Abstract: Temperatures in microelectronic integrated circuit packages and components may be measured in situ using carbon nanotube networks. An array of carbon nanotubes strung between upstanding structures may be used to measure local temperature. Because of the carbon nanotubes, a highly accurate temperature measurement may be achieved. In some cases, the carbon nanotubes and the upstanding structures may be secured to a substrate that is subsequently attached to a microelectronic package.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure relate to sensor technology for gases, and more specifically, to nanofiber based gas sensors capable of operating at high temperatures (e.g., hundreds, thousands of degrees Celsius). In exemplary embodiments, a combination of p-type and n-type nanofiber materials can be combined to create gas sensors that can be used to detect reducing gases with enhanced selectivity/sensitivity.

Abstract: A thermal conductivity and phase transition heat transfer mechanism has an opto-luminescent phosphor contained within the vapor chamber of the mechanism. The housing includes a section that is thermally conductive and a member that is at least partially optically transmissive, to allow emission of light produced by excitation of the phosphor. A working fluid also is contained within the chamber. The pressure within the chamber configures the working fluid to absorb heat during operation of the lighting device, to vaporize at a relatively hot location at or near at least a portion of the opto-luminescent phosphor as the working fluid absorbs heat, to transfer heat to and condense at a relatively cold location, and to return as a liquid to the relatively hot location. Also, the working fluid is in direct contact with or contains at least a portion of the opto-luminescent phosphor.

Abstract: A thermal conductivity and phase transition heat transfer mechanism incorporates an active optical element. Examples of active optical elements include various phosphor materials for emitting light, various electrically driven light emitters and various devices that generate electrical current or an electrical signal in response to light. The thermal conductivity and phase transition between evaporation and condensation, of the thermal conductivity and phase transition heat transfer mechanism, cools the active optical element during operation. At least a portion of the active optical element is exposed to a working fluid within a vapor tight chamber of the heat transfer mechanism. The heat transfer mechanism includes a member that is at least partially optically transmissive to allow passage of light to or from the active optical element and to seal the chamber of the heat transfer mechanism with respect to vapor contained within the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for nonlinear optical surface sensing with a single thermo-electric detector. In particular, the system includes at least two signal sources that are co-aligned to propagate photons to the same location on a surface. The system also includes at least one focusing element that focuses a sequence of photons that is reflected from the location on the surface. In addition, the system includes at least one frequency selective electromagnetic detector that detects the sequence of photons that are focused from the focusing element(s). When the frequency selective electromagnetic detector senses a photon, the frequency selective electromagnetic detector emits an electrical pulse that has a voltage that is proportional to the energy level of the photon. Additionally, the system includes a processor that processes the electrical pulses, and de-multiplexes the sequence of emitted electrical pulses based on the electrical pulse voltage of the electrical pulses.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of measuring pressure or temperature using a sensor including a sensor element composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In one example, the resistance of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is measured in response to the application of temperature or pressure. The changes in resistance are then recorded and correlated to temperature or pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for independent measurement of pressure or temperature using the sensors disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of measuring pressure or temperature using a sensor including a sensor element composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In one example, the resistance of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is measured in response to the application of temperature or pressure. The changes in resistance are then recorded and correlated to temperature or pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for independent measurement of pressure or temperature using the sensors disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of measuring pressure or temperature using a sensor including a sensor element composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In one example, the resistance of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is measured in response to the application of temperature or pressure. The changes in resistance are then recorded and correlated to temperature or pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for independent measurement of pressure or temperature using the sensors disclosed herein.

Abstract: A nanothermocouple detector includes a nanowire coupled across two electrodes. The two electrodes are electrically connected to an amplifier. The two electrodes generally have a separation of about five micrometers to about thirty micrometers across which the nanowire is coupled. A focusing element is disposed to admit photons that fall on the focusing element onto the nanowire to heat it. A voltage change across the nanowire caused by the heating of the nanowire by the light is detected by the amplifier. The voltage change corresponds to the energy absorbed from the light by the nanowire. The color of a single photon can be detected using such device. An array of such devices can be used for sensing light on a two-dimensional scale, thereby providing an image showing small variances in the energies of the light impinging upon the detector array.

