Shrinking wireless
微缩无线（陈继龙 编译）
Jun 29th 2006
From The Economist print edition
THE miniaturisation of the components of computer chips has proved unstoppable. In each new generation, those components are smaller and more tightly packed than they were in its predecessor. （1）ProGREss has been so rapid that chip designers are approaching apparently fundamental barriers to further reductions in size and increases in density.One of these is imposed by the need to wire the components in a chip together, so that they can exchange signals. But, in a miniaturised version of thes_______①to wireless communication in the macroscopic world, a group of researchers led by Alain Nogaret of the University of Bath, in England, think they can make chips whose components talk to each other wirelessly.
事实证明，计算机芯片元件的微型化已经势不可挡。新一代芯片的元件越来越小，压缩也越来越紧密。发展如此之快，致使芯片设计者在进一步缩小元件尺寸、提高元件密集度上逐渐遇到了许多根本性难题。其中之一就是必须将某一芯片中的所有元件用线连接起来，以便于各元件之间可以交换信号。不过，英国巴思大学的亚莱恩•诺加雷特负责的一个研究小组认为，通过在微型条件下实现宏观意义上的无线通信，他们可以制造出具有无线信息交互元件的芯片。
At present, the electronics that transmit and receive the radio waves used in wireless devices are too large to be used within individual chips. But Dr Nogaret believes he cano________②this. Last week he and his colleagues at three other British universities, another in Belgium and a research institute in France won the money to try to build such a device.
当前，无线设备中采用的无线电波输送和接收电子器件都过大，无法应用于单个芯片。但是诺加雷特博士相信可以解决这一问题。上周，他和来自另外三所英国大学、一所比利时大学以及法国一研究院的同事们争取到了研制这一设备的资金。
The researchers intend to use the standardlithographic[1]techniques employed in chipmaking to coat a semiconductor with microscopic magnets. （2）These magnets will generate local magnetic fields that point in opposite directions at different points on the chip's surface.Electrons have a property calledspin[2]that is affected by magnetic fields, and the team hopes to use an effect called inverse electron-spin resonance to make electrons passing through the chip emit microwaves.
]研究人员拟应用芯片制作中所用的标准平版印刷技术，将许多极小的磁铁包被到一块半导体上。这些磁铁可产生局部磁场，从相反的方向作用于芯片表面不同位点。电子具有一种自旋特性，可受磁场影响，因此研究小组希望利用一种“反电子自旋谐振”效应，让穿过芯片的电子发射微波。
The technique they are proposing is ther_______③of the process in medical magnetic-resonance imaging. （3）In MRI, the patient is placed in a strong magnetic field that causes some of his body's atomic nuclei, which act like tiny magnetised spinning tops, to align[3]themselves with the field.These nuclei are thenzapped[4]briefly with a second magnetic field that knocks them out of alignment with the first one. The coils in the scanning apparatus detect these magnetic changes, which are used to build up a map of the part of the body being examined. After a few seconds, the nuclei realign themselves with the field, radiating small amounts of energy as heat or, more rarely, as radio waves.
他们计划采用的此项技术与医学上的核磁共振成像（MRI）过程恰好相反。MRI是将患者置于某一强磁场中，该磁场可让患者机体原子核（其运动类似于磁化的陀螺）顺着磁场方向排列。然后，用第二个磁场短时轰击这些原子核，使其脱离第一个磁场阵列。扫描仪上的线圈探测到这些磁场变化，并以此构建出患者受检部位的图谱。几秒钟后，原子核沿磁场方向重新排列，同时放射出少量热能或者无线电波（较少见）。
In chips, Dr Nogaret proposes to use the spin of the electron rather than the spin of the atomic nucleus. Electrons flowing through the chip would “see” a magnetic field that flips from one direction to the opposite every few hundred nanometres (billionths of a metre). This is the equivalent of zapping a stationary object with anoscillating[5]magnetic field of the sort used in MRI. The changing magnetic field would force the electrons to oscillate, too, but would not allow them to radiate heat. As a result, they would be forced to emit radio waves—or, rather, microwaves, which ares________④but of shorter wavelength.
而就芯片而言，诺加雷特博士打算利用电子而非原子核的自旋。穿过芯片的电子可以“识别”某一磁场，该磁场每隔几百纳米（十亿分之一米）就变换一次方向。这相当于不断摆动MRI中的磁场，并令其轰击某一静止物体。不断变化的磁场也可促使电子来回摆动，但不使其散射热能。这样一来，电子仅可发射无线电波或者更好是微波，后者与无线电波类似，但波长较短。
（4）Dr Nogaret envisages GREat advances that would stem from the success of his work, and these are not confined to the possibility of packing components yet more tightly.In today's chips, the failure of a single connection can put the whole circuit out of action. This should not happen with a wireless system because it could be programmed tore-route[6]signals. Manufacturers could thusr_______⑤their standards and produce chips that were cheaper than, but as reliable as, their predecessors.
