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PNAS highlights for the week of May 16 - 20

Researchers analyzed voting patterns and committee memberships to find the most partisan committees, including the Select Committee on Homeland Security. They also developed a mathematical tool to identify Representatives' partisanship and cooperativity. Additionally, they created insulin-producing cells from human liver cells that can...

NIST unveils atom-based standards

The new test structures provide a wider range of reference feature sizes and are measured more precisely than previously available materials. Industry can use these reference materials to calibrate tools to reliably measure microprocessor-device gates.

Microchip industry strives to perfect its timing

The microchip industry is struggling to achieve precise timing as device dimensions and tolerances continue to shrink. To address this issue, NIST is supporting the development of time synchronization standards in collaboration with International SEMATECH's e-Manufacturing initiatives.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Gold nano anchors put nanowires in their place

Researchers at NIST have developed a method to grow well-formed, single-crystal zinc oxide nanowires with precise alignments using gold nanoparticles as anchors. The technique produces horizontal semiconductor wires only 3 nanometers in diameter, overcoming the challenge of working with atomic-scale components.

Researchers use semiconductors to set speed limit on light

Scientists have successfully slowed down the group velocity of light in semiconductors, achieving speeds of about 6 miles per second. This breakthrough could lead to faster optical networks and higher performance communications, enabling applications like 3-D graphics transmission and high-resolution video conferencing.

T.P. Ma receives the 2005 IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award

T.P. Ma, a Yale University professor, is honored with the 2005 IEEE Andrew S. Grove Award for his groundbreaking research on complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) gate dielectrics. His work has focused on microelectronics, semiconductors, and memory applications.

A simpler design for x-ray detectors

Researchers have developed a simpler design for x-ray detectors that offers 30 times better energy resolution than existing detectors, enabling more accurate identification of elements. The new design combines normal and superconducting metals into one layer, reducing fabrication steps and increasing sensor stability.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Enhanced LEDs promise to transform lighting

Rensselaer researchers have developed an omni-directional reflector (ODR) that enhances LED brightness, accelerating the replacement of conventional lighting. The new technology has significant implications for energy savings and reducing mercury exposure, which can cause health problems.

Oregon optics center to build new laser lab

The university's new Laboratory for Quantum Control will enable original experiments at an internationally competitive level, focusing on controlling atoms and molecules using ultrashort light pulses. The lab aims to lead to increased computer capability, improved optical-fiber communications, and new forms of electronics.

Waste not, want not

A new class of semiconductors has been developed that can efficiently convert waste heat into electricity, with potential applications in shipboard steam plants and land vehicles. The material, called LAST, uses nanostructures to impede heat flow and introduce internal boundaries, increasing its efficiency.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Software corrects chip errors early

The new software equips SEMs with a model library of possible line measurements, enabling accurate determination of circuit feature shapes and sizes. This reduces measurement errors from tens of nanometers to just a few nanometers, increasing reliability and efficiency in semiconductor manufacturing.

Marine sponges provide model for nanoscale materials production

Researchers have discovered a way to harness biomolecular mechanisms in marine sponges to produce semiconductors and photovoltaic materials. The discovery represents a low-temperature, environmentally friendly route to nanostructural fabrication of valuable materials.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Molecular memories, once doubted, prove durable and practical

Researchers have demonstrated that molecular memories are both durable and practical, with test results showing they can survive high temperatures and up to 1 trillion operational cycles. This finding could spur development of molecule-based memory devices, promising smaller, faster, and more powerful computers.

New look at layered material lends insight to silicon

Researchers have viewed an unprecedentedly perfect interface between layers of semiconductor materials germanium and silicon dioxide. This 'atomically sharp' interface could be used to boost the speed of computer chips. The discovery may aid in the design of other devices, including medical implants.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

X-ray inspection may meet computer chip-making need

Researchers successfully adapted small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to rapidly characterize nanometer-scale grid-like patterns in chip circuitry. The technique offers better than one nanometer precision and could be an able substitute for current dimensional measurement tools.

