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Surprising semiconductor properties revealed with innovative new method

A new method using a thin oxide film has revealed that oxygen impurities in germanium are responsible for a surprising effect, creating holes in the material and eclipsing its semiconducting properties. This discovery has broad implications for understanding the role of thin oxide films in future semiconductor design.

SourceDOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 1, 2022

Roswell Biotechnologies demonstrates molecular electronics sensors on a semiconductor chip in peer-review paper

Roswell Biotechnologies has developed a molecular electronics sensor on a semiconductor chip, enabling real-time detection of single molecules for diverse applications including drug discovery, diagnostics, and DNA sequencing. The platform offers unlimited scalability in sensor pixel density and high resolution measurements.

SourceRoswell Biotechnologies·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 24, 2022

Groundbreaking research produces record levels of strain in single-crystal silicon, which could lead to phones with smoke detector technology

The University of Surrey researchers have developed a method to generate up to 3.1% biaxial strain and 8.5% uniaxial strain in single-crystal silicon using ion implantation, which could lead to the development of germanium lasers and near-infrared sensors for smartphones.

SourceUniversity of Surrey·JournalPhysical Review Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 18, 2022

Mass production of revolutionary computer memory moves closer with ULTRARAM™ on silicon wafers for the first time

Researchers have successfully demonstrated ULTRARAM¼trade mark computer memory on silicon wafers for the first time, combining non-volatility with speed and energy-efficiency. The technology outperforms previous incarnations, offering data storage times of at least 1000 years and fast switching speeds.

SourceLancaster University·JournalAdvanced Electronic Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 6, 2022

3D semiconductor particles offer 2D properties

Researchers at Cornell University have discovered that the junctures of 3D semiconductor particles' facet edges display 2D properties, which can boost solar energy conversion technologies. The unique electronic properties of these particles can be leveraged for photocatalytic processes.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Materials·DateJan 3, 2022

Negative capacitance in topological transistors could reduce computing’s unsustainable energy load

Researchers have discovered that negative capacitance in topological transistors can switch at lower voltage, potentially reducing energy losses. This new design could help alleviate the unsustainable energy load of computing, which consumes about 8% of global electricity supply.

How to transform vacancies into quantum information

Scientists have made a breakthrough in controlling the formation of vacancies in silicon carbide, a semiconductor material. The team's simulations tracked the pairing of individual vacancies into a divacancy and discovered the optimal temperatures for creating stable divacancies. This discovery could lead to highly sensitive sensors an...

SourceDOE/Argonne National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 15, 2021

Transforming materials with light

Scientists create a process called 'coherent optical engineering' that can dramatically change the properties of materials without generating heat. The breakthrough uses lasers to alter electron energy levels in a way that is reversible and free from unwanted heating.

SourceCalifornia Institute of Technology·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 8, 2021

Intelligent transistor developed at TU Wien

Scientists at TU Wien have developed a novel germanium-based transistor with the ability to perform different logical tasks, offering improved adaptability and flexibility in chip design. This technology has potential applications in artificial intelligence, neural networks, and logic circuits that work with more than just 0 and 1.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalACS Nano·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 1, 2021

A seemingly unattainable energy transition

Scientists have made a groundbreaking discovery by exciting an unattainable energy transition in an artificial atom using laser light. The radiative Auger process allowed them to stimulate electrons to emit energy and transfer it to another electron, achieving a seemingly impossible transition.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 24, 2021

Mystery of high performing novel solar cell materials revealed in stunning clarity

Perovskite materials have emerged as promising alternatives to crystalline silicon for producing solar panels. Despite defects that reduce performance, perovskites show impressive efficiency levels comparable to silicon alternatives. Researchers used multimodal microscopy methods to visualize and explain the complex interactions betwee...

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 22, 2021

Ultra-large single-crystal WS2 monolayer

Researchers develop new epitaxial growth mechanism to achieve large-scale single-crystal WS2 monolayers, overcoming a crucial hurdle in replacing silicon with 2D materials. The technique enables uniform alignment of small crystals and leads to the successful growth of wafer-scale single-crystals of WS2, MoS2, WSe2, and MoSe2.

SourceInstitute for Basic Science·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 15, 2021

Having your cake and eating it too: double-dosing induces magnetism while strengthening topological insulator

A University of Wollongong team has combined two doping elements to achieve new efficiencies in the topological insulator Bi2Se3. The resulting crystals show clear ferromagnetic ordering, a large band gap, high electronic mobility, and the opening of a surface state gap.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies·JournalPhysical Review B·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 12, 2021

Researchers observe marcus inverted region of charge transfer from low-dimensional semiconductor materials

Researchers at Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics observed the Marcus inverted region in charge transfer from low-dimensional semiconductor materials. This finding reveals a new understanding of the fundamental energetics dependence of electron transfer, benefiting energy conversion applications of these materials.

SourceDalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy Sciences·JournalNature Communications·TypeCommentary/editorial·DateNov 12, 2021

Nano dominoes with molecules

Researchers successfully manipulated a single molecule into an upright position and measured its stability, gaining insights towards fabricating electrical components and circuits at the atomic level. The findings have potential applications in creating ultrasensitive sensors, quantum dots, and quantum computers.

SourceForschungszentrum Juelich·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 12, 2021

Ultra-thin crystals as light sources in lasers

Researchers have successfully demonstrated laser emission from ultra-thin crystals consisting of three atomic layers, a breakthrough that could lead to miniaturized circuits and future quantum applications. The discovery showcases the potential of these materials as a platform for new nanolasers capable of operating at room temperature.

SourceUniversity of Oldenburg·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 4, 2021

On-water creation of conducting MOF nanosheets

Scientists at Osaka Prefecture University developed a novel method for creating uniform, electrically conductive nanosheets using oil and water interfaces. The approach resulted in highly organized three-dimensional nanostructures with high electrical conductivity, offering potential applications in energy devices and sensors.

SourceOsaka Prefecture University·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·TypeNews article·DateOct 28, 2021

SMART researchers discover new way to generate light through use of pre-existing defects in semiconductor materials

SMART researchers have discovered a practical method to overcome current challenges in the manufacture of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) LEDs with considerably higher indium concentration. The new approach uses intrinsic defects in semiconducting materials to form quantum dots that emit long-wavelength light.

SourceSingapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)·JournalACS Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 26, 2021

Optically generated quantum fluids of light reveal exotic matter-wave states in condensed matter physics

Scientists from Skoltech and the University of Southampton created an all-optical lattice that houses polaritons, quasiparticles with half-light and half-matter properties. They demonstrated breakthrough results for condensed matter physics and flatband engineering.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 30, 2021

Quantum dots enable infrared lasing at room temperature for silicon photonics

Colloidal quantum dot technology enables infrared lasing at room temperature, paving the way for low-cost solution-processed and CMOS integrated lasing sources. The breakthrough discovery may facilitate fully integrated silicon photonics, enabling lower power consumption, higher data rates, and multi-spectral 3D imaging capabilities.

SourceICFO-The Institute of Photonic Sciences·JournalNature Photonics·TypeMeta-analysis·DateSep 29, 2021

Quantum materials cut closer than ever

Researchers at DTU have developed a new method for designing nanomaterials with unprecedented precision, allowing for the creation of compact and electrically tunable metalenses. This breakthrough enables the development of high-speed communication and biotechnology applications.

SourceTechnical University of Denmark·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·DateSep 13, 2021

Star attraction: Magnetism generated by star-like arrangement of molecules

A new study reveals the emergence of magnetism in a 2D organic material due to strong electron-electron interactions in its unique star-like atomic-scale structure. The findings have potential applications in next-generation electronics based on organic nanomaterials.

SourceARC Centre of Excellence in Future Low-Energy Electronics Technologies·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 12, 2021

New substance classes for nanomaterials: Nano spheres and diamond slivers made of silicon and germanium

Researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and Bonn have synthesized molecular nano spheres made of silicon atoms, known as silafulleranes, which can encapsulate chloride ions. The discovery of these new compounds may lead to improved applications in electronics, solar cells, and batteries.

SourceGoethe University Frankfurt·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2021

Actuator discovery outperforms existing technology

Researchers at the University of Houston have developed an electrochemical actuator that utilizes organic semiconductor nanotubes, exhibiting high performance and tunable dynamics in liquid and gel-polymer electrolytes. The device demonstrates excellent stability, low power consumption, and fast response time.

SourceUniversity of Houston·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateSep 3, 2021

Nano ‘camera’ made using molecular glue allows real-time monitoring of chemical reactions

A team from the University of Cambridge developed a nano 'camera' that harnesses light within semiconductor nanocrystals to induce electron transfer processes, allowing for the real-time monitoring of chemical reactions. The platform can be used to study various molecules and their potential applications in renewable energy.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 2, 2021

Solar gains stack up

Researchers have developed a new structure and materials for tandem solar cells, enabling more light to be captured and energy converted effectively. The n-i-p configuration achieved a significant improvement in power-conversion efficiency, exceeding 27%, surpassing previous best values.

SourceKing Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)·JournalEnergy & Environmental Science·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 22, 2021