pharmaceutical Partners, Inc (USA)
Advanced Powder Materials, Inc (USA)
Apex Nanomaterials (USA)
ApNano Materials, Inc (USA)
Applied Nanoworks, Inc (USA)
Applied Sciences, Inc (USA)
Argonide Corporation (USA)
Arkema Group (France)
Basell NV (The Netherlands)
Basell Service Company BV (Belgium)
BASF Aktiengesellschaft (AG) (Germany)
Beijing Chamgo Nano-Tech Co, Ltd (China)
Beijing Huihaihong Nano-ST Co, Ltd (China)
Biophan Technologies, Inc (USA)
Biotrove, Inc (USA)
Bucky (USA)
Buhler AG (Switzerland)
Buhler Partec GmbH (Germany)
BYK-Chemie GmbH (Germany)
Cabot Corporation (USA)
Cambridge Display Technology Ltd (UK)
Cambridge Nanotech, Inc (USA)
Capres AS (Denmark)
Carbolex, Inc (USA)
Carbon Designs, Inc (USA)
Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
C Sixty, Inc (USA)
Carbon Solutions, Inc (USA)
Catalytic Materials LLC (USA)
Cetek Technologies, Inc (USA)
CFN -DFG (Germany)
Cheap Tubes, Inc (USA)
Chemat Technology, Inc (USA)
Chengyin Technology Co, Ltd (China)
Chevron Corporation (USA)
Ciba Specialty Chemicals Holding, Inc (Switzerland)
Ciba Specialty Chemicals North America (USA)
Cima Nanotech, Inc (USA)
Clariant International Limited (Switzerland)
Crystalplex Corporation (USA)
CSEM
Centre Suisse Delectronique Et De Microtechnique
SA (Switzerland)
CytImmune Science, Inc (USA)
DA NanoMaterials LLC (USA)
Dendritech, Inc (USA)
Dendritic Nanotechnologies, Inc (USA)
Dow Chemical Co (USA)
Dow Corning Corporation (USA)
Dynas International Corporation (Taiwan)
E I Du Pont De Nemours And Company (USA)
Eikos, Inc (USA)
Eka Chemicals AB (Sweden)
Elmarco SRO (Czech Republic)
Empa (Switzerland)
Engelhard Corporation (USA)
Entegris, Inc (USA)
EnviroSystems (USA)
Espin Technologies, Inc (USA)
Evident Technologies, Inc (USA)
Evolved Nanomaterials Sciences, Inc (USA)
Exxonmobil Research And Engineering Company (USA)
FEI Company Tools For Nanotech (TM) (USA)
Firstnano, Inc (USA)
Five Star Technologies (USA)
Flamel Technologies SA (France)
Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (Germany)
Frontier Carbon Corporation (Japan)
Fullerene International Corporation (USA)
Futuresoft Technologies, Inc (Canada)
General Electric Company (USA)
GE Advanced Ceramics (USA)
GP Nanotechnology Group Limited (Hong Kong)
Hefei Kiln Nanometer Technology Development Co, Ltd
(China)
Helix Material Solutions, Inc (USA)
Honeywell International, Inc (USA)
Hosokawa Micron Group (Japan)
Hosokawa Nano Particle Technology Center (USA)
Hybrid Plastics (USA)
Hyperion Catalysis International, Inc (USA)
IBU-Tec GmbH & Co KG (Germany)
IGI, Inc (USA)
Iljin Nanotech Co, Ltd (South Korea)
Illuminex Corporation (USA)
Industrial Nanotech, Inc (USA)
Infineon Technologies AG (Germany)
Inframat Corporation (USA)
Inmat, Inc (USA)
Inseq Corporation (USA)
Integran Technologies, Inc (USA)
Introgen Therapeutics, Inc (USA)
Invitrogen Corporation (USA)
Ishihara Sangyo Kaisha Limited (Japan)
ITN Nanovation GmbH (Germany)
Kemira OYJ (Finland)
KIA, Inc (USA)
Lambda Photometrics Ltd (UK)
Lavipharm Corporation (USA)
Liftport Group (USA)
Lightyear Technologies, Inc (USA)
Lion Corporation (Japan)
Liquidia Technologies (USA)
Luna Innovations (USA)
Luna Nanoworks (USA)
Lux Research, Inc (USA)
Luxtera (USA)
Mach I, Inc (USA)
Marion Technologies (France)
Materia, Inc (USA)
Materials and Electrochemical Research Corporation (USA)
Materials Modification, Inc (USA)
Mayaterials, Inc (USA)
MBN Nanomaterialia SpA (Italy)
Meliorum Technologies, Inc (USA)
Metallicum LLC (USA)
Micro Materials Limited (UK)
Microparticles GmbH (Germany)
MicroPowder Solutions LLC (USA)
Microtechnano, Inc (USA)
Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Co, Inc (Japan)
MO BV (The Netherlands)
Molecular Nanosystems, Inc (USA)

United States Leads Globe in Nanotechnology Research

2010-02-18T03:40:00.000-08:00

The United States is the world leader in nanotechnology, but international competitors are aggressively developing their own programs in this area, according to an assessment released May 18 by President Bush’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST).

The report, described in a press release from the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), assessed the multi-agency National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and its work in coordinating the federal nanotechnology research enterprise.

The NNI organizes federal nanotechnology research and establishes a strong national research infrastructure across 23 federal agencies, each with its own distinct mission.

Nanotechnology is the science and technology of building electronic circuits and devices from single atoms and molecules. Nanotechnology deals with devices typically smaller than 100 nanometers (a nanometer is one billionth of a meter) and is expected to make a significant contribution to computer storage, semiconductors, biotechnology, manufacturing and energy.

“This report is a thoughtful and highly informative assessment on the current status of the United States’ research programs for nanotechnology,” said OSTP Director John Marburger, science adviser to President Bush.

According to the report, The National Nanotechnology Initiative at Five Years: Assessment and Recommendations of the National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel, the approximately $1 billion the federal government will spend on nanotechnology research and development this fiscal year is roughly one-quarter of the current public-sector investments by all nations.

Total annual U.S. research and development spending (federal, state and private) is about $3 billion, or one-third of the estimated $9 billion in total worldwide spending by the public and private sectors combined.

The United States also leads in the number of start-up companies based on nanotechnology, and in research output as measured by patents and publications.

The report found that the NNI recognizes that the societal implications of nanotechnology -- including potential environmental and health effects -- must be taken into account and is moving deliberately to identify, prioritize and address such concerns.

In the fiscal year 2006 budget, $82 million (8 percent of the total NNI budget) will be dedicated to addressing these issues.

The report is based in part on input from a technical advisory group of nanotechnology experts representing diverse disciplines in government, industry and academia. PCAST also convened panels of experts to discuss advances and opportunities in science and technology and potential environmental, health, and safety implications of nanotechnology.

How to Use an iPod Nano

2010-02-18T03:38:00.002-08:00

Start by connecting your iPod Nano to your computer using a USB cable. Next visit www.apple.com to download iTunes to your computer. iTunes may take a while to download.

Be sure to register your new iPod Nano, once iTunes has been correctly downloaded. This process will take only a matter of minutes. Registering your Nano is a way of providing your personal information to Apple. This is an important step, if ever you need to take your iPod Nano in to be tested for technical issues that may arise.

Browse through your new iTunes software program. At this time you should set up an iTunes account. Use a credit card that has a reasonable balance so that you can purchase music, videos, podcasts and television shows for your iPod Nano. iTunes takes a number of different credit cards.

Start adding CD's to your iTunes library. When you place a CD into the CD player, a window will pop up requesting permission to add the music to your iTunes library. Approve the music transfer. You will then be able to create a personalized iTunes library with your favorite music. iTunes automatically alphabetizes the artist's names in the library.

Create playlists for your iPod Nano. Browse the left side of your iTunes display screen. Place the cursor over all symbols at the bottom of the iTunes display. Left click the mouse over the symbol that reads, "playlist." Once it has been added to your group of playlists, double click on the title and create a personalized title. You can name your playlists by date, genres, names or any clever wording that you come up with. For instance, you can create a playlists that reads, Christmas Music, Love Songs or Wedding Songs. Once you have created your playlist, click and drag music from your iTunes library and place it into your new playlists. After you have added all the music to your playlist, you can go into your iPod and apply all current updated information.

Purchase music and videos from the iTunes store. Now that you have set up a valid iTunes account, you can proceed with purchasing as many songs and videos as you wish.

Add photos from your digital camera and online. Create a folder on your desktop or photo section on your computer. Add these photos to your iPod via iTunes.

EPA Proposes SNURs for Carbon Nanotubes

2010-02-18T03:38:00.001-08:00

On November 6, 2009, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed significant new use rules (SNUR) under Section 5(a)(2) of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for two chemical substances that were the subject of premanufacture notices (PMN). EPA identified the substances generically as multi-walled carbon nanotubes and single-walled carbon nanotubes. According to the notice, these substances are subject to TSCA Section 5(e) consent orders issued by EPA. The consent orders require protective measures to limit exposures or otherwise mitigate the potential unreasonable risk. The proposed SNURs are based on and consistent with the provisions in the underlying consent orders, and designate as a significant new use the absence of the protective measures required in the corresponding consent orders. Persons who intend to manufacture, import, or process either of these two substances for an activity that is designated as a significant new use would be required by the proposed rule to notify EPA at least 90 days before commencing that activity. The required notification would provide EPA with the opportunity to evaluate the intended use and, if necessary, to prohibit or limit that activity before it occurs.

Nanotechnology with Carbon Nanotubes

2010-02-18T03:37:00.000-08:00

Their strength as structural supports comes from their sturdy molecular structure, which looks like what one would get if one could roll a two dimensional sheet of graphite into a three dimensional cylinder. The limit to how long they can be is unknown, thus aerospace scientists are seriously considering using them as cables extending into space, an idea that is not possible with traditional ropes since they would break under their own weight. Furthermore, carbon nanotubes can easily be cut into sections as small as a few nanometers. One of the first important applications of carbon nanotubes has been in the fabrication of sharp, strong and functionalized AFM probe tips.

The hollow nature of nanotubes allow them to function as pipes for transporting and molding atoms and molecules. Furthermore, the tubes come in insulating, semiconducting and conducting form, meaning that they can also be used as molecular wires and circuits. Whats more, capillary induced filling of the nanotubes with other materials further extends the diversity of nanowires that can be fabricated. The electronic properties of carbon nanotubes are directly related to their shape, making them an important Nano-Electromechanical System (NEMS). For example, the feasibility of a nanotube-based random access memory device with a memory density around 100 gigabytes/cm² and an operation frequency around 100 gigahertz has recently been developed at Harvard University.

In addition to their high aspect ratio (meaning long and thin) and particle transport capabilities, carbon nanotubes can also function as durable bearings and springs. Nanotubes can be fabricated in two forms: single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) or multi-wall nanotubes (MWNT). While a SWNT consists of only a single cylinder, a MWNT consists of several (between 2 and 30) concentric tubes, each with a specific diameter. Physicists at the University of California, Berkeley have recently demonstrated that a MWNT can act as a molecular bearing when one of the inner tubes rotates, or as a molecular spring when an inner tube is pulled out, causing the MWNT to stretch in a way similar to a telescope .

What will government do for nanotechnology?

2010-02-18T03:36:00.000-08:00

Government will play the key role in assuring that the enormous benefits of nanotechnology will be realized quickly and the U.S. will share the global benefits. The goals of nanotechnology are too long term (greater than ten years) for industry to take an immediate leadership role, although the high level of industry interest and concern for the field is almost unprecedented. Because of its interdisciplinary nature, the development of nanotechnology requires creating teams of physicists, chemists, biologists, and engineers to tackle the problems, and the funding agencies will need to be organized to foster this teamwork. The enabling infrastructure and technologies must be in place for industry to take advantage of nanotechnology innovations and discoveries. Industry is frequently reluctant to invest in risky research that takes many years to develop into a product. In the US the university and government research system fills this gap. The increasing pace of technological commercialization requires a compression of past time scales and parallel development of research and commercial products and a synergy among industry, university, and government partners. New infrastructure at the universities and national labs is required for the field to grow. A worldwide competition is underway, and the US response is fragmented in comparison to the approach of European and Asian countries. For all of these reasons, this is a moment of opportunity to create an inter-agency initiative in nanotechnology to catalyze academe, industry, health, business, and national security efforts.

Why is this length scale so important?

2010-02-18T03:34:00.000-08:00

There are five reasons why this length scale is so important:

The wavelike properties of electrons inside matter are influenced by variations on the nanometer scale. By patterning matter on the nanometer length scale, it is possible to vary fundamental properties of materials (for instance, melting temperature, magnetization, charge capacity) without changing the chemical composition.
The systematic organization of matter on the nanometer length scale is a key feature of biological systems. Nanotechnology promises to allow us to place artificial components and assemblies inside cells, and to make new materials using the self-assembly methods of nature. This is a powerful new combination of materials science and biotechnology.
Nanoscale components have very high surface areas, making them ideal for use in composite materials, reacting systems, drug delivery, and energy storage.
The finite size of material entities, as compared to the molecular scale, determine an increase of the relative importance of surface tension and local electromagnetic effects, making nanostructured materials harder and less brittle.
The interaction wavelength scales of various external wave phenomena become comparable to the material entity size, making materials suitable for various opto-electronic applications.

Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena developed at that scale.

A scientific and technical revolution has begun that is based upon the ability to systematically organize and manipulate matter on the nanometer length scale.

Examples of nanotechnology applications:

giant magnetoresistance in nanocrystalline materials
nanolayers with selective optical barriers, hard coatings
dispersions with optoelectronic properties, high reactivity
chemical and bio-detectors
advanced drug delivery systems
chemical-mechanical polishing with nanoparticle slurries
new generation of lasers
nanostructured catalysts
systems on a chip
carbon nanotube products
nanoparticle reinforced materials
thermal barrier
ink jet systems
information recording layers
molecular sieves
high hardness cutting tools

2010 Outlook - 2009 Recap DETAILS

2010-01-06T02:14:00.000-08:00

2009 was not a great year for Nanotechnology. Maybe 2010 will be better. Let's explore the 2009 highlights. (Tim Harper of Cientifica published a December white paper on this subject that I urge you to read. Tim and I have similar views. My recommended strategies are somewhat different. ) One major change occurred in 2009 - "Green" completely replaced "Nanotech" as the hot "next big technology" arena - despite all agreeing that the road to green runs through the nanotech space.

Nanotechnology commercialization, or what disperately passes for a nanotechnology industry, lost momentum in 2009. There were no major nanotech "blockbuster" product breakthroughs nor across the board economic triumphs. Only one significant IPO - A123 Systems - occurred. Environmental and health scare pressures, loudly and inaccurately voiced, put the fear of regulation on every nanotech funding source's radar further slowing down an almost dead financing market. Established nanocompanies with good technology were almost destroyed by third party IP suits (ironically with little or no revenue to share) or shut down because they just ran out of money and couldn't raise more. Finally, little progress was made in the key challenge in nanotech… scaling up production to macro sized usability consistently in volume without difficult or major losses. In short, nanoscience worldwide continued reasonable funded and reasonably successfully; commercial nanotechnology was hard pressed to show significant progress toward large production and profitability and was dollar short the entire year.

During 2009, potential nanotech markets turned soft. Not only was the general economy dangerously depressed and unemployment growing each month, but all levels of markets for new technologies like nanotech - especially new applications of newer technologies - dried up. Businesses hunkered down, concentrating their reduced resources on core businesses, trying to survive the economic mess. Nanotechnology treaded water, barely staying afloat and barely visible within the green fog hype Then there was the nanotech hype.

Ridiculous reports were issued showing $30 plus billion of domestic nanotechnology sales touting the outstanding growth of nanotech product sales … terribly deceiving numbers. Removing semiconductors markets where natural "Mooore's Law" evolution has led semiconductor designs into nanotechnology sized elements, leaves insignificant growth in "all else" nanotech product sales during 2009. Most of the products in those cited billions of market dollars estimates used miniscule amounts of nanotechnology sized materials and under most original definitions, couldn't be classified as "nanotechnology" products. Such products are established " nanotechnology enhanced" products, not nanotech products. Clearly, these billions of sales were not new because of Nanotech and shouldn't be counted as nanotechnology product sales. I won't venture to estimate the size of the 2009 "nanotechnology market presence" but if it was 15 % of the quoted study markets, I would deem that a generous estimate. (excluding unknown black military sales where nano coating sales alone are in the millions)

Clearly, there was no "blockbuster" product design that could capture the imagination of the customers. Financially, as in most other industries, losses and negative cash flow permeated the Nanotech. There was progress in three specific marketplaces and these bode well for further progress in 2010. The healthcare, pharmaceutical and diagnostic markets were ripe with product possibilities and entres. The trends toward personalized medicine and the new health care legislation will further enhance nanotechnologies core functions in these market. The second market is energy. Progress in nanotechnology based solar energy technologies was dramatic, driving cost per watt install down near the magic cost of a $1/watt. Last there were water purification markets. Other promising areas with near term product possibilities are sensors and coatings. It is difficult however to construct profitable business models for these promising areas.

