Articles tagged with Thin Films
A composite thin film made of two different inorganic oxide materials significantly improves the performance of solar cells by optimizing its ability to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity. The material achieves a record power conversion efficiency of up to 4.2%, making it promising for future solar technologies.
Researchers at Lomonosov Moscow State University have developed protein-dendrimer films with self-assembly properties, retaining enzyme activity and function. The films show promise as biosensor materials and bioactive dressings for medical applications.
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a new method for processing nanomaterials that could lead to faster and cheaper manufacturing of flexible thin film devices. The 'intense pulsed light sintering' method uses high-energy light to fuse nanomaterials in seconds, retaining conductivity while reducing temperatures.
Researchers have created a stable thin film made from iron, cobalt, and manganese that boasts an average atomic moment potentially 50% greater than the Slater-Pauling limit. The new alloy features a magnetization density of 3.25 Bohr magnetons per atom, besting the previously considered maximum of 2.45.
Developed in Brazil, the device measures temperatures in a wide band between 80-750 kelvin using spectroscopy and has applications in manufacturing and biological processes. It can be used in electronic equipment identification and detection of viral or bacterial infections.
Researchers at Aalto University have developed a new breed of 'memristors' that can store data for more than 10 years without power and work with low voltages. These ferroelectric tunnel junctions have the potential to revolutionize neuromorphic computing and enable efficient IoT processing.
Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology have developed high-quality GFO epitaxial films exhibiting ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties at room temperature. They demonstrated room-temperature magnetocapacitance effects, revealing controlled ferroelectric and magnetic ranges.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have created a new way to conceptualize electronic devices by utilizing atomic-scale interference patterns. This approach, known as moire engineering, enables the creation of single-atom thick wires capable of transmitting electricity rapidly.
Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have developed a novel technique for connecting piezoelectric thin films to flexible polymer substrates, reducing substrate clamping and improving material properties. The new method enables the creation of miniaturized piezoelectric devices with enhanced performance and flexibility.
A thin organic coating created through composting improves biochar's ability to store nutrients and promote plant growth, offering an eco-friendly alternative to inorganic nitrogen fertilizers.
Researchers fine-tune DNA-based thin films to achieve a range of refractive indexes four times greater than silicon, enabling the creation of thinner optical fibers. This could lead to applications in photodynamic therapy, optogenetics, and biosensors.
Researchers from University of Groningen have discovered a way to increase charge conductivity in lead-sulphur quantum dots by adding extra sulphur. This breakthrough enables the tuning of electric properties, improving efficiency of quantum dot solar cells above current records.
Glycol ethers added to thin film manufacturing boost perovskite crystal structure and efficiency, increasing solar cell performance.
The RMIT team has developed a nano-hologram that is simple to make, can be seen without 3D goggles and is 1000 times thinner than a human hair. The discovery could transform industries such as medical diagnostics, education, data storage, defence and cyber security with the potential to display a wealth of data.
Scientists at Linköping University have directly observed dislocation-pipe diffusion, a phenomenon that has eluded materials scientists for decades. The movement of atoms between layers of a thin film was captured using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy.
Scientists developed a simple formula to predict glass transition temperatures for confined liquids, taking into account film thickness and density profile. This approach has important implications for various applications such as photolithography and lab-on-a-chip devices.
Researchers developed a new method to control nanoparticle organization in ultrathin polymer films through entropy-driven segregation. This approach, SCPINS, enables well-controlled nanoparticle organization on a submicron scale without tuning enthalpic interactions through chemistry.
University of Massachusetts Amherst engineers develop a physical processing method to reduce surface roughness in conducting thin films. This approach uses electrical surface treatment to smooth out the metallic surface, reducing its ability to conduct electrical and thermal energy.
A team of chemists created materials that change color or texture in response to environmental changes, inspired by squid, jellyfish, and human skin. These materials can be used for encrypting secret messages, creating anti-glare surfaces, or detecting moisture or damage.
Researchers at Brown University have developed a new method to convert one type of perovskite into another, improving thermal stability and light absorption. The technique uses gas-based methods to flip the chemical switch, preserving the microstructure and morphology of the material.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have invented a new transistor that could revolutionize thin-film electronic devices with its bipolar action architecture. The device has power-handling capabilities up to 10 times greater than commercially produced transistors, making it suitable for flexible electronics applications.
