96 results about "Nanoelectromechanical systems" patented technology

Thin metallic films are used as the piezoresistive self-sensing element in microelectromechanical and nanoelectromechanical systems. The specific application to AFM probes is demonstrated.

A microfluidic embedded nanoelectromechanical system (NEMs) force sensor provides an electrical readout. The force sensor contains a deformable member that is integrated with a strain sensor. The strain sensor converts a deformation of the deformable member into an electrical signal. A microfluidic channel encapsulates the force sensor, controls a fluidic environment around the force sensor, and improves the read out. In addition, a microfluidic embedded vacuum insulated biocalorimeter is provided. A calorimeter chamber contains a parylene membrane. Both sides of the chamber are under vacuum during measurement of a sample. A microfluidic cannel (built from parylene) is used to deliver a sample to the chamber. A thermopile, used as a thermometer is located between two layers of parylene.

Nanoelectromechanical systems utilizing nanometer-scale assemblies are provided that convert thermal energy into another form of energy that can be used to perform useful work at a macroscopic level. These systems may be used to, for example, produce useful quantities of electric or mechanical energy, heat or cool an external substance or propel an object in a controllable direction. In particular, the present invention includes nanometer-scale beams that reduce the velocity of working substance molecules that collide with this nanometer-scale beam by converting some of the kinetic energy of a colliding molecule into kinetic energy of the nanometer-scale beam. In embodiments that operate without a working substance, the thermal vibrations of the beam itself create the necessary beam motion. In some embodiments, an automatic switch is added to realize a regulator such that the nanometer-scale beams only deliver voltages that exceed a particular amount. Various devices including, piezoelectric, electromagnetic and electromotive force generators, are used to convert the kinetic energy of the nanometer-scale beam into electromagnetic, electric or thermal energy. Systems in which the output energy of millions of these devices is efficiently summed together are also disclosed as well as systems that include nanometer-scale transistors.

Dice are disclosed that detect their state, i.e., their own value once at rest, using for instance gravity, piezoelectricity, or photoelectric cells that are assigned to all faces to recognize the lower face. Said dice preferably transmit said state to a computer. Said computer may be the same that is used for the game that depends on the throw of the dice, or may be used mostly for display as for some casino games. Electricity is used in the die to let it determine its own state and transmit it. Economical protocols of transmission are used such as Bluetooth. Such dice may securely send alerts whenever deviations from a fair distribution of the outcomes is detected and can monitor small modifications of their balance to maintain their fairness. Part or all of the teaching can be realized as MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) or NEMS (nano electromechanical systems) modifications of usual dice.

The invention provides a transistor which comprises a piezoelectric crystal, a first electrode and a second electrode. The first electrode and the second electrode are oppositely arranged at the two ends of the piezoelectric crystal respectively. The first electrode and/or the second electrode are/is used for exerting strain or stress on the piezoelectric crystal. Materials of the piezoelectric crystal have the piezoelectric effect under the action of the strain or the stress. Correspondingly, the invention further provides a transistor array. Strain or stress or pressure is exerted on the electrode of one end of the piezoelectric crystal, so that the piezoelectric crystal correspondingly deforms, the interface barrier between the piezoelectric crystal materials and electrode materials can be effectively regulated by generated piezoelectric potential, and the function similar to grid voltage in a field effect transistor is achieved. The transistor or the transistor array can be applied to the fields of micro-nano electromechanical systems, nano-robots, human-computer interaction interfaces, flexible sensors and the like.

The invention relates to a piezoelectric actuation micro-tensile testing device and belongs to the field of test of mechanical properties of materials under micro nano dimension in a micro nano electromechanical system. The device comprises a piezoelectric actuation unit, a micro tension sensor, a micro displacement detection unit, a position adjustment unit, an optical microscopic imaging unit and a base. Compared with the prior art, the device has the advantages that the axial deformation and the axial tension of a sample can be simultaneously and directly measured, and the elasticity modulus, the yield strength, the breaking strength and other mechanical property parameters of the sample under the micro dimension can be measured. According to the piezoelectric actuation micro-tensile testing device, the piezoelectric actuation unit, the micro tension sensor, the micro displacement detection unit, the position adjustment unit and the optical microscopic imaging unit are designed by adopting the modularization thought, wherein the commercialized and high-precision micro tension sensor and a high-precision capacitance type displacement sensor are adopted to ensure the measurement accuracy of the axial tension and axial deformation of the sample; the device is simple in structure, low in cost, high in precision and good in smooth upgrading performance.

A nacelle assembly includes an inlet lip section and a cowl section downstream of the inlet lip section. At least a portion of the cowl section is flexed to take various shapes through a nanoelectromechanical system and thereby influence an effective boundary layer thickness of the nacelle assembly.

