Innovation
“Skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.”
Wayne Gretzky, who scored 2,857 points in the National Hockey League, was given this advice by his father. Wayne did not look like or behave as a superstar, but his unusual skill for anticipation led him to score many goals. We also accept this advice by anticipating the progression of technology to develop new answers to specific critical needs.
Application
Expand to explore each of the following applications:
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A scanning tunneling microscope (STM) may be used to image the atomic structure at the surface of an electrically-conductive sample such as a metal or semiconductor. When the tip of the STM is close to the sample, electrons spontaneously tunnel across the junction and the resulting current is measured. This current is inversely related to distance so that when the current is measured across the sample, the surface is scanned. Alternatively, the tunneling current can be held at a constant value; as the tip is moved across the sample, its z-position changes to accommodate the changing current and the surface topography is inferred from the movement of the tip. Our simulation demonstrates this process and the various methods used to control the STM's tip position.
NONINVASIVE MEASUREMENT OF HIGH-FREQUENCY ELECTRICAL CURRENTS
Large aperture high-frequency current probe:
Generators that simulate the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) of a nuclear detonation create peak electric field of 100 kV/m with rise and fall times of 5 and 200 ns, respectively. We developed sturdy minimally-perturbing current probes to measure the induced current in humans and inanimate objects and found peak currents as high as 500A. However, due to the short duration of the pulse, the average absorbed energy is so low that there was no sensation.
Generators that simulate the electromagnetic pulse (EMP) of a nuclear detonation create peak electric field of 100 kV/m with rise and fall times of 5 and 200 ns, respectively. We developed sturdy minimally-perturbing current probes to measure the induced current in humans and inanimate objects and found peak currents as high as 500A. However, due to the short duration of the pulse, the average absorbed energy is so low that there was no sensation.
NEW TERAHERTZ DEVICES USING LASER-ASSISTED QUANTUM TUNNELING
Femtosecond response in laser-assisted field emission:
We pioneered in the analysis and fast (sub-microsecond) measurements of laser-assisted field emission, a form of quantum tunneling. This included the modeling, design, and testing of ultrafast optoelectronic devices based on this effect. Whereas others use semiconductors and non-linear optical media to obtain terahertz radiation with lasers, we use the durable clean surface of a nanoscale tip made of a polyvalent refractory metal in vacuum during field emission as the optical medium.
We pioneered in the analysis and fast (sub-microsecond) measurements of laser-assisted field emission, a form of quantum tunneling. This included the modeling, design, and testing of ultrafast optoelectronic devices based on this effect. Whereas others use semiconductors and non-linear optical media to obtain terahertz radiation with lasers, we use the durable clean surface of a nanoscale tip made of a polyvalent refractory metal in vacuum during field emission as the optical medium.
Scanning Frequency Comb Microscopy (SFCM)
Semiconductor characterization below the 10nm lithography node:
A mode-locked ultrafast laser focused on the tunneling junction of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) superimposes a sequence of short pulses of minority carriers on the DC tunneling current in a semiconductor sample. This is a microwave frequency comb in the time-domain. Dispersion and attenuation measurements near the tunneling junction reveal the local density of majority carriers from the processes of dielectric relaxation and scattering. This method shows promise for carrier profiling below the elusive 10 nm lithography node.
A mode-locked ultrafast laser focused on the tunneling junction of a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) superimposes a sequence of short pulses of minority carriers on the DC tunneling current in a semiconductor sample. This is a microwave frequency comb in the time-domain. Dispersion and attenuation measurements near the tunneling junction reveal the local density of majority carriers from the processes of dielectric relaxation and scattering. This method shows promise for carrier profiling below the elusive 10 nm lithography node.
Our business model for fast transfer from innovation to application:
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Our vision is to conduct research to enable greater understanding in selected topics of basic science and apply the results to meet the needs for advanced technology in our society. Thus, our motto “Innovation–then application” is followed in three steps: Do research, patent the related technology, and publish the results. For example, we discovered how to generate a unique microwave frequency comb by laser-assisted quantum tunneling. In application #1 we apply this effect to develop new instruments for surface science and enable semiconductors to be characterized below the 10-nm lithography node.
Our mission is to work with universities and the National Laboratories to create new paths in science and technology. We patent key applications and the manufacturing and marketing are done by our industrial partners. In an open and nurturing environment fostering independent thinking we generally accept the data others publish but sometimes we reach different conclusions. For example, in the 1980’s others believed that the increase in field emission current caused by a laser is a thermal effect requiring at least 10 µs. However, we found that this delay was caused by their measurement circuit. Our simulations show that the response is 10 orders of magnitude faster than they thought, and we pioneered in developing new ultra-fast optoelectronic devices based on laser-assisted field emission. |
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the National Science Foundation for current support in developing instrumentation based on laser-assisted scanning tunneling microscopy to meet the needs of the semiconductor industry at and below the 10-nm lithography node, and earlier support to develop microwave and terahertz devices that are based on laser-assisted field emission. Beginning in 2008, the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) has made it possible for us to work with scientists using advanced instrumentation at Los Alamos National Laboratory to test our advanced concepts. We also acknowledge support by the U.S. Department of Energy which led to our discovery of the microwave frequency comb in laser-assisted scanning tunneling microscopy.
Contact Us
NewPath Research L.L.C.
P.O. Box 3863
Salt Lake City, UT, 84110
info@newpathresearch.com
P.O. Box 3863
Salt Lake City, UT, 84110
info@newpathresearch.com