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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 37 records · Page 2

Microminiaturized, biopotential conditioning system (MBCS)

Multichannel, medical monitoring system allows almost complete freedom of movement for subject during monitoring periods. System comprises monitoring unit (biobelt), transmission line, and data acquisition unit. Belt, made of polybenzimidizole fabric, is wrapped around individual's waist and held in place by overlapping sections of Velcro closure material.

Belasco, N.↗

Low cost microminiature refrigerators for large unit volume applications

Photolithographic techniques were employed to fabricate small Joule-Thomson refrigerators in laminated substrates. The gas passages of a J-T refrigerator are formed by etching channels as narrow as 50 microns and as shallow as 5 microns in glass plates which are laminated together. Circular refrigerators on the order of 1.5 centimeters in diameter and .75 millimeters thick were produced which cool down to cryogenic temperatures in a few seconds, using Argon or Nitrogen, with no vacuum or radiation insulation. Smaller refrigerators are developed for both faster cooldown and low refrigeration capacity applications. By using this technology, custom refrigerators can be designed to meet specific application requirements.

Duboc, R. M., Jr.↗

Development of a microminiature sorption cooler

The development of a microcooler for operations below 80 K, for low temperature electronic devices requiring small cooling powers of the order of 10 mW is described. A sorption compressor combined with Joule-Thomson (JT) expansion was selected for miniaturization. The advantage of the system is considered to be its absence of moving parts, with the exception of the check valves. This facilitates the scaling down of the system, minimizes interferences and contributes to a long lifetime. The requirements for small scale cooling of low temperature electronics are listed. The sorption compressor and the JT expansion are described. A parameter study is reviewed together with the scaling of the sorption compressor.

Burger, Johannes↗

PSAW/MicroSWIS [Microminiature Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) based Wirelesss Instrumentation System]

This Final Report for the PSAW/MicroSWIS Program is provided in compliance with contract number NAS3-01118. This report documents the overall progress of the program and presents project objectives, work carried out, and results obtained. Program Conceptual Design Package stated the following objectives: To develop a sensor/transceiver network that can support networking operations within spacecraft with sufficient bandwidth so that (1) flight control data, (2) avionics data, (3) payload/experiment data, and (4) prognostic health monitoring sensory information can flow to appropriate locations at frequencies that contain the maximum amount of information content but require minimum interconnect and power: a very high speed, low power, programmable modulation, spread-spectrum radio sensor/transceiver.

Heermann, Doug↗

Scaling Properties of Algorithms in Nanotechnology

At the present time, several technologies are pressing the limits of microminiature manufacturing. In semiconductor technology, for example, the Intel Pentium Pro (which is used in the Department of Energy's ASCI 'red' parallel supercomputer system) and the DEC Alpha 21164 (which is used in the CRAY T3E) both are fabricated using 0.35 micron process technology. Recently Texas Instruments (TI) announced the availability of 0.25 micron technology chips by the end of 1996 and plans to have 0.18 micron devices in production within two years. However, some significant challenges lie down the road. These include the skyrocketing cost of manufacturing plants, the 0.1 micron foreseeable limit of the photolithography process, quantum effects, data communication bandwidth limitations, heat dissipation, and others. Some related microminiature technologies include micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), opto-electronic devices, quantum computing, biological computing, and others. All of these technologies require the fabrication of devices whose sizes are approaching the nanometer level. As such they are often collectively referred to with the name 'nanotechnology'. Clearly nanotechnology in this general sense is destined to be a very important technology of the 21st century. The ultimate dream in this arena is 'molecular nanotechnology', in other words the fabrication of devices and materials with most or all atoms and molecules in a pre-programmed position, possibly placed there by 'nano-robots'. This futuristic capability will probably not be achieved for at least two decades. However, it appears that somewhat less ambitious variations of molecular nanotechnology, such as devices and materials based on 'buckyballs' and 'nanotubes' may be realized significantly sooner, possibly within ten years or so. Even at the present time, semiconductor devices are approaching the regime where quantum chemical effects must be considered in design.

Saini, Subhash↗

Radio electronics

Low noise amplifiers, laser radar optics, gas lasers and holography, and microminiaturized solid state devices for radio electronics

LIDAR↗

Rolamite - A new mechanical design concept

Rolamite, a mechanical suspension system, provides substantial reductions in friction in the realm of extremely low bearing pressures. In addition, rolamite devices are easily microminiaturized, are extremely tolerant of production variations and are inherently capable of virtually all functions to construct most electromechanical devices.

Wilkes, D. F.↗

Gyrator-type circuits replace ungrounded inductors

Gyrator circuits using only transistors, capacitors, and resistors which can replace both grounded and ungrounded inductors have been developed to permit complete microminiaturization of circuitry by integration of the components.

Deboo, G. J.↗