p-MOS controlled lateral thyristor: A MOS controllable thyristor suitable for integration

A novel CMOS compatible lateral thyristor is proposed in this paper. Its thyristor conduction is fully controlled by a p-MOS gate. Loss of MOS control due to parasitic latch-up has been eliminated and triggering of the main thyristor at lower forward current achieved. The device operation has been verified by 2-D numerical simulations and experimental fabrication.

Smooth thin film C/diamond membranes with controllable optical band gaps

Mixed phase carbon-diamond films which consist of small grain diamond in an a:C matrix were deposited on polished Si using a radio frequency CH4 Ar plasma CVD deposition process. Ellipsometry, surface profilometry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and spectrophotometry were used to analyse these films. Film thicknesses were typically 50-100 nm with a surface roughness of ± 30 A ̊ over centimetre length scans. SEM analysis showed the films were smooth and pinhole free. The Si substrate was etched using backside masking and a directional etch to give taut carbon-diamond membranes on a Si grid. Spectrophotometry was used to analyse the optical properties of these membranes. Band gap control was achieved by varying the dc bias of the deposition process. Band gaps of 1.2 eV to 4.0 eV were achieved in these membranes. A technique for controlling the compressive stress in the films, which can range from 0.02 to 7.5 GPa has been employed. This has allowed the fabrication of thin, low stress, high band gap membranes that are extremely tough and chemically inert. Such carbon-diamond membranes seem promising for applications as windows in analytical instruments. © 1992.

Unexpected controllable pair-structure in ferroelectric nanodomains.

The imminent inability of silicon-based memory devices to satisfy Moore's Law is approaching rapidly. Controllable nanodomains of ferroic systems are anticipated to enable future high-density nonvolatile memory and novel electronic devices. We find via piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) studies on lead zirconate titanate (PZT) films an unexpected nanostructuring of ferroelectric-ferroelastic domains. These consist of c-nanodomains within a-nanodomains in proximity to a-nanodomains within c-domains. These structures are created and annihilated as pairs, controllably. We treat these as a new kind of vertex-antivertex pair and consider them in terms of the Srolovitz-Scott 4-state Potts model, which results in pairwise domain vertex instabilities that resemble the vortex-antivortex mechanism in ferromagnetism, as well as dislocation pairs (or disclination pairs) that are well-known in nematic liquid crystals. Finally, we show that these nanopairs can be scaled up to form arrays that are engineered at will, paving the way toward facilitating them to real technologies.

A critical review of Glucose biosensors based on Carbon nanomaterials: Carbon nanotubes and graphene

There has been an explosion of research into the physical and chemical properties of carbon-based nanomaterials, since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by Iijima in 1991. Carbon nanomaterials offer unique advantages in several areas, like high surface-volume ratio, high electrical conductivity, chemical stability and strong mechanical strength, and are thus frequently being incorporated into sensing elements. Carbon nanomaterial-based sensors generally have higher sensitivities and a lower detection limit than conventional ones. In this review, a brief history of glucose biosensors is firstly presented. The carbon nanotube and grapheme-based biosensors, are introduced in Sections 3 and 4, respectively, which cover synthesis methods, up-to-date sensing approaches and nonenzymatic hybrid sensors. Finally, we briefly outline the current status and future direction for carbon nanomaterials to be used in the sensing area. © 2012 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.