University of Minnesota engineers have discovered novel technology for producing "electronic ink." The specialized type of ink is made from non-toxic, nanometer-sized crystals of silicon.
Light is emitted from excited argon gas atoms flowing through the glass tube of a plasma reactor. The plasma is a reactive environment used to produce silicon nanocrystals that can be applied to inexpensive, next-generation electronics.
"Imagine a world where every child in a developing country could learn reading and math from a touch pad that costs less than $10 or home solar cells that finally cost less than fossil fuels," said Uwe Kortshagen, a University of Minnesota mechanical engineering professor.
Also: Learn about Silicon Micromachined Microlens Array for THz Antennas.
Transcript
00:00:01 this video will demonstrate the synthesis of silicon anocrystals in a typical Plazma reactor used by University of Minnesota researchers in the lab of Professor uba Kagen you are currently seeing Argon gas flowing from the top of the screen down through an evacuated glass tube and out to a pump when radio frequency power is applied to the copper ring electrodes the Argan gas
00:00:21 is excited and partially ionized this is a plasma the glow you are seeing is a characteristic light emission of Argan atoms as they relax from those excited stat we match the impedance of the power source to ensure maximum power input into the plasma now we have a very reactive environment in which we can do chemistry when a reactive gas is
00:00:41 introduced in this case siline the gas molecules are broken down and reassembled in nanocrystals you can actually see the plasma change as a result of this process an interesting final note is that while silica needs roughly 2600 degrees fhe to crystallize are able to achieve this and react to the remains of temperatures that will not burn my hand
00:01:01 this is because it's the electrons that are hot and not the gas really this is what's driving the chemistry
