NAI Director's Seminar: Andrew Pohorille, "Is Water Necessary for Life?" Nov 12, 2009
In particular, potential solvents for life must be characterized by a high dielectric constant to ensure solubility of polar species and sufficient flexibility of biological structures stabilized by electrostatic interactions. Among these solvents, water exhibits a remarkable trait that it also promotes solvophobic (hydrophobic) interactions between non-polar species, typically manifested by a tendency of these species to aggregate and minimize their contacts with the aqueous solvent. (NASA Watch)
New 'FinFETs' Promising For Smaller Transistors, More Powerful Chips Nov 12, 2009
One potential solution to this leaking problem is to replace silicon dioxide with materials that have a higher insulating value, or "dielectric constant," such as hafnium dioxide or aluminum oxide. The Purdue research team has done so, creating finFETs that incorporate the indium-gallium-arsenide fin with a so-called "high-k" insulator. (Science Daily)
Toshiba applies germanium to 16-nm MISFET gate stack Jun 16, 2009
There are reports of achieving high hole-mobility by adopting germanium dioxide (GeO2) in the gate stack insulating layer, but due to its low dielectric constant, there still remains the challenge of reducing the effective oxide thickness to 0 ... 5-nm, either by reducing thickness of an overlaying high-k layer or adopting a high-k layer with a higher dielectric constant. (EETimes)
Storing A Lightning Bolt In Glass May 2, 2009
Breakdown strength, along with dielectric constant, determines how much energy can be stored in an insulating material before it fails and begins to conduct electricity ... A bulk glass with high breakdown strength and high dielectric constant would make an ideal candidate for the next generation of high energy density storage capacitors to power more efficient electric vehicles, as well as other portable and pulsed power applications. (Science Daily)
Nano Changes Rise To Macro Importance In A Key Electronics Material Apr 15, 2009
A useful dielectric needs to have a large dielectric constant roughly, a measure of the material s ability to hold an electric charge that is stable in the operating temperature range ... In the important gigahertz range of the radio spectrum used for a wide variety of wireless applications silver niobate-based ceramics are the only materials known that combine a high, temperature-stable dielectric constant with sufficiently low dielectric losses ... It s been known for some time that silver... (Science Daily)
New 'near-field' radiation therapy promises relief for overheating laptops Apr 14, 2009
" A change advocated by ITRS from a silica substrate to one made of dielectric materials with a higher dielectric constant would give the substrate material an even stronger surface polariton, says Rotkin. Rotkin's group used microscopic quantum models to calculate heat dissipation as a function of electric field, doping and temperature. "Most of the energy losses are dissipated directly into the polar substrate and do not contribute to the field-effect transistor temperature rise," the... (EurekAlert!)
The 50-nm DRAM battle rages on: An overview of Micron's technology Mar 25, 2009
Zirconium oxide has a higher dielectric constant and lower leakage than hafnium oxide and now represents the de facto standard for advanced DRAM devices. This change from Micron highlights the need for DRAM manufacturers to extract the maximum capacitance from the current storage-node design without having to make significant changes to the physical size and shape of the capacitors. (EETimes)
After Chandrayaan, ISRO readies for twin launch Feb 17, 2009
SAR, being an active sensor, operating in the microwave range of electromagnetic spectrum, provides the target parameters such as dielectric constant, roughness, and geometry, and has the unique capability for day-night imaging, and imaging in all weather conditions including fog and haze, and also provide information on soil moisture. "So far, all satellites launched by ISRO are optical remote sensing satellites. But RISAT will have all other capabilities," ISRO spokesperson S Satish told PTI.. (Sify.com, India)
