Electrically defined quantum dots in zinc oxide. Researchers have successfully created electrically defined quantum dots in zinc oxide (ZnO) heterostructures, marking a significant milestone in the development of quantum technologies. Details of their breakthrough were published in the journal Nature Communications on November 7, 2024. Quantum dots, tiny semiconductor structures that can trap electrons in nanometer-scale spaces, have long been studied for their potential to serve as qubits in quantum computing. These dots are crucial for quantum computing because they allow scientists…
Using energy- and resource-saving methods, a research team at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry at TU Graz aims to produce high-quality doped silicon layers for the electronics and solar industries. The global production of semiconductors is growing rapidly and with it the demand for primary products, especially crystalline silicon. However, its production is very energy-intensive and only half of the raw silicon used is actually utilised. This leads to large quantities of waste. In the Christian Doppler Laboratory for New…
A large number of 2D materials like graphene can have nanopores – small holes formed by missing atoms through which foreign substances can pass. The properties of these nanopores dictate many of the materials’ properties, enabling the latter to sense gases, filter out seawater, and even help in DNA sequencing. “The problem is that these 2D materials have a wide distribution of nanopores, both in terms of shape and size,” says Ananth Govind Rajan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Chemical…
KIT researchers produce metamaterial with different extension and compression properties than conventional materials. With this material, the working group headed by Professor Martin Wegener at KIT’s Institute of Applied Physics (APH) has overcome a limitation of metamaterials. Lead author Dr. Yi Chen compares this with human communication and an effect known from the “telephone game”: When people communicate through a chain of intermediaries, the message received by the last person can be completely different than if the first and last…
Most people think of coffee cups, bathroom tiles or flower pots when they hear the word “ceramic”. Not so Frank Clemens. For the research group leader in Empa’s Laboratory for High-Performance Ceramics, ceramics can conduct electricity, be intelligent, and even feel. Together with his team, Clemens is developing soft sensor materials based on ceramics. Such sensors can “feel” temperature, strain, pressure or humidity, for instance, which makes them interesting for use in medicine, but also in the field of soft…
New ISTA assistant professor Julian Léonard makes abstract quantum properties visible. From the realm of the abstract to the tangible, the new assistant professor at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) Julian Léonard brings the quantum properties of matter to life. Having done research at ETH Zurich and Harvard, Léonard joins ISTA from TU Wien. In this interview, he talks about the central role of quantum mechanics in nature, how ultracold temperatures magnify atomic interactions, and what this…
Engineers in Australia have found a way to make stronger and crack-resistant concrete with scrap carpet fibres, rolling out the red carpet for sustainability in the construction sector. The research team is engaging with partners including Textile Recyclers Australia, Godfrey Hirst Australia and councils in Victoria to conduct field studies of on-ground slabs made of reclaimed textiles. Lead researcher Dr Chamila Gunasekara from RMIT University said the team had developed a technique using waste carpet fibres to reduce early-age shrinkage…
With the increase of new technology and artificial intelligence, the demand for efficient and powerful semiconductors continues to grow. Researchers at the University of Minnesota have achieved a new material that will be pivotal in making the next generation of high-power electronics faster, transparent and more efficient. This artificially designed material allows electrons to move faster while remaining transparent to both visible and ultraviolet light, breaking the previous record. The research, published in Science Advances, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, marks a…
New laser-based bubble printing technique creates ultra-flexible liquid metal circuits. As tiny as bubbles may seem, in engineers’ hands they can spark big innovations. Yokohama National University scientists have developed a promising bubble printing method that enables high-precision patterning of liquid metal wiring for flexible electronics. This technique offers new options for creating bendable, stretchable, and highly conductive circuits, ideal for devices such as wearable sensors and medical implants. Their study was published in Nanomaterials on Oct. 17. Wiring technology…
… best quality at minimum cost thanks to precise stabilisation. Online characterisation, plastic formulations, more profitable. All organic substances, including plastics such as polypropylene (PP), undergo auto-oxidation in the presence of oxygen.This happens millions of times faster at the high temperatures of compounding and injection moulding. The result for PP is a degradation of the polymer chains, i.e. reduction in molecular weight, which means that products made from these plastics can no longer be recycled. Antioxidants added during the manufacturing…
Thermoplastic blends, produced by a new process, have better resilience. Now, experiments at the IRIS beamline show, why: nanocrystalline layers increase their performance. Bio-based thermoplastics are produced from renewable organic materials and can be recycled after use. Their resilience can be improved by blending bio-based thermoplastics with other thermoplastics. However, the interface between the materials in these blends sometimes requires enhancement to achieve optimal properties. A team from the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands has now investigated at…
MXene nanomaterials enable wireless charging in textiles. Researchers demonstrate printed textile-based energy grid using MXene ink. The next step for fully integrated textile-based electronics to make their way from the lab to the wardrobe is figuring out how to power the garment gizmos without unfashionably toting around a solid battery. Researchers from Drexel University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Accenture Labs in California have taken a new approach to the challenge by building a full textile energy grid that can…
Takeout containers get your favorite noodles from the restaurant to your dining table (or couch) without incident, but they are nearly impossible to recycle if they are made from foil-lined plastics. Research published in ACS Omega suggests that replacing the plastic layer with paper could create a more sustainable packaging material. The researchers used mechanical demonstrations and computer simulations to identify paper-aluminum laminate designs that won’t compromise on performance. Protective packaging, like containers made from polyethylene and aluminum laminates, combines…
Singlet fission can be promoted by chiral molecular self-assemblies that absorb light. In organic molecules an exciton is a particle bound pair of an electron (negative charge) and its hole (positive charge). They are held together by Coulombic attraction and can move within molecular assemblies. Singlet fission (SF) is a process where an exciton is amplified, and two triplet excitons are generated from a singlet exciton. This is caused by the absorption of a single particle of light, or photon,…
Small drops, big impact: Over time, rain can damage the surfaces of rotor blades. This reduces the efficiency and profitability of wind turbines, especially at sea. Researchers from institutions of the U Bremen Research Alliance are developing repair solutions to extend the service life of rotor blades. Picture a large shower cubicle and you are not far off the test bench at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wind Energy Systems IWES in Bremerhaven. The only difference is that the water comes…
…takes sensor technology to extreme conditions. Researchers at Tampere University have developed the world’s first soft touchpad that can sense the force, area and location of contact without electricity. The device utilises pneumatic channels, enabling its use in environments such as MRI machines and other conditions that are unsuitable for electronic devices. Soft devices like soft robots and rehabilitation aids could also benefit from this new technology. Researchers at Tampere University have developed the world’s first soft touchpad that is…
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