Last, a 2010 observation from 2009 on how a nanotechnology company can forge a path to profitability. First, no company involved solely in nanomaterials will ever be sustainably profitable. These products become commodities and remain the long term province of large well estabilished already profitable companies. Rule 1 is that a smaller nanotechnology company has to have products that reach up the value chain to capture some of the upstream profitability. Rule 2 is that no nanotech company with a single product or product line will gain stable profitability. To win, small companies have to combine with at least two other product lines and groupings to obtain volume potential and market diversity. Look at NVE as an example of a very profitable nanotech company with three different product technologies and lines. Whether you like it or not, you have to merge together and consolidate for success. And the 3 rule is that your financing has to have three specific legs. First private or venture money. Second, some form of public or quasi public financing and last a piece of the government nanotechnology money, state money or of the stimulus plan. Look at A 123 and NVE as models. Notice their funding sources. Pay attention and prosper.

If you pay attention and restructure around these 2009 lessons, you can win. If not you may be out of business at the end of 2010.

Nano twin boundaries for that extra strength and stretch

2010-01-06T02:13:00.002-08:00

Defects and boundaries are often created intentionally within materials to provide extra strength. However, this process comes at a price. Although the material is now stronger, it is also more brittle and its ability to stretch and deform is drastically reduced. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China have devised strategies to overcome this loss of ductility and the answer comes in the form of nanoscale twin boundaries

Defects and boundaries are often created intentionally within materials to provide extra strength. However, this process comes at a price. Although the material is now stronger, it is also more brittle and its ability to stretch and deform is drastically reduced. Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in China have devised strategies to overcome this loss of ductility and the answer comes in the form of nanoscale twin boundaries (TBs) [Lu, et al., Science (2009) 324, 349].

The team has identified three structural characteristics of boundaries that are essential for improving strength and ductility, namely TBs that are coherent with their surrounding matrix, are thermally and mechanically stable, and have feature sizes less than 100 nm.

The problem with traditional methods used to create boundaries at crystallographic planes or in atomic vacancies is that a mismatch is created between two regions such that the arrangements of atoms do not mirror each other on each side of the boundary. This is why the material becomes brittle. However, nanoscale TBs can be engineered to ensure coherent internal interfaces. These TBs have high thermal and mechanical stability and act as slip planes at which internal stress is released. Introducing nanoscale TBs into pure Cu increases the metal's mechanical strength by an order of magnitude but only marginally affects its conductivity. If the TB is 15 nm thick, it gives 14% elongation to failure which can be reduced further with finer TBs.

Making coherent nanoscale TBs is of course, a technical challenge. They can be fabricated through physical and chemical processes such as pulsed electrodeposition, sputter deposition, phase deformation, phase transformation, and recrystallization.

Electrodeposition can create a high density of nanoscale TBs, up to 100 nm in thickness, which nucleate at the material's grain boundaries, decreasing the total interfacial energy through orientation differences. Their formation is kinetically driven and can be engineered by changing deposition conditions. On the other hand, nanoscale TBs can be fabricated at a high deposition rate by sputter deposition. In this case, thin films can be grown that have coherent TBs parallel to the surface.

Whereas both these deposition methods are ideal for creating thin foils, plastic deformation is a process that is better adapted to bulk metals and alloys as it gives rise to very thin TBs inside materials that have low stacking fault energies, such as steels.

International Conference on Nano Science and Technology

2010-01-06T02:13:00.001-08:00

The 2010 International Conference on Nano Science and Technology (ICONSAT) will be held in Bombay, Mumbai, India from February 17-20, 2010. The conference is the 4th in a series and is sponsored by the Nano Mission, Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Government of India. The purpose of ICONSAT is to provide students, researchers, technologists and entrepreneurs with the opportunity to interact regarding current developments and future trends in the areas of nanoscience and nanotechnology. The following topics will be deliberated: novel synthetic methods; fabrication and devices; functional materials; materials for food and environment; electronics, magnetics and photonics; materials for energy; hybrids; and, technology for medicine. The full program and registration information can be found online at the link below.

Nanotechnology with Carbon Nanotubes

2010-01-06T02:12:00.000-08:00

Columns, pipes, bearings and springs are a few common ways that engineers have made use of the geometric shape known as a 'cylinder.' The utility of this shape is apparent in architecture, plumbing and mechanical devices. Carbon nanotubes are molecular cylinders that are rapidly extending our ability to fabricate nanoscale devices by providing molecular probes, pipes, wires, bearings and springs.

Their strength as structural supports comes from their sturdy molecular structure, which looks like what one would get if one could roll a two dimensional sheet of graphite into a three dimensional cylinder. The limit to how long they can be is unknown, thus aerospace scientists are seriously considering using them as cables extending into space, an idea that is not possible with traditional ropes since they would break under their own weight. Furthermore, carbon nanotubes can easily be cut into sections as small as a few nanometers . One of the first important applications of carbon nanotubes has been in the fabrication of sharp, strong and functionalized AFM probe tips.

The hollow nature of nanotubes allow them to function as pipes for transporting and molding atoms and molecules. Furthermore, the tubes come in insulating, semiconducting and conducting form, meaning that they can also be used as molecular wires and circuits . Whats more, capillary induced filling of the nanotubes with other materials further extends the diversity of nanowires that can be fabricated. The electronic properties of carbon nanotubes are directly related to their shape, making them an important Nano-Electromechanical System (NEMS). For example, the feasibility of a nanotube-based random access memory device with a memory density around 100 gigabytes/cm2 and an operation frequency around 100 gigahertz has recently been developed at Harvard University.

In addition to their high aspect ratio (meaning long and thin) and particle transport capabilities, carbon nanotubes can also function as durable bearings and springs. Nanotubes can be fabricated in two forms: single-wall nanotubes (SWNT) or multi-wall nanotubes (MWNT). While a SWNT consists of only a single cylinder, a MWNT consists of several (between 2 and 30) concentric tubes, each with a specific diameter. Physicists at the University of California, Berkeley have recently demonstrated that a MWNT can act as a molecular bearing when one of the inner tubes rotates, or as a molecular spring when an inner tube is pulled out, causing the MWNT to stretch in a way similar to a telescope .

A waterproof gas nanosensor

2010-01-06T02:11:00.002-08:00

There is increasing demand for low-cost gas sensors that can discriminate between low concentrations of analytes.

There is increasing demand for low-cost gas sensors that can discriminate between low concentrations of analytes. Nanotechnology offers the promise of improved gas sensors with low-power consumption, fast response time which will enable portability for a wide range of applications. It is well documentated that nanostructured materials such as nanotubes and nanowires are suitable for sensing a number of different gases.

In most cases, these sensors were subject to cross interference by other analytes. While arraying of nanostructured gas sensing materials combined with advanced numerical methods such as pattern recognition has the potential to filter out some of these interferences, the development of more analyte specific sensors is highly desirable.

A group of scientists from the states [Zhang et al., Nanotechnology (2009) 20 255501] have successfully manufactured a nanostructured materials sensor for ammonia gas which can be tuned to eliminate the interference of water vapour. By precisely functionalising single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) networks with camphorsulphonic acid doped polyaniline (PANI(CSA)), the opposite electrical response toward humid air of CSA doped PANI and SWNTs effectively cancelled the humidity interference.

The morphology of the PANI(CSA) coated SWNT networks was characterized using Atomic force microscope, AFM images and diameter histograms of PANI(CSA) coated SWNTs revealed nodular polymer deposits on the SWNTs.

Temperature dependent I-V curves showed a nonlinear “S” shape, with a nonlinearlity decreasing with increasing temperature. The electrical resistence decreased sharply with the increasing temperature indicating that the PANI(CSA)-SWNT network behaved as a typical semiconductor.

CSA-doped PANI was precisely electro polymerized onto SWNTs with controlled thickness by Zhang and his colleagues. The resulting sensors showed excellent sensitivity toward NH3 at room temperature with minimum interference from H2O vapor. Overall, these results demonstrate that short comings of conventional sensors can be over come by designing novel nano engineered materials. The approach of using nanostructures with opposite electrical responses to interferences should be generally applicable to the development of analyte specific nano sensors.The approach paves the way for the development of more selective gas nano sensors.

Real World Applications of Nanotechnology

2010-01-06T02:11:00.001-08:00

The consumer world is exploding with “nanotechnology enhanced” products. Consumer products is an area where the experts are saying the most immediate nanotechnology impacts will be made and recognized by the majority of people in the world. Currently there are numerous products on the market that are the result of nanotechnology.

For the sporting enthusiast, we have tennis balls that last longer, tennis rackets that are stronger, golf balls that fly straighter, nano ski wax that is easier to apply and more effective than standard wax, and bowling balls that are harder; and these products are just scratching the surface. These products all use nanostructured materials to give them enhanced performance.

Speaking of scratching the surface, we also have nano car wax that fills in those tiny cracks more effectively and gives you a shinier vehicle. There are also nano products available to keep your eyewear and other optical devices cleaner, dryer, and more durable.

In the clothing world, we have pants that repel water and won’t stain shirts and shoe inserts that keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and nano socks that don’t “stink” due to the inclusion of nanotech materials (nanosized sliver particles). Nano-ceramic coatings are being utilized on photo quality picture paper to deliver sharper, higher quality “homemade” digital photo reproductions on your ink jet printer. How about that DVD you watched last night? Any idea how big the features on that now ubiquitous product are? DVD “bumps” to store information at 320 nanometers wide/

The world of electronics has been using many of the key methods shared by other nanotechnology disciplines for many years. As an example, think of the evolution of the video game. Nanotechnology has enabled arcade size video games of yesteryear like Pong, Frogger, and PacMan to be replaced with very sophisticated home Playstations, X-Boxes, and Game Cubes that play “life like” Madden 2005, Grand Theft Auto, and Halo 2 video games.

There are also a tremendous amount of other electronic applications out there that are effecting our every day lives. Just take a trip to your local electronics mega-store and you will see a multitude of these including: faster and more powerful computers, palm pilots (blackberries), flash drives, digital cameras and displays, cell phones, LCDs, LEDs, MP3’s, electronic ink displays, thin film batteries, and flexible electronics to name a few. All of these applications are possible and affordable due to the ability to work effectively and efficiently at the nano-scale.

The biotech world also has many real world applications currently in use or under development that are, or will be, affecting our quality of life. Bandages embedded with silver nanoparticles are coming of age in the wound healing arena. And We now have drug delivery via a patch. A variety of time release thin films are now utilized on implantations into the human body (for example screws, joints, and stents) and these films are affecting the long term effectiveness of these devices,. Respiration monitors utilizing nano-materials have been developed that are many times more sensitive than previous state of the art technology. Man-made skin is a nanofabricated network and is presently in use for skin graft applications. Some other nanotechnology applications which are currently under development in the biotech world are diabetic insulin biocapsules, pharmaceuticals utilizing “bucky ball” technology to selectively deliver drugs, and cancer therapies using targeted radioactive biocapsules.

The world around us is filled with applications that nanotechnology makes possible. Don’t believe it? Look around! You won’t have to look far before these applications become evident to you. Nanotechnology is influencing the development of a wide variety of very diverse fields; among these are electronics, biotechnology, and consumer applications. From tennis balls to bandages to palm pilots, nanotechnology is making a significant impact on the jobs we work at and the products that we enjoy.

Carbon nanotube tips for AFM

2010-01-06T02:10:00.002-08:00

The impact of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) over the past 20 years has been dramatic: its invention was, for example recently rated the second most important advance in materials science of the past 50 years.

The impact of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) over the past 20 years has been dramatic: its invention was, for example recently rated the second most important advance in materials science of the past 50 years. SPM techniques share a common feature, the use of a probe to detect a spatially localized signal. In most cases it is the probe that limits the spatial resolution of the technique.

The most common form of SPM is atomic force microscopy (AFM), where the probe is a sharp tip, usually mounted on a microscale cantilever that acts to transduce the tip–sample force (the localized signal). A map of surface topography is constructed by scanning the tip across the substrate. The resultant image is a convolution of the tip geometry with the surface topography. Commercial AFMs can have sub-Ångström noise levels, but the realizable lateral spatial resolution is limited by the tip geometry and is typically around two orders of magnitude larger. For an ideal AFM tip, the exact tip geometry and chemistry should be known, the tip dimensions should be as small as possible without sacrificing rigidity, and the probe should be capable of imaging over a long lifetime, while aintaining a constant geometry.

Attempts have been made to create ‘ideal’ tips using methodologies such as focused ion-beam structuring of the tip apex. However, the above requirements are perhaps best met by carbon nanotubes: cylindrical shells of graphene with diameters as small as 1 nm. Indeed, carbon nanotubes show great promise as AFM tips despite the substantial challenges involved in their fabrication. [Wilson and Macpherson doi: 10.1038/nnano.2009.154 ]present a review article that looks at the progress in the production and application of carbon nanotube AFM tips since their arrival onthe SPM scene in 1996.

A readily available source of nanotube tips would further open up the AFM imaging world, increasing tip longevity, reducing tip imaging artefacts, increasing resolution and decreasing tip–surface forces. It would also have a significant impact in key research areas such as structural biology, biotechnology, metrology and nanoelectronics.

The question then remains, why are nanotube tips not being used routinely for AFM imaging and characterization? The answer lies in the fabrication. Progress in this area is being made, but obstacles still remain. However, the significant rewards waiting will ensure that this remains an active area for the foreseeable future.

Top Nano Products Of 2005

2010-01-06T02:10:00.001-08:00

Finally, we are living in a nanotech age. There are a lot of real products being produced with this new science of the small, and this year's annual Nanotech Product Guide is chock full of exciting and useful consumer products.

Click here for Josh Wolfe’s top nanotechnology picks for 2006 in the Forbes/Wolfe Nanotech Report.
As always, we were careful to exclude products using nanotechnology as little more than marketing fluff. We focused on items where nanotechnology is significantly improving a process or product.

Like last year's guide, Top 10 Nanotech Products of 2004, our 2005 guide shows significant new developments in the sports, cosmetics and textile industries.

Thanks to nano-encapsulation, the food industry is also developing a taste for nanotechnology, as you will see in the slide show, including a chocolate-flavored chewing gum as well as a wide array of fat-free products.

From apparel to armor, nanotechnology is already bearing fruit as a viable commercial science. The impact of nanotechnology is continuing to grow in small-molecule drug development at biotech companies. With the help of research universities and continued advances in science, next year's list of top nano products promises to be even harder to pick.

Nanoparticles and living cells

2010-01-06T02:09:00.004-08:00

New approaches and standardized test procedures to study the impact of nanoparticles on living cells are urgently needed for the evaluation of potential hazards relating human exposure to nanoparticles.

New approaches and standardized test procedures to study the impact of nanoparticles on living cells are urgently needed for the evaluation of potential hazards relating human exposure to nanoparticles. An important aspect of nanoparticle toxicity, in contrast to molecular toxicity, is the fact that the preparation and way of administration of the nanoparticles plays a crucial role. The importance of nanoparticle characterization before conducting experiments for in vitro toxicity assessments is well known.

The fascinating properties of nanoparticles in part triggered the rapid development of nanotechnology and its commercial application. Nevertheless, its widespread use in food products, sunscreens, toothpastes, skin care products, antibacterial silver coatings and paints continues to raise concerns about its potential toxicity and long term environmental effects. There are first studies that investigate the toxicity of prototype NPs such as TiO3 , C60, quantum dots, carbon nanotubes and gold

It is well known that toxic effects brought about by exposure to nanoparticles are related to the ability of these nanoparticles to catalyze the production of reactive oxygen species and to bind irreversibly to membranes or DNA. This causes interference at multiple levels of cellular metabolism, signalling and genetic alterations. Studies, so far, point towards a majority of intracellular rather than extracellular interferences, posing the question of how nanoparticles enter the cells of utmost importance.