Abstract: A magnetic-recording head with touch-down detector incorporating a carbon nano-tube (CNT). The magnetic-recording head includes a write element, a read element and a touch-down detector. The write element is configured to write data to a magnetic-recording disk. The read element is configured to read data from the magnetic-recording disk. The touch-down detector includes a thermal sensor, and a CNT portion. The thermal sensor is configured to convert heat to a voltage signal. The CNT portion is configured to touch down on the magnetic-recording disk. The CNT portion is also coupled to the thermal sensor, and is configured to transfer heat generated by contact between the CNT portion and the magnetic-recording disk to the thermal sensor. A hard-disk drive (HDD) including the magnetic-recording head with touch-down detector incorporating a CNT, and a method for detecting contact between the magnetic-recording head and a recording surface of a magnetic-recording disk are also provided.

Abstract: Nanowire array structures based on periodic or aperiodic nanowires are provided in various configurations for sensing and interacting with light and substances to provide various functions such as sensors for detecting DNAs and others and solar cells for converting light into electricity.

Abstract: Carbon nanotubes are formed on projections on a substrate. A metal, such as nickel is deposited on the substrate with optional platforms, and heated to form the projections. Carbon nanotubes are formed from the projections by heating in an ethylene, methane or CO atmosphere. A heat sensor is also formed proximate the carbon nanotubes. When exposed to IR radiation, the heat sensor detects changes in temperature representative of the IR radiation. In a gas sensor, a thermally isolated area, such as a pixel is formed on a substrate with an integrated heater. A pair of conductors each have a portion adjacent a portion of the other conductor with projections formed on the adjacent portions of the conductors. Multiple carbon nanotubes are formed between the conductors from one projection to another. IV characteristics of the nanotubes are measured between the conductors in the presence of a gas to be detected.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for producing a graphene-containing composition is provided, the method comprising: (i) mixing a graphene oxide with a medium to form a mixture; and (ii) heating the mixture to a temperature above about 40° C., whereby a graphene-containing composition is formed from the mixture. Composites of polymers with disperse functionalized graphene sheets and the applications thereof are also described.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of fabricating a semiconductor device is disclosed, the method comprises including: forming etching an oxide layer to form a pattern of parallel oxide bars on a substrate; forming nitride spacers on side walls of the parallel oxide bars, with gaps remaining between adjacent nitride spacers; forming silicon pillars in the gaps; removing the nitride spacers to form a plurality of fin bodies; forming an isolation region in between each of the fin bodies; and coating the plurality of fin bodies, the nitride spacers, and the isolation regions with a protective film.

Abstract: Quantum well thermoelectric modules and a low-cost method of mass producing the modules. The devices are comprised of n-legs and p-legs, each leg being comprised of layers of quantum well material in the form of very thin alternating layers. In the n-legs the alternating layers are layers of n-type semiconductor material and electrical insulating material. In the p-legs the alternating layers are layers of p-type semiconductor material and electrical insulating material. Both n-legs and p-legs are comprised of materials providing similar thermal expansion. In preferred embodiments the layers, referred to as super-lattice layers are about 4 nm to 20 nm thick. The layers of quantum well material is separated by much larger layers of thermal and electrical insulating material such that the volume of insulating material in each leg is at least 20 times larger than the volume of quantum well material.

Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of measuring pressure or temperature using a sensor including a sensor element composed of a plurality of carbon nanotubes. In one example, the resistance of the plurality of carbon nanotubes is measured in response to the application of temperature or pressure. The changes in resistance are then recorded and correlated to temperature or pressure. In one embodiment, the present invention provides for independent measurement of pressure or temperature using the sensors disclosed herein.

