• Multi-Step DRIE Process to Fabricate Silicon-Based THz Components

---

•  Researchers Grow Forests of Carbon Nanotubes Directly on 3-D Substrates

---

•  Simulations Reveal How to Better Protect DLC Coatings

---

• Optical Transmittance of Multilayer Graphene Films

---

• A Quantum Leap in Display Quality

---

• Lengthening the Life of High Capacity Silicon Electrodes in Rechargeable
  Lithium Batteries

---

• Transparent Oxide Glass with Rubber Like Property

---

• 'Mind the Gap' Between Atomically Thin Materials

---

• Vacuum Market Segmentation

---

• Stanford Engineers Invent High-Tech Mirror to Beam Heat Away From Buildings
  Into Space

---

• A Look Inside Four Solar Labs Offers a Glimpse of What's New in PV R&D

---

• German-Funded Joint Project Investigating Manufacturing of Flexible OLED

---

• China's LED Fabs to Install More Than 1,000 MOCVD Tools from 2014 to 2018

---

• Upcoming Conferences of Interest

Multi-Step DRIE Process to Fabricate Silicon-Based THz Components 

"A team of University of Maryland researchers is growing vertically aligned "forests" of carbon nanotubes on three-dimensional (3-D) conductive substrates to explore their potential use as a cathode in next-gen lithium batteries. 

Carbon nanotubes are typically grown on two-dimensional or planar substrates, but the structure developed by the team is considered "3-D" because the carbon nanotubes are grown on a porous, "sponge-like" foam structure made of nickel coated with aluminum oxide ceramic.

How does the team build their battery cathode? First, they use a nickel foam current collector to deposit a thin layer (~5nm) of aluminum oxide using ALD. This is chased by a layer of iron, sputtered as a growth catalyst for chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon."

"Researchers at Delft University of Technology study the optical transmittance of multilayer graphene films up to 65 layers thick. By combing large-scale tight-binding simulation and optical measurement on CVD multilayer graphene, the optical transmission through graphene films in the visible region is found to be solely determined by the number of graphene layers. They argue that the optical transmittance measurement is more reliable in the determination of the number of layers than the commonly used the Raman spectroscopy. 

Their numerical and experimental studies of the optical transmittance in multilayer graphene films show that the nonlinear function gives a good description of the light transmittance through multilayer graphene in the visible light range. It provides a simple way to determine the number of graphene layers by the measurement of the light transmittance. It is more reliable than commonly used Raman spectroscopy, and can be applied to other 2D materials with weak van der Waals interlayer interaction." 

"Quantum dots have been proposed for all sorts of applications, including lighting and medical diagnostics, but the market that is taking off now is enhancing liquid -crystal displays (LCDs).

According to Yoosung Chung, an analyst who follows the quantum dot business for the consulting firm NPD DisplaySearch, last year saw the introduction of the first commercial display products to incorporate quantum dots: Bravia brand televisions from Sony and Kindle Fire HDX tablet from Amazon. This year, the Chinese company TCL introduced a quantum-dot-containing TV and Taiwan's Asus shipped a quantum dot laptop.

What quantum dots bring to displays is more vibrant colors generated with less energy. On the strength of demand from companies such as Amazon, Nanosys has been investing in its quantum dot plant in Milpitas, Calif. Also expanding is QD Vision, a Lexington, Mass.-based firm founded on chemistry developed at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Both companies use the same basic manufacturing technique: They decompose organocadmium and other compounds at high heat in the presence of surfactants and solvents.  Dow Chemical is using technology licensed from the British firm Nanoco and is developing cadmium-free quantum dots." 

"A new study will help researchers create longer-lasting, higher-capacity lithium rechargeable batteries, which are commonly used in consumer electronics. In a study published in the journal ACS Nano, researchers showed how a coating that makes high capacity silicon electrodes more durable could lead to a replacement for lower-capacity graphite electrodes.