The scientists measured the fraction of QDs taken up by the cells by automated fluorescence microscopy z-scans. The results showed that nanoparticles aggregate during the uptake process, forming clusters inside cells that are able to enter the cell nucleus. Nanoparticle uptake is dependent on surface functionalization and can be hindered by increasing the strength of the adhesion force between nanoparticles and the surface. Studying time dependent uptake the scientists were able to show that particles are able to exit cells.

Results might also help in the development of drug and gene delivery systems, since understanding cellular uptake within and from the extra-cellular matrix is a key aspect in developing efficient vectors.

Rock Roll nanotubes

2010-01-06T02:09:00.003-08:00

Nanotubes and nanowires are not as amenable to manipulation as macroscopic commodities, however, their promise as building blocks for future electronics, sensors, and electromechanical devices, means that researchers are keen to find ways to handle these tiny entities easily.

Nanotubes and nanowires are not as amenable to manipulation as macroscopic commodities, however, their promise as building blocks for future electronics, sensors, and electromechanical devices, means that researchers are keen to find ways to handle these tiny entities easily.

Now, an international team has measured the different frictional forces experienced by carbon nanotubes as they slide across a surface both in the direction of their long axis or perpendicular to it. [Lucas et al. Nature Mater. (2009) DOI: 10.1038/NMAT2529]. The study not only explains the so-called soft lateral distortions that nanotubes can undergo but could offer a practical solution to controlling and assembling nanotubes into devices.

At the fundamental level, studying these forces also reveals information about the handedness, or chirality, of the nanotubes, which cannot be obtained easily using other techniques.

Marcel Lucas of the Georgia Institute of Technology and colleagues there and in Italy and Germany used an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip to scan transversely across a multi-walled carbon nanotube deposited on a flat silicon substrate as well as molecular dynamics calculations to simulate these scans. The nanotubes are held stationary on the surface by van der Waal’s forces. The team then compared the forces measured with a transverse scan with the results of a longitudinal AFM scan.

They found that, surprisingly, the transverse friction is twice the magnitude of the friction seen with a longitudinal scan. This, they explain, is due to “hindered rolling” as the nanotube has a tendency to roll as the AFM tip strokes across it rather than along its length and this distorts its cross section.

This study provides the first detailed information about the frictional forces at work when an AFM tip interacts with a nanotube. The significant difference in energy needed to move a nanotube with an AFM tip, suggests a possible way to control the assembly of carbon nanotubes for nanoelectronics, sensors and other applications.

The computer models also suggested that it might be possible to discern chiral as opposed to non-chiral nanotubes, whether the nanotube has a clockwise or anticlockwise thread depending on the forces experienced by the AFM tip as it scans in different directions. This could allow researchers to develop a way to sort chiral and non-chiral nanotubes as well as controlling the large-scale self-assembly of these entities into sophisticated composite materials and architectures.

Nanostart increases investment in cleantech company Namos GmbH

2010-01-06T02:09:00.001-08:00

Nanostart AG, the leading nanotechnology investment company, is raising its shareholding in Namos GmbH, the pioneering cleantech developer based in the eastern German city of Dresden, from 15 to 26 percent. The ERP Start Fund, which is a joint program of the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW), the German government-owned development bank, and the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, is likewise increasing its shareholding.

Marco Beckmann, CEO of Nanostart AG, commented on the investment increase: "The technology from Namos is nothing short of revolutionary. It substantially reduces the consumption of precious metals, thus saving enormous costs in the production of catalytic converters. With more than one quarter of this company now belonging to Nanostart, we are in an extremely favorable position."

The new technology developed by Namos should enable the savings of about one half of all precious metals currently required for the production of automotive catalytic converters. The proprietary process from Namos is based on a bionanotechnological coating which is applied to the ceramic substrate used in catalytic converters. Approx. 230 metric tons of "new," non-recycled precious metals are currently consumed each year to produce automotive catalytic converters, corresponding to an annual value of USD 8.3 billion. Roughly half of this amount, more than USD 4 billion, could be saved through the new technology from Namos.

The additive used in the process can be produced at minimal cost using bionanotechnology. Because it does not remain in the finished catalytic converters, it cannot have any negative long-term effects. It contains no harmful chemicals and has a shelf life of several years.

Researchers Develop “Nano Cocktail”

2010-01-06T02:08:00.001-08:00

"This study represents the first example of the benefits of employing a cooperative nanosystem to fight cancer," said Michael Sailor, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of California, San Diego and the primary author of a paper describing the results, which is being published in a forthcoming issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. An early online version of the paper appeared last week.

In their study, the UC San Diego chemists, bioengineers at MIT and cell biologists at UC Santa Barbara developed a system containing two different nanomaterials the size of only a few nanometers, or a thousand times smaller than the diameter of a human hair, that can be injected into the bloodstream. One nanomaterial was designed to find and adhere to tumors in mice, while the second nanomaterial was fabricated to kill those tumors.

These scientists and others had previously designed nanometer-sized devices to attach to diseased cells or deliver drugs specifically to the diseased cells while ignoring healthy cells. But the functions of those devices, the researchers discovered, often conflicted with one another.

"For example, a nanoparticle that is engineered to circulate through a cancer patient's body for a long period of time is more likely to encounter a tumor," said Sangeeta Bhatia, a physician, bioengineer and a professor of Health Sciences and Technology at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT and a coauthor of the study. "However, that nanoparticle may not be able to stick to tumor cells once it finds them. Likewise, a particle that is engineered to adhere tightly to tumors may not be able to circulate in the body long enough to encounter one in the first place."

When a single drug does not work in a patient, a doctor will commonly administer a cocktail containing several drug molecules. That strategy can be very effective in the treatment of cancer, where the rationale is to attack the disease on as many fronts as possible. Drugs may sometimes work together on a single aspect of the disease, or they may attack separate functions. In either case, drug combinations can provide a greater effect than either drug alone.

Treating tumors with nanoparticles has been challenging because immune cells called mononuclear phagocytes identify them and yank them from circulation, preventing the nanomaterials from reaching their target.

Ji-Ho Park, a graduate student in Sailor's UC San Diego laboratory, and Geoffrey von Maltzahn, a graduate student in Bhatia's MIT laboratory, headed the effort to develop two distinct nanomaterials that would work in concert to overcome that obstacle and others. The first particle is a gold nanorod "activator' that accumulates in tumors by seeping through its leaky blood vessels. The gold particles cover the whole tumor and behave like an antenna by absorbing otherwise benign infrared laser irradiation, which then heats up the tumor.

After the nanorods had circulated in the bloodstream of mice that had epithelial tumors for three days, the researchers used a weak laser beam to heat the rods that attached to the tumors. This sensitized the tumors, and the researchers then sent in a second nanoparticle type, composed of either iron oxide nanoworms or doxorubicin-loaded liposomes. This "responder" nanoparticle was coated with a special targeting molecule specific for the heat-treated tumor. Much of that work was done in the laboratory of Erkki Ruoslahti, a cell biologist and professor at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at UC Santa Barbara, and another co-author of the study.

"Think of them like soldiers attacking an enemy base," said Sailor. "The gold nanorods are the Special Forces, who come in first to mark the target. Then the Air Force flies in to deliver the laser-guided bomb. The devices are designed to minimize collateral damage to the rest of the body."

While one type of nanoparticle improves detection of the tumor, he said, the other is designed to kill the tumor. The researchers designed one type of responder particle with strings of iron oxide, which they called "nanoworms," that show up brightly in a medical magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, system. The second type is a hollow nanoparticle loaded with the anti-cancer drug doxorubicin. With the drug-loaded responder, the scientists demonstrated in their experiments that a tumor growing in a mouse can be arrested and then shrunk. "The nanoworms would be useful to help the medical team identify the size and shape of a tumor in a patient before surgery, while the hollow nanoparticles might be used to kill the tumor without the need for surgery," .

"This study is important because it is the first example of a combined, two-part nanosystem that can produce sustained reduction in tumor volume in live animals,".

The project was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health. Bhatia is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Nanotechnology and the apparel industry - Aarkstore Enterprise

2010-01-06T02:07:00.002-08:00

While nanotechnology is only in its earliest stages of development and application within the apparel industry, experts agree that nano-enhanced garments will likely become as expected and commonplace as attributes such as stretch, breathability and comfort.

One thing is clear, if investment by other industries is any indication of market potential, apparel is on track to reap many benefits.

The first in a series of timely Executive Briefings, provides a completely fresh look at how nanotechnology - by enhancing the functionality of fashion at all levels, from athletic wear to luxury - is set to completely revolutionise the apparel sector.

Ceres Nanosciences Launches New Product: Nanotrap ESP

2010-01-06T02:07:00.001-08:00

The Nanotrap™ ESP product targets end users working with a variety of sample types that require a more efficient and powerful method of sample preparation for downstream detection and analysis.

Nanotrap™ ESP Particles improve the sensitivity of any gel electrophoresis protein detection method including silver staining, Coomassie Blue, Western Blotting and mass spectroscopy analysis.

The ability to rapidly harvest multiple proteins and peptides from a single sample makes Nanotrap™ ESP particles an ideal tool for researchers interested in rapid sample processing of low abundance proteins or for the discovery of unknown proteins and peptides present in samples containing high-abundance interfering proteins.

The use of this technology for these applications has recently been published by Dr. Lance Liotta and Dr. Emanuel Petricoin in the journals Nano Research and Nano Letters in 2008 and 2009. "Currently, the single largest barrier to biomarker measurement is the inherent lack of sensitivity of most proteomics platforms" said Emanuel Petricoin, Ph. D., co-director of the Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine at George Mason University. "The Nanotrap ESP technology provides a powerful new sample preparation approach that tremendously increases the concentration of the biomarker, and greatly aids our own disease biomarker research."

Quantum age edges closer

2010-01-06T02:06:00.000-08:00

Quantum computing relies on controlling and observing the behaviour of quantum particles - for instance individual electrons - to deliver enormous processing power.

In the two breakthroughs, written up in the international journals Nano Letters and Applied Physics Letters, researchers have for the first time demonstrated two ways to deliberately place an electron in a nano-sized device on a silicon chip.

The achievements set the stage for the next crucial steps of being able to observe and then control the electron's quantum state or "spin", to create a quantum bit.

Multiple quantum bits coupled together make up the processor of a quantum computer.

Professor Andrew Dzurak, the NSW Node Director of the Australian National Fabrication Facility at UNSW and Dr Andrea Morello, Manager of the Quantum Measurement and Control Chip Program at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Quantum Computer Technology, were leaders in the breakthrough work.

In research just published in Applied Physics Letters, the team, including PhD student Wee Han Lim, were able to accurately localise a single electron in silicon without it being attached to an atom. This "artificial atom" is known as a "quantum dot".

Dr Morello said the quantum dot avoided the difficulty of having to introduce single atoms in precise positions in a silicon chip.

In a separate project, published in the journal Nano Letters, the researchers, including PhD student Kuan Yen Tan, used "nature's own way" to localise electrons, by binding them to single atoms.

Quantum computing's power comes from the fact that electrons can have a "spin" pointing in one of two directions. The spin position can be used in the same way that zeroes and ones represent data in today's computers.

However electrons can also hold intermediate spin positions, or quantum states, which is what gives quantum computing its power.

While today's computers increase their power linearly with the number of bits added, quantum bits, when coupled together, can deliver an exponential increase in their ability to represent data.

The other leaders of the research team are Professor David Jamieson at the University of Melbourne, and Dr Mikko Möttönen at the Helsinki University of Technology. Students Wee Han Lim and Kuan Yen Tan have just completed their PhD degrees in the UNSW School of Electrical Engineering and Telecommunications.

World’s First Mandatory National Nanotech Requirement Pending

2010-01-06T02:05:00.000-08:00

Canada is reportedly planning in February to become the first nation in the world to require companies to detail their use of engineered nanomaterials. The information gathered under the requirement will be used to evaluate the risks of engineered nanomaterials and will help to develop appropriate safety measures to protect human health and the environment.

The one-time request will gather information that will be used towards the development of a regulatory framework and will target companies and institutions that manufactured or imported a total quantity greater than 1kg of a nanomaterial during the 2008 calendar year, according to a spokesperson for Environment Canada. The upcoming requirement is not a regulation or rule that will require users to submit information on a continual basis

Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) experts have been urging increased oversight of nanotechnologies in recent years, and note the move by the Canadian government is a significant step for consumer and environmental protection.

“Nanotechnology is developing rapidly. People and the environment are being increasingly exposed to new nanomaterials. Yet governments lack information on the type, quantity and possible risks of nanoscale materials being manufactured and used in products today. This is information that is vital to ensuring the safe use of nanotechnology,” according to Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for PEN. “This decision by Canada to establish the world’s first national mandatory nanoscale materials reporting requirement for companies is an important step toward ensuring that nanotechnology regulation is driven by accurate information and high-quality science.”

Canada’s action comes shortly after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an interim report on its Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program, a voluntary information submission program that has received limited industry participation. The EPA report notes the lack of data the program garnered and says the agency will consider how best to use the federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to gather more risk data. Previous studies by PEN experts have concluded that TSCA is “extremely deficient,” and that EPA has not effectively used the tools it has under that law to address nanotechnology, keeping the agency from identifying which substances are nanomaterials and whether they pose a hazard.

Nanotech-enabled Consumer Products Top the 1,000 Mark

2010-01-06T02:04:00.000-08:00

Over 1,000 nanotechnology-enabled products have been made available to consumers around the world, according to the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). The most recent update to the group’s three-and-a-half-year-old inventory reflects the increasing use of the tiny particles in everything from conventional products like non-stick cookware and lighter, stronger tennis racquets, to more unique items such as wearable sensors that monitor posture.

“The use of nanotechnology in consumer products continues to grow rapidly,” says PEN Director David Rejeski. “When we launched the inventory in March 2006 we only had 212 products. If the introduction of new products continues at the present rate, the number of products listed in the inventory will reach close to 1,600 within the next two years. This will provide significant oversight challenges for agencies like the Food and Drug Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission, which often lack any mechanisms to identify nanotech products before they enter the marketplace.”

Health and fitness items continue to dominate the PEN inventory, representing 60 percent of products listed. More products are based on nanoscale silver—used for its antimicrobial properties—than any other nanomaterial; 259 products (26 percent of the inventory) use silver nanoparticles. The updated inventory represents products from over 24 countries, including the US, China, Canada, and Germany. This update also identifies products that were previously available, but for which there is no current information.

The release of the updated inventory coincides with a public hearing on the agenda and priorities of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) where project director David Rejeski testified. The CPSC, with a staff of fewer than 400 employees, oversees the safety of 15,000 types of consumer products.

Andrew Maynard, chief science advisor for PEN, noted that “the CPSC deserves credit for focusing on nanotechnologies. The resources available to the agency to address health and safety issues are negligible compared to the over $1.5 billion federal investment in nanotechnology research and development.”

Nanotechnology Could Be Next Wrinkle Fighter

2010-01-06T02:02:00.000-08:00

The next big idea in preventing wrinkles is very, very small. Nano small.

A Michigan State University chemical engineer has discovered that nanoparticles can stop thin polymer films from buckling and wrinkling. It's a new solution to a critical problem as thin films become more important in new technology such as electronic monitors.

The cosmetic arsenal to fight human wrinkles embraces technologies that seems crossed with science fiction - from microdermabrasians to lasers to Botox injections - and nanoparticles are poised to join the war by warding off dreaded buckles in human skin.

Ilsoon Lee, an assistant professor of chemical engineering, along with Ph.D. student Troy Hendricks, published an online article in the American Chemical Society's Nano Letters in December 2006 that outlines the potential of using infinitesimally small nanoparticles - 50nm - between films to smooth out the tiny buckles that are the origin of wrinkles.

While the article addresses breakthroughs in the buckling of polymer films as they were compressed or heated during the manufacturing process, Ilsoon said the principles show promise to apply to human skin.

The research is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

On all fronts, it's all about nailing a wrinkle before it starts.

"Everything starts at a really small scale, so if we can prevent the buckling at the very beginning - at the nano level - we can eliminate large scale wrinkles," Ilsoon said. "Wrinkles can initiate from the small scale, and when it grows we cannot remove it."

Nanoparticles already have entered the cosmetic marketplace because they can penetrate deeper into the skin, transporting vitamins and other compounds to plump and smooth tissue. But Ilsoon envisions thin films that can be injected beneath the thinning outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, that over time stiffens and buckles with aging, and the thicker dermis beneath it, which remains more pliable over time. Think of a raisin.

Ilsoon explained that nanoparticles spread in a thin film can break up the compressive forces on a plane and redirect them. Once the force is reduced below the critical buckling strain, the film will not buckle. No buckles, no wrinkles. The nanoparticles in the film can be stress busters without affecting the neighboring layers.

