Infinity

Superconductor Research
Brian Wang over at Advanced Nanotechnology has a good post on some recent superconductor research at Cornell using a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) to lean more about the electron-phonon interaction. Here is an excerpt from Brian’s blog:

Researchers found that the distribution of paired electrons in a common high-temperature superconductor was “disorderly,” but that the distribution of phonons — vibrating atoms in the crystal lattice — was disorderly in just the same way. The theory of low-temperature superconductivity says that electrons interacting with phonons join into pairs that are able to travel through the conductor without being scattered by atoms.

“Magnetic Semiconductors”
A team of scientists at Princeton are also using STM to assist in creating magnetic semiconductors, literally building it one atom at a time.

By incorporating manganese atoms into the gallium arsenide semiconductor, the team has created an atomic-scale laboratory that can reveal what researchers have sought for decades: the precise interactions among atoms and electrons in chip material. The team used their new technique to find the optimal arrangements for manganese atoms that can enhance the magnetic properties of gallium arsenide. Implementation of their findings within the chip manufacturing process could result in a major advance in the use of both the magnetic “spin” as well as electric charge for computation.  

“Chips might take on many new capabilities once such ‘spintronic’ technology is perfected,” Yazdani said. “One thing we might be able to do is make chips that can both manipulate data and store it as well, which right now generally requires two separate parts of a computer working together.”

Check out the article for more details.

Nanoscale Diamondoids
Stanford and Chevron MolecularDiamond Technologies have teamed up to develop a novel class of nanomaterials derived from petroleum. Diamondoids (diamond molecules) derived from petroleum are thought to have a wide range of potential, affecting many industries.

“Diamondoids are exciting materials as they have the novelty of both diamond and nanostructures,” says Shen, director of Stanford’s Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials. “They provide new opportunities for scientific discoveries and technological applications over a wide range of disciplines. Judging from the revolutionary progress during the last decade in other novel carbon nanomaterials, namely the fullerenes and the nanotubes, we are excited about the diamondoids. The breakthrough by Chevron researchers in isolating diamondoids in large quantity from petroleum makes it possible for in-depth scientific exploration and large-scale applications.”  

You can read the article here.

Technology

Oak Ridge National Laboratory has won some awards. 

ORNL scientists noted for nanotech

The method (NanoFermentation) works at or near room temperature and uses conventional equipment, a straightforward fermentation process and natural rather than genetically engineered bacterial strains. It promises to allow production of tailored nanomaterials in economic quantities, potentially stimulating interest in the development of new and expanded applications.

They won awards to for two inventions in separate contest. Their high-temperature superconducting wire technology won the other award. 

Stephen Kevan and his team are using a very familiar technique: taking an atom’s wave nature to create smooth wave fronts, such as those found in laser light. They accomplished this using helium. Details:

The nozzle used in the experiments is similar to one on a garden hose. However, it utilizes a micron-sized glass capillary, borrowed from patch-clamp technology used in neuroscience. The capillary, smaller than a human hair, provides very small but bright-source atoms that can then be scattered from a surface. This distribution of scattered atoms is measured with high resolution using a field ionization detector.

The helium atoms advance with de Broglie wavelengths similar to X-rays, but are neutral and non-damaging to the surface involved. Kevan’s team was able to measure single-slit diffraction patterns as well as speckle patterns made on an irregularly shaped object.  

Of course, now they’re working on developing an ‘atom camera’. Getting the speckle diffraction patterns back in days rather than seconds seems to be a bit sub-optimal. Check out the article here.

Technology

I know you have questions. Lots of questions. 

But lets talk about that later.

First, lets talk about something of importance.  I was reading an article by Mike (Mihail) Roco and it somewhat surprised me.  Here it is:

After 2015-2020, the field will expand to include molecular nanosystems–heterogeneous networks in which molecules and supramolecular structures serve as distinct devices. The proteins inside cells work together this way, but whereas biological systems are water-based and markedly temperature-sensitive, these molecular nanosystems will be able to operate in a far wider range of environments and should be much faster.

You can read the rest of it here. His timetable seemed a bit aggressive at first, then I started thinking about it. What I realized is that I’ve been saying this for the last two years. It’s more than just knocking on our doorstep.  It’s here.

Technology