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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

ISBN CD: 1-56700-226-9

ISBN Online: 1-56700-225-0

International Heat Transfer Conference 13
August, 13-18, 2006, Sydney, Australia

MICRO/NANO DEVICES AND SYSTEMS INSPIRED FROM THE CONCEPT OF ICE CRYSTAL FORMATION

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC13.p14.100
12 pages

Sinopsis

Developing sophisticated micro/nano device or system has been a big challenging task in many current state of the art science and technologies. As the tool to manipulate, fabricate, characterize, assembly and test the biological or non-living micro/nano objects, functional system in extremely small scale keeps receiving intense attentions over the industrial and academic area. This paper was aimed to systematically illustrate a new basic route to develop micro/nano devices and systems. The proposed approach was based on the formation of ice crystals, from which micro/nano aqueous objects or signals transmitting across them can easily be blocked, manipulated and analysed. In this way, a series of new conceptual micro/nano devices such as freeze tweezer, ice valve, freeze-thaw pump, electrical or optical signal switch and micro thermal analyzer etc. can be successfully developed. As examples, some latest advancement made in the author's lab was summarized and discussed. The working principles for some of these new systems were interpreted based on analysing the phase change behaviour of ice and its induced physical or chemical effects. Their innovative applications in a wide variety of micro/nano technology fields were suggested. Establishment of the present concept also raised many important fundamental issues for investigation. Clearly, through a combination between the freeze-thaw strategy and the mechanical, hydraulic, electrical, magnetic, acoustic, optical, and thermal effects etc., new inventions can still be very possible in the near future. Efforts made along this direction will create more and more useful tools for studying and implementing the micro/nano world.