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A big leap toward tinier lines

A team of researchers at MIT and University of Chicago has developed a self-assembly technique to produce narrow wires on microchips, breaking through fundamental limits in manufacturing processes. The new method uses block copolymers and could be scaled up for mass manufacturing with standard equipment.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateMar 27, 2017

Serendipity uncovers borophene's potential

Researchers at Northwestern University successfully integrated borophene with an organic material, forming a self-assembled monolayer next to the borophene sheet. This breakthrough enables the formation of well-controlled interfaces between distinct materials, which is crucial for creating diodes and photovoltaics.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalScience Advances·DateFeb 22, 2017

Is a stretchable smart tablet in our future?

Researchers at Michigan State University have created a stretchable integrated circuit made entirely using an inkjet printer, enabling the potential for inexpensive mass production of smart fabric. The material can be produced on a standard printer and has applications in wearable electronics and soft robotics.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalACS Nano·DateFeb 15, 2017

Wave of the future: Terahertz chips a new way of seeing through matter

Researchers at Princeton University have developed a new terahertz chip technology that can generate and capture intricate details of terahertz waves. The system uses tiny devices inside the microchip to read patterns created by the waves, enabling potential applications in medical imaging, communications, and drug development.

SourcePrinceton University, Engineering School·JournalIEEE Journal of Solid-State Circuits·DateFeb 9, 2017

Now you see it, now you don't

Researchers created a cloaking device to minimize crosstalk between photonic devices, enabling the packing of billions of devices into a single chip. This technology could lead to significant power consumption reductions and lower carbon emissions in data centers.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 9, 2016

Weakness is good...when controlling light

Researchers at the University at Buffalo have developed a new method for controlling light using one-third of the energy typically required. The asymmetric metawaveguide technology has the potential to lead to more powerful and energy-efficient computer chips and other optics-based technologies.

SourceUniversity at Buffalo·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 31, 2016

Tiny microchips enable extreme science

The tiny radiation-resistant chips play a crucial role in the Jupiter Energetic Particle Detector Instrument (JEDI), measuring particle speed, energy, and position with time accuracy down to a fraction of a billionth of a second. Without these microchips, satellite electronics would be much heavier and require more shielding and power.

'Tuning in' to a fast and optimized internet

Researchers have designed a tunable filter that can be integrated onto a photonic chip, enabling flexible optical networks. The device has a record-breaking tuning span of 670 GHz, making it suitable for handling large data volumes and adapting to dynamic changes.

SourceOptica·JournalOptics Letters·DateNov 16, 2015

A new slant on semiconductor characterization

Researchers have developed a new mathematical method to characterize non-uniform semiconductors with improved efficiency and precision. The method measures electrical conductivity in a single piece of material using a magnetic field, revealing variations across the entire sample.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateNov 5, 2015

Opening a new route to photonics

Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have discovered a new route to ultrahigh density, ultracompact integrated photonic circuitry. By applying mathematical concept 'adiabatic elimination' to optical nanowaveguides, they can effectively control pulses of light in closely packed waveguides, eliminating the crosstalk p...

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 26, 2015

Smarter multicore chips

Researchers at MIT developed a system that cleverly distributes data around multicore chips' memory banks, improving execution times by 18 percent on average while increasing energy efficiency. In simulations involving a 64-core chip, the system increased computational speeds by 46 percent while reducing power consumption by 36 percent.

Plasmon-enhanced Polarization-selective filter

Researchers develop a plasmon-enhanced polarization-selective filter using SPPs technology, allowing for the integration of optical components on circuits. This breakthrough enables the construction of nanoscale optical logical gates and all-optical switches.

SourceWorld Scientific·JournalModern Physics Letters B·DateJul 17, 2014

Flipping the switch

Physicists at Harvard University have successfully created quantum switches that can be turned on and off using a single photon. This technological achievement could lead to the creation of highly secure quantum networks, enabling perfectly secure communications over long distances.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature·DateApr 18, 2014