"The wrinkle-free films will automatically absorb or deflect the stress and stay flat, just as they are after formation,".

Nanoparticle films wouldn't be a face-lift itself, but Ilsoon sees the possibility in a film that could be added during a cosmetic procedure - such as an eyelift - to stabilize the improvements and prevent further wrinkling. He also sees applications in medical procedures - such as artificial skins for surgery.

The ideas are in the early stages with health and safety concerns to be worked through. Already Ilsoon's lab, with collaborators, is testing polymer films, by applying various cells and proteins to see if there are toxic reactions.

What is Nanotechnology

2010-01-01T21:11:00.000-08:00

Nanotechnology is the creation of functional materials, devices, and systems through control of matter on the nanometer (1 to 100+ nm) length scale and the exploitation of novel properties and phenomena developed at that scale.

A scientific and technical revolution has begun that is based upon the ability to systematically organize and manipulate matter on the nanometer length scale.

Examples of nanotechnology applications:

• giant magnetoresistance in nanocrystalline materials

• nanolayers with selective optical barriers, hard coatings

• dispersions with optoelectronic properties, high reactivity

• chemical and bio-detectors

• advanced drug delivery systems

• chemical-mechanical polishing with nanoparticle slurries

• new generation of lasers

• nanostructured catalysts

• systems on a chip

• carbon nanotube products

• nanoparticle reinforced materials

• thermal barrier

• ink jet systems

• information recording layers

• molecular sieves

• high hardness cutting tools

Nano Self-Assembly: An NSTI Executive Briefing

2010-01-01T21:10:00.001-08:00

"Nano-structured fluids research has long been the domain of consumer products and foods companies such as L’Oréal, Proctor and Gamble, and Nestlé. Innovative work on next-generation consumer products such as cosmetics, paints, ice cream, and shampoo has been based on nano-structured fluids science for years. 'We view nano-structured fluids as a major growth area for business and scientific development. The capability of this area of science to unlock principals of self-assembly has the potential to greatly impact and accelerate commercialization of nanotechnology.' Said Bart Romanowicz, NSTI executive director of technology. But, new revelations over nano-structured fluids' remarkable property of "dynamic self-assembly" are bringing new nano-scientists to the table, according to Fiona Case, the Nanotech 2005 program chair for the event's first Nano-Structured Fluids symposium.

University of Washington to Acquire Key Instrument for Nanotechnology Research

2010-01-01T21:09:00.001-08:00

The University of Washington will acquire an electron beam lithography machine, a key instrument required to build devices at the nanometer scale. A $1.3 million gift from the Washington Research Foundation provides about half the cost of the $2.5 million electron beam lithography machine, which will be the only one of its kind in the Northwest.

"The electron beam lithography machine will give researchers at the University of Washington the ability to work on nanoscale projects with a broad range of possible commercial applications," said Ron Howell, CEO of the Washington Research Foundation. "This tool will place the university among a handful of institutions with such a capability. Ultimately, it could lead to the creation of many new companies and products."

The Washington Research Foundation was created in 1981 to support research and entrepreneurship at state research institutions. The gift is among the largest gifts in its history.
Nanoscale devices have promising commercial potential for solar cell materials, new displays, memory chips, photonic devices and biological sensors, among many other applications.

"Our region has the capacity for being a serious player in nanoscience. This is a key piece that will allow Pacific Northwest researchers to compete in this field in the international arena," said Matt O'Donnell, dean of the College of Engineering.

The remaining $1.2 million of the machine's cost will come from the UW through the Innovative Research Teams fund, a state program created by the Economic Development Commission to recruit researchers in areas that have the potential for significant economic impact.

The electron beam lithography machine works by scanning a beam of electrons across a surface to sketch small-scale patterns that can be used in circuits or other devices. In the commercial processes used to build computer chips, light is generally used instead of an electron beam -- which is ideal for large-scale device production, but is not as flexible or precise as using electron beams. An electron beam lithography tool like this one can draw devices down to about 10-nanometer resolution on surfaces up to eight inches wide. The device can also be used to build 3-D structures by building multiple layers. A nanometer is a unit of measurement equal to one billionth of a meter.

The UW's portion was part of a recruitment package for Michael Hochberg, an assistant professor of electrical engineering, who arrived at the UW from the California Institute of Technology in 2007.

Hochberg's research is in nanophotonics, a field that uses light photons rather than electrons to transmit and process information. Using photons allows the possibility of creating tiny chips that use less power and transmit information more quickly than current electronic devices. Hochberg's lab members are expected to be major users for the new machine.
"This is the most flexible, capable machine that you would buy to build nanostructures," Hochberg said. "This is a prototyping machine -- the kind of system used to prototype technologies that are still five, 10 or 20 years out."

Other local researchers have already expressed interest. About 30 UW faculty members said they will make use of the device, including members of the departments of physics, electrical engineering, bioengineering and chemistry. Researchers at a number of local companies have expressed a strong interest in using the machine, which will be housed in Fluke Hall at the Washington Technology Center clean room, a state-funded micro- and nano-fabrication facility on the UW campus.

The machine should be installed within a year and will be available at a fee for use by those inside and outside the UW doing nanotechnology research.

Nanotechnology researcher to receive Sackler Prize in Biophysics

2010-01-01T21:08:00.001-08:00

Dr. David Baker, University of Washington (UW) professor of biochemistry and an investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Research Institute, has been selected to receive the 2008 Raymond & Beverly Sackler International Prize in Biophysics, along with Dr. Martin Gruebele of the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and Dr. Jonathan Weissman of the University of California, San Francisco.

The field for this year’s prize was the physics of structure formation and self-assembly of proteins and nucleic acids. The award will be presented to the three scientists Dec. 15 at Israel’s Tel Aviv University.…

Baker is being honored for his seminal contributions to computer-based studies of the manner and the speed in which chains of amino acids fold into protein molecules. Anyone who has tried to put together a cardboard box knows the importance of proper folding to get a useful product. The same is true when the body manufactures proteins.

Creating computer models of protein-folding is essential for figuring out how genetic information directs protein formation, how proteins work, and how misfolded, misshapen, and malfunctioning proteins might underlie serious degenerative diseases.

Baker has developed computer programs to predict protein structures from amino acid sequences in DNA. His program, Rosetta, is among the most accurate. He has combined data from nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and X-ray defraction [sic] imaging with his computer modeling to more quickly delineate protein molecule structures. He also researches the ways that molecular configurations of proteins determine their functions in biochemical reactions.

In addition, Baker and his team have developed new protein folds and have designed and built functional enzymes, and engineered protein interactions, that previously did not exist in nature. His group has also contributed new ways of studying proteins in membranes the thin fatty covering that separates the inside of the cell from the external environment. These transmembrane proteins include molecular channels that permit the flow of calcium into and out of the cell, and that are responsible for the passage of neural impulses and communication between cells. The Baker group was able to apply the Rosetta program to these unusual proteins by treating the membranes as a series of layers with different protein folding requirements.

Baker has involved people of all ages and backgrounds from around the world in helping with protein folding research. People donate their idle computer time to a project called Rosetta@home (http://boinc.bakerlab.org/rosetta/). The combined computing power of thousands of home computers around the globe (called “distributed computing”) allows for lengthy, complicated analysis of the data needed to study how proteins are assembled.

Targeted Nanoparticles Deliver Therapeutic DNA to Cancer Cells

2010-01-01T21:07:00.002-08:00

Given that cancer is a disease caused by gene mutations, cancer researchers have been striving to develop gene therapies aimed at correcting these mutations. However, these efforts have been hobbled by the difficulty in safely and efficiently delivering anticancer genes to tumors. Nanoparticles, however, may solve these delivery issues, and two recently published studies, using two different types of nanoparticles, lend credence to that hypothesis.

Miqin Zhang, Ph.D., PI of the Nanotechnology Platform for Pediatric Brain Cancer Imaging and Therapy project at the University of Washington in Seattle, led a group of researchers that developed a targeted polymer nanoparticle that efficiently delivered a model gene into two types of cancer cells. More importantly, the gene functions properly once it enters the targeted cells. In the second study, Mansoor Amiji, Ph.D., PI of the Nanotherapeutic Strategy for Multidrug Resistant Tumors Platform Partnership at Northeastern University, and doctoral student Padmaja Magadala, M.S., used gelatin-based nanoparticles and a different targeting agent to efficiently deliver the same model gene to human pancreatic tumor cells. As in the first study, the delivered gene functioned properly inside the tumor cells.

The nanoparticle developed by Dr. Zhang’s group was made of two polymers—polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyethylene glycol (PEG)—linked to chlorotoxin, a small protein isolated from scorpion venom. Previous research by several research teams had shown that chlorotoxin binds many types of tumors, including gliomas and medulloblastomas, two types of brain cancer. PEI forms stable nanoparticles that bind deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), but the resulting nanoparticles can be toxic. Adding PEG to the nanoparticles provides a biocompatible surface that greatly reduces the toxicity of PEI.

As a test, Dr. Zhang and her colleagues used these nanoparticles to deliver DNA that codes for green fluorescent protein (GFP), which is used widely to study gene expression. When added to tumor cells expressing the chlorotoxin receptor, the nanoparticles were quickly taken up by the cells. The cells also turned green, thanks to the expression of GFP. In contrast, nanoparticles lacking chlorotoxin were not taken up by the cells, and tumor cells lacking the chlorotoxin receptor did not take up the nanoparticles.

(The three scientists credited with discovering and developing GFP as a critical research tool were awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. One of those scientists, Roger Tsien, Ph.D., is an investigator at NCI’s Center of Nanotechnology for Treatment, Understanding, and Monitoring of Cancer at the University of California, San Diego.)

Dr. Amiji’s approach differed, in that he used a peptide that targets the epidermal growth factor receptor that is overexpressed by several types of tumors, including pancreatic cancer. He also used a nanoparticle constructed from negatively charged gelatin, which readily incorporates DNA and other nucleic acids, which are positively charged at normal physiological pH. The structure of the nanoparticle material also promotes DNA to take on a supercoiled structure that is efficiently taken up and transported to the cell’s nucleus, a critical factor for gene expression to occur. To improve the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles, Dr. Amiji also used PEG to coat the nanoparticles.
When added to pancreatic cells, nearly half of the administered dose of these engineered, targeted nanoparticles were taken up by pancreatic tumor cells, a remarkably high value. More importantly, a large percentage of the transfected cells subsequently expressed GFP. In addition, the nanoparticles were not toxic to the cells, an important finding given that they did not contain any therapeutic agent.

The work from Dr. Zhang’s group, which was detailed in the paper “A ligand-mediated nanovector for targeted gene delivery and transfection in cancer cells,” was supported by the NCI Alliance for Nanotechnology in Cancer, a comprehensive initiative designed to accelerate the application of nanotechnology to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. An abstract of this paper is available at the journal’s Web site.

Insurers Scrutinize Nanotechnology

2010-01-01T21:07:00.001-08:00

Insurance companies are increasingly concerned about the risks of nanotechnology, according to the article. "Nanotechnology is a big problem because the technology is moving much faster, as we all know, than information on health and environmental safety," says Robert Blaunstein of Nanotechnology Risk Management, a firm that advises insurers and companies on how to manage the risks of nanotechnology. Despite hundreds of products claiming to contain nanomaterials already on the shelves, risk research is underfunded and the risks of nanotechnology are poorly understood. Lloyd's, a United Kingdom insurance firm, has listed nanotechnology at the top of its "emerging risks" list. It, along with Swiss Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance firms, are both recommending a precautionary approach to manufacturers and insurers. Blaunstein adds, "...if [insurers] learn more about it, learn how to manage it, I think clearly they would be in a better position to provide insurance." The article can be viewed online at the link below.

UW CNT Fellowship Call - Due May 4th

2010-01-01T21:06:00.001-08:00

The University of Washington Center for Nanotechnology (CNT) welcomes student-initiated proposals for CNT Graduate Traineeships. These traineeships will provide stipends to excellent students doing frontier, interdisciplinary dissertation research in nanoscale science and technology. Our primary goal is to foster highly talented students' education for leadership positions in academic, governmental, and industrial settings by providing them with financial resources to pursue innovative research projects in high-risk, interdisciplinary areas involving new collaborations at the leading edge of nanoscale science and engineering. Further goals are to provide seed funding for proof-of-principle experiments and theoretical approaches that enhance future funding opportunities, to foster research bridging nanotechnology and medicine, and to promote community outreach. Collaborative off-site research, either domestic or international, is also encouraged, either within year-long traineeships or separately.

Credit-Card Sized Tool to Test for Malaria

Researchers at the University of Washington (UW), Seattle, have created a credit-card sized tool that can be used to test for malaria.

2009 UW CNT Conference on Nanotechnology & UW/NIMS MOLAT Forum

2010-01-01T21:05:00.001-08:00

Abstract:REGISTRAR NOW for this FREE 3 day conference! The Center for Nanotechnology at the University of Washington will be holding its annual IGERT Nanotechnology Conference jointly with Japan’s National Institute for Material Science (NIMS) on June 10th, 11th and 12th at the UW Tower. The themes for this year’s conference are photonics, energy and bio-nanotechnology.

The three day event will consist of plenary sessions, poster session and reception and facility tours of the Center for Nanotechnology. Featured speakers include George Whitesides from Harvard University, James Gimzewski from UCLA, and Bryon Gates from Simon Fraser University.

where science fiction meets reality

2010-01-01T21:04:00.002-08:00

Nanotechnology, while not providing a cure for everything, is defined by the length scale when scientists and engineers discover new phenomena. It provides exquisite new tools to engineer novel materials and devices at the nanoscale, and to study biology. A nanometer, one billionth of a meter, is about 10,000 times narrower than a human hair. Major technological revolutions, including the industrial revolution and the dawn of the information era, have revealed how new discoveries can drastically change our lives. There is no doubt that rapid technological transformations require new paradigms of how to educate the next generation of leaders in academia and industry.

By virtue of their interdisciplinary nature, rapid advances in nanoscale science and technology can only thrive in a collaborative environment in which faculty and students from different disciplines discuss ideas, work together, and share their expertise.

The Center for Nanotechnology at the University of Washington was created in 1997 to address these changing realities. It brings together faculty members and students from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, Pharmacy, and the School of Medicine. The Center enjoys major financial support from the University of Washington Initiatives Fund (UIF) and National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (NSF-IGERT) program

2010-01-01T21:04:00.001-08:00

Surface and the core of Au nanoparticles with 2 nm in diameter show ferromagnetic and paramagnetic character, respectively. The large spin-orbit coupling of these noble metals can yield to a large anisotropy and therefore exhibit high ordering temperatures. More surprisingly, permanent magnetism was observed up to room temperature for thiol-capped Au nanoparticles. For nanoparticles with sizes below 2 nm the localized carriers are in the 5 d band. Bulk Au has an extremely low density of states and becomes diamagnetic, as is also the case for bare Au nanoparticles. This observation suggested that modification of the d band structure by chemical bonding can induce ferromagneticlike character in metallic clusters.

Enhanced strength and toughness

2010-01-01T21:03:00.001-08:00

The strength and toughness of both ceramics and metals can be enormously enhanced if they are made out of nanoscale crystallites rather than the usual micron-sized grains. This effect is already widely exploited to make superior ceramics and tungsten carbide-cobalt composites. Ceramics made from nanoscale TiO2 particles not only sinter together even at 600°C, but also possess enhanced strength and toughness. There is a similar effect in metal systems. Nanocrystalline copper, for example, is up to five times stronger than ordinary copper. In this case, the explanation relies upon the observation that deformation in metals is generally carried by lattice defects called dislocations, and nanoscale copper crystals are actually too small to even contain dislocations. Aluminum also shows the same effect. A process called as equiangular extrusion is used to refine the grain size of the aluminum into the nanoscale, so that it will be hard and lose the ductility. Similar behavior is exhibited by gold.

Surface plasmon resonance and colour

2010-01-01T21:02:00.002-08:00

The optical properties of these Au and Ag nanoparticles are interesting. The colour of the metal nanoparticles is mainly based on the surface plasmon resonance. Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) is a physical process that can occur when planepolarized light hits a metal film under total internal reflection conditions. But SPR is confined to Au, Ag, Cu and alkali earth metals. It is accounted with the presence of loosely bound conduction electron present in these elements.

SPR dependencies and colour

The angle at which surface plasmon resonance occurs mainly depends on the nature of the metal, the wavelength of the incident light and the refractive index of the medium on either side of the metal surface. Because the refractive index is sensitive to temperature, it is important to perform the measurements at defined temperatures. In some cases, this dependency can be exploited. The metal must have conduction band electrons capable of resonating with the incoming light at a suitable wavelength. Metals that satisfy this condition are silver, gold, copper, aluminum, sodium and indium. In addition, the metal surface must be free of oxides, sulphides and not react with other molecules on exposure to the atmosphere or liquid. Of the metals, indium is too expensive, sodium is too reactive, copper and aluminum are too broad in their SPR response and silver is too susceptible to oxidation. This leaves gold as the most practical metal. Gold is resistant to oxidation and other atmospheric contaminants, but it is compatible with a lot of chemical modification systems. The light source should be monochromatic and p-polarized (polarized in the plane of the surface) to obtain a sharp dip as shown in

Electronic configurations

2010-01-01T21:02:00.001-08:00

Bulk gold is a renowned conductor of electricity, with a conductivity value that is beaten only by copper and silver. This property arises directly from its electronic configuration. However, even this familiar ‘fact’ is overturned at the nanoscale. Gold structures at the bottom end of the nanoscale may, depending on shape and substrate, actually be semiconductor with a significant value of band gap.

The transition occurs somewhere between 1 and 3 nm, corresponding to a hemispherical cluster containing between 15 and 150 atoms. The special electronic configuration of small nanoparticles results, from the fact that their physical dimensions are smaller than the characteristic dimension of the electron wave function of the bulk material. Such tiny particles, termed as quantum dots or artificial atoms if they are disc-shaped, have been proposed as the basis of a new generation of nanoscale electronic devices. Recently the electronic properties of gold nanoparticles have been examined on the basis of density functional theory (DFT). They have shown that for Au8 , the energy difference between HOMO and LUMO is highest and the frontier wave function has considerable mixing of s and d character. The catalytic activities of such exceedingly small clusters have been found to be acutely size dependent, peaking in one example at a cluster diameter of close to 3 nm, and falling sharply within 0.5 nm either side . One interpretation of this is that the best catalytic activity is actually derived from a particular value of the band gap, and too great a gap, or none at all, is less favorable. It should be noted that gold is not unique in this respect, and that other noble metals, such as Pd and Pt, exhibit similar properties.

Gold, Silver and Platinum Nanomaterials

2010-01-01T21:01:00.001-08:00

Introduction

Metal nanomaterials have received considerable attention in the last decade in science and technology. The nature and behavior of the metal nanomaterials are different from that of the bulk material. Metal nano particles find wide application in various fields. Metals are unique in their physical and chemical properties as compared to other compound materials such as metal oxides, sulphides and nitrides. Metals have ductility, malleability, luster, high density, fewer defects and are generally crystalline in nature. Though the metal nanoparticles were synthesized and used from the ancient days even in the era of the Alchemists, lack of enough characterization techniques such as electron microscopes has left the nanoscience unexplored till recently.

In ancient days, the only characterization of metal nanoparticles is naked eye. The colouring nature of Au and Ag nanoparticles was fundamental identification for their nanoparticle colloid formation. Making use of this, they have been used as coloring agents in decorative glasses and clothing. This is due to light-absorbing nature of the surface of Au and Ag nanoparticles because of the surface plasmon resonance. Pt nanoparticles are catalytically active for oxidation and reduction reactions. As a result, these nanomaterials find applications for catalytic use. Since Au, Ag and Pt nano particles have considerable stability as compared to other metals, they have gained importance. However, in the near future, all metals will be possibly shaped in nanosize by using suitable stabilizing agents and medium. In this chapter nature and applications of the nanomaterial of chosen metals are described. However, closer to each other in the periodic table, the physical properties of the nanosize materials of these metals vary drastically. To begin with, it is essential to comprehend fundamental properties of these (Ag, Au and Pt) metals.

Molecular switches for communication sectror

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The principle is to insert in the structure of a mixed valence compound a molecular bridge with two possible states: "ON" (i.e. a non-zero electronic coupling between extremities), and "OFF" (i.e. no coupling). Thus we monitor the photo induced electron transfer process where an electron moves from one end to the other of the molecule.

Alternative materials and operating principles for the elaboration and communication of data in electronic circuits and optical networks must be identified. Organic molecules are promising candidates for the realization of future digital processors. Their attractive features are the miniaturized dimensions and the high degree of control on molecular design possible in chemical synthesis. Indeed, nanostructures with engineered properties and specific functions can be assembled relying on the power of organic synthesis. In particular, certain molecules can be designed to switch from one state to another, when addressed with chemical, electrical, or optical stimulations, and to produce a detectable signal in response to these transformations. Binary data can be encoded on the input stimulations and output signals employing logic conventions and assumptions similar to those ruling digital electronics.

Thus, binary inputs can be transduced into binary outputs relying on molecular switches. Presently, these simple molecular processors are far from any practical application. However, these encouraging results demonstrate already that chemical systems can process binary data with designed logic protocols. Further fundamental studies on the various facets of this emerging area will reveal if and how molecular switches can become the basic components of future logic devices. After all, chemical computers are available already. We all carry one in our head! And the molecules which can act as the molecular switches are fullerene derivatives, biological molecules, DNA base guanine etc.

Light emitting diode materials

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GaN based lighting

GaN based lighting has potential to give a huge financial reward all over the world. The penetration of GaN based LED lighting to all lighting applications would imply a major improvement in efficiency and this would reduce the world power consumption by ~1000 TWh pa. with 10 % of world energy worth $100 bn used to produce light, efficiency savings would have a major impact on energy efficiency. Replacement of car headlights, fluorescent tubes, and street lights require the quality of white LEDs to improve - if white LEDs were as efficient as current red ones, all lights would be replaced. Other nano materials in light emitting devices which are used in the communication sector are GaN, GaAlAs, GaAs, InGaAsP, and GaP, AlAs etc. Among nano organic LED’s Poly [2- methoxy-5-(2’-) ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-Phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPB) is one example. Liquid Crystals as well as having applications in displays have potential applications for improving switching speeds in telecoms by replacement of silicon. They also have potential as photonic materials leading to improved optical materials with higher resolution. LCDs continue to develop and underpin many applications – laptops, mobile phones, etc. Constant advances are being made in low power-consumption devices and displays. Further to this, development of non-display applications is becoming increasingly important: e.g. lasing and photonics, telecoms, biology / medicine, control of microwaves. Soap is an example of liquid crystal. Cyanophenyl materials, fluorinated tolans, biological membranes, phospholipids and the protein solution that is extruded by the spider to generate silk is a liquid crystal phase.

Carbon nanotube emitters

Standard electron emitters are based either on thermionic emission of electrons from heated filaments with low work functions or field emission from sharp tips. The latter generates monochromatic electron beams; however, ultrahigh vacuum and high voltages are required. Further the emission current is typically limited to several micro amperes. Carbon fibers typically 7 μm in diameters have been used as the electron emitters; however they suffer from poor reproducibility and rapid deterioration of the tip. Carbon nano tubes have high aspect ratios and small tip radius of curvature. The ability to emit electrons from the body of nano tubes was attributed to the small radius of the tubes and the presence of defects on the surface of carbon nano tubes. VII. Wireless communication Most of the communication systems are either based on radio frequency or on microwave. If proven to be effective, nano-materials will eventually replace the current materials used in all these devices. NTT Electronics Corporation has endeavored to commercialize new laser emission sources that are optimum for next-generation communication systems and applications in non-communication fields such as medicine and the environment. Wireless is an old-fashioned term for a radio receiver, referring to its use as a wireless telegraph; now the term is used to describe modern wireless connections such as in cellular networks and wireless broadband Internet.

A wireless LAN or WLAN is a wireless local area network that uses radio waves as its carrier. The backbone network usually uses cables, with one or more wireless access points connecting the wireless users to the wired network. Materials in its nano form show peculiar electric and magnetic properties. Hence nanomaterials are incorporated into wireless LAN systems to attain a magnetic resonance of suitable frequency.

Photonic Crystals and Photonic Integrated Circuits

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Photonic crystals and photonic integrated circuits could pack in individual components a million times more densely than conventional ones. The tighter confinement and novel dispersion properties also open up many new applications, particularly for nonlinear (optical) devices and very low power devices in communication sector. The role of nanotechnology is fundamental to such exploitation, because quantum effects appear on small length and time-scales. Photonic nanocrystals are periodic dielectric or metallic structures having photonic bands in analogy to electronic bands of semiconductors. The presence of photonic band-gaps, where the propagation of photons of certain frequencies is prohibited, and the variety of photon dispersions give rise to novel and unusual optical phenomena. Examples of such photonic nano crystals include InGaAsP/InP 2D photonic crystals, 2D AlGaAs, silicon nitride/silicon-oxide etc.

ipod nano 4th generation black

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ipod nano 3nd generation

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ipod nano 2nd generation

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ipod nano 1st generation

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i pad nano picture

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MEMS based worldwide Network/Communications Options

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There are three major satellite networks based on MEMS. They are

1. RF-based Satellite Constellation: Probes directly and send discrete data packets to (Low earth orbit) LEO satellite(s) for collection.

2. Mobile Ad hoc Network: Data packets hop through mobile network to be distributed at exfiltration nodes.

3. Hybrid: Combination of the two depending upon probe location and conditions.

Spreading the energy of the communications signal over a wider range of frequencies can be accomplished in a number of different ways. Two of the methods are frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS). Both methods use a related but different approach to spread the signal. Ultra-wideband techniques spread the signal over very large frequency ranges. In each case, the key is to make certain that the transmitter and receiver can lock in quickly and synchronize the spreading and dispreading actions.

High frequency communication devices

Advanced information and communication networks are constantly evolving to keep up with the popularity of mobile phones, personal computers, and the Internet. High frequency devices are becoming essential for wireless communications with higher speed and higher capacity to provide greater mobility for users.

a) Monolithic microwave IC (MMIC):

Micro wave communication is a most popular and widely used means of communication especially in the case of cell phones. The very fact that the microwave also travels with almost the same velocity as that of light, made this momentum possible. Microwave can penetrate earths atmosphere without loss and can travel all the way to mars and even further. Normally used microwave frequency range is around 3-300 GHz. And common source used was silicon transistor of 25 GHz as the source. Much more high frequency and compact sources of GaAs (50 GHz) and InP (180 GHz) are replacing the conventional sources currently. Transistors and passive parts are integrated into the same GaAs substrate provides high functionality and high performance in extremely high frequency (EHF), plus miniaturization by function integration. Demand is increasing for MMIC’s in fields of satellite communications, high-speed wireless access, and intelligent transportation systems.

b) Low Noise HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor)

Used for BS/CS broadcast reception; meets requirements for lower noise characteristics in a higher frequency for interactive digital satellite broadcasting systems. Lead-less structure provides excellent high frequency characteristics and stable performance.

c) High Power FET (Field Effect Transistor)

Used for transmission of terrestrial microwave communications and satellite communications, plus communications between base stations for cell phones and wireless Internet access. Their high power, high efficiency, and low noise are ideal for applications in base stations for high-speed and high capacity digital information, an expanding market.

Semiconductor lasers

The semiconductor lasers that can generate blue-green light use materials which are the combination of elements of the second group (such as Cd and Zn) and the sixth group (S, Se). The principle of semiconductor laser is very different from CO2 and The semiconductor materials have valence band V and conduction band C, the energy level of conduction band is Eg (Eg>0) higher than that of valence band. To make things simple, we start our analysis supposing the temperature to be 0 K. It can be proved that the conclusions we draw under 0 K applies to normal temperatures. Semiconductor photon sources come in two major categories laser diodes and light-emitting diodes. Semiconductor lasers are the most basic of the existing laser types. In their simplest form

they consist of a small rectangular slab of semiconductor material with two cleaved facets to act as mirrors. The other facets are destroyed in some way (etched, ground, sawn, ion implanted) in order to avoid spurious laser modes.

Accomplishments based on MEMS

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Weather forecasting

Using one of the micro-weather stations, we can strip off the radio and can be wired in a laser pointer. This can go to a distant office laptop, where the software decodes flashing lights in the image, and can give the weather information 21 km away.

Large angle MEMS beam-steering

The laser motes above need to be aimed. A sub-millimeter mirror coupled to two motors on the same silicon chip. The motors can scan a reflected laser beam tens of degrees in either direction.

Silicon maple seeds

Using a honeycombed layer of silicon only 0.1 mm thick 3x10 mm winglet has been made. With a cubic millimeter of Silicon attached, these wings auto-rotate as they fall, just like a maple seed. The next generation will have solar cells built right in.

Smart dust virtual key board

Battlefield surveillance, treaty monitoring, transportation monitoring, scud hunting, etc. can be performed and be communicated.

Autonomous sensing and communication in a cubic millimeter

It is possible to glue a dust mote on to the fingernails. Accelerometers in the smart dust will sense the orientation and motion of each of the fingertips, and can talk to the computer in real time. Combined with MEMS the display, in entire computer I/O would be invisible to the people around us. Chatting can be done with wireless access and we need never be bored in a meeting again! It is a never ending list of applications such as the product quality monitoring, temperature & humidity monitoring of meat & dairy products, impact, vibration & temperature monitoring of consumer electronics etc. are of in credit to the smart dust. The Center for the Built Environment has fabulous plans for the office of the future in which environmental conditions are tailored to the desires of every individual. Maybe soon we'll all be wearing temperature, humidity, and environmental comfort sensors sewn into our clothes, continuously talking to our workspaces which will deliver conditions tailored to our needs.

Social welfare activities like developing interfaces for the handicapped or disabled with the potential benefits of outweighing the risks to personal privacy can be generated. A lot of people seem to be worried about environmental impact. Even in wildest imagination it doesn’t appears that we’ll be capable of making enough Smart Dust to bother anyone. If Intel stopped producing Pentia and produced only Smart Dust, and we spread them evenly around the country, we would get around one grain-of-sand sized mote per acre per year. If by ill chance we did inhale one, it would be just like inhaling a gnat. We would cough it up. Consider the scale - if we make a million dust motes, they have a total volume of one liter. Throwing a liter worth of batteries into the environment is certainly not going to help it, but in the big picture it probably doesn't make it very high on the list of bad things to do to the planet.

A smart dust can act as a distributed autonomous sensor network. Smart dust will facilitate innovative methods for micro fabrication technology and interact with the environment, providing more information from more places less intrusively. Smart dust requires evolutionary and revolutionary advances in miniaturization, integration and energy management. Potential uses include military applications in tracking enemy troop movements from above and detecting chemical warfare agents in the air. Monitoring weather conditions around the globe and detecting fires and earth quakes are among the nonmilitary uses. Stationary motes could be used to monitor the quality of products from factory to consumer.

Nano/Micro Electro Mechanical Systems

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Smart matter is another term for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), a technology

that combines computers with tiny mechanical devices such as sensors, valves, gears, mirrors, and actuators embedd d in semiconductor chips. Microelectronic integrated circuits can be thought of as the "brains" of a system and MEMS do this decision-making capability to allow microsystems to sense and control the environment. It will be the foundation technology of the next decade. Basically, a MEMS device contains microcircuitry on a tiny silicon chip into which some mechanical device such as a mirror or a sensor has been manufactured. Potentially, such chips can be built in large quantities at low cost, making them cost-effective for many uses. Presently available uses of MEMS are where one can include sensors that can be used for global tracking of the couriers or parcels. In flights the wing can be fabricated with sensors which can sense and react to the air flow by changing the wing surface resistance by creating indefinite number of tiny wing flaps. The optical lighting system can be made so effective so that the light signals over different paths can be switched on at 20 nano second switching speeds. In engines or in factories a sensor driven heating and cooling system is established that dramatically improve energy savings. And similarly building materials can incorporate sensors based on mems which can alter the flexibility properties of a material based on atmospheric stress sensing. MEMS devices are already used in such fields as the automotive industry, where they are incorporated into airbag and vehicle control; medicine, where they are used to control medication dosing and control medical devices such as pacemakers. They are used to make pressure, temperature, chemical and vibration sensors, light reflectors and switches as well as accelerometers for vehicle control.

