Growth of a single-wall carbon nanotube film and its patterning as an n-type field effect transistor device using an integrated circuit compatible process.

This study presents the synthesis of a dense single-wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) network on a silicon substrate using alcohol as the source gas. The nanosize catalysts required are made by the reduction of metal compounds in ethanol. The key point in spreading the nanoparticles on the substrate, so that the SWNT network can be grown over the entire wafer, is making the substrate surface hydrophilic. This SWNT network is so dense that it can be treated like a thin film. Methods of patterning this SWNT film with integrated circuit compatible processes are presented and discussed for the first time in the literature. Finally, fabrication and characteristic measurements of a field effect transistor (FET) using this SWNT film are also demonstrated. This FET is shown to have better electronic properties than any other kind of thin film transistor. This thin film with good electronic properties can be readily applied in the processing of many other SWNT electronic devices.

Identification of three FGA mutations in two Chinese families with congenital afibrinogenaemia.

Congenital afibrinogenaemia is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, characterized by the complete absence or extremely reduced level of fibrinogen (Fg). We attempted to analyse the phenotype and genotype in two Chinese families with congenital afibrinogenaemia. Coagulation studies including activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT) and thrombin time (TT) and Fg were performed in the patients and other family members. All the exons, exon-intron boundaries and promoter regions of three Fg genes (FGA, FGB and FGG) were screened by direct sequencing. Three patients in two families suffered from moderate to severe haemorrhage. Their APTT, PT and TT were extremely prolonged and plasma Fg levels were undetectable by Clauss method and extremely reduced by immunoassay. Genetic analysis revealed three FGA mutations in three patients including one novel mutation. In family 1, patient 1 was detected compound heterozygous mutations in FGA, g.1892-1899delAGTA/GTAA from her patriline and g.1978-g.3215del1238 bp from her matriline. In family 2, a homozygous Gln203X in Aalpha-chain was found in both patients 2 and 3 due to consanguineous marriage. All these mutations were null mutations, which could produce premature stop codons in FGA. It can be indicated that with more genetic analysis performed on afibrinogenaemia patients all over the world, there is no distinct difference in geographical distribution of Fg gene mutations. Gln203X in Aalpha-chain was first reported in this study, which may help to further understand the function of Aalpha-chain.

Design and fabrication development of a micro flow heated channel with measurements of the inside micro-scale flow and heat transfer process.

The current work provides a design and fabrication technique for a micro channel system that can provide a uniform heat flux boundary condition on the channel wall and a well insulation on the wall to prevent heat loss from the channel to the outside ambient. Therefore, detailed micro-scale flow and heat transfer process and information along the channel can be studied. Semiconductor sensor material was selected to fabricate both the heaters and the arrays of temperature sensors on a silicon substrate. These heaters and sensors were then moved to a low thermal conductivity epoxy-glass substrate for fabrication of the channel. Design consideration and fabrication techniques involved in this processes will be discussed. A final measurement for the validation of the heaters and the sensors fabricated and a study of the flow friction behavior and the heat transfer coefficient distributions inside the micro channel will be presented. The local Nusselt number distrubution inside the micro channel is reported the first time in the open literature.