RRJ#6

Hopperton, L. (2011, April 26), Millimetre scale energy harvester generates electricity from vibrations. www.newelectronics.co.uk. Retrieved on May 03, 2011 from http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/millimetre-scale-energy-harvester-generates-electricity-from-vibrations/33359/

Summary:

In this article, the author generally tried to tell readers about what is considered a dream of mankind to generate energy from the cheapest source or even from 'nothing'. The author said that this new device is a very tiny device so we can put it on a one cent coin. She said that the function of this minute device is to collect vibrations from surrounding space and convert them by a certain complex process to electricity. She said that this small device can control and use all 'the cyclic motions of factory machine' to produce energy to feed wireless sensor networks. Also, the author said the biggest difficulty that the researchers have had to deal with was how to make this device last as long as possible. She cited the sayings of one of system's developers who is chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering at University of Michigan. In addition, the author mentioned that an adept team built a very modern system to manufacture this device, and the system used solid materials ,which have a characteristic of 'Piezoelectricity' in order to obtain the energy through complex digital circuit. She mentioned that one of the good things in this device is the operative part that converts the energy is so small and it takes just 27 cubic millimeters, and this can be considered a high integration. She mentioned that these devices can generate more power and last longer without maintenance. Finally, she mentioned the great benefits of such devices in many application like medicine and automotive industry.

Reaction:

I think that the author was fantastic when he chose this topic and put this title to make readers intent to her article. Also, we can say that a preliminary sentence in the beginning of the article can make readers pay more attention to pursue reading this article. Another amazing thing is that the author gave a brief description in the second paragraph to show the main point of why this device is a marvelous invention. In addition, the author supported his article by giving significant details in order to cover all the aspects the topic. Furthermore, she cited sayings of one of the system's developers, so her source of information is a member of the team. On the other hand, she cited too many sayings, and this maybe makes readers believe that this article is just a paraphrase of what that member had said. Nevertheless, the ideas and the organization are very good because the author followed a logical sequence in presenting the information. Moreover, the author finished her article by mentioning the economic benefits of that device and how it will be utilized in several applications like medicine and the automotive industry. I think that this type of article is easy to read, and it contains plenty of information.

RRJ#5

Shaw,C. (2011, April 11). New advance in nanofabrication techniques, 'significant'. www.newelectronics.co.uk. Retrieved on April 25, 2011. From http://www.newelectronics.co.uk/electronics-news/new-advance-in-nanofabrication-techniques-significant/32975/

Summary:

The author started describing what researchers at Lund University in Sweden and University of New South Wales discovered in the area of IC fabrication simplification. He said that research was done by these researchers at these universities to fix  huge problems caused by "packing higher densities of transistors into a chip", so their work resulted in  a new sophisticated transistor called "Fin Field Effect Transistor (FinFET)". FinFET transistor has a characteristic of having a channel etched silicon side to develop flat highland structure. He mentioned that the researchers claimed to obtain  better control by covering a certain area inside the transistor so they can get metal beneath the channel, and this way of linking has resulted in an interest in self assembled nanowires for computing devices. He said that it is possible to make coated nanowires into "fully functioning transistors" by a developed process because it is a wonderful thing to have such a modern transistor design. He said that the challenge was to make nanowire transistors surrounded by a metal wrap gate. Also, he continued presenting some details and features of a nanowire transistor by citing from a work published in NanoLetters. Finally, he said that the nanowire transistors will open new areas and new ways and methods in the semiconductor industry.

Reaction:

In this article, the author was depicting and characterizing a high-class type of transistor that can be made by an involved process to simplify IC fabrication steps. In spite of the excellent presentation of details, I think that the author went on and on in deeply describing the new technique of nanowire transistors. Thus, the article lacks stimulation and causes boredom. In my opinion, this article has tow advantages; first, it includes detailed information about an amazing kind of semiconductors. Second, it presents the benefits of such devices invented basically by academic researchers. On the other hand, this article has two disadvantages; firstly, it is classified as very professional article, so it is suitable just for electronic specialists. Secondly, it seems to be a one-sided direction because it did not take into account that everything in this world must have at least one disadvantage. In spite of its being a good development, however, this is the way in which article are written, because people who are interested in such areas always focus on and analyze specific issues. In addition, the author was good when he mentioned that these new devices may put into reach many methods and ways to invent more and more techniques.