The technology is also used to make ink jet print heads, micro actuators for read/write heads and all-optical switches that reflect light beams to the appropriate output port. MEMS combine many disciplines, including physics, bioinformatics, biochemistry, electrical engineering, optics and electronics. Typical MEMS devices combine sensing, processing or actuating functions to alter the way that the physical world is perceived and controlled. MEMS devices began to materialize as commercial products in the mid-1990s. Sometimes MEMS and nanotechnology are terms that are used interchangeably, because they both deal with microminiaturized objects. However, they are vastly different. MEMS deals with creating devices that are measured in micrometers, whereas nantotechnology deals with manipulating atoms at the nanometer level. MEMS produce environmental observing capabilities, Commensurate with advances in atmospheric models, Mitigate loss of life and property through improved planning / response; improve weather forecasts especially for high impact weather events. MEMS have a unique ability to collect information, process it, determine a course of action, and then act as a trigger by communicating through an electronic interface. These capabilities allow MEMS to provide the "nuts and bolts" of advanced applications known as "smart devices," such as collision avoidance systems and wireless handsets. MEMS devices do not work in isolation; they are embedded systems that make it possible for a component to perform higher level functions, such as controlling the fuel to air mixture in a car's engine.

In an optical switch, MEMS mirrors reflect the input signal to an output port without regard to line speed or protocol. This technology is expected to be the dominant method for building photonic switches which are essential part of the communication devices. In the future, nanotechnology will no doubt enable revolutionary sensors and communication devices although there are as of yet no commercial devices of this type based on true nanotechnology. However, because of the large potential markets, much effort is now being expended to create such devices.

Communication in bacteria

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Cell –cell signalling of bacteria consequences from the production of signalling molecules by emitter cells followed by its accumulation in the surrounding environment. When a particular threshold concentration is reached, the signalling molecules will bind to the receptors in the bacterial cell, which lead to the changes in gene expression in the responding cell. For intraspecies quorum sensing, the emitter and responder are usually the same type of cells. Often, but not always, the genes that are involved in synthesis and response activate their own expression thus acting as an auto inducer. A signalling molecule is considered to act at low concentrations and not to be involved in primary metabolism.

Satellite communication

A satellite is a radio relay station in orbit above the earth that receives, amplifies and redirects analog and digital signals contained within a carrier frequency. They are of three types. Geostationary (GEO) satellites are in orbit 22282 miles above the earth and rotate with the earth, thus appearing stationary. The downlink from GEOs to earth can be localized into small regions or cover up as much as a third of the earth's surface. Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites reside 1000 miles above the earth and revolve around the globe every couple of hours. They are in view for a few minutes, and multiple LEOs are required to keep continuous coverage. Medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellites are in the middle, taking about six hours to orbit the earth and can be viewed for a couple of hours.

The first communications satellite was launched in 1960 and it was an instrumented inflatable sphere which just reflected radio signals back to the earth. Semiconductor quantum dots, which cover almost completely the entire spectral region from the ultraviolet to the far infrared, with a small number of substrate materials are suitable candidates in satellite communications. Further advantages of quantum dot lasers are small energy consumption through low threshold current densities, a high modulation range for high-speed applications as well as improved temperature stability. For example

InGaAs Quantum dot lasers are already commercialised in communication satellites. Ken Teo and his team at the University of Cambridge have come up with a much more efficient and compact way to send signals from satellites. They have managed to use an array of carbon nanotubes to create a device that replaces conventional heavy, bulky, high temperature, microwave amplifiers. The new electron source promises to revolutionize telecommunications and satellite communications in space.

Communication, especially to remote areas, is made possible with the use of satellite-based transmitters. There are typically 50 microwave amplifiers on board a satellite, each weighing about 1kg and measuring about 30 cm in length. Currently it costs about 10,000 pounds sterling to send a single kilogram of payload (data) into space. There is an advantage, both in terms of cost savings and extra payload that can be carried, if the weight and size of the microwave devices are reduced.

In vivo communication - Nano acoustic messaging and DNA analysis

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Communication inside the body is happening in two ways.

1) Natural triggering - such as reflex action, antibody generation etc. where the neurons are the carriers for the information transfer.

2) Induced triggering – such as targeted drug delivery and isotropic activation analysis where the nano materials are having very significant role, where as in first case bio macro molecules are playing the significant role.

In isotropic activation analysis a particular isotopic substitution will be responsible for the communication. The medium of communication will be always an aqueous system inside the body. Hence not only the size but shape also matters. Nano devices to be used in vivo should be designed in such a way that there will be minimum amount of friction.

Even though nanotechnology is in its infancy, scientists & technologists will make use of it in all phases of life like never before. In future, they hope to mould quantum dots to track specific chemical reactions inside nuclei, such as how proteins assist repair DNA after irradiation. They have already visualized the ‘dots’ journey from the area surrounding the nucleus to inside the nucleus, an achievement that opens the door for real-time scrutiny of nuclear trafficking mechanisms. They also anticipate targeting other cellular organelles as well the nucleus, such as mitochondria and golgi bodies. Since, quantum dots emit different colours of light based on their size; they can be used to observe the transfer of material between cells.

Optical communication

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The science and technology of communication at a distance by electronic transmission of impulses, as by telegraph, cable, telephone, radio, or television is known as telecommunication. Optical communication is any form of telecommunication that uses light as the transmission medium. An optical communication system consists of a transmitter, which encodes a message into an optical signal, a channel, which carries the signal to its destination, and a receiver, which reproduces the message from the received optical signal. Optical fiber is the most universal type of channel for optical communications; still other types of optical waveguides are used within communications kit, and have even formed the channel of very short distance (e.g. chip-to-chip) ties in laboratory testing. The transmitters in optical fiber linkages are commonly light-emitting diodes (LEDs) or laser diodes. Infrared light, rather than visible light is utilized more frequently, because optical fibers transmit infrared wavelengths with less attenuation and dispersion. LEDs are mainly restricted to low data rates, up to about 100 Megabits per second (Mb/s). Lasers are exploited for higher data rates. These devices are often directly transformed which means that the light output is controlled by a current applied directly to the device. A group of theoretical physicists at the University of Arkansas has showed that under applied voltages, thin films composed of ferroelectric materials form "nanobubbles". They have the potential to store lots of information in a tiny space. This could force technologies from computers and portable electronics such as cell phones and MP3 players, to radio frequency identification devices. Novel optical properties can be created by mixing of nano particles of lead selenide (PbSe) and iron oxide (FeO).

Quantum Information processing

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As devices become smaller the principles of quantum mechanics become more and more imperative. Many new theoretical ideas have come into view and fundamental quantum physics researches have progressed in leaps and bounds over the last few years.

Consequently, features of genuine Quantum Information Processing could soon begin to be feasible commercially. Quantum Information Processing (QIP) is a major area for research materials such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) or diamond-like-Carbon which can be potentially renovated into efficient devices. Quantum computing which was suggested in 1970s completely relies on quantum physics, which permits the atoms and nuclei to work together as quantum bits or qubits and to be the computers processor and memory. Qubits can execute calculations exponentially faster than conventional computers. One important aspect of the communication sector is the security of information exchange. As the life is going to be networked in all sectors it is crucial to give more emphasis on the confidentiality of the official as well as personal mails. Quantum computing provides us unlimited processing power and secure communications. Those days have come to

reality, when we can decode the encrypted conversations by terrorists or others. The compactness and the rapidness were the main achievements that the new developments in this era have brought out. The miniaturization as well as fast and rapid satellite communications, wireless LAN systems, cellular phones etc. are possible only because of the smart nano materials.

Now the science and technology has developed to such an extent that a group of scientists were able to flip the electron and they noticed a current change associated with it. They have tried to flip a single electron upside down in an ordinary commercial transistor chip. That was the beginning of the quantum computers where a single electron spin represents a quantum bit, the fundamental building block of a quantum computer. It was amazing that the conventional silicon technology was sufficient and powerful enough to accommodate the future electronic requirements like quantum computing, which will depend on spin. Another recent approach of Jiang and Xiao was that to shine microwave radio frequency to flip the spin of electron. The experiments last but a fraction of second, but required years of work to reach this point.

With 100 transistors, each containing one of these electrons, we could have the implicit information storage that corresponds to all of the hard disks made in the world this year, multiplied by the number of years the universe has been around. As we have discussed quantum computation makes use of atoms as a basis for computation. Unlike classical logical devices, which only exist in two states (0 or 1), atoms can have three states (0 or 1 or 01 where the latter is a superposition of the first two states). Recently developed DNA computing provides an example of long term information storage. It is very compact and replicable; however it is not very fast. So its use as a model for information processing seems to be limited. Even in biological systems short term information storage is an energy consuming process. One example is the brain activity. This information storage timescales are very low when compared with microelectronics. Quantum structure electronic devices (QSDs) can confine electrons into regions of less than 20 nm, enhancing their performance. A principal aim of nanotechnology is to produce threedimensionally confined quantum structure electronic devices such as quantum wire and quantum dot devices. Some successful devices in this direction are quantum well lasers for telecommunications; High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) for low noise, high gain microwave applications; and Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSELs), for data communications, sensors, encoding and so on. Other application gadgets based on quantum dots, are on the verge of commercialisation.

Nanomaterials in Communication sector

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Introduction

Ever since the origin of life, communication in one form or the other was there in the history. Even the minute form of life such as bacterium and fungi are communicating, though the mechanism is different. There was an earlier saying that history cannot be changed. But the technology especially nanotechnology makes the revolutions in the history. There is no present and future, the development was such like a dream come true when one gets up from the sleep. In communication sector always the major factor was the medium. The change was so rapid that no one realized when the pigeon has become electrons. It is really thought provoking that how nanotechnology brings out revolutions in telecommunication as well as computing and networking industries.

Forthcoming developments in nanotechnology through which the impossible can be made possible are nanomaterials with novel optical, electrical, and magnetic properties, compact as well as fast non-silicon based chipsets for processors, quantum computing and DNA computing, development of telecom switches which are fast and reliable, micro-electro-mechanical systems and above all the development of imaging and microscopic systems with high resolution. So for these reasons it is not futile to examine the broad range of nanotechnology and the revolutions made by it in the field of telecommunications. Hence a detailed account of the types of communications and the recent development in this field is essential.

Electronic communication and informatics

Electronic communication can be defined as a communication by means of guided or unguided electromagnetic energy or both. Or it is a general term describing all forms of communication via electronic means such as internet, facsimile, satellite, cable, television, computers, networks, etc. A coherent technology will be required to continue the performance improvements in communication and informatics. Nanotechnology interphased with biological, physical and chemical sciences can bring much faster and powerful information handling equipments. The sudden leap to the nano regime will result in single-molecule and single-electron based transistors. And special devices can be made out of these kinds of transistors. Informatics is primarily concerned with the structure, creation, management, storage, retrieval, dissemination and the transfer of information. Informatics mainly has a processor which translates one programme to another which can be accessed and used. Hence it is the backbone of the communication sector. Each processor will contain definite number of transistors with specific functions associated with it. The first micro processor only had 22 hundred transistors.

Now we are looking for the processors with a billion transistors so that the flexibility of designing
devices will be enormous. The present communication systems are based fully on the silicon technology. In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore saw the future and he predicted that the number of transistors on a chip doubles about every two years. His prediction is popularly known as Moore’s law. Moore’s Law is coming to an end now, since microelectronics has so far not only sustained this pace but it has crossed the limit of the prediction. Recently Intel has introduced 65 nm generation logic technology which helps in improving performance and reducing power. They introduced sleep transistors which conserve power by allowing transistors to sleep when not in use, similar to the human brain. Intel strained silicon enables faster transistors by physically stretching the lattice structure of silicon atoms, allowing electrons to flow faster with less resistance. As can be seen, the silicon technology is entering into a near molecular regime as the current size has gone down to 25 nm. This scenario can even slowdown or even curtail the progress of silicon microelectronics where not only the manufacturing technology but also the fundamental science changes. Intel developed a new, ultra-fast, yet very low power 85 nm prototype transistor using indium antimonide (InSb) that could form the basis of microprocessors and other logic products beginning in the second half of the next decade. The prototype transistor is much faster and consumes less power than previously announced transistors. If it is possible to manipulate light at small scales, photonic technologies will takeover silicon technology. Smart molecules can be integrated into devices for specific applications such as protein based transistors. Novel nano electronic properties of carbon nano tubes are also found suitable for developing an alternate technology.

Why is the nanotechnology process management important:

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The process management is important because the level at which the molecules are manipulated, they throw away qualities and aspects of the matter which are hither to unknown and unanticipated. The same coal can be manipulated to become carbon, graphite or diamond or a Nanotechnology product lighter and sturdier than any of them. You have to be very clear as to what do you want to produce for what purpose and with what precise parameters. If the process control is not very efficient, one is bound to make mistakes breeding inefficiency and frustration. If one is clear and sure as to what process will result into what and whether it meets the requirements, the mistakes are fewer and less expensive.

Particularly, the openness to change fast and openness to adopt new systems and processes is a must to succeed in nanotechnology business. Fast and largely unknown developments in nanotechnology applications require monitoring of and connecting with the market demands and nanotechnology product innovations being made by other competitive ventures at a very fast pace. This can not be solely done by the companies producing nano-tech products. It will have to be supplemented by the efforts of those who understand the intricacies of nanotechnology business as well as the nano science innovations being made on day to day basis. SAiNSCE is equipped to help you keep abreast of the latest in the field of nanotechnology both in terms of the technology and in terms of the markets.

Innovating the Nanotechnology Practices is Our Commitment

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Nanotechnology is not only a means of producing newer or better products. Nanotechnology has the potential of changing the way our needs have been looked upon and fulfilled. The disruptive potential of nanotechnology is immense. Therefore full exploitation of the potential requires careful management of the life cycle and thus product cycle. This requires constant innovation. In commercial terms it requires constant business process re-engineering for adaptation of nano science applications. Capacity to visualize, to take risk, to innovate, adopt and adapt is the key in the field of nanotechnology business.

Making the Nanotechnology Work

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We are a rich pool of experts in nano-science and technology drawn from scientific and academic community, technology providers, researchers, and nanotechnology industry experts. The best thing about them is that they are innovators, implementers and achievers in this emerging technology. They are with us because of a passion for nanotech. They are with us to network for commercializing the nanotechnology wonders. They are with us because they feel what we feel is right.

What our Nanotechnology experts do:

In its short life span, SAiNSCE has added lot of people with it. It has added ideas and innovations involving nano science. It has interlinked vast reservoirs of knowledge impacting and impacted by applications of nano science and nanotechnology.

Our experts pick up areas and fields which have the potential of doing better with integration of nanotechnology . We start from the nano science concepts which are already known and are firmed up. Thereafter we proceed to develop appropriate technologies based upon those concepts particularly in the socio-economically important fields.

Testing the Nanotechnology market:

Our nanotechnology experts also understand the market and sectoral sentiments and know what works where and what doesn’t work and why. In today’s world everyone is impatient to get faster and proper results. We have to reorient the R & D in nano technology to fulfill this basic feeling of the people, industry and the markets.

At the end of the day an application or product is as good as only it works and sells. Our experts bring back that feed back from the market and field to fulfill this key requirement in development of the nanotechnology products. The nano science provides immense scope for manipulation of products to suit the requirements of the situation. What we need is the proper inputs from the field and going back to the Nanotechnology labs to adapt to these requirements. Unless this cycle is completed the full exploitation of the potential of nanotechnology will not be possible.

Our experts have the expertise to carry out these necessary exercises which is the key for development of the nanotechnology sector.

Conclusions

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Globally, many countries have identified the potential of nanotechnology in the agrifood sector and are investing a significant amount in it. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has set out ambitious plans to be achieved in the short, medium and long term, and aims to discover novel phenomena, processes and tools to address challenges faced by the agricultural sector. Equal importance has been given to the societal issues associated with nanotechnology and to improve public awareness. The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) has commissioned studies to assess new and potential applications of nanotechnology in food, especially on packaging. At the same time more money has been given by other Government departments towards research and development which includes the development of functional food, nutrient delivery systems and methods for optimizing food appearance, such as colour, flavour and consistency.

This R&D is not just restricted to developed countries. Developing countries such as Iran have adopted their own nanotechnology programmes with a specific focus on agricultural applications. The Iranian Agricultural ministry is supporting a consortium of 35 laboratories working on a project to expand the use of nanotechnology in agro sector.46 The ministry is also planning to hold training programs to develop specialized human resources in the field. They have already produced their first commercial nanotechnology product Nanocid, a powerful antibacterial product which has potential applications in the food industry. The product has also widespread applications in the production of various kinds of detergents, paints, ceramics, air conditioning systems, vacuum cleaners, home appliances, shoes and garments. India has allocated 22.6 million USD in its 2006 budget to the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana, in acknowledgement of its pioneering contribution to the Green Revolution. Its research on high-yielding crop varieties helped boost food production in the 1960s and new projects include the development of new tools and techniques for the agriculture industry.

