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N0.425

 

CHINA  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China

N0.425

December 30,2005

 

 

 

 

 
IN THIS ISSUE


 

* Optical Robot Aids Minimal Access Surgery

* Basic Research for System on a Chip

* Titanium Alloy Coating Improved

* New Biomaterials for Bone Repairing

* BESIII Mechanical System Completed


 

 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Optical Robot Aids Minimal Access Surgery

A project to aid minimal access surgery with an optical positioning robot, jointly undertaken by Tianjin Horizon Computer Application Co. Ltd., the Institute of Robots, a part of Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the Department of Computer at Tsinghua University, and the Neurosurgery Center of the Navy General Hospital, rolled out minimal access surgery products that have recently passed a verification check.

The minimal access surgery system, aided by an optical positioning robot, is made up of a number of sub-systems, covering medical imaging feeding, computer aided surgery planning, surgery navigation, NDI optical positioning, mechanical arm in five positions, and mechanical arm control. The new system, built on the existing proven technologies and experience, creates a new approach for using active robots in surgery. The project has found solutions for a range of key issues, and developed proprietary core technologies for robot operating system, optical positioning system, robot mechanisms, and surgery planning software. The research team also rolled out novel surgery instruments suitable for China’s conditions, based on clinical trials and products development.

Compared with its overseas counterparts, the new system has an unmatched strength for its lower cost and simpler operation. Repeated clinical trials expect broader application perspectives.

Basic Research for System on a Chip

A basic research initiative for new components and techniques for system on a chip, a project launched by the National 973 Program, has recently passed a verification check. In an attempt to address the scientific issues in developing new components and techniques for system on a chip, researchers had an in-depth systematic study of four major technical parts, starting from developing CMOS components at the 50nm level and the associated system integration technology. The four parts are: new components’ structures and reliability up to the needs of the 50nm chip, and the associated key manufacturing techniques and integration technology; semiconductor components modeling and simulating at the nanoscale; advanced materials; and compatible techniques and design platform.

The efforts have resulted in a range of silicon components at the sub-50nm level, suitable for integration, including 40nm SDOI, 50nm SDON, novel quasi SOI, 50nm SON, novel asymmetrical vertical dual- grid component, and AGLDD dual-grid component with vertical channels at 32nm and 40nm levels. Researchers also worked out the techniques for manufacturing sub-30nm super fine wires and 1.2nm super thin nitride and oxide grid medium. Also derived from the research is a CMOS 32 divider of 201 loop resonator with a 27nm grid.

Titanium Alloy Coating Improved

A project to develop new titanium alloy and the associated biological coating technology, jointly undertaken by three institutes, including the Northwest Institute of Non-ferrous Metals, has passed a verification check. The research team independently rolled out two proprietary titanium alloys: TLM (Ti-Zr-Sn-Mo-Nb) and TLE (Ti-Zr-Mo-Nb), both having fine biological and dynamic compatibility.  The two new alloys offer a comprehensive performance matched up with Ti-13Nb-13Zr, an internationally reported fine titanium alloy for medical applications.  With a reduced cost for raw materials, melting, processing, and heat treatment, the new products promise a scalable dynamic performance, with simplified processing techniques suitable for producing pipe, bar, plate, wire, and foil. TLM can be used to make human soft tissues, such as blood vessel stents and cardiac valves, and hard tissues, including joints and internal fixers. Both alloys can be adapted to diverse functions and applications, with a desirable cost-effect ratio.

The novel titanium oxide coating can form an even film over titanium alloy implant surfaces in diverse shapes, with a range of merits, including biological activity, even thickness, multiple pores, reduced elastic modulus, and enhanced adhesive strength.  The long term service capacity of the new coating materials is higher than traditional HA coating materials. Featured with good hardness, high adhesive strength, and friction reducing capacity in a liquid environment, the titanium nitride coating noticeably improves the friction resistance and work life of joints and other implants made of titanium alloy.

New Biomaterials for Bone Repairing

A study of innovative bone repairing and biomaterials for reconstruction, jointly undertaken by Chongqing Medical School and Sichuan University, has passed a validation check. The n-HA materials, a proprietary result derived from the study, can form a composite material integrating with PA66, and present a structure similar to natural bones. The novel material has passed the test by the National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products.