Researchers at HKUST discovered a new type of superconductor, called Ising superconductors, that can withstand strong magnetic fields. These materials have potential applications in quantum computing and may lead to the creation of Majorana fermions.
The NSF-funded Industry/University Collaborative Research Center will design and develop advanced two-dimensional coatings to address fundamental scientific and technological challenges. The Center for Atomically Thin Multifunctional Coatings (ATOMIC) aims to create spin-out companies and solve issues like corrosion, oxidation, and abr...
Researchers at KIT have created a novel solar cell using metal-organic framework compounds, demonstrating high efficiency in producing charge carriers and mobility. The material's photophysical properties are attributed to the formation of indirect band gaps, playing a crucial role in photovoltaics.
Scientists have developed a new way to recover indium from liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), which could help prevent the depletion of this rare metal. The researchers found that crushing and grinding LCD glass into tiny particles and bathing them in sulfuric acid solution can effectively extract indium.
Researchers have developed a novel photoelectrode that solves the problems of inefficient hydrogen generation in acidic electrolytes. The new composite presents high photovoltage and photocurrent densities, as well as chemical protection against corrosion.
A team of Finnish scientists has created a nano-scale map of toner ink thickness on paper, revealing that wood fibers receive relatively thin coatings and roughness dictates ink thickness rather than chemical variations.
Gold nanorods are being investigated for use in biomedical applications due to their surface plasmon resonance, allowing them to absorb and scatter light. The improved method enables large-scale production and controlled shell thicknesses, paving the way for stable gold nanorods with chemically functionalized surfaces.
Scientists at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have successfully created and tracked magnetic nanovortices with mass, a discovery that challenges previous theories on skyrmions. The researchers used holographic recording techniques to track the movement of these nanovortices, which were found to move along spiral trajectories.
Researchers at INRS have developed a new class of multiferroic materials for solar cells, increasing conversion efficiency to 8.1%. The team's triple-layer coating captures different wavelengths of light, converting more light into electricity.
The University of Houston researcher aims to produce high-efficiency, inexpensive thin film photovoltaics with a goal of achieving 24% efficiency and 20 cents per watt. His innovative approach utilizes roll-to-roll manufacturing technology to create solar cells on low-cost metal substrates.
Researchers investigated the effects of TiOx interlayer thickness on resistive switching performance. The Pt/TiOx (5nm)/ZnO/n+-Si structure exhibits optimal switching characteristics, outperforming other structures.
Researchers successfully fabricated high-quality CrO2 films on TiO2 substrates using a simple route, exhibiting half-metallic ferromagnetism and unique transport properties. The films show narrow crystallinity, low coercive field, and temperature-dependent magnetization following Bloch's T3/2 law.
Researchers from Brown University developed a mathematical model that helps engineers control wrinkle, crease, and fold structures in various materials. The model shows that at low compression, wrinkles form across the surface, but as compression increases, critical points lead to the localization of ripples into sharp creases.
Researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering developed a hybrid circuit combining carbon nanotube thin film transistors with indium, gallium and zinc oxide (IGZO) thin film transistors. This energy-efficient hybrid circuit has the potential to replace silicon as the traditional transistor material used in electronic chips.
KAIST researchers have developed a new technique to increase the energy efficiency of piezoelectric nanogenerators, enabling the creation of self-powered flexible energy harvesters that can supply power to wearable and implantable electronic devices. The improved nanogenerators can harness energy from human movements and natural resour...
By patterning the surface of nickel ferrite (NFO) thin films, researchers have reduced coercivity by 30-80%, depending on film thickness. This technique improves device performance and reduces energy use in applications like sensors, microwave devices, and antennas.
Scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Advanced Light Source have demonstrated the ability to control the conducting/insulating phases of ultra-thin films of Mott materials using epitaxial strain. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient transistors and memories with higher energy efficiencies and faster switching ...
Developers have created a metal oxide shell that increases the stability of nanowire devices, which can detect disease biomarkers and record heart cells. This coating allows nanoelectronic devices to last several months in human body conditions.
Researchers discovered a novel solid-state reaction that lets kesterite grains grow within seconds and at low temperatures. This process can produce near-micrometer-sized crystal grains suitable for thin film solar cells.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a new method for producing cheap hydrogen using atomic-scale catalysts made of molybdenum sulfide (MoS2). The study found that the thickness of the MoS2 film is crucial to its catalytic performance, with thinner films being more conductive and effective as catalysts.