Whatever the impacts of nanotechnology on the food industry and products entering the market, the safety of food will remain the prime concern. This need will strengthen the adoption of nanotechnology in sensing applications, which will ensure food safety and security, as well as technology which alerts customers and shopkeepers when a food is nearing the end of its shelf-life. New antimicrobial coatings and dirt repellent plastic bags are a remarkable improvement in ensuring the safety and security of packaged food. However, there is concern over the use of nanoparticles in food and its manipulation using nanotechnologies, which has the potential to elicit the same issues raised in the GM debate.

In this context, a recent report from the Institute of Food Science and Technology in the UK, argues that more safety data is required before nanoparticles can be included in food. The report points out that current legislation does not force companies to label food items containing nanoparticles; and so consumers are unlikely to be aware of such applications in food items. It calls for an appropriate pre market safety evaluation focusing on the effects of particle size as well as composition.

The ETC group has gone further and has called for a moratorium on nanotechnology for agrifood.14 It has also accused major companies and high tech universities of seeking patents on new food items which may shut out innovative companies in less developed countries.

Finally, it may be possible one day to manufacture food from component atoms and molecules, so-called “Molecular Food Manufacturing”. Already some research groups are exploring this, but still from a top-down approach, using cells rather than molecules. Although the practical application of such technology is far into the future, it is expected that this could allow a more efficient and sustainable food production process to be developed where less raw materials are consumed and food of a higher nutritional quality is obtained.

Food Processing

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In addition to packaging, nanotechnology is already making an impact on the development of functional or interactive foods, which respond to the body’s requirements and can deliver nutrients more efficiently. Various research groups are also working to develop new “on demand” foods, which will remain dormant in the body and deliver nutrients to cells when needed. A key element in this sector is the development of nanocapsules that can be incorporated into food to deliver nutrients. Other developments in food processing include the addition of nanoparticles to existing foods to enable increased absorption of nutrients. One of the leading bakeries in Western Australia has been successful in incorporating nanocapsules containing tuna fish oil (a source of omega 3 fatty acids) in their top selling product “Tip-Top” Up bread. The microcapsules are designed to break open only when they have reached the stomach, thus avoiding the unpleasant taste of the fish oil.

The Israeli Company Nutralease, utilises Nano-sized Self-assembled Liquid Structures (NSSL) technology to deliver nutrients in nanosized particles to cells. The particles are expanded micelles (hollow spheres made from fats, with an aqueous interior) with a diameter of approximately 30 nm.38 The nutrients or “nutraceuticals” are contained within the aqueous interior. Nutraceuticals that have been incorporated in the carriers include lycopene, beta-carotene, lutein, phytosterols, CoQ10 and DHA/EPA. The Nutralease particles allow these compounds to enter the bloodstream from the gut more easily, thus increasing their bioavailability. The technology has already been adopted and marketed by Shemen Industries to deliver Canola Activa oil, which it claims reduces cholesterol intake into the body by 14%, by competing for bile solubilisation. This technology also has potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry.

A number of chemical companies are researching additives which are easily absorbed by the body and can increase product shelf life. Biodelivery Sciences International have developed nanocochleates, which are 50 nm coiled nanoparticles and can be used to deliver nutrients such as vitamins, lycopene, and omega fatty acids more efficiently to cells, without affecting the colour or taste of food.

Kraft foods have established a consortium of research groups from 15 universities to look into the applications of nanotechnology to produce interactive foods. These will allow the consumer to choose between different flavours and colours. The consortium also has plans to develop smart foods which will release nutrients in response to deficiencies detected by nanosensors, and nanocapsules which will be ingested with food, but remain dormant until activated. All these new developments will make the concept of super foodstuffs a reality, and these are expected to offer many different potential benefits including increased energy, improved cognitive functions, better immune function, and antiaging benefits.

Nanotechnology has already been used in the cosmetics industry to produce transparent creams. Royal BodyCare, a company utilizing nanotechnology in nutritional sciences, has marketed a new product called NanoCeuticals which is a colloid (or emulsion) of particles of less than 5 nm in diameter. The company claims the product will scavenge free radicals, increase hydration and balance the body’s pH.

The company has also developed NanoClustersTM, a nanosize powder combined with nutritional supplements. When consumed, it enhances the absorption of nutrients. Food and Cosmetic Companies are working together to develop new mechanisms to deliver vitamins directly to the skin. For example, Nestlé, which has a 49% stake in L’Oréal, is developing transparent suncreams to deliver vitamin E directly to skin. The aim is to manufacture a cream which is absorbed by the skin and releases Vitamin E slowly, in addition to providing UV protection. Transparent UV-blocking creams are already on the market and L’Oréal expects the cream with added functionality to be marketed soon. Other competitors such as Estée Lauder are manufacturing anti-ageing formulations that make use of nanoparticles.

The US based Oilfresh Corporation has marketed a new nanoceramic product which reduces oil use in restaurants and fast food shops by half. As a result of its large surface area, the product prevents the oxidation and agglomeration of fats in deep fat fryers, thus extending the useful life span of the oil. An additional benefit is that oil heats up more quickly, reducing the energy required for cooking.

Wageningen University in Netherlands has recently established a research centre which will focus its research on the application of nanotechnology in the food industry. The Wageningen BioNT (Bionanotechnology) Centre will concentrate on various topics including: sensing and diagnostics of food quality and safety; encapsulation and delivery of nutrients; micro- and nanodevices for physical and (bio)chemical processing; chemical biology; nanotoxicology; and consumer science and technology assessment.

The German company Aquanova has developed a new technology which combines two active substances for fat reduction and satiety into a single nano-carrier (micelles of average 30 nm diameter), an innovation said to be a new approach to intelligent weight management. Called NovaSOL Sustain, it uses CoQ1O to address fat reduction and alpha-lipoic acid for satiety. The NovaSol technology has also been used to create a vitamin E preparation that does not cloud liquids, called SoluE, and a vitamin C preparation called SoluC. The NovaSOL product can be used to introduce other dietary supplements as it protects contents from stomach acids.

In a different strategy, Unilever is developing low fat ice creams by decreasing the size of emulsion particles that give ice-cream its texture. By doing so it hopes to use up to 90% less of the emulsion and decrease fat content from 16% to about 1%.

The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in the US has produced a consumer database of marketed nanotechnology and has so far identified more than 15 items which have a direct relation to the food industry. The list includes nanoceuticals developed by RBC Life Sciences and Canola Activa oil developed by Shemen Industries; the use of silver nanoparticles in refrigerators manufactured by LG Electricals, Samsung and Daewoo to inhibit bacterial growth and eliminate odours; All Spray For Life® which is manufactured by Health Plus International and uses a newly-designed pre-metered, non-aerosol Nanoceautical Delivery System (NDS) for transmucosal administration of dietary supplements, resulting in increased-bioavailability compared with gastrointestinal absorption. A detailed list of products is available on the website.

Packaging and Food Safety

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Developing smart packaging to optimise product shelf-life has been the goal of many companies. Such packaging systems would be able to repair small holes/tears, respond to environmental conditions (e.g. temperature and moisture changes), and alert the customer if the food is contaminated. Nanotechnology can provide solutions for these, for example modifying the permeation behaviour of foils, increasing barrier properties (mechanical, thermal, chemical, and microbial), improving mechanical and heat-resistance properties, developing active antimicrobic and antifungal surfaces, and sensing as well as signalling microbiological and biochemical changes.

The financial outlook for nanotechnology enabled packaging looks buoyant. The current packaging market stands at 1.1 billion USD and is predicted to increase to 3.7 billion USD by 2010. Within this, the Smart Packaging industry is growing faster than predicted and is already showing signs of maturity. Research by the financial firm Frost and Sullivan, found that today’s consumers demand much more from packaging in terms of protecting the quality, freshness and safety of foods, as well as convenience. They conclude that this is one of the main reasons behind the increased interest in innovative methods of packaging.26 There are several organizations developing Smart Packaging systems. For example, Kraft foods, along with researchers at Rutgers University in the US, is developing an “electronic tongue” for inclusion in packaging. This consists of an array of nanosensors which are extremely sensitive to gases released by food as it spoils, causing the sensor strip to change colour as a result, giving a clear visible signal of whether the food is fresh or not. Bayer Polymers has developed the Durethan KU2-2601 packaging film, which is lighter, stronger and more heat resistant than those currently on the market. The primary purpose of food packaging films is to prevent contents from drying out and to protect them from moisture and oxygen. The new film is known as a “hybrid system” that is enriched with an enormous number of silicate nanoparticles.

These massively reduce the entrance of oxygen and other gases, and the exit of moisture, thus preventing food from spoiling. Breweries would ideally use plastic bottles to ship beer, as these are lighter than glass and cheaper than metal cans. However, alcohol in beer reacts with the plastic used for the bottles, severely shortening shelf-life. Voridan, in association with Nanocor, has developed a nanocomposite containing clay nanoparticles, called Imperm. The resultant bottle is both lighter and stronger than glass and is less likely to shatter. The nanocomposite structure minimises loss of carbon dioxide from the beer and the ingress of oxygen to the bottle, keeping the beer fresher and giving it up to a six-month shelf life.28 The technology has been adopted by several companies including the Miller Brewing Co.. Honeywell Specialty Polymers, has also successfully engineered plastic beer bottles that incorporate nanocomposites giving an extended shelf life (up to 26 weeks).

The “Aegis” nylon 6 is the barrier layer in this 3-layered construction and has been used since late 2003 in the 1.6-litre Hite Pitcher beer bottle from Hite Brewery Co. in South Korea. In a different strategy, Kodak is developing antimicrobial films that have the ability to absorb oxygen from the contents of the package, thus impeding food deterioration.

Other organizations are looking at ways in which nanotechnology can offer improvements in sensitivity or ease by which contamination of food is detected. For example, AgroMicron has developed the NanoBioluminescence Detection Spray which contains a luminescent protein that has been engineered to bind to the surface of microbes such as Salmonella and E. coli. When bound, it emits a visible glow, thus allowing easy detection of contaminated food or beverages. The more intense the glow is, the higher the bacterial contamination. The company aims to market the product under the name BioMark and is currently designing new spray techniques to apply in ocean freight containerized shipping as well as to fight bioterrorism.

In a similar strategy to ensure food safety, EU researchers in the Good Food Project have developed a portable nanosensor to detect chemicals, pathogens and toxins in food.31 This circumvents the need to send samples to laboratories (which is both costly and lengthy), allowing food to be analysed for safety and quality at the farm, abattoir, during transport, processing or at the packaging plant. The project is also developing a device using DNA biochips to detect pathogens- a technique that could also be applied to determine the presence of different kinds of harmful bacteria in meat or fish, or fungi affecting fruit. The project also has plans to develop microarray sensors that can be used to identify pesticides on fruit and vegetables as well as those which will monitor environmental conditions at the farm. These have been coined “Good Food sensors”.

The EU-funded BioFinger project, which has the aim of developing “versatile, inexpensive, and easy-to-use diagnostic tools for health, environmental and other applications”, has found a different application in food analysis. The device uses cantilever technology, in which the tip of the cantilever is coated with chemicals allowing it to bend and resonate when it binds specific molecules (such as those on the surface of bacteria). The BioFinger device incorporates the cantilevers on a disposable microchip making it small and portable.32 The US military is developing super sensors to be used in times of terrorist attacks on food supplies. Current systems can take several days to confirm the presence of pathogens in food, however new nanotechnology enabled super sensors will be able to detect pathogens immediately. Such technology would have widespread applications in the food industry. Researchers at the University of Bonn are developing dirt repellent coatings for packages
using the lotus effect (water beads and runs off the surface of lotus leaves as a result of nanoscale wax pyramids which coat the leaves). Abattoirs and meat processing plants in particular could benefit from such technology. A research group at the University of Leeds in UK has determined that nanoparticles of magnesium oxide and zinc oxide are highly effective at destroying microorganisms. As these would be much cheaper to manufacture than silver nanoparticles, this could have tremendous applications in food packaging.

Nanotechnology has also found applications in monitoring and tagging of food items. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology was developed by the military more than 50 years ago, but has now found its way to numerous applications from food monitoring in shops to improving supply chain efficiency. The technology, which consists of microprocessors and an antenna that can transmit data to a wireless receiver, can be used to monitor an item from the warehouse to the consumer’s hands.

Unlike bar codes, which need to be scanned manually and read individually, RFID tags do not require line-of-sight for reading and it is possible to automatically read hundreds of tags a second. Retailing chains like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Metro group, and Tesco, have already tested this technology.

The main drawback is the increased production costs due to silicon manufacturing. With the fusion of nanotechnology and electronics (nanotronics), these tags should become cheaper, easier to implement and more efficient.

A group of scientists from Northern European food industries have created a Nanofood consortium with the aim of fostering the applications of nanotechnology in the food industry in a responsible manner, to strengthen the effort to develop healthy and safe foods. The founding companies include Arla Foods, Danisco A/S, Aarhus United A/S, Danish Crown amba, Systematic Software Engineering A/S, and the Interdisciplinary Nanoscience Centre (iNANO). With a mission to provide safe food to consumers, the consortium’s priorities are: to develop sensors which can almost instantly reveal whether a food sample contains toxic compounds or bacteria; to develop anti-bacterial surfaces for machines involved in food production; to develop thinner, stronger and cheaper wrappings for food; and the creation of food with a healthier nutritional composition.

A study by Denmark’s Centre for Advanced Food Studies (LMC), an alliance of Danish institutions working in food sciences, has structured their priorities for the 7th Framework programme.
The six priority areas are:

* basic understanding of food and animal feed for intelligent innovation

* systems biology in food research

* biological renewal in the food sector/biological production

* technology development

* nutrigenomics

* consumer needs-driven innovation and food communication

They believe that a focus on these areas will create a holistic and an interdisciplinary approach in food research and development in Europe. They are aiming to produce nanomaterials with functional properties, along with nanosensors and nanofluidic technology to be applied in food sciences. Other interests include the development of intelligent packaging materials, making it possible to monitor the condition of products during transportation or in display counters, and bio based packaging techniques.

Magnetic properties

2009-12-06T16:23:00.001-08:00

Bulk gold and Pt are non-magnetic, but at the nano size they are magnetic. Surface atoms not only are different to bulk atoms, but they can also be modified by interaction with other chemical species, that is, by capping the nanoparticles. This phenomenon opens the possibility to modify the physical properties of the nanoparticles by capping them with appropriate molecules. Actually, it should be possible that non-ferromagnetic bulk materials exhibit ferromagnetic-like behavior when prepared in nano range. One can obtain magnetic nanoparticles of Pd, Pt and the surprising case of Au (that is diamagnetic in bulk) from non-magnetic bulk materials. In the case of Pt and Pd, the ferromagnetism arises from the structural changes associated with size effects. However, gold nanoparticles become ferromagnetic when they are capped with appropriate molecules: the charge localized at the particle surface gives rise to ferromagnetic-like behavior.

Surface and the core of Au nanoparticles with 2 nm in diameter show ferromagnetic and paramagnetic character, respectively. The large spin-orbit coupling of these noble metals can yield to a large anisotropy and therefore exhibit high ordering temperatures. More surprisingly, permanent magnetism was observed up to room temperature for thiol-capped Au nanoparticles. For nanoparticles with sizes below 2 nm the localized carriers are in the 5 d band. Bulk Au has an extremely low density of states and becomes diamagnetic, as is also the case for bare Au nanoparticles. This observation suggested that modification of the d band structure by chemical bonding can induce ferromagneticlike character in metallic clusters.

SPR dependencies and colour

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Enhanced strength and toughness

Electronic configurations

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Gold, Silver and Platinum Nanomaterials

2009-12-06T16:21:00.001-08:00

Introduction

Light emitting diode materials

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GaN based lighting

GaN based lighting has potential to give a huge financial reward all over the world. The penetration of GaN based LED lighting to all lighting applications would imply a major improvement in efficiency and this would reduce the world power consumption by ~1000 TWh pa. with 10 % of world energy worth $100 bn used to produce light, efficiency savings would have a major impact on energy efficiency. Replacement of car headlights, fluorescent tubes, and street lights require the quality of white LEDs to improve - if white LEDs were as efficient as current red ones, all lights would be replaced. Other nano materials in light emitting devices which are used in the communication sector are GaN, GaAlAs, GaAs, InGaAsP, and GaP, AlAs etc. Among nano organic LED’s Poly [2- methoxy-5-(2’-) ethylhexyloxy)-1, 4-Phenylenevinylene] (MEH-PPB) is one example. Liquid Crystals as well as having applications in displays have potential applications for improving switching speeds in telecoms by replacement of silicon. They also have potential as photonic materials leading to improved optical materials with higher resolution. LCDs continue to develop and underpin many applications – laptops, mobile phones, etc. Constant advances are being made in low power-consumption devices and displays. Further to this, development of non-display applications is becoming increasingly important: e.g. lasing and photonics, telecoms, biology / medicine, control of microwaves. Soap is an example of liquid crystal. Cyanophenyl materials, fluorinated tolans, biological membranes, phospholipids and the protein solution that is extruded by the spider to generate silk is a liquid crystal phase.