Thanks to its high electrical capacity potential, silicon is one of the hottest things in lithium ion battery development these days. The problem? Silicon electrodes aren't very durable - after a few dozen recharges, they can no longer hold electricity.

Researchers have been using electrodes made up of tiny silicon spheres about 150 nanometers wide - about a thousand times smaller than a human hair - to overcome some of the limitations of silicon as an electrode. The small size lets silicon charge quickly and thoroughly but only partly alleviates the fracturing problem.  The nanoparticles naturally grow a hard shell of silicon oxide on their surface.

Researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, and the University of Colorado, Boulder found that they could cover silicon nanoparticles with a rubber-like coating, called alucone, made from aluminum glycerol. The coated silicon particles lasted at least five times longer.  Microscopic images revealed that the rubbery alucone replaces the hard oxide. That allows the silicon to expand and contract during charging and discharging, preventing fracturing." 

"Understanding industry trends in the global marketplace is critical for a company's sales and operations planning.  In order to help our member companies fulfill this requirement, the Association of Vacuum Equipment Manufacturers (AVEM) is a participating association in the International Statistics on Vacuum Technology (ISVT) program. The ISVT program was developed through the cooperation of the AVEM, the Japan Vacuum Industry Association (JVIA), the European Vacuum Technology Association (EVTA) and Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International (SEMI).

Quarterly sales data collected for the ISVT program is divided into three main product groupings: vacuum pumps, vacuum instrumentation and vacuum hardware.  Each grouping broken down into several product types, and the aggregate sales of these products types are reported for the geographical regions of North America, Japan, Europe, China/Korea/Taiwan and Rest of the World." 

"Stanford engineers have invented a revolutionary coating material that can help cool buildings, even on sunny days, by radiating heat away from the buildings and sending it directly into space.

The heart of the invention is an ultrathin, multilayered material that deals with light, both invisible and visible, in a new way. The new material, in addition to dealing with infrared light, is also a stunningly efficient mirror that reflects virtually all of the incoming sunlight that strikes it. The multilayered material is just 1.8 microns thick, thinner than the thinnest aluminum foil.

The result is what the Stanford team calls photonic radiative cooling - a one-two punch that offloads infrared heat from within a building while also reflecting the sunlight that would otherwise warm it up. The result is cooler buildings that require less air conditioning."

"Research in solar photovoltaics is alive and well, as many government and university labs around the country are investing resources and pushing the envelope. A sampling of labs shows they're working on both thin-film and crystalline, with nanotechnology playing a big part, as expected. But some labs are exploring angles you wouldn't normally think about.

• NREL is conducting research in three major areas: 1) III-Vs, which refers to semiconductors made from atoms in columns III and V of the periodic table, the most common one being gallium arsenide, 2) silicon tandems which involves taking the best cell made and adding a top cell that will harvest another portion of the light spectrum in a two-junction cell and 3) thin-film materials, including cadmium telluride, CIGS and a GIGS substitute known as CZTS.
• Penn State University has taken different approach from most thin-film solar cells under development.  They are using their LCCM (Light and Carrier Collection Management) NanoCell Architecture, a nanostructured array forms on a lower electrode, and nanodomes form around each nanostructure-array element. These trap light as it transmits through each dome to the array and into the cell's absorber.  They are working with a company that does roll-to-roll technology.
• University of California San Diego focuses on solar focusing.  The main advantage is you can operate the electric energy market more efficiently.
• Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory points to a somewhat neglected area of photovoltaic research called reliability and encapsulation. Research involves trying to improve on current options like ethylene vinyl acetate and polyvinyl butyral. Researchers have developed new classes of hybrid materials, which are a combination of inorganic nanocrystals and organic polymers; these materials let light through while blocking the ingress of water, oxygen, sulfide, and nitrous oxides." 

http://electroiq.com/blog/2014/11/chinas-led-fab-industry-will-install-more-than-1000-mocvd-tools-from-2014-to-2018/