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[Images above] Credit: NIST


NANOMATERIALS

Graphene beam splitter gives electron quantum optics a boost

A graphene-based “beam splitter” for electronic currents has been built by researchers in France, South Korea, and Japan.The tuneable device’s operation is directly comparable to that of an optical interferometer.

In graphene process, resistance is useful

Rice University researchers adapted their laser-induced graphene technique to write fine patterns of graphene into photoresist polymers. They believe this adaption should allow a transition into mainline electronics platforms.

Graphene key for novel hardware security

Researchers at The Pennsylvania State University designed a way to make the encrypted keys used in data protection technology harder to crack by creating a graphene-based physically unclonable function.

Toward 2D memory technology by magnetic graphene

Experiments by physicists at the University of Groningen and Columbia University suggest that magnetic graphene can be the ultimate choice for 2D spintronic devices as it efficiently converts charge to spin current and can transfer this strong spin-polarization over long distances.

IBM unveils world’s first 2 nanometer chip technology

IBM says it has taken a major step forward in chip technology by making the first 2 nm chip, which allows them to squeeze 50 billion transistors on a chip the size of one’s fingernail. The architecture can help processor makers deliver a 45% performance boost with the same amount of power as current 7 nm chips.


ENERGY

‘Molecular glue’ makes perovskite solar cells dramatically more reliable over time

Brown University researchers found that a formulation of self-assembled monolayers with silicon atoms on one side and iodine atoms on the other could form strong bonds with both the election transport layer and the perovskite light-absorbing layer in solar cells, thus fortifying the layer interface.

Hydrogen instead of electrification? Potentials and risks for climate targets

Researchers at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research found that directly using electricity instead of hydrogen fuel makes more economic sense in most sectors. Instead, hydrogen-based fuels should primarily be used in sectors such as aviation or industrial processes that cannot be electrified.


BIOMATERIALS

New graphite-based sensor technology for wearable medical devices

Trinity College Dublin researchers developed next-generation, graphene-based sensing technology using their innovative G-Putty material. The team’s printed sensors are 50 times more sensitive than the industry standard and outperform other comparable nano-enabled sensors in flexibility.


OTHER STORIES

Highest intensity laser ever

Institute for Basic Science researchers achieved a record-high laser pulse intensity of over 1023 W/cm2. The team harnessed an adaptive optics system using deformable mirrors to correct distortions in the laser and a large off-axis parabolic mirror to focus the pulses on the target.

Physicists find a novel way to switch antiferromagnetism on and off

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found a novel way to switch antiferromagnetism on and off in neodymium nickelate, which could lead to faster, more secure memory storage.

Researchers demonstrate reversible fusion and fission of graphene oxide–based fibers

Researchers from Zhejiang University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, and Monash University developed a way to bind multiple strands of graphene oxide together, creating a process that could prove useful in manufacturing complex architectures.

Colloidal gels divulge their secrets

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed a new method for determining the structure and behavior of aluminosilicate colloidal gels by subjecting the gels to a repeated series of complex deformation frequencies known as chirps during the gelation and subsequent aging processes.

ICG Montpellier summer school

The 12th International Commission on Glass Montpellier summer school will take place virtually July 5–9, 2021. The workshop will be composed of two interwoven threads: one overviewing fundamentals in glass science, and the other focusing on glass melt rheological behavior.

Science & Human Rights Coalition: 2021 Student Essay Competition

The American Association for the Advancement of Science is accepting submissions for its essay competition on connections between human rights and the professions of science, engineering, and health. Submissions must be from undergraduate or graduate students. The submission period closes June 4.

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