Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Turning friction heat into a chemical cushion to shape flawless semiconductor crystals

The new method uses a chemical additive to create a sacrificial molecular cushion on the crystal surface, allowing for smoother cutting and reducing defects. This technique slashes subsurface crystal defects to a depth of only 70 nanometers, promising to revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateSep 15, 2026

Printable brain-inspired chips that compute at lightning speed and vanish in minutes

Researchers have developed flexible and ultra-fast artificial synapses printed entirely from room-temperature liquid inks. These brain-inspired chips can process health data directly on the body and dissolve when no longer needed, eliminating the need for extreme vacuum chambers and rare metals.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateSep 14, 2026

Scientists want to 3D print houses on Mars with the help of yeast

Researchers have created a recipe for 3D printing houses on Mars using Martian rocks, gelatin, and yeast. The resulting living building material is strong and can be broken down, recycled, and reused, making it a promising solution for low-energy construction and a circular economy on the Red Planet.

SourceCell Press·JournalChem Circularity·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 10, 2026

New design approach may help slash the price of ultra-durable concrete

A team of researchers at Penn State developed a new design approach to reduce the cost of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) by optimizing metallic fibers, which currently make up 70% of the material's price. The new design can help produce stronger and more environmentally friendly concrete while reducing costs.

SourcePenn State·JournalCement and Concrete Composites·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 26, 2026

Redesigned high-NA lithography optical system aims to revolutionize semiconductor chipmaking

A redesigned high-NA EUV lithography optical system has been proposed, which could enable the manufacture of smaller computer chips at lower cost than current methods. The new design eliminates troublesome optical effects, enhances resolution, and should be much cheaper to produce.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalJournal of Micro/Nanopatterning Materials and Metrology·DateJun 17, 2026

Nanometer nanotubes for future electronics

Scientists from the University of Tokyo have successfully synthesized 1-nanometer-wide, single-walled MoS2 nanotubes with well-defined atomic structures. These ultrafine materials could provide a new route toward miniaturized electronic devices and expand nanotube science beyond carbon.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 4, 2026

Stretchable brain-inspired electronics erase the physical boundary between human and machine

Researchers have developed soft, brain-inspired electronics that can sense, store, and process information while conforming to biological tissues. These devices mimic the chemical processing of the human brain, executing complex tasks like heart rhythm classification at ultra-low voltages.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateJun 4, 2026

"Reading the invisible": POSTECH-led team develops AI framework accounting for hidden defects in metal 3D printing

A research team led by POSTECH developed an AI framework that can predict and account for microscopic defects in metal 3D printing, improving the reliability of metal components. The framework achieves a Mean Absolute Error (MAE) of just 9.51 MPa, outperforming conventional approaches.

Vibrating atomic tip sculpts 3D memory channels into fragile semiconductors

Prof. Yanquan Geng's team has devised a way to carve variable-depth, three-dimensional trenches into gallium antimonide using a microscopic tip vibrating thousands of times per second. This process improves the crystal's structural integrity and enables the creation of pristine 3D nanogrooves with controlled depths and widths.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateMar 15, 2026

New robotic microfluidic platform brings ai to lipid nanoparticle design

Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have developed LIBRIS, an automated microfluidic platform capable of generating lipid nanoparticle formulations at high speed and scale. This enables the creation of large, systematic datasets needed to train predictive AI models, accelerating the design of lipid nanoparticles for mRNA delivery.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science·JournalACS Nano·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 9, 2026

An open source breakthrough in hemodynamics

Researchers have developed an open-source pressure myography tool, HemoLens, which reduces the cost of vascular research to $750 from $40,000. The tool uses affordable manufacturing processes and customizable components, making it easier for researchers to study vascular function.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalDevice·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2026

An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics

A team from Harvard and University of Lisbon found that silica, a low-refractive index material, can be used for making metasurfaces despite long-held assumptions. They discovered that by carefully considering the geometry of each nanopillar, silica behaves as a metasurface, enabling efficient design of devices with relaxed feature sizes.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

Behind nature’s blueprints

Scientists from ISTA and Brandeis University develop a geometric framework that predicts viable structures in self-assembling particles. The 'high-dimensional convex polyhedron' tool helps identify constraints that prevent certain outcomes, offering insights into designing custom-made nanomaterials.

SourceInstitute of Science and Technology Austria·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 8, 2026

An alternative to BPA passes toxicity and sustainability standards set by EU innovation guidelines

Researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology have identified three bisphenols with negligible estrogenic effects, suitable for replacing BPA in consumer products. The safe and sustainable alternatives are made from renewable resources and demonstrate thermal stability and mechanical properties comparable to BPA-based plastics.

SourceKTH, Royal Institute of Technology·JournalNature Sustainability·DateDec 4, 2025

Korean researchers’ single memristor replaces both the driving transistor and storage capacitor in micro-LED

A team of Korean researchers has successfully integrated a single memristor into micro-LED pixels, replacing the traditional driving transistor and storage capacitor. This innovation enables more efficient and easier-to-build displays with improved brightness and color accuracy.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateNov 6, 2025