The Grander View

Yu, Haichuan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/49128 Copy

Description

Title

The Grander View

Author(s)

Yu, Haichuan

Contributor(s)

Nayfeh, Munir H.

Issue Date

2014-05

Keyword(s)

• Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Nanotechnology
• Thin film
• Silicon

Abstract

"""Where the telescope ends, the microscope begins. Who can say, of the two, which one has the grander view?"" - Victor Hugo Building thin films is an essential application of nanoparticles in the fast-growing field of electronic nanotechnology. Here is a bright-field microscope image of an early stage thin film deposition of Silicon nanoparticles, a University of Illinois invention. This patented nanoparticle is being developed by Professor M. Nayfehs group for next-generation sensors, solar panels in space, and as a biomarker in tumor detection. This image combines both the beauty and the challenge of frontier research. At face value, it intimately resembles a galactic view of distant stars and nebulae the clouds of color echoing a primordial galaxy, with gargantuan bodies of gas lit up by a smattering of nascent stars, warped halos corresponding to the astronomical phenomena of gravitational lensing, and fuzziness matching the limitations of our Earth-orbiting instruments that peek towards constellations light-millenia away. The challenge we face is the thin criteria of thin films. We would like to build an evenly distributed background of glowing nanoparticles, while using fewer particles. Too few, and this image results which is at once breath-taking and inadequate. For more information about the Image of Research--Undergraduate Edition go to: http://go.library.illinois.edu/imageofresearch_uredition"

Type of Resource

• text
• image

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/49128

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2014 Haichuan Yu

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