Abstract: The vanadium sesquioxide nanocomposite is useful for applications in thermistors, current switching devices, static charge dissipation devices, and electromagnetic shielding. Vanadium sesquioxide nanoparticles are produced using a sol-gel process that results in a V2O5 gel. The gel is heated in a reducing atmosphere of about 5% H2-95% argon at 850° C. for about four hours. The resulting product is dried at about 50° C. for twenty-four hours to produce V2O3 powder having particles about 23 nm in size. The nanocomposite is prepared by mixing the sesquioxide nanoparticles with epoxy resin and hardener in a centrifuge, casting the mixture in a Teflon mold, heating the mixture at 60° C. for 30 minutes, and curing the product at 150 KN/m2 at 100° C. for two hours. The nanocomposite contains about 80-90 wt % epoxy resin-hardener mixture and about 10-20 wt % vanadium sesquioxide nanoparticles.

Abstract: Methods for gas sensing with single-walled carbon nanotubes are described. The methods comprise biasing at least one carbon nanotube and exposing to a gas environment to detect variation in temperature as an electrical response.

Abstract: In an actuator including at least one active electrode disposed in an electrolyte and comprising at least two webs of an electrically conductive material with a plurality of geometrically anisotropic nanoparticles disposed thereon and oriented uni-directionally in a preferential direction with an electrically conductive connection between the nanoparticles and the webs and a potential difference with respect to ground can be applied to the active electrode by a voltage or current source, the nanoparticles are connected in each case to two webs and the connections are material-interlocking.

Abstract: A platform that can measure the thermal profiles of devices with nanoscale resolution has been developed. The system measures the local temperature by using an array of nanoscale thermometers. This process can be observed in real time using a high resolution imagining technique such as electron microscopy. The platform can operate at extremely high temperatures.

Abstract: A flexible thin metal film thermal sensing system is provided. A thermally-conductive film made from a thermally-insulating material is doped with thermally-conductive material. At least one layer of electrically-conductive metal is deposited directly onto a surface of the thermally-conductive film. One or more devices are coupled to the layer(s) to measure an electrical characteristic associated therewith as an indication of temperature.

Abstract: The invention provides a temperature-threshold indicator device 10 comprising a sealed housing 12 having at least one surface 14 which is transparent and containing a suspension of inorganic nanoparticles 18 suspended in a liquid medium wherein the suspension undergoes an irreversible detectible change in optical characteristics upon freezing of the liquid medium due to aggregation of the nanoparticles, and wherein the device is provided a with means for association thereof with a product whereby the temperature-threshold indicator device 10 serves to determine whether the product has been exposed to an environment of predetermined coldness.

Abstract: The electromagnetic radiation detector comprises at least one membrane suspended above a substrate by at least one nanowire. The nanowire forms a thermoelement comprising an electrically conducting core and external layer, respectively doped of different types and insulated from one another by an electrical insulation layer. When the substrate and membrane are at different temperatures, the nanowire constitutes a thermometer providing measurement signals, by Seebeck effect, representative of heating of the membrane.

Abstract: An indicator composition for determining a thermal or chronological history during shipping or storage of a product. The composition includes a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed throughout a matrix. The nanoparticles turn color while dispersed in the matrix as a function at least one of time and temperature.

Abstract: By preliminarily measuring the gallium temperature and the length change of a temperature sensing element comprising a carbon nanotube having a continuous column of gallium contained therein, then heating the temperature sensing element installed in a subject to increase the temperature thereof in air, removing the temperature sensing element subjecting to measure the gallium length, and substituting the measured gallium length in a formula, the temperature is measured accurately over a wide temperature range in a micrometer size or less environment.

Abstract: A novel nano thermometer, which can be used for temperature measurement of a wide temperature range, in a micrometer size environment, and a method for producing the same. The nano thermometer is a carbon nanotube filled with a continuous columnar gallium, which enables measurement of environmental temperature by length change of the columnar gallium, and is produced by mixing Ga2O3 powder and carbon powder uniformly, and performing heat treatment for this mixed powder at a temperature range of 1200 to 1400° C. under an inert gas flow.

Abstract: According to embodiments of the present invention, a very thin thermal interface material (TIM) is developed, which is composed of carbon nanotubes, silicon thermal grease, and chloroform. The carbon nanotubes and chloroform comprise the filler and the silicone thermal grease comprises the matrix.