Technology Efforts
While we have experience involving semiconductors, especially lithography, thick and thin file, power electronics, and optics, our most recent efforts have been in the areas provided below.
Embedded sensors
An interesting challenge of developing autonomous sensors is the different technologies required for a practical device. Such a device must be able to measure and store information with the ability to transmit that data at a later time. This effort involves researchers across the US. Depending on the size of the device, the technologies might not be currently available. Geothermal requirements increase the challenge by needing electronics that can survive and operate at over 200C.
Manufacturing micron sized sensor systems
A primary challenge of the miniaturization of sensors is manufacturing them in sufficient volume, which tends to be much less than a 3D semiconductor wafer design would produce. While the semiconductor industry has features that are in the sub 100 nm size range, the development of actual devices that are in even the tens of micrometers is something that is not possible with current manufacturing technologies. The ability to assemble different designs of systems that might be less than 500-microns does not exist in today’s technology. There are some techniques that can be applied, but these are still in the developmental phase. We are working to address the capabilities and requirements for devices that will be very much smaller than a millimeter.
Nanotechnology
One of the challenges in nanotechnology today is the development of numerous novel nanomaterials. While the investigation of the material properties are showing promising applications, there are challenges. The obvious challenge is how to step up the laboratory efforts to a production capability. This “ramp” up in volume capacity is not a single, straightforward step. Many small steps must be taken prior to achieving the long-term goal.
Nanomaterials are very interesting because the properties of the materials are not only a function of the actual particle size but also influenced by the impurities in the material. Semiconductor processing adds impurities in very small percentages to achieve certain material characteristics. This is an important consideration.
Nano-Safety
After more than 10 years, the nanotechnology safety effort is maturing. There are courses available, and there is a graduate level text book available. The Linked-In Nano-Education Group has significantly increased in membership with a number of interesting topics discussed.
Area of early investigation
Currently investigations are ongoing in some areas of wave theory. Potential applications include geothermal.
Early Stage company growth for success
As always, we are working with early stage companies. >While Startups are not a technology per se, there are always technological challenges in developing products. The emphasis is on appropriately developing a viable long term plans for these organizations. Since they are at an early stage, no references to them can be published. Business acumen and technical expertise are a difficult combination for most people. It is important to have these skills available to guide the direction of corporate strategy.