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World's Smallest FM Radio Transmitter Created With Graphene
minty3 writes "The team used graphene's mechanical 'stretchability' in order to create a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) – an electronic component that can generate an FM signal. The VCO was used to send and receive audio signals of 100 megahertz. The team used pure tones and more complex music signals to tune the VCO's output and found that both kinds of signals could be 'faithfully reproduced' by an ordinary radio receiver."
Audio signals of 100 megahertz? They have perfected ultrasound then.
Strange to claim it's the "World's Smallest" and not give it's size.
I'd guess 4m x 10m?
Is the size of the VCO a big deal in manufacturing of any radio transmitter?
Only for people interested in listening in on other people without their knowledge. I can't imagine anyone wanting to do that, though. Besides, you'd need a barely visible microphone to make it useful.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The world will change once someone builds a quad-copter with microphone and radio transmitter, all fitting in a 0.1mm cube.
Politicians will have to never, ever, ever, say what they think.
What they have demonstrate is how a graphene structure can be made into a tunable oscillator by constructing a rather crude but working FM 'radio-transmitter' using one.
Its significant because older mechanical oscillators were based on crystals or MEMS stuctures that are rather more 'large' than "a one atom-thick graphene sheet" and in practical applications often require considerable space and volume on a circuit board or inside a die package.
If this structure could be incorporated into the microlithography process that is used in making 'electrics chips' then a large external component could be omitted from designs. You could also include multiple independent oscillators on the same die that requires them allowing for more precise control of frequencies needed.
AC cause I can't be bothered to login - more Karma for dev/null ^^
Because the fly on the wall is still too noticeable. We need the flea on the wall.
If anybody is going to fulfill DARPA's request for hybrid electronic/biological cyborg surveillance insects, they'll need some pretty tiny electronic gear....
You don't even need this when most people willingly carry a remotely accessible microphone and transmitter in their pocket.
Silence is a state of mime.
What they have demonstrate is how a graphene structure can be made into a tunable oscillator by constructing a rather crude but working FM 'radio-transmitter' using one.
You are correct. And crude is an apt choice of wording... From the supplementary information (scroll to the bottom), there are links to: pdf containing data on setup, testing, and characterization as well as a .wav file (confusingly labeled "movie"). It appears to be a sample of a transmitted sound sample of "Gangnam Style!"
The sound quality of this sample is more on the order of a noisy AM radio broadcast, but given the technology being used, quite impressive, nonetheless.
FWIW, there is a (somewhat) better write-up at redorbit.
And, yes, the 100MHz in TFS refers to the carrier frequency, which is but one of several that they tested. But, it also happens to be in the FM radio band and hence the (attention-grabbing) title.
Wake me up when they have created the world's smallest graphene violin!
You don't even need this when most people willingly carry a remotely accessible microphone and transmitter in their pocket.
Except that the people willingly carrying microphones and transmitters aren't the people they need to be listening to.
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
We can broadcast the world's saddest song on the world's smallest violin with the smallest FM transmitter!