Researchers developed a new technique to produce thin films of germanium crystals without high temperatures or other crystals as seeds. This allows for the production of large-area germanium films, opening new ways to create advanced flexible electronics.
Researchers studied the dynamics of squeezing fluids using a simple experiment of clapping with wet hands. The study sheds light on the behavior of fluids at the microscale level and has implications for fuel efficiency and pharmaceutical drug deliveries.
The NIST nanoindenter uses a touchless surface detector to accurately measure the mechanical properties of thin films and biomaterials without contact. It applies forces up to 150 millinewtons and takes readings a thousand times a second with an uncertainty lower than 2 micronewtons.
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed nano-volcanoes that can store precise amounts of materials and control the release of drugs. The structures are created by shining light through a nanoscale 'crystal ball', allowing for precise control over their shape and size.
Researchers at Georgia Institute of Technology create a new type of paper that repels a wide variety of liquids, including water and oil, using the 'lotus effect'. The modified paper could be used as a foundation for inexpensive biomedical diagnostics and provide an improved packaging material that is recyclable and sustainable.
Researchers developed nanostructures that suppress 'thin-film interference', a phenomenon causing light loss in multiple-layered thin films. These nanostructures reduce reflection by up to 100 times, potentially increasing the efficiency of thin-film solar cells.
A new solid-state controllable light filter has been developed to shield preterm infants from most wavelengths of visible light, promoting better maturation. The device switches between blocking out all light and allowing red light through, enabling medical staff and parents to monitor the infants without disrupting their sleep.
Researchers developed a new thin film technology that allows for simultaneous analysis of multiple substances, leading to faster and more efficient diagnostics. The device can detect changes in chemical composition using optical fingerprints, offering improved accuracy and reliability compared to existing state-of-the-art technology.
A new spectroscopy method has been developed to analyze light emission from layered nanomaterials, enabling researchers to determine the orientation of emitters and potentially improve the efficiency of optical devices. The technique uses energy-momentum spectroscopy to study interference effects in thin films.
University of Illinois researchers have devised a method to make ferroelectric thin films with twice the strain, resulting in improved performance. The films have a built-in electric field, called an intrinsic potential, which opens the door for new applications such as smaller, faster and longer lasting computer components.
For the first time, researchers have observed how reducing dimensions affects ferroelectrics' susceptibility to size- and strain-induced effects. This work provides a detailed modeling and experimental study of pyroelectricity, with direct implications for next-generation devices.
Researchers at UT Austin create a novel process to grow ceramic thin films onto plastic substrates using microwaves, reducing growth temperature from over 450°C to under 150°C. The method enables controlled film growth in a single step, with potential applications in developing thin-film batteries and solar cells.
Scientists have found a model that describes the evolution of cauliflower-type fractal morphologies for nanoscopic systems, offering insights into natural structures like sea coasts and blood vessels. This breakthrough may help improve technologies used in thin film coatings and generate textures in computer simulations.
Researchers developed an all-carbon solar cell that absorbs near-infrared wavelengths, offering a low-cost alternative to traditional photovoltaic devices. The device uses carbon nanomaterials and has the potential to improve efficiency through better materials and processing techniques.
A KAIST research team has developed a high performance flexible all-solid-state battery, overcoming limitations of existing lithium-ion batteries. The breakthrough allows for the creation of fully flexible electronic systems, such as rollable displays, with improved power density and thermal stability.
Researchers at NIST have developed a novel clay-based coating that outperforms traditional flame retardants in polyurethane foam, reducing flammability by up to 17% while requiring only half the amount of chemicals.
Researchers at UMass Amherst identify fundamental mechanism for spontaneous emergence of complex patterns like wrinkles and crumples. The discovery confirms theoretical predictions and reveals unusual sequence of transitions underlying these morphological complexities.
Researchers used diamond anvil cells to apply extreme pressure to argon, heating it with microsecond laser bursts to 2,500 degrees K. The results confirmed kinetic theory as a better model for argon's thermal conductivity than Green-Kubo formalism.
Researchers found that film casting methods can affect the ordering of block copolymers in thin films. Spin casting led to fewer residual stresses and improved cylinder alignment for computer memory devices, suggesting a potential route for enhanced device performance.