Future Technology Trends

Graphene arrays may help to create extremely high-density electronic computer chips. Many thinkers forecast that these shapes will replace standard technology within the next decade or so. This may not occur until silicon reaches a dead end. The sheets of carbon atoms are finding numerous other uses as times goes by. Researchers from Rice University and Hong Kong Polytechnic U have shown how these graphene nanoribbons can stand on a substrate with only a small support system. This work is located in the journal of the American Chemical Society. Nickel and diamond bind to the ends of the graphene and let it to be upright. Diamond is also composed of intricately bonded carbon and is a very durable material. It is one of the hardest compounds available. The contact between the two mediums is in a relatively tiny area, so the graphene walls maintain their unique properties. The combinations have electric and magnetic characteristics that are similar to freestanding ones. They claim that there is a theoretical limit of putting 100 trillion field-effect transistors into a single square centimeter sized microchip.   Read More »

Researchers have developed a new approach that can help boost the storage density of capacitors by using graphene and single walled carbon nanotubes. The technology is becoming a contender to replace other types of batteries for specific applications. This nanotech stores power in an electric field generated by charged particles. A benefit of supercapacitors is that they can recharge very quickly, whereas regenerating chemical reactions takes more time. They also have a much longer lifespan while retaining their original capabilities. When plugged into an outlet, there is only a movement of charges and this process does not produce the kind of reactant products that could degrade performance. The ultracapacitors can rapidly release electricity as well and this happens much faster than with chemical batteries. A main problem with the tech is that they normally have low energy densities and this has restricted their use. The splitting of chemical bonds can usually release a much greater amount of juice. Over the past few years, records have been shattered with novel electrode materials and this work continues that trend. Read More »

Graphene has long been touted as a viable successor to silicon transistors.  Some of these past claims have been misleading and researchers have said that it won’t be able to have these capabilities.  However, there is still continuing work to surmount the barriers that have prevented it from becoming a reality.  Graphene is one inch thick and looks like a hexagonal lattice of carbon atoms.  It is an excellent conductor of electricity and since carbon is a common element it makes it attractive option for synthesizing cheaper CPU’s.  Numerous other uses have been found for this tech including nanoantennas and actuators.  A main issue with this nanotechnology is that it doesn’t have a band gap.  In semiconductors, electrons can be at 2 different energy levels.  These are known as conduction and valence bands.  The energy space that exists between the regions is named the band gap.  This property is important to enable a transistor to switch on and off.  Without it, graphene wouldn’t be able to perform digital computations using ones and zeroes.  Researchers at Purdue University have created a novel inverter, which is a necessary component of a digital transistor.  This has been done before, but many of the previous types have operated only at very low temperatures near 77 degrees kelvin.  This new one can successfully switch at room temp and thus boosts the probability that it will find its way into a wider array of niche markets or even consumer products.  Aligning the parts into logic gates could allow mathematical calculations to be performed.  The scientist’s discoveries were detailed in a paper named “Complementary-Type Graphene Inverters Operating at Room-Temperature,” that was presented in June during the 2011 Device Research Conference.   Read More »

Georgia tech researchers and other organizations are helping to lay the groundwork for the development of powerful wireless nanosensor networks. This technology has been the cornerstone of many futurist projections for decades and has tantalizing implications for a wide swath of fields. These networked sensors could potentially read biological processes and rapidly send that that data to a central supercomputer for analysis.  This could have a revolutionary impact on how health care is administered.   Environmental surveying, assessing disaster damages and military operations are other potential future uses.   Read More »