Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Nano Bio-Mems

This post is all about Nano Mems their fabricaton techniques,applications and the like..

NANO-BIOMEMS

INTRODUCTION:
Initially the BIOMEMS that were manufactured using glad technique can only control intravenous delivery cases.
But recently the BIOMEMS are manufactured using nano technology which finds wide application in various fields such as
Aural sensing device
Biosensors
Bioreactors
Drug delivery devices
Micro-chromatography systems
Micro fluidics
Molecular detection
Surgical devices
Tissue handling devices
Retinal sensing

These devices have wide applications in various fields especially in the medical field.
Bio-sensors are used to test the samples taken from human body.
Cancer sensors are used to detect the presence of cancer cells in human body.
The carbon nano tubes are widely used by integrating with certain other polymers.
Nano optics is nothing but an optically thin film structures that are manufactured using nano technology.
Nano optics are fabricated using different process such as lithographic techniques and deposition process.
Nano technology is integrated into optical film using different methods.
Nano optic devices has wide application in industrial field as well as medical field.


BIO-SENSORS:
Bio-sensor is the latest device that is manufactured based on
Nano-BIOMEM technology.
Bio-sensors are of two types vitro type and vivo type.
Vitro type sensors can detect the body temperature,blood glucose level,blood pressure etc.
Whereas Vivo type sensors are used to detect the blood clots,internal imaging systems,neural recording arrays,also detects DNA materials present in human body.
The bio-sensors are fabricated based on two technologies.
The current devices are manufactured based on micro-scale technology
The functioning part is manufactured based on nano-Biomem technology.

A biosensor: DNA-protein recognition ..


CANCER SENSORS:
Researchers ARUN MAJUMDAR and PEIDONG YANG at the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA have developed the first nano-fluidic transistor.
Cancer sensors are used to detect the cancer cells that are present in human body.
Cancer sensors are fabricated by drilling a channel of 35-nm deep into two silicon-di-oxide plates .
The deep channel is filled with water and Kcl solution.
When a voltage is applied the K+ ions move through water and when there is some cancer cells the movement of K+ ions stops and hence detects the presence of cancer cells.


CNT DEVICES:
The CNT tubes when integrated with different polymers have different functions.
The CNT tubes if integrated with silicon and inserted into BIOMEMS will act as capnography sensor(i.e.)it monitors human breathing systems.
During emergency situation this capnography sensors alerts the doctors by giving alarm signals.
The CNT transistors when fused with carbon-di-oxide detecting polymers can determine the concentration of co2 in ambient and exhaled air.
The researchers prefer two layered nano-device assembly that can provide control over each component.
The CNT layers provides density and complexity to nano devices.
The CNT devices are also used to clean the floors.

CAPNOGRAPHY SENSOR


FABRICATION OF NANO-OPTICS:
Nano-optics are fabricated using different techniques such as lithographic technique,deposition process,etching method etc.
Of all these the most important methods are lithographic technique and deposition process.


DEPOSITION PROCESS:
One or more target materials are prepared by selecting suitable substrate material.
A thin film of boundary layer is provided for this target material
Then suitable thickness of target material is deposited on the target material onto which the nano-technology is inscribed.



LITHOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE:
In this technique nano-optics fabrication method is similar to the operations of nano imprints and nanoembassing.
Here the nanopatterns are transferred to the target material through direct contact.
Since the nano pattern is transferred by direct contact it prevents the interaction between energy beam and polymer layer.

LITHOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE



NANO-OPTIC INTEGRATION:
The modern nano-optic devices are the integration of nano-optic technology and electro-optic circuits.
There are three different methods of integration namely integration by assembly,monolithic integration,hybrid integration.
In the first method the nano-optic technology is integrated into the device held in a glass or any other substrate material.
In the monolithic integration method the nano-optic technology is interspersed between thin-film layers and configured in the form of arrays.
In the hybrid method of integration the nano-optic technology is applied to the materials in which the material already have some optic technology.
Optical functionality that has been demonstrated using nano-technology includes

Polarization effects
Polarisers,polarization beam splitters
Phase retardation
Wave plates,retarders
Focal adjustments
Anti-reflection structures,lenses,mirrors
Spectral selection

NANO-INTEGRATION TECHNIQUES

APPLICATIONS OF NANO-OPTICS:
Nano optic devices are used as digital imaging systems,sensors etc.
Nano optic technologies are integrated into liquid crystals and used in LCD displays since it gives high accuracy.
In digital imaging techniques nano filters increases the performance and robustness of the system.
In projection displays the nano-optic devices improves the clarity and contrast of the image.
Nano-optic sensors are used to identify the potential threats.

CONCLUSION:
Nano technology has been developed a lot from earlier days.
The nano-optic devices reduces the size and weight of the device.
In future based on Nano-BIOMEM technology scientists are going to design a biomolecular motor which can transport target materials and create a distributed system of sensing biological agents.
The researchers are also going to implement wireless vivo type of bio-sensors which can monitor the entire physiological activities of human body.