NANO-PATTERNS MAY FOSTER FUTURE STRUCTURES
Researchers at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories have discovered that when self-organization occurs on a single-atom-thick film of silver sprinkled with sulfur, a lacework pattern emerges with surprising precision. They have been carefully examining this phenomenon and say characterizing what drives the process could enable new generations of revolutionary nano-structures whose manufacture rivals the most advanced patterning techniques. In the lattice-work studied, sulfur atoms pierce the silver "in a spectacular example of self-organization," says a theoretical physicist who statistically analyzed the process. Patterning at such small scales is extremely difficult, so this propensity for self-organization could present an ultimate approach to making ordered arrangements. http://www.sandia.gov/media/atomorg.htm
ARCHITECTURAL SURETY PROGRAM AIMED AT TERRORISM, CATASTROPHES
When disaster strikes, people evacuate because the structures that normally protect us -- buildings, bridges, dams, and tunnels -- are often the most dangerous places to be during hurricanes, earthquakes, industrial accidents, terrorist attacks or other catastrophes. A group of researchers at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories is working with government agencies, professional associations, and universities to use technology to examine the vulnerabilities of structures and identify changes in architectural designs, building codes, and construction standards so future structures might better withstand the kinds of assaults that we worry about but don't plan for. Sandia brings to the challenge its decades of applying advanced technology and sound security principles to the exacting task of making US nuclear weapons as safe, secure, and reliable as possible. "We need to think beyond the building codes," says one researcher. "No city has a code for terrorists."!
http://www.sandia.gov/media/archsurety.htm
TINY 'MICRO GUARDIAN' SAFEGUARDS NUCLEAR WEAPONS One of the most complicated micro-systems ever built at the Department of Energy's Sandia National Laboratories, the Micro Guardian trajectory safety subsystem, will replace older versions of that portion of a nuclear weapon that ensures it doesn't detonate unless a series of events occur that indicate triggering action is appropriate. The system will fit on the tip of a pencil eraser and incorporate several micromachines, microelectronics, and micro-optics on one chip. It will eventually be part of a micro-firing system the size of a stack of three quarters. It will be cheaper to build than older systems and will free up space inside the weapons to allow other safety improvements. The cost savings will be enabled through the lower cost batch processing techniques.
http://www.sandia.gov/LabNews/LN01-15-99/mems_story.htm
RSS