Abstract: A resonant tunneling diode, and other one dimensional electronic, photonic structures, and electromechanical MEMS devices, are formed as a heterostructure in a nanowhisker by forming length segments of the whisker with different materials having different band gaps.

Abstract: Nanowhiskers are grown in a non-preferential growth direction by regulation of nucleation conditions to inhibit growth in a preferential direction. In a preferred implementation, <001> III-V semiconductor nanowhiskers are grown on an (001) III-V semiconductor substrate surface by effectively inhibiting growth in the preferential <111>B direction. As one example, <001> InP nano-wires were grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy directly on (001) InP substrates. Characterization by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy revealed wires with nearly square cross sections and a perfect zincblende crystalline structure that is free of stacking faults.

Abstract: A probe structure for a scanning probe microscope comprises a nanowhisker (16,34) projecting from a free end of an upstanding tip member (4,26), and being formed integrally with the tip member. In another embodiment, a data storage medium comprises an array of nanowhiskers (54), each nanowhisker being formed from magnetic material, the diameter of the nanowhisker being such that a single ferromagnetic domain exists within the nanowhisker, preferably having a diameter not greater than about 25 nm and more preferably not greater than about 10 nm, and a read/write structure comprising the probe structure for injecting a stream of spin-polarised electrons into a selected nanowhisker of the array, either for sensing the direction of magnetisation in the nanowhisker, or for forcing the nanowhisker into a desired direction of magnetisation.

Abstract: A nanoengineered structure comprising an array of more than about 1000 nanowhiskers on a substrate in a predetermined spatial configuration, for use for example as a photonic band gap array, wherein each nanowhisker is sited within a distance from a predetermined site not greater than about 20% of its distance from its nearest neighbour. To produce the array, an array of masses of a catalytic material are positioned on the surface, heat is applied and materials in gaseous form are introduced such as to create a catalytic seed particle from each mass, and to grow, from the catalytic seed particle, epitaxially, a nanowhisker of a predetermined material, and wherein each mass upon melting, retains approximately the same interface with the substrate surface such that forces causing the mass to migrate across said surface are less than a holding force across a wetted interface on the substrate surface.

Abstract: Nano-engineered structures are disclosed, incorporating nanowhiskers of high mobility conductivity and incorporating pn junctions. In one embodiment, a nanowhisker of a first semiconducting material has a first band gap, and an enclosure comprising at least one second material with a second band gap encloses said nanoelement along at least part of its length, the second material being doped to provide opposite conductivity type charge carriers in respective first and second regions along the length of the of the nanowhisker, whereby to create in the nanowhisker by transfer of charge carriers into the nanowhisker, corresponding first and second regions of opposite conductivity type charge carriers with a region depleted of free carriers therebetween. The doping of the enclosure material may be degenerate so as to create within the nanowhisker adjacent segments having very heavy modulation doping of opposite conductivity type analogous to the heavily doped regions of an Esaki diode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vibration isolator for isolating vibrations generated between units (2, 3) of which at least one unit is an electronic unit (3), wherein the vibration isolator (1) includes a first member (4) which cooperates with a first one of the units (2, 3) and a second member (5) which cooperates with a second one of the units (2, 3) and wherein a device (6) is provided for isolating vibrations between the units (2, 3). The isolating device (6) includes isolating structures (7) which are freely suspended between the first and the second members (4, 5) such that the structures (7) can spring in a vertical plane (VP) and a horizontal plane (HP) as well as in other directions relative to the units (2, 3), whereby the isolating structures (7) isolate vibrations between the units (2, 3) in the vertical plane (VP), the horizontal plane (HP) and other planes.

Abstract: An instrument for indicating anomalies in human tissue comprises first and second light emitters. The first light emitter comprises a tungsten filament which transilluminates the tissue and visually indicates any anomalies therein. The second light emitter emits a light of higher intensity than the light from the first emitter. The second emitter is actuated while the tissue is being transilluminated by the first light emitter to make an exposure on infrared sensitive film located at an opposite side of the tissue.

Abstract: An instrument for indicating anomalies in human tissue comprises first and second light emitters. The first light emitter comprises a tungsten filament which transilluminates the tissue and visually indicates any anomalies therein. The second light emitter emits a light of higher intensity than the light from the first emitter. The second emitter is actuated while the tissue is being transilluminated by the first light emitter to make an exposure on infrared sensitive film located at an opposite side of the tissue.