Nano Sciences System Research Center develops nanotechnologies for mobile communication and ambient intelligence. Studying physical, chemical and biological phenomena and manipulation of matter at the nanoscale enables generation of knowledge for enhancing human capabilities.

Scope of Nokia nanoscience and nanotechnology research.

Development of nanotechnologies creates a new basis for solutions and systems in sensing & actuation, memory, information, signal processing and communication. Creating miniaturized, power efficient technologies for the future mobile multimedia computers also enables intelligent systems that can be embedded into human environments, in clothes, and in fashionable accessories. Nanotechnologies provide a new generation of added value products and services with superior performances across a range of applications.

Contact: Tapani Ryhänen.

Nano Devices Cambridge

The collaboration between Nokia Research Center and the University of Cambridge focusses on Nanoscience research and its application to novel solutions in such diverse areas as sensing, energy storage/harvesting, novel computing architectures, communications technology and functional materials. Advances in all these fields will drive new device concepts and enable future ambient intelligence and wearable devices. As an example, the "Morph" design concept jointly developed by the University and NRC for the "Design and the Elastic Mind" exhibition at MoMA suggests how such nanotechnological developments may impact future mobile device form, function and use.

Research is carried out in association with the University's Nanoscience Centre and the Centre for Advanced Photonics and Electronics (CAPE); currently there are five joint research projects, though this is intended to expand in the future as the collaboration deepens.

Research topics:

• Stretchable electronics: We are currently developing thin-film electronic circuits and architectures supported on elastomeric substrates which are robust enough to allow multi-directional stretching. Such deformable structures can conform to arbitrary shapes, making them the basis for wearable, minimally-perturbative device elements. The incorporation of elements such as sensors and actuators will allow motion sensing and tracking, thus driving applications in Multi-Plane/Multi-Touch user interfaces for handsets and health/wellness portable devices as well as leading to advanced robotic and possible electronic skin implants (functional tattoos/plasters). The provision of elasticity also provides considerable design freedom.
• Large Area Sensing Surfaces: In this work we are studying the properties of piezoelectric nanowire structures as sensing and actuating elements that can be grown over large areas in an economical and facile fashion. In this way it is envisaged that we can produce touch senstive and responsive (haptic) interface devices.
• Nanodevice Architectures: Future mobile devices will exhbit ambient intelligence and will be able to make sense of their environment to optimise their capabilities. The device archtecture project is a multidisciplinary study where we seek to develop novel computer architectures using a dual top-down and bottom-up approach which will enable such intellgent devices. Our Helsinki research team is attacking the problem from the systems level, concentrating on the design of computationally-efficient circuit architectures in collaboration with Helsinki University of Technology, whilst here in Cambridge we concentrate on implementing these designs by building up from the nanodevice elements themselves. The advantage of this approach is that we will be able to develop computing structures with adpative, learning archtitectures which may outcompete CMOS in certain critical applications.
• Synthesis and characterisation of biological composite materials and systems: Researchers at University of Cambridge have recently shown that peptides and proteins can be assembled into generic fibrillar structures which exploit the natural self assembly of simple building blocks into complex structures that have the potential to be functionalised thereby tuning their mechanical and optical properties. They also possess robust material properties, while being bio-degradable. We are currently studying how to make composites of these materials which retain the nanoscale properties such as strength, allowing light yet durable structural materials.
• Enhanced energy and power capacity in mobile devices: As mobile devices become ever more capable and thus power-hungry, one key issue becomes increasingly important: the storage and efficient use of energy. In practical terms, this translates as the development of energy storage media that are able to provide more energy, both more quickly (for responsive operation) and for longer (less recharging needed) whilst occupying a smaller space. In addition, what if such devices could also harvest their own power without needing mains recharging? Here too, nanotechnology has an enabling role to play; electrodes incorporating nanostructures can to be fabricated with hugely-enhanced surface areas providing significantly increased charge-storing capacity. In this project we capitalise on the University of Cambridge's great strength in novel nanomaterial synthesis, and their previous work developing polymer-CNT composites with controlled conduction, nanotube-enhanced supercapacitors and nanocomposite solar cells - all essential ingredients in a coherent approach to improved energy handling.

Contact: Piers Andrew.

Nano Systems Helsinki

The objective is to develop methods for power efficient high-speed signal processing with components based on nano size elements. We also develop advanced materials and methods to design and control material properties to achieve high strength, tailored electrical/thermal conductivity, and specific optical or RF properties. By characterizing and further developing the unique properties of nanomaterials for nanocomputing we simultaneously create a basis for future adaptive, ubiquitous and wearable devices.

The research is multidisciplinary and requires linking of different physical scales. We range from atomic level to full scale products using multi-scale computational physics. We study the interfaces between both atom to meso-scale and meso to continuum scale.

Research topics:

Graphene electronics: Electromechanical properties of graphene are studied to investigate if and how graphene can challenge the present domination of silicon on any areas of nanoelectronics, i.e. from the level of single components to systems architecture.

An example of carbon nanobuds [A.G. Nasibulin et al., "A novel hybrid carbon material", Nature Nanotech. 2, 156 (2007)]

• New signal processing methods and devices: A top down approach to signal processing and information storage with nano components. In order to build nanotechnology based devices we study different architectures for systems of nanocomponents, bio-inspired and other computing algorithms, interfaces between different scales, as well as noise effects.
• Self-assembled functional materials: A bottom up approach with the main goal to create total novel (multi)functional materials and specific structures with unique properties as enablers for future ubiquitous devices. Researchers at TKK have already been able to build a variety of specific supramolecular structures utilizing self-organization and biomimetic approach to combine different molecular scale building blocks. Our ultimate targets are externally controllable functional materials which can specifically change their properties on command.
• Low cost electronics: Printable electronics is studied using carbon nanotube networks as a flexible semiconductor material. Manufacturing methods are investigated and a transistor built, and its properties are characterized using measurements and computational physics.

Contact: Asta Kärkkäinen.

Collaboration

• University of Cambridge
• Helsinki University of Technology
• CSC - Scientific Computing Ltd.

Selected recent presentations and publications

The Morph concept launched alongside The Museum of Modern Art "Design and The Elastic Mind" exhibition. The concept includes also a movie.

Mikko Uusitalo, an invited talk From Micro- to Nanoelectronics in the 7th International Workshop on Future Information Processing Technologies, Dresden, Germany, September 4, 2007.

Ermolov V., Heino M., Kärkkäinen A., Lehtiniemi, R., Nefedov N., Pasanen P., Radivojevic Z., Rouvala M., Ryhänen T., Seppälä, E., and Uusitalo M. A., "Significance of nanotechnology for future wireless devices and communications", in the 18th Annual IEEE International Symposium on Personal, Indoor and Mobile Radio Communications (PIMRC'07), Athens, Greece, September 3-7,2007.

Asta Kärkkäinen, an invited talk Challenges for future mobile phones in the 9th Leti annual review, Minatec, Grenoble, France, June 18-19, 2007.

Tapani Ryhänen, a keynote talk Mastering the interface to physical world in Nanotech Northern Europe 2007, Helsinki, Finland, March 27-29, 2007.