Manufacturing Bits: March 17


Making MXenes Drexel University and the Materials Research Center in the Ukraine have devised a system for use in making large quantities of MXenes, a promising set of materials used for energy storage and related applications. A class of two-dimensional inorganic compounds, MXenes consist of thin atomic layers. The materials are based on transition metal carbides, nitrides or carbonitrides... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: March 9


Finding cures for coronavirus The Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is using the world’s most powerful supercomputer to identify drug compounds and cures for the coronavirus. [caption id="attachment_24162601" align="alignleft" width="300"] Summit supercomputer. Source: Oak Ridge National Laboratory[/caption] The supercomputer, called Summit, has identified 7... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: March 3


Security lithography At the recent SPIE Advanced Lithography conference, Multibeam disclosed more details about its efforts to develop multi-beam direct-write lithography for chip security applications. David Lam, chief executive and chairman of Multibeam, described how multi-beam lithography can be used to help thwart IC counterfeiting and tampering in the market. This lithography technolo... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 25


Diamond finFETs HRL Laboratories has made new and significant progress to develop diamond finFETs. HRL, a joint R&D venture between Boeing and General Motors, has developed a new ohmic regrowth technique for diamond FETs. This in turn could pave the way towards commercial diamond FETs. Applications include spacecraft, satellites and systems with extreme temperatures. Still in R&D, diamo... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 18


Molecular layer etch The U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory has made new advances in the field of molecular layer etching or etch (MLE). MLE is related to atomic layer etch (ALE). Used in the semiconductor industry, ALE selectively removes targeted materials at the atomic scale without damaging other parts of the structure. ALE is related to atomic layer deposition... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 10


Accelerating and cooling muons Using a novel particle accelerator, a group for the first time have observed a phenomenon called muon ionization cooling–an event that could give researchers a better understanding of matter and the universe. Muons are obscure sub-atomic particles. This experiment could pave the way towards the development of new and powerful muon particle accelerators. Thes... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 4


Non-targeted analysis Using a technology called machine learning, the Southwest Research Institute has introduced a software tool that detects known and unknown chemical components in food, air and drugs. It detects compounds in products we are exposed to every day using both machine learning and metrology techniques. A subset of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning uses advanced ... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 28


Fast photography The California Institute of Technology has developed a high-speed camera that can take pictures of transparent objects. The technology, called phase-sensitive compressed ultrafast photography (pCUP), can take up to 1 trillion pictures per second of transparent objects. Potentially, the technology from Caltech could be used in several applications, such as taking photos of s... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 21


New high-frequency transistors The Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Solid State Physics IAF has developed a novel high-frequency transistor type—the metal oxide semiconductor HEMT or MOSHEMT. Still in R&D, Fraunhofer’s MOSHEMT has reached record frequencies of 640GHz. MOSHEMTs are designed for the 100GHz frequency ranges and above. Applications include communications, radar and sens... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 13


Plastic gold ETH Zurich has developed an 18-carat gold nugget based on plastic. Instead of traditional metallic alloy elements, ETH’s gold nugget consists of a matrix of plastic. Weighing five to ten times less than traditional gold, ETH’s plastic gold can be used in watches, jewelry, radiation shielding, catalysis and electronics. Gold is a chemical element used in a plethora of app... » read more

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