In the field of nanoresonator oscillators or NEMS (nanoelectromechanical systems) oscillators, a circuit is proposed for measuring the oscillation frequency of a resonator, including a phase-locked loop with a frequency-controlled oscillator and a phase comparator. The resonator includes a vibration excitation input and a dynamic polarization input (using strain gauges). The frequency-controlled oscillator applies a polarization frequency f1 to the polarization input. A frequency generator supplies a fixed intermediate frequency FI; a mixer receives the frequencies f1 and FI for producing an excitation frequency f0 that is the sum or difference of f1 and FI. The phase comparator receives the frequency FI and the output signal of the resonator and produces a control signal that is sent to the frequency-controlled oscillator, indirectly locking the oscillation frequency onto the resonant frequency of the resonator.

The invention provides a preparation method of a nano-gap electrode in a micro-nano electromechanical device, which belongs to the field of micro-nano electromechanical systems. According to the preparation method, an appropriate material is selected to prepare a sacrificial layer, and the preparation method comprises the following steps of: firstly, preparing a nano-scale side wall structure of the sacrificial layer in a mode of back etching, wherein the side wall needs to have a certain height; secondly, depositing a layer of thin metal layer or other electrode materials; and thirdly, selectively corroding the side wall material of the sacrificial layer, wherein the metals or other electrode materials attached to the side wall are corroded together, and a gap is formed at the position of the side wall. The nano-gap electrode is prepared by keeping the thickness of the sacrificial layer side wall in a nano scale. The preparation method is compatible with the conventional semiconductor processing technique, is easy for large-scale production, and is low in cost.

The invention relates to a multi-physical-field nanometer generator which is constructed by utilizing electricity generating characteristics of a carbon nanometer tube thin film in physical fields such as a light physical field, a heat physical field and a fluid physical field. The multi-physical-field nanometer generator structurally comprises an outer electrode, an inner electrode, the carbon nanometer tube thin film and a silicon substrate composite substrate and is characterized in that when the carbon nanometer tube thin film is subjected to the combined action of light and airflow, solar energy and fluid mechanical energy are converted into electric energy with the photothermal effect, the Bernoulli effect and the Seebeck effect. The multi-physical-field nanometer generator comprises p type or n type electricity generating units which are connected in series or in parallel to form a matrix power supply device which is provided with a plurality of energy output nodes, the number of the electricity generating units can be flexibly set according to different load requirements, and the output power of the generator is improved. The multi-physical-field nanometer generator has the advantages of being tiny in size, high in reliability, flexible, practical, free of moving parts and the like, and capable of being applied to skins of vehicles such as automobiles, trains, planes. Electricity can be provided for internal micro-nano mechanical and electrical systems or devices by utilizing light and air flow.

Tunable, bio-functionalized, nanoelectromechanical systems (Bio-NEMS), micromechanical resonators (MRs), nanomechanical resonators (NRs), surface acoustic wave resonators, and bulk acoustic wave resonators having superhydrophobic surfaces for use in aqueous biochemical solutions. The MRs, NRs or Bio-NEMS include a system resonator that can vibrate or oscillate at a relatively high frequency and to which an analyte molecule(s) contained in the solution ○ can attach or upon which small molecular-scale forces can act; a device for adjusting a relaxation time of the solution, to increase the quality (Q-factor) of the resonator inside the solution, to reduce energy dissipation into the solution; and a device for detecting a frequency shift in the resonator due to the analyte molecule(s) or applied molecular-scale forces. The resonator can include roughness elements that provide superhydrophobicity and, more particularly, gaps between adjacent asperities for repelling the aqueous solution from the surface of the device.

The present invention provides for replacement of conventionally-used metal electrodes in NEMS devices with electrodes that include non-metallic materials comprised of diamond-like carbon or a dielectric coated metallic film having greater electrical contact resistance and lower adhesion with a contacting nanostructure. This reduces Joule heating and stiction, improving device reliability.

A silicon device, e.g., a nanoelectromechanical resonator, has a silicon substrate; an oxide layer having a trench therein; a silicon device layer over the oxide layer; and a nanowire disposed at least partly over the trench. Substantially no oxide or polysilicon is over the nanowire in the trench. A polyimide layer over the silicon device layer includes an opening over the trench. A silicon device can include silicon-on-insulator layers and at least one complementary metal-oxide semiconductor transistor in addition to a nanowire substantially suspended over a trench. A system for measurement of a nanoresonator includes an AC source in series with the nanoresonator to provide an electrical signal thereto at a selected first frequency. Electrode(s) adjacent to and spaced apart from the nanoresonator are driven by voltage source. A detector detects a current through the nanoresonator.