Physicists unlock the mystery of thermionic emission in graphene
Researchers discover a new theory that paves the way for the design of better graphene electronics and energy converters.
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Graphene turns 15 on track to deliver on its promises
Scientists analyze the current graphene landscape and market forecast for graphene over the following decade.
Read morePrinted electronics open way for electrified tattoos and personalized biosensors
Electrical engineers have devised a fully print-in-place technique for printable electronics that is gentle enough to work on delicate surfaces ranging from paper to human skin. This can be accomplished without additional steps to bake, wash or powder-coat materials. The advance could enable technologies such as high-adhesion, embedded electronic tattoos and bandages with patient-specific biosensors.
Read moreResearchers repurpose failed cancer drug into printable semiconductor
Many potential pharmaceuticals end up failing during clinical trials, but thanks to new research, biological molecules once considered for cancer treatment are now being repurposed as organic semiconductors for use in chemical sensors and transistors.
Read moreTunable optical chip paves way for new quantum devices
Researchers have created a silicon carbide (SiC) photonic integrated chip that can be thermally tuned by applying an electric signal. The approach could one day be used to create a large range of reconfigurable devices such as phase-shifters and tunable optical couplers needed for networking applications and quantum information processing.
Read moreStructural color printing of 3D microscale objects by shrinking photonic crystals
Researchers have developed a 'coloring-by-shrinking' method to print arbitrary 3D microscopic objects exhibiting structural colors. The design consisted of woodpile photonic crystals with varying lattice constants as the 3D building blocks. These structures remain colorless until they are heat treated, causing them to shrink and manifest color, a result of their lattice constants shrinking down below the wavelength of visible light. The team printed a colorful microscopic Eiffel Tower with structural colors, demonstrating feature sizes smaller than 100 nm.
Read moreShape affects performance of micropillars in heat transfer
A researcher has shown for the first time that the shape of a nanostructure has an effect on its ability to retain water. This has important ramifications for heat transfer, which is important when it comes to performance in small electronics.
Read moreJust add water: Simple step boosts polymer's ability to filter CO2 from mixed gases
Researchers have found it can significantly boost an existing polymer's ability to selectively remove carbon dioxide out of gas mixtures by first submerging the material in liquid water.
Read moreCurved nanochannels allow independent tuning of charge and spin currents
To increase the efficiency of microchips, 3D structures are now being investigated. However, spintronic components, which rely on electron spin rather than charge, are always flat. To investigate how to connect these to 3D electronics, physicists have created curved spin transport channels. They discovered that this new geometry makes it possible to independently tune charge and spin currents.
Read moreBorophene on silver grows freely into an atomic 'skin'
Borophene has a nearly perfect partner in a form of silver that could help the trendy two-dimensional material grow to unheard-of lengths.
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