A team of scientists from Vanderbilt University has invented an ultra-fast and ultra-small optical switch that can turn on and off trillions of times per second. The device is made of artificial material engineered to have properties not found in nature, breaking the miniaturization barrier for photon-based devices.
SourceVanderbilt University·JournalNano Letters·DateMar 13, 2014
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.
Research integrates vanadium dioxide onto a silicon chip to create infrared smart sensors that are faster, more energy-efficient, and lighter than conventional sensors. This breakthrough paves the way for multifunctional spintronic devices with enhanced memory capacity, data transfer speed, and computational power.
SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateFeb 5, 2014
Researchers at Berkeley Lab have created a micro-sized robotic torsional muscle/motor made from vanadium dioxide, achieving unprecedented power density and speed. The device can catapult objects over 50 times its own weight with remarkable efficiency.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateDec 19, 2013
Researchers studied vanadium dioxide using ALS beamline 4.0.2 to investigate the origin of its metal-insulator transition, which could lead to faster and more energy-efficient electronic devices. The study identified roles for Pi-symmetry and delta-symmetry electron orbitals in controlling the transition.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Physics·DateOct 22, 2013
Researchers at Harvard SEAS have developed a thin coating that intrinsically conceals its own temperature to thermal cameras, demonstrating the potential for new military and everyday applications. By introducing impurities or defects in vanadium oxide, the team can create a wide range of interesting behaviors.
SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalPhysical Review X·DateOct 21, 2013
Apple iPhone 17 Pro
Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.
Researchers at the University of Washington have accurately determined a solid-state triple point in vanadium dioxide, a material that rapidly switches between conducting and insulating states. This discovery could lead to breakthroughs in electrical and optical switch development.
SourceUniversity of Washington·JournalNature·DateAug 21, 2013
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new material that accelerates the development of high-power lithium-ion batteries suitable for electric cars. The hybrid ribbons of vanadium oxide and graphene work well for lithium-ion storage, providing both high energy density and significant power density.
A University of Texas at Arlington engineer has developed a semiconductor-based process to capture, store and transmit solar energy more efficiently. The new method increases the yield of solar energy by 10 times and improves efficiency fourfold compared to current methods.
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter
Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.
Researchers developed an elegant and powerful new microscale actuator based on vanadium dioxide material, which expands and contracts in response to temperature variations. The actuators are smaller than human hair width and offer large force and displacement, suitable for biological and microfluidic applications.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNano Letters·DateDec 17, 2012
Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new device that can absorb 99.75% of infrared light on demand, using a tunable material with exceptional optical properties. The device has wide-ranging applications in thermal imaging, spectroscopy, and energy harvesting.
SourceHarvard University·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateNov 26, 2012
Scientists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz discovered that vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles can inhibit the growth of barnacles, bacteria, and algae on surfaces in contact with water. This could lead to the development of new protective coatings that are less damaging to the environment than current ship coatings.
SourceJohannes Gutenberg Universitaet Mainz·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateJul 2, 2012
Researchers find a new method to reversibly change VO2's behavior by exposing it to hydrogen, altering its electronic and structural properties. The findings could lead to better understanding of the material's physics and potential applications in ultrasensitive sensors.
SourceRice University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateMay 21, 2012
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.
Researchers have developed an ultrafast method to track structural changes in solid materials during phase transitions. This technique sheds new light on vanadium dioxide's fast transformation between transparent and reflective phases. The study provides valuable insights into designing high-speed optical switches using this material.
SourceVanderbilt University·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 8, 2012
Researchers have improved the performance of vanadium redox batteries by modifying their electrolyte solution, increasing energy storage capacity by 70 percent. The upgraded battery can now operate in a wider temperature range and reduce cooling costs, making it more suitable for grid reliability and renewable power sources.
SourceDOE/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·DateMar 17, 2011
A new material, vanadium oxide, has been integrated with silicon chips to create 'smart sensors' that can respond quickly in extreme conditions. This technology allows for the development of infrared sensors for military and security applications.
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars
Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.
By applying strain to single-crystal vanadium oxide micro- and nanowires, researchers created phase inhomogeneity, a phenomenon critical to collective electronic behavior of correlated electron materials. This breakthrough could lead to designing and controlling phase inhomogeneity for future devices.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateSep 17, 2009
Researchers at UC Davis discovered a material with unique electronic properties, exhibiting mass-like behavior in one direction and mass-less behavior in another. The discovery has potential applications in spintronics technology and could lead to new electronic devices.
SourceUniversity of California - Davis·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMay 4, 2009
A team of international researchers has observed the formation of metallic puddles in vanadium dioxide, leading to a better understanding of the Mott transition and its potential applications. The study uses near-field scanning optical microscopy to reveal new insights into superconductors and materials development.
SourceDOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory·JournalScience·DateDec 13, 2007
A team of physicists from Vanderbilt University and the University of Konstanz in Germany have used a laser with 12-femtosecond pulses to switch vanadium dioxide film between reflective and transparent states. The transition occurs faster than previously thought, with the film shifting back and forth in under 100 femtoseconds.
Researchers have discovered a new type of phase transition in vanadium metal under extreme pressure, which contradicts the behavior of most other elements. This unusual lattice dynamics is driven by a huge change in electronic structure, providing a new explanation for the record-high superconducting temperature.
SourceUppsala University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 11, 2007
Meta Quest 3 512GB
Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.
Researchers at Carnegie Institution's Geophysical Laboratory found a unique phase transition in vanadium crystals under high pressure, changing shape but not volume. This discovery has significant implications for superconducting materials and challenges previous theories on element stability.
SourceCarnegie Institution for Science·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 20, 2007
Researchers discovered a new way to form complex networks of nanotubes on the surface of layered crystals. The tubes are prismatic folds with intricate branches and connections, forming in less than a second.
SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 27, 2006
Researchers found that vanadium supplementation sped recovery in mice, with 50% faster recovery times in both diabetic and non-diabetic animals. The exact mechanism is unclear but may involve vanadium's metal-related shape or ability to inhibit tyrosine phosphatases.
SourceUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 11, 2005
Researchers at Vanderbilt University developed an ultra-fast optical shutter with a record-breaking speed of 40 picoseconds, enabling high-speed imaging applications. The new technology uses femtosecond laser pulses to freeze light at the molecular level, opening doors for breakthroughs in fields like biology and materials science.
SourceVanderbilt University·JournalOptics Letters·DateApr 6, 2005
Weizmann Institute researchers find a family of amino acid analogues that effectively regulate glucose levels in diabetic laboratory animals. The new compounds have greater antidiabetic potency than vanadium alone, offering a promising treatment option for type II diabetes.
SourceAmerican Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science·JournalJournal of Biological Chemistry·DateNov 21, 1999
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C)
Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation, USB-C) provide clear calls and strong noise reduction for interviews, conferences, and noisy field environments.