The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS) predicts 9nm linewidth processes by 2016, making it then possible to build complex electronic systems of the order of microns in size. The same roadmap predicts that whilst process linewidth scales by a factor of approximately five the wirebonded I/O pads will only shrink by a factor of two, showing the difficulty in making these connections. Further the transistors that drive these pads will take up significant area on the IC. Such systems may not be purely electronic; so-called smart dust and microrobots might have sensors, micromechanical (MEMS) elements, biomolecules, and use electronics as an interface to a biological sensor. In all cases communicating with these systems is a formidable challenge.

 

Wireless communications, if possible, has several advantages over the normal wired connections that are used to supply power and transmit information to and from electronic systems and integrated circuits. For micron order machines the lack of interface area, the energy required and the physical difficulty in making a wired connection are replaced by the problem of integrating a single transceiver.

 

Implementing wireless communications is not straightforward however. For antenna operation with reasonable directivity and therefore energy efficiency the antenna should be many wavelengths across. Radio communications is particularly inefficient, as the antenna sizes are extremely small fractions of the emission wavelength.

 

Optical wavelengths are more promising. Transmit and receive antennas that can operate efficiently can be built on scales of tens of microns, and efficient use can be made of received radiation in silicon detectors or phototransistors. There is still the problem of integrating a compact high-efficiency source of radiation however.

 

Modulated retro-reflectors allow communications systems where one terminal (the machine) does not require a source. Such a retro-reflector, together with the silicon microelectronics and liquid crystal layers to allow data modulation can create a micro-machine that can be used to sense, and act on external information.

 

The key problems are to;

 

(i) Provide reliable communications between these machines and the external world

 

(ii) Ascertain the locations of the machines, so that their sensor information can be correlated with position.

 

(iii) Ensure that sufficient energy is available to power the communications process

 

 

I am not looking for detailed answers but how would you approach something like this?

 

Thanks in advance

There is a thread about this in General discussion, you could ask there: -

 

 

http://www.scienceforums.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12512

That's not funny. If you can't halp, pls don't make fun of it.

Thanks

ATM. agreed the GD version`s been removed.

 

Meandmyself: double thread posting is not allowed (or polite) you`ll have to stick to this one!

 

Continue...

That's not funny. If you can't halp' date=' pls don't make fun of it.

Thanks[/quote']

You are asking about the Post-Graduate Studentship in Microelectronics at the University of Oxford.

 

http://www.eng.ox.ac.uk/~wpcadm2/DF05042FPS.htm

 

I'd suggest you contacted the doctors responsible for the research to ask about the details. It's an ongoing project for post graduate students, with high caliber staff in the highest caliber research laboratory. All you have done is copy and paste a section of the mission statement. I'm not sure what reply you are hoping for, much less what help you need.

That I know ATM. I want to find out how someone else would approach this? Do you see my point?! Thanks for doing the googling anyway.

I don't really see your point. Why do you not just ask the research team directly how they approach it? I'm not sure what responses you'll gardener here, but the words eclectic and random spring to mind. Whatever the guess, it would be more accurate from the horses mouth O_o