19. Read the article “Japanese Camera Used to Test Innovation.” Make up some 3–5 statements of your own which might be a summary to the article.

Recently, the United Institute of Solid State and Semiconductor Physics at the Belarusian National Academy of Sciences received a telegram from the Institute of Space Research at the Russian Academy of Sciences reading: “Congratulations on the successful tests in Japan. The results will allow us to ensure the safety of the project”.

The telegram notes that a promising new Russian-Japanese satellite is incorporating a key Belarusian component to protect it from the electro-magnetic and magnetic fields of space; without this, receiving data from the orbiting satelitte would be impossible. Chief research officer of the magnetic tape physics laboratory, Doctor of Physic-Mathematical Sciences Sergey Grabichikov explains: “Traditionally, satellites were housed in ferromagnetic iron alloy. This was heavy but offered protection from such waves. However, as satellites are becoming smaller and lighter, they are being affected more by the geomagnetic fields of space, as well as interference from neighbouring devices, electrical motors and cables. A new approach was needed to screening, so we developed our nano-crystal metallic tape as part of the state Nanomaterilas and Nanotechnologies programme. It’s layered onto thin aluminium casing or directly onto the surface of components and is far more efficient than what has gone before.”

Although it seems simple – rather like ordinary galvanic coating – the new technology is actually quite complex. Each “screen” uses up to 10 layers of various compositions, designed to absorb and deflect electromagnetic emissions. A unique Japanese camera was used to photograph performance in a “magnetic vacuum”, isolated from external electromagnetic emissions. In fact, the Belarusian innovation has other applications too, since it can be used in diagnostic medical equipment and in a range of high-sensory devices.

20. Study the suggested key answers to the previous tasks.

Follow-up Activity

21. Make notes under the following headings. Then use your notes to talk about it.

1. The Main Vacuum Technology Processes and Their Purposes.

2. Vacuum Impregnation Advertisement.

3. Nanotube and Its Advantages.

4. Merits of John Dalton and William Crooks in Vacuum Science.

5. Nanotechnology Applications and Prospects.

TABLE I

Permissible pressure units including the torr 1) and its conversion

Unit	N · m-2, Pa 2)	mbar	bar	Torr
1 N · m (= 1 Pa)	1	1 · 10-2	1 · 10-5	7,5 · 10-3
1 mbar	100	1	1 · 10-3	0,75
1 bar	1 · 105	1 · 103	1	750
1 Torr	133	1,33	1,33 · 10-3	1
1) The torr is included in the table only to facilitate the transition from this familiar unit to the statutory units N · m-2, mbar and bar. In future the pressure units torr, mm water column, mm mercury column (mm Hg), % vacuum, technical atmosphere (at), physical atmosphere (atm), atmosphere absolute (ata), pressure above atmospheric and pressure below atmospheric may no longer be used. Reference is made to DIN 1314 in this context. 2) The unit Newton divided by square meters (N · m-2) is also designated as Pascal (Pa): 1 N · m-2 = 1 Pa. Newton divided by square meters or Pascal is the SI unit for the pressure of fluids. 3) 1 torr = 4/3 mbar; fl torr = 1 mbar.

TABLE II

Abbrev.	Gas	C*= λ · p [cm * mbar]
H2	Hydrogen	12,00 · 10-3
He	Helium	18,00 · 10-3
Ne	Neon	12,30 · 10-3
Ar	Argon	6,4 · 10-3
Kr	Krypton	4,8 · 10-3
Xe	Xenon	3,6 · 10-3
Hg	Mercury	3,05 · 10-3
O2	Oxygen	6,5 · 10-3
N2	Nitrogen	6,1 · 10-3
HCI	Hydrochloric acid	4,35 · 10-3
CO2	Carbon dioxide	3,95 · 10-3
H2O	Water vapor	3,95 · 10-3
NH3	Ammonia	4,6 · 10-3
C2H5OH	Ethanol	2,1 · 10-3
Cl2	Chlorine	3,05 · 10-3
Air	Air	6,67 · 10-3
Mean free path I Values of the product c* of the mean free path λ for various gases at 20 °C.