The research team has produced some 10 types of hard tissues in 20 specifications that meet the standards of clinical surgery, including bone filling materials, bone plates and blocks, rachis substitutes, and artificial rachis plates. The post-operation tracking records show that all the artificial bone repairs made of n-HA/PA66 have reached clinical satisfactions. The research team also developed products standards and operation procedures for clinical application. In early 2005, the products were granted with the manufacturing permit issued by the State Food and Drug Administration. During the three years where the project was implemented, the research team had filed 5 invention and 6 utility patent applications, with 2 registered products marks, in addition to 15 domestic and international papers. The project also nurtured 9 doctoral and 8 master’s students.

BESIII Mechanical System Completed

The mainframe of Beijing Spectrometer III (BESIII)’s Mechanical System, a major technical upgrading project costing RMB 640-million for the Beijing Positron and Electron Collider, has been completed and passed a verification check recently. As a large probe on the Collider, BESIII is designed to meet the needs for calculating high speed operation of the upgraded Collider, in an attempt to raise the measuring accuracy and reduce systematic errors. BESIII is made up of an accuracy tracking chamber, NaI crystal energy detector, and flying time calculator. The mechanical system will be used in detecting high energy particle events, collecting and amplifying signals, and accurate measuring of physical parameters.  

Started from April 2004, the efforts for upgrading the Beijing Positron and Electron Collider is scheduled to last for 5 years, in an attempt to keep a leading position among its counterparts in the world. Once it is completed, the Collider will become one of the most advanced dual-ring accelerator in the world.  The upgrades in phase I, including a linear accelerator, transformation of the colliding zone, and expansion of the transformer, have been completed, with others under construction as scheduled. According to plan, BESIII will be completed of its construction in March 2007, before connecting to other parts of the collider. 

China’s Femtosecond Laser

China's first femtosecond laser device with an output of 300TW3×1014W has been recently put into successful operation in Mianyang, Sichuan.  The new laser device has incorporated a range of latest research findings on femtosecond and high power solid laser technology, with its overall performance and technical indicators reaching an internationally advanced level. Researchers developed innovative technical means for accurate tuning of the pulse compressing system, and introducing for the first time the super Gauss transmission technology into the femtosecond laser system, which brings out the best light beam focus and pulse compressing properties among its international counterparts. The new system is designed with three-level outputs for 5TW, 30TW, and 300TW, with each level being equipped with an experimental target chamber, desirable for diverse research needs. Developed in early 2004, the system has provided rounds of target operation for lab experiments, and stood the long time tests for high power output. It is currently the only femtosecond laser device in the world that can work steadily at the hundred TW output level.

The 300TW laser device has attracted great attention of international peers. Chinese scientists have made several rounds of international cooperation in the field. The successful and stable operation of the system marks China’s leading technology and engineering capability in the field.  

Better Drag Reduction for Speed Boat

A study on high speed boat’s drag reduction, chaired by Dr. DONG Wencai of Navy Engineering School, has achieved substantive progresses. Based on his theoretical studies and repeated modeling, DONG completed the first model based experiment on speed boat’s compulsive cruising under the effect of air flow. He established an algorithm for calculating the drag met by the speed boat models and real speed boats under the effect of air flow. He also identified the elements that affect drag reduction and a method to determine the drag reduction. In the meantime, Dr. DONG realized a 25% drag reduction on a real speed boat, using a method he developed for calculating the drags under the saturated air flow.  He creates a thin layer of air bubbles (mixer of air and water) between the boat and water surface, which works as a layer of lubricant between the two fractioning bodies. The speed boat, nicknamed “air bubble boat”, can achieve a reduced drag by 25%, and cruise at an hourly speed exceeding 1000 km.

DONG explains that when the hourly speed reaches 100 km, the engine power the “air bubble boat” consumes only counts 3%, while air-cushion boats that are extensively used nowadays may consume 30% to 40% of their engine power, with 10%-15% for the side wall hovercrafts. In this context, the air bubble boat has an enhanced cruising capacity, and noticeable economic benefits.

Proprietary Digital TV Broadcasting

An AVS based digital video broadcasting and receiving system passed a verification check on December 6, 2005. The development indicates that China has possessed a proprietary digital video broadcasting system, and Chinese TV stations can broadcast programs using coding and decoding systems and chips developed by Chinese scientists.