诺加雷特博士设想此项工作一旦成功将会带来重大突破，而且不仅仅局限于将各元件压缩得更为紧密。目前的芯片某一条连接出现故障就可能导致整个电路无法运转，而采用无线系统就不会发生这样的问题，因为可以通过程序控制将信号改道。这样的话，制造商就可以放宽标准，生产出比以前便宜但质量同样可靠的芯片。
______________________.（这个项目不会是一帆风顺的。）Generating microwaves powerful enough to transmit data reliably will probably involve stacking several layers of magnets and semiconductors together and encouraging the electrons in them to oscillatein unison[7].But if it works, a whole new wireless world will be opened up.
这个项目不会是一帆风顺的。如要形成足以准确传输数据的强大微波，可能不但需要叠加数层磁铁和半导体，而且要促使其中的电子协调一致的摆动。可它一旦获得成功，就将开启一个全新的无线世界。
[QUIZ]
1. 根据首字母以及括号内的词性提示和英文释义填入单词（注意复数、时态形式变化等）：
①s________（n. a change in the way people think about something, in the way something is done etc）
②o________（v. to successfully control a feeling or problem that prevents you from achieving something）
③r________（n. the exact opposite of what has just been mentioned）
④s________（adj. almost the same）
⑤r________ （v. to make a rule or law less strict）
2. 英译汉（将划线部分英文翻译成中文）：
3．汉译英（根据译文提示和上下文，在空白处填入相应英文）：
[NOTES](LONGMAN)
1. lithographic adj.平版印刷的
2. spin n.自旋
3. align v.排列
4. zap v.打击；轰击
5. oscillate v.持续振荡，摇动；摇摆不定
6. re-route v.变向发送；改道
7. in unison完全一致；完全协调
[TIPS & BACKGROUNDS]
核磁共振的基本原理
自然界中任何原子核的内部均含有质子和中子，统称核子，都带正电荷。核子具有自旋性，由此产生自旋磁场。具有偶数核子的许多原子核在自旋磁场中相互抵消，不能产生核磁共振现象。只有具有奇数核子的原子核才能产生磁场，如1H（氢）、13C（碳）、19F（氟）、31P（磷）。氢原子是人体内数量最多的物质，原子核中只含有1个质子而不含中子，最不稳定，最易受外加磁场的影响而产生核磁共振现象。氢质子带有一个正电荷，又能自旋，其周围形成一个小磁场，产生了某一方向的磁矩。
在无外加磁场的时候，平常人的氢质子杂乱无章的排列着，磁矩方向不一，相互抵消。人体进入强大均匀的外加磁场B0后，体内所有自旋的混杂的氢质子，其磁矩将重新定向，按量子力学规律纷纷从杂乱无章状态变成顺着外加磁场B0的方向（E方向）排列，绝大部分与B0方向一致（处于低能级），少数与B0方向相反（处于高能级），最后达到动态平衡。通过表面线圈施加一个与B0方向垂直的射频脉冲，受检部位的氢质子吸收能量向垂直与E方向的XY平面偏转；射频脉冲中断后，氢质子放出吸收的能量并回到E方向；释放出的能量转化为MR信号；在梯度磁场辅助下转化为MR图像。
因此，“核”的意思是指核磁共振成像主要涉及到的原子核（尤其是氢原子核）。“磁”有两个含义：1、强大均匀的外加磁场B0。2、叠加一个小的射频磁场和梯度磁场。“共振”是宏观世界中常见的自然现象。原子核间能量的吸收及释放可产生共振，处于低能级的氢原子核吸收的能量恰好等于跃至高能级的能级差，处于高能级的氢原子核释放的能量恰好等于跌落回低能级的能级差。原子核的这种升降波动是在一个磁场中进行，因此称之为“核磁共振”。
[KEY TO QUIZ]
①shift 转变，转换（表示“一种情况逐渐转变为另一种情况”的词有：transition转变，过渡，跃迁 • shift变化，移转 • trend趋向，通向 • move移动，迁移 • movement）
②overcome 克服（conquer）
③reverse 相反，反面
〔附注〕
（1）表示“相反的意见、言论等”：opposite n.& adj. 相对的，对立的（事物）• opposing adj.对立的• diametrically opposed 完全相反• on the contrary 正相反• just the opposite/reverse恰恰相反
（2）表示“完全不同于别的人或事物的某人或某事”：the opposite 对立面• the reverse反面 • the other way around 相反（方向）地• vice versa 反之亦然• go to the opposite extreme/go from one extreme to the other从一个极端走到另一个极端
④similar 类似的
⑤relax 放宽
2.（见译文，仅供参考，欢迎指正）
3．The project will not be plain sailing.（注：答案肯定不是唯一，但至少你可以学习作者的写法）