For 'quantum confinement' size matters, but so does shape

The study finds that the shape of a semiconductor nanocrystal can significantly impact its electronic and optical properties. The researchers developed a novel synthesis method to create indium phosphide nanowires with controlled diameters, allowing them to investigate the effect of two-dimensional vs. three-dimensional confinement.

Dual microscopes illuminate electronic switching speeds

Researchers developed a new method combining atomic force and scanning capacitance microscopes to measure semiconductor switching speeds, enabling quick scanning of wafers for defects. This technique has the potential to determine if missing atoms in semiconductors slow down electrical charge movement.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

Virginia Tech engineer aims to tame the wild chip

Michael Hsiao is developing graph-theoretic algorithms to reduce chip verification time, which could decrease costs and improve accuracy. His tools will be useful for the entire semiconductor industry, addressing the increasing complexity of modern chips.

UCSD engineers win student chip-design prize

UCSD graduate student Vincent Leung designed a revolutionary Ultra-Low-Power SiGe BiCMOS Transmitter IC for 3G W-CDMA mobile phones. The innovative chip reduces power consumption by utilizing a smart, adaptive bias scheme and high-speed digital logic.

Cool running semiconductors

Researchers have developed thin layer silicon with improved lattice vibrational frequency, leading to a 30% increase in thermal conductivity. This breakthrough enables faster charging and more efficient heat conduction in digital semiconductor devices.

Breakthrough made in electronics technology

Researchers at Oregon State University have made a breakthrough in creating crystalline thin films at lower temperatures without the need for vacuum conditions. This advance could enable the mass production of electronic devices on plastics and facilitate cheaper production of some products.

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply

Rigol DP832 Triple-Output Bench Power Supply powers sensors, microcontrollers, and test circuits with programmable rails and stable outputs.

Rensselaer professor wins prestigious Humboldt Award

Michael Shur, a renowned researcher at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has been awarded the prestigious Humboldt Award for his outstanding contributions to novel semiconductor devices and integrated circuits. With over 700 technical publications and 25 patents, Shur is recognized internationally in his field.

Berkeley chemist wins national award for inventiveness in laboratory

T. Don Tilley receives the 2002 Award in Organometallic Chemistry for developing new ways to make chemicals, including flexible semiconductors and reactive building blocks. His research aims to improve semiconductor materials and create new properties through polysilene technology.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

Rutgers researcher develops new UV technology

A new method for producing ultraviolet (UV) light has been patented by Rutgers researchers, providing a more energy-efficient source with higher power and lower maintenance. The technology has broad industrial and commercial applications in the semiconductor, printing, and lighting industries.

UC-SMART program boosts support from Mitsubishi chemical with $1.5 million match

The UC-SMART program is allocating $1.5 million over four years to support cutting-edge semiconductor research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Researchers will focus on developing novel materials and devices for optical and electronic applications, including organic chromophores, nanoparticle patterning, self-assembled ...

Gossard awarded prize for new materials

Arthur Gossard, a professor at UCSB, has received the James C. McGroddy Prize for his contributions to molecular beam epitaxy, a key technology for compound semiconductors used in wireless and fiber-optic devices. The prize honors his work on device applications and physical understanding of low-dimensional structures.

Semiconductors With A Twist

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a technique to grow pure, defect-free single crystals of almost any material on any substrate by bonding thin films at a misaligned angle. The new method has the potential to revolutionize electronics manufacturing by overcoming current limitations.

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

To Prevent Ice Buildup, Charge It

A Dartmouth physicist has discovered that applying a small electric voltage across an ice-metal interface can break the bond between ice and metal surfaces, potentially preventing or reducing icing on airplane wings. The effect of the voltage can be reversed to increase ice adhesion, which could improve traction on icy roads.

A Mismatch Made In Heaven

Scientists at the Weizmann Institute successfully created uniformly oriented crystals of varying sizes by fine-tuning the small remaining mismatch between two materials. The method, using a technique called electrodeposition, holds promise for developing tiny semiconductors with new optoelectronic properties.

UB Researchers Develop First Flexible Semiconductors

UB physicists have developed the first single-crystal, semiconducting nanomaterials that can bend without breaking. The new semiconductors retain structural integrity and optical properties, making them suitable for future advances in optical computing.