With the support of authorities concerned, Chinese scientists have developed the new generation AVS standards that attract the attention of more than a hundred domestic and overseas manufacturers and research institutes. More than 50 patents have been derived from the efforts, of which most are possessed by Chinese enterprises or research institutes.

The digital video broadcasting and receiving system is made up of front systems, covering program compressing (coding), program format conversion (converter), and program broadcasting control (broadcasting server). Compared to other compressing systems, the Chinese system can effectively raise the utility of channel resources, in addition to fending off intellectual property issues. 

Thermofluid Sulfides Found in Indian Ocean

Oceanic I, a Chinese scientific expedition vessel, found the mineral specimens of thermofluid sulfides in the afternoon of December 17, 2005, between 70 2’ east longitude and 25 19’ south latitude over the Indian Ocean. The prize, in an intact chimney form, has all typical features needed for a thermofluid nozzle on the sea floor, and is very useful for comparing thermofluid activities in other oceans. So far the expedition vessel has found thermofluid sulfides in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. The one found in the Indian Ocean is believed with an intact morphology and most rich in contents.

Chinese scientists also collected biological specimens for the first time from an active thermofluid area. The living creatures captured together with the sulfides from a depth over 2400m include actinia, snails, and Balanus, a Crustacean species looking very much like a plant. They were found attached to the ores, resembling a natural bonsai. Preliminary study has found that the living creatures dwelling near the high temperature thermofluid mouth has a special physiological structure that may have special genetic values.  

Improved Technique for Connecting Rod

Techniques for processing engine’s connecting rod and the associated equipment, a project contracted to Profs. Kou Shuqing and Yang Shenhua of Jilin University under the National 863 Program, has recently passed a validation check. The efforts have resulted in effective solutions to the bottleneck issues concerning cracking techniques and the associated equipment, through developing proprietary techniques for cracking connecting rods and independently designing core facilities and automatic equipment. Researchers rolled out internationally advanced proprietary connecting rod processing technologies and the associated automatic equipment for domestic auto and engine industries.

The new techniques and the associated automatic processing equipment, promising a bright market perspective, have found demonstration applications at Yiqi Auto for mass-producing auto engine’s connecting rods.

ZnO Short Wave Laser Developed

Key technologies for ZnO based short-wave laser, a project undertaken by Nanjing University and Shanghai Institute of Optical Machinery, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences under the initiative of the National 863 Program, has achieved substantive progresses. Through more than a thousand experiments on materials growth and the associated techniques in the past three years, researchers have worked out a ZnO based PN LED that emits blue and yellow lights under an indoor temperature 29℃.The efforts have found technical solutions to a number of sophisticated issues concerning ZnO materials growth, including MOCVD, ZnO single crystal preparation, ZnO film material growth and mixing, and ohmic contact.  Researchers also rolled out a line of proprietary technologies, including ZnO single crystal underlaying, ZnO metal MOCVD, ZnO MOCVD extension, and ZnO p-type mixing control and activation. The event makes another major development in ZnO LED preparation, following the successful molecular extension realized by the Japan Northeast University. It development marks that China has become an international leader in the area. 

S&T Awards Prizes More

It is reported from a meeting on awarding S&T activities that the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance have decided to raise the amount of prizes for S&T awards at the national level, in an attempt to encourage more innovations. As a result, starting from 2005, the special prize for the National S&T Advancement Award will be RMB 1 million in amount, and the bounties for first prizes of the National Natural Science Award, and the Technological Invention Awards will be raised to RMB 200,000 from the previous RMB 90,000, and second prizes to RMB 100,000 from RMB 60,000.

Officials from the Ministry of Science and Technology indicate that the awarding activities will remain focusing on proprietary innovations, with policies and indicators for evaluation and selecting tilting in the direction. Original innovations, digestion based innovations, and systematic innovations will make promising candidates for these awards.

In addition, authorities concerned have made industrial proprietary innovations and competitiveness an important indicator to be weighted in the reviewing process, in a move to encourage industrial proprietary innovations.


       Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:

Mr. Mao Zhongying, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China  Tel: (8610)58881360 Fax: (8610) 58881364

http://www.most.gov.cn