Carbon nanotube emitters

Standard electron emitters are based either on thermionic emission of electrons from heated filaments with low work functions or field emission from sharp tips. The latter generates monochromatic electron beams; however, ultrahigh vacuum and high voltages are required. Further the emission current is typically limited to several micro amperes. Carbon fibers typically 7 μm in diameters have been used as the electron emitters; however they suffer from poor reproducibility and rapid deterioration of the tip. Carbon nano tubes have high aspect ratios and small tip radius of curvature. The ability to emit electrons from the body of nano tubes was attributed to the small radius of the tubes and the presence of defects on the surface of carbon nano tubes. VII. Wireless communication Most of the communication systems are either based on radio frequency or on microwave. If proven to be effective, nano-materials will eventually replace the current materials used in all these devices. NTT Electronics Corporation has endeavored to commercialize new laser emission sources that are optimum for next-generation communication systems and applications in non-communication fields such as medicine and the environment. Wireless is an old-fashioned term for a radio receiver, referring to its use as a wireless telegraph; now the term is used to describe modern wireless connections such as in cellular networks and wireless broadband Internet.

A wireless LAN or WLAN is a wireless local area network that uses radio waves as its carrier. The backbone network usually uses cables, with one or more wireless access points connecting the wireless users to the wired network. Materials in its nano form show peculiar electric and magnetic properties. Hence nanomaterials are incorporated into wireless LAN systems to attain a magnetic resonance of suitable frequency.

Molecular switches for communication sectror

The principle is to insert in the structure of a mixed valence compound a molecular bridge with two possible states: "ON" (i.e. a non-zero electronic coupling between extremities), and "OFF" (i.e. no coupling). Thus we monitor the photo induced electron transfer process where an electron moves from one end to the other of the molecule.

Alternative materials and operating principles for the elaboration and communication of data in electronic circuits and optical networks must be identified. Organic molecules are promising candidates for the realization of future digital processors. Their attractive features are the miniaturized dimensions and the high degree of control on molecular design possible in chemical synthesis. Indeed, nanostructures with engineered properties and specific functions can be assembled relying on the power of organic synthesis. In particular, certain molecules can be designed to switch from one state to another, when addressed with chemical, electrical, or optical stimulations, and to produce a detectable signal in response to these transformations. Binary data can be encoded on the input stimulations and output signals employing logic conventions and assumptions similar to those ruling digital electronics.

Thus, binary inputs can be transduced into binary outputs relying on molecular switches. Presently, these simple molecular processors are far from any practical application. However, these encouraging results demonstrate already that chemical systems can process binary data with designed logic protocols. Further fundamental studies on the various facets of this emerging area will reveal if and how molecular switches can become the basic components of future logic devices. After all, chemical computers are available already. We all carry one in our head! And the molecules which can act as the molecular switches are fullerene derivatives, biological molecules, DNA base guanine etc.

Photonic Crystals and Photonic Integrated Circuits

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Semiconductor lasers

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Semiconductor lasers are said to be "the laser of the future". The reasons are: they are compact, they have the potential of mass production, they can be easily integrated, their properties are in rapid improvement, they are becoming more and more powerful and efficient and they have found a widespread use as pumps for solid–state lasers. The majority of semiconductor materials are based on a combination of elements in the third group of the periodic table (such as Al, Ga, In) and the fifth group (such as N, P, As, Sb) hence referred to as the III-V compounds. Examples include GaAs, AlGaAs, InGaAs and InGaAsP alloys. The laser emission wavelengths are normally within 630~1600 nm, but recently InGaN semiconductor lasers were found to generate 410 nm blue light at room temperature.

The semiconductor lasers that can generate blue-green light use materials which are the combination of elements of the second group (such as Cd and Zn) and the sixth group (S, Se). The principle of semiconductor laser is very different from CO2 and The semiconductor materials have valence band V and conduction band C, the energy level of conduction band is Eg (Eg>0) higher than that of valence band. To make things simple, we start our analysis supposing the temperature to be 0 K. It can be proved that the conclusions we draw under 0 K applies to normal temperatures. Semiconductor photon sources come in two major categories laser diodes and light-emitting diodes. Semiconductor lasers are the most basic of the existing laser types. In their simplest form they consist of a small rectangular slab of semiconductor material with two cleaved facets to act as mirrors. The other facets are destroyed in some way (etched, ground, sawn, ion implanted) in order to avoid spurious laser modes.

High frequency communication devices

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a) Monolithic microwave IC (MMIC):

b) Low Noise HEMT (High Electron Mobility Transistor)

c) High Power FET (Field Effect Transistor)

MEMS based worldwide Network/Communications Options

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There are three major satellite networks based on MEMS. They are

1. RF-based Satellite Constellation: Probes directly and send discrete data packets to (Low earth orbit) LEO satellite(s) for collection.

2. Mobile Ad hoc Network: Data packets hop through mobile network to be distributed at exfiltration nodes.

3. Hybrid: Combination of the two depending upon probe location and conditions.

Spreading the energy of the communications signal over a wider range of frequencies can be accomplished in a number of different ways. Two of the methods are frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS). Both methods use a related but different approach to spread the signal. Ultra-wideband techniques spread the signal over very large frequency ranges. In each case, the key is to make certain that the transmitter and receiver can lock in quickly and synchronize the spreading and dispreading actions.

Accomplishments based on MEMS

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Weather forecasting

Using one of the micro-weather stations, we can strip off the radio and can be wired in a laser pointer. This can go to a distant office laptop, where the software decodes flashing lights in the image, and can give the weather information 21 km away.

Large angle MEMS beam-steering

The laser motes above need to be aimed. A sub-millimeter mirror coupled to two motors on the same silicon chip. The motors can scan a reflected laser beam tens of degrees in either direction.

Silicon maple seeds

Using a honeycombed layer of silicon only 0.1 mm thick 3x10 mm winglet has been made. With a cubic millimeter of Silicon attached, these wings auto-rotate as they fall, just like a maple seed. The next generation will have solar cells built right in.

Smart dust virtual key board

Battlefield surveillance, treaty monitoring, transportation monitoring, scud hunting, etc. can be performed and be communicated.

Autonomous sensing and communication in a cubic millimeter

It is possible to glue a dust mote on to the fingernails. Accelerometers in the smart dust will sense the orientation and motion of each of the fingertips, and can talk to the computer in real time. Combined with MEMS the display, in entire computer I/O would be invisible to the people around us. Chatting can be done with wireless access and we need never be bored in a meeting again! It is a never ending list of applications such as the product quality monitoring, temperature & humidity monitoring of meat & dairy products, impact, vibration & temperature monitoring of consumer electronics etc. are of in credit to the smart dust. The Center for the Built Environment has fabulous plans for the office of the future in which environmental conditions are tailored to the desires of every individual. Maybe soon we'll all be wearing temperature, humidity, and environmental comfort sensors sewn into our clothes, continuously talking to our workspaces which will deliver conditions tailored to our needs.

Social welfare activities like developing interfaces for the handicapped or disabled with the potential benefits of outweighing the risks to personal privacy can be generated. A lot of people seem to be worried about environmental impact. Even in wildest imagination it doesn’t appears that we’ll be capable of making enough Smart Dust to bother anyone. If Intel stopped producing Pentia and produced only Smart Dust, and we spread them evenly around the country, we would get around one grain-of-sand sized mote per acre per year. If by ill chance we did inhale one, it would be just like inhaling a gnat. We would cough it up. Consider the scale - if we make a million dust motes, they have a total volume of one liter. Throwing a liter worth of batteries into the environment is certainly not going to help it, but in the big picture it probably doesn't make it very high on the list of bad things to do to the planet.

A smart dust can act as a distributed autonomous sensor network. Smart dust will facilitate innovative methods for micro fabrication technology and interact with the environment, providing more information from more places less intrusively. Smart dust requires evolutionary and revolutionary advances in miniaturization, integration and energy management. Potential uses include military applications in tracking enemy troop movements from above and detecting chemical warfare agents in the air. Monitoring weather conditions around the globe and detecting fires and earth quakes are among the nonmilitary uses. Stationary motes could be used to monitor the quality of products from factory to consumer.

Communication: Means and devices in nano regime

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Nano/Micro Electro Mechanical Systems

Smart matter is another term for micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), a technology

Satellite communication

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A satellite is a radio relay station in orbit above the earth that receives, amplifies and redirects analog and digital signals contained within a carrier frequency. They are of three types. Geostationary (GEO) satellites are in orbit 22282 miles above the earth and rotate with the earth, thus appearing stationary. The downlink from GEOs to earth can be localized into small regions or cover up as much as a third of the earth's surface. Low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites reside 1000 miles above the earth and revolve around the globe every couple of hours. They are in view for a few minutes, and multiple LEOs are required to keep continuous coverage. Medium-earth orbit (MEO) satellites are in the middle, taking about six hours to orbit the earth and can be viewed for a couple of hours.

The first communications satellite was launched in 1960 and it was an instrumented inflatable sphere which just reflected radio signals back to the earth.

Semiconductor quantum dots, which cover almost completely the entire spectral region from the ultraviolet to the far infrared, with a small number of substrate materials are suitable candidates in satellite communications. Further advantages of quantum dot lasers are small energy consumption through low threshold current densities, a high modulation range for high-speed applications as well as improved temperature stability. For example

InGaAs Quantum dot lasers are already commercialised in communication satellites. Ken Teo and his team at the University of Cambridge have come up with a much more efficient and compact way to send signals from satellites. They have managed to use an array of carbon nanotubes to create a device that replaces conventional heavy, bulky, high temperature, microwave amplifiers. The new electron source promises to revolutionize telecommunications and satellite communications in space.

Communication, especially to remote areas, is made possible with the use of satellite-based transmitters. There are typically 50 microwave amplifiers on board a satellite, each weighing about 1kg and measuring about 30 cm in length. Currently it costs about 10,000 pounds sterling to send a single kilogram of payload (data) into space. There is an advantage, both in terms of cost savings and extra payload that can be carried, if the weight and size of the microwave devices are reduced.

Nano Materials

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nanotechnology in food

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nanotechnology in cancer

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nanotechnology

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As cheap as the sweetener in your soda

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A world leader in nanotechnology research, Prof. Gazit has been developing arrays of self-assembling peptides made from proteins for the past six years. His lab, in collaboration with a group led by Prof. Gil Rosenman of TAU's Faculty of Engineering, has been working on new applications for this basic science for the last two years.

Using a variety of peptides, which are as simple and inexpensive to produce as the artificial sweetener aspartame, the researchers create their "self-assembled nano-tubules" in a vacuum under high temperatures. These nano-tubules can withstand extreme heat and are resistant to water.
"We are not manufacturing the actual material but developing a basic-science technology that could lead to self-cleaning windows and more efficient energy storage devices in just a few years," says Adler-Abramovich. "As scientists, we focus on pure research. Thanks to Prof. Gazit's work on beta amyloid proteins, we were able to develop a technique that enables short peptides to 'self-assemble,' forming an entirely new kind of coating which is also a super-capacitor. "

As a capacitor with unusually high energy density, the nano-tech material could give existing electric batteries a boost - necessary to start an electric car, go up a hill, or pass other cars and trucks on the highway. One of the limitations of the electric car is thrust, and the team thinks their research could lead to a solution to this difficult problem.

"Our technology may lead to a storage material with a high density," says Adler-Abramovich. "This is important when you need to generate a lot of energy in a short period of time. It could also be incorporated into today's lithium batteries," she adds.

Are we invited to the nanotechnology party

2009-12-06T16:00:00.002-08:00

Huge research funds are devoted to nanotechnology as it promises to transform many aspects of our lives. There are several phases to the development of the science.

The first stage is the creation of passive nanostructures - think "paint" or "additives". Next comes the creation of nanostructures that perform primitive functions - think "transistor". After that comes the creation of miniscule machines, preferably programmable, whose components are the primitives. These machines are called nanites.

The final phase is the creation of nanites that are capable of creating other nanites and then, when there are enough of them, acting collaboratively to achieve a common goal.

As computer scientists, we wish to play our part. Initially, this will be by offering services such as simulations and computer graphics to those involved in the first three phases. But we must prepare ourselves for the final phase, predicted to start around 2020. We want computer science to have matured so that we can cope.

Computer scientists are well placed to undertake the theoretical groundwork for this final phase because, ever since computers became distributed, we have been gaining expertise in the design and management of groups of physical entities working together. Furthermore, we have considerable experience with virtual entities working together, namely, software agents.

Some time ago, many researchers split off from the traditional AI approach and began to develop software agents. It was realised that in certain situations, we do not need monolithic programs to achieve something that passes for intelligent behaviour. The traditional way was to explicitly program intelligence into the software. With agents we do not necessarily have to do this. One approach is to program each agent to follow the same set of fairly simple rules, in priority order, and collectively they can achieve a goal. We say that intelligence has "emerged".

One example of this could be in programming robotic vehicles to pick up rocks lying in clusters on Mars. It is possible to program the vehicles to do this without even communicating with one another. It would be better, though, if on finding a cluster, a vehicle could inform others by leaving a trail.
The above example mimics the natural world where social animals work collaboratively. For example, consider the behaviour of a colony of ants. Ants leave a chemical trail for other ants to follow. The colony achieves a relatively complex goal even though an individual is following simple rules, and there is not even a leader.

There is in fact an algorithm called the ant colony optimisation algorithm as well as other algorithms modelled on collaborative animal behaviour. Collectively, these are known as swarming algorithms.

Computer scientists' expertise in networking and software agents is invaluable when it comes to programming and controlling armies of nanites.

Genetic algorithms have been in use for quite a while. They are used to improve the solution to a problem over successive generations. A key feature is that, every now and then, we perform a mutation so as not to get stuck in a rut. When armies of nanites become a reality, we will have to look at this problem in reverse and have to cope with nanites that have mutated.

Our study of software agents as well as swarming algorithms has wide-ranging applications outside nanotechnology. We do not have to wait for chemists and biologists to perfect the production of nanites, as nano-inspired computing is with us today.

Nanomaterials with a Bright Future

2009-12-06T16:00:00.001-08:00

A new fabrication technique, known as soft interference lithography (SIL), makes it possible to inexpensively produce large sheets of gold films with virtually infinite arrays of perforations and microscale "patches" of nanoscale holes. A combination of interference lithography and soft lithography, SIL offers many significant advantages over existing techniques. It can be used to scale-up the nanomanufacturing process to produce plasmonic metamaterials and devices in large quantities. Devices such as films of nanoholes can also serve as templates to make their inverse structures, such as nanoparticles. (Legend: Si = silicon; Cr = chromium; PEEL = electron spectroscopy method called parallel electron energy loss spectroscopy.) Credit: Reprinted by permission from Macmillan Publishers Ltd: "Multiscale patterning of plasmonic metamaterials," Joel Henzie, Min Hyung Lee and Teri W. Odom, Nature Nanotechnology 2, 549 - 554 (2007)

An innovative and inexpensive way of making nanomaterials on a large scale has resulted in novel forms of advanced materials that pave the way for exceptional and unexpected optical properties. The new fabrication technique, known as soft lithography, or SIL, offers many significant advantages over existing techniques, including the ability to scale-up the manufacturing process to produce devices in large quantities.

Technology

2009-12-06T15:59:00.001-08:00

The High Gravity Controlled Precipitation (HGCP) technology platform was developed based on fundamental mass transfer principles wherein micro mixing of the reaction phases is achieved in microseconds, with the reaction phases brought together under a high gravity environment. The High Gravity Controlled Precipitation (HGCP) is a platform technology through which a wide range of nano-sized materials can be developed.

Advantages of the High Gravity Controlled Precipitation (HGCP) technology platform are:

• Scalability: Cost effective scale up for large scale production of nanomaterials

• Control: Good control over quality, particle size and distribution, particle shape and morphology of the nanomaterial

• Versatility: Can be used for different nanomaterial synthesis

High Gravity Controlled Precipitation (HGCP)