Self-assembled nanodielectrics (SANDs), originally developed by NU-MRSEC scientist Tobin Marks, are being used in a nanowire transistor that may prove to be superior to conventional oxide-insulated transistors for electronics in outer space. Devices built and tested in a collaboration between NU, Purdue U., and Prairie View A&M U. have been included in a materials module attached by astronauts to the outside of the International Space Station in March 2008. The year-long exposure experiment will determine whether the SAND-based transistors are more resistant to radiation damage than conventional devices. The space-based experiment is supported by NASA Ames Research Center.
|
