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In the drive to miniaturize electronics, solenoids have become way too big, say Rice University scientists who discovered the essential component can be scaled down to nano-size with macro-scale performance.
The secret is in a spiral form of atom-thin graphene that, remarkably, can be found in nature, according to Rice theoretical physicist Boris Yakobson and his colleagues.
"Usually, we determine the characteristics for materials we think might be possible to make, but this time we're looking at a configuration that already exists," Yakobson said. "These spirals, or screw dislocations, form naturally in graphite during its growth, even in common coal."
The researchers determined that when a voltage is applied, current will flow around the helical path and produce a magnetic field, as it does in macro inductor-solenoids. The discovery is detailed in a new paper in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by CoolHand on Monday October 26 2015, @01:56PM
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(Score: 2) by Gravis on Monday October 26 2015, @03:28PM
However, I'm not quite sure how these atom thin solenoids might be used, and the article does not do much to illuminate that. Anyone have ideas?
anywhere you want to use them that you couldn't before! seems like a great advance for medical devices.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Monday October 26 2015, @03:34PM
Very small pinball machines?
(Score: 2, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 26 2015, @03:55PM
For an example, open up a desktop computer, take a look at the motherboard. You will see some components that look like donuts with copper wire wrapped around them. These are called inductors [wikipedia.org]. They are not like the solenoids in motors to produce mechanical work, but are passive components primarily used as part of filters.
They are also quite large. In addition to being simply bigger, large components are also expensive, and complicate layout. Now imagine that we could replace all those components with much smaller versions. Now there's more space available on the board, which can be used for other things. Or the entire board size could be reduced further.
In practice this tech probably won't replace the big ones you see (these are part of power supply circuits typically), but may replace smaller inductors inside chips.
(Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Monday October 26 2015, @04:18PM
Also, better on-die inductors for mixed signal and analog.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 27 2015, @02:38AM
Everything that you said is accurate but I don't know how it answers the question that was asked.
A traditional solenoid is a coil of wire with a ferric core THAT MOVES.
You did mention motors, and a lot of folks (especially those who have torn one apart) will recognize that the moving slug in the center of a (Ford) starter solenoid pushes together the contacts of a switch that handles the current to the starter motor (over 100 Amps).
Another common use of solenoids is to actuate a valve that controls fluids|gases.
The mention by Gravis of medical applications seems like an apt answer WRT these nanothingies.
Toys|models seems like it will be an obvious use, price allowing.
Once they are available, folks will come up with ideas that will make you say "Now why didn't I think of that?"
Never tell people how to do things.
Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
--George S. Patton
Now, something that is 1 atom thick will certainly need to be laminated to achieve the required strength, but that's just tweaking the specs.
...or maybe the article and the summary simply used too specific a term.
-- gewg_