[Images above] Credit: NIST
NANOMATERIALS
Researchers find a new quantum ruler to explore exotic matter
Researchers led by the National Institute of Standards and Technology developed a “quantum ruler” to measure and explore the strange properties of twisted graphene.
Electronic sensor the size of a single molecule could be a potential game-changer
Australian researchers developed a piezoresistor that is about 500,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. The new piezoresistor is made from a single bullvalene molecule that, when mechanically strained, reacts to form a new molecule of different shape, thus altering electricity flow by changing resistance.
ENERGY
Novel perovskite/CIGS tandem PV cell design could potentially achieve 38.39% efficiency
A group of researchers in Bangladesh designed and simulated an all-inorganic lead-free tandem photovoltaic cell based on copper, indium, gallium, and selenium thin-film technology and perovskite. The novel device architecture is claimed to have the potential to reach a power conversion efficiency of 38.39%.
Successful morphing of inorganic perovskites without damaging their functional properties
Researchers co-led by City University of Hong Kong successfully morphed all-inorganic perovskites at room temperature without compromising their functional properties. Under compression, the CsPbX3 crystal lattice experienced continuous slips of partial dislocations on multiple slip systems, which enabled deformation without fracturing.
ENVIRONMENT
‘Growing Impact’ podcast explores solar energy at wastewater treatment plants
The latest episode of the podcast “Growing Impact” explores how wastewater treatment plants could use solar power to improve their environmental performance, their communities, and their finances. The episode features Penn State researchers Christine Kirchhoff, Kimberly Van Meter, and Hannah Wiseman.
Unlocking the secrets of volcanic glass: How archaeological fires leave their mark
Archaeologists at SciX 2023 described the hidden impact of ancient fires on volcanic glass, reshaping our understanding of how this glass is used in dating and correlation at archaeological sites.
MANUFACTURING
New process 3D prints glass microstructures at low temperature with fast curing
Georgia Institute of Technology researchers developed a new approach based on ultraviolet light to cure 3D-printed small glass lenses and other structures. Their process reduces the heat required to convert printed polymer resin to silica glass from 1,100°C to around 220°C and shortens the curing time from at least half a day to just five hours.
New energy-storing material could also be used to build electronic gadgets
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego, developed a structural supercapacitor and used it to build a miniature solar-powered boat. The device’s electrodes are made from carbon fibers woven into a fabric and coated with a special mixture of conductive polymer and reduced graphene oxide.
OTHER STORIES
Making a femtosecond laser out of glass
Researchers at Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne showed that it is possible to make a femtosecond laser that fits in the palm of one’s hand using a glass substrate. The laser is capable of reaching approximately a kiloWatt of peak power and of emitting pulses of less than 200 femtoseconds.
Defects spread through diamond faster than the speed of sound
Using X-ray radiography, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory researchers confirmed that tiny linear defects (dislocations) can propagate through a material faster than sound waves do. Until now, no one has been able to directly measure how fast these dislocations spread through materials.
Researchers unveil new material infused with gold in an exotic chemical state
Stanford University researchers found a way to create and stabilize an extremely rare form of gold that has lost two negatively charged electrons, denoted Au2+. The material stabilizing this elusive version of the valued element is a halide perovskite.
Project aims to develop all-in-one semiconductor that stores and processes data
A multi-institutional project led by The Pennsylvania State University is focused on developing an all-in-one semiconductor device that can both store data and perform computations. The project recently received $2 million in funding over three years as part of the new National Science Foundation Future of Semiconductors program.
New kind of quantum computer made using high-resolution microscope
Physicists performed the first quantum calculations to be carried out using individual atoms sitting on a surface. The technique controls titanium atoms by beaming microwave signals from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope.