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NIST technique could make sub-wavelength images at radio frequencies

Researchers at NIST and University of Michigan develop a new method to image electric fields at resolutions far below RF wavelengths using laser light and rubidium atoms. The technique maps RF field strength as a function of position at resolutions as low as one-hundredth of an RF wavelength, far below normal antenna limits.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateJun 17, 2014

Playing pool with carbon atoms

Scientists at the University of Arizona have developed a way to control graphene's crystal structure using an electric field. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of faster and more versatile transistors, which would enable faster computing and new applications for graphene in microelectronics.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalNature Materials·DateApr 30, 2014

Nanotube coating helps shrink mass spectrometers

Researchers at Purdue University developed a nanotube coating that significantly reduces the voltage required for mass spectrometers, allowing for miniaturization and increased portability. The technique simplifies analysis by nearly eliminating background noise, making it gentler on fragile molecules.

SourcePurdue University·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateMar 25, 2014

Controlling magnetism with an electric field

Scientists have developed a new method to control magnetism using an electric field, reducing heat generation and increasing memory density. This innovation has significant implications for the development of more efficient electronic devices, such as MRAM and logic chips.

SourceUniversity of Miami·JournalScientific Reports·DateFeb 18, 2014

Remembrances of things past

A team of scientists at Berkeley Lab has developed a new material that exhibits the highest shape-memory effect ever recorded in an oxide material. This breakthrough discovery opens up exciting possibilities for future nanoelectromechanical devices and other state-of-the-art nanosystems.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateDec 3, 2013

Chemistry with sorted molecules

Scientists successfully sort individual conformers of a molecule using an electric field, showing that their spatial structure affects their chemical reactivity. The new method provides insight into fundamental reaction mechanisms with potential applications in chemical catalysis and molecule synthesis.

SourceUniversity of Basel·JournalScience·DateOct 3, 2013

NASA sees leaping lunar dust

Researchers found a new class of dust motion on the moon, where charged particles swarm like bees around partially shaded regions. This phenomenon creates oscillations over 1-10 meter-sized shaded regions, with dust bouncing back and forth between sunlit areas.

SourceNASA/Goddard Space Flight Center·JournalAdvances in Space Research·DateMar 18, 2013

Magnetic shielding of ion beam thruster walls

A research team at Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory has found a way to effectively control erosion of Hall thruster walls by shaping the engine's magnetic field. By minimizing the effect of plasma on the magnetic field lines, they demonstrated 100 to 1,000 times less wall erosion when using magnetic shielding.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateFeb 13, 2013

Liquid crystal's chaotic inner dynamics

Scientists have found a new dynamic process in liquid crystal cells triggered by strong electric fields. The theory of spatio-temporal chaos explains this effect, which affects the electro-optic switching phenomenon used in devices.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateJan 24, 2013

Barrier to faster graphene devices identified and suppressed

Researchers at Vanderbilt University have identified a major barrier to faster graphene devices, finding that charged impurities on the surface of graphene scatter electrons. By using electrically neutral liquids, they achieved record-levels of room-temperature electron mobility, three times greater than previous graphene-based devices.

SourceVanderbilt University·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 13, 2012

Sawfishes sure can wield a saw

Sawfishes use their saws to impale prey on rostral teeth and detect electric fields, enabling agile hunting in murky waters. Their unique sensing abilities challenge traditional views of these critically endangered fish.

SourceCell Press·JournalCurrent Biology·DateMar 5, 2012

Exotic material boosts electromagnetism safely

Researchers from Duke University and Boston College created a metamaterial that enhances magnetic forces without harming biological tissues or damaging electrical equipment. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and safer applications of electromagnetism in devices such as magnetic levitation trains.

SourceDuke University·JournalPhysical Review B·DateFeb 29, 2012

Controlling magnetism with electric fields

Researchers developed a multiferroic material that reacts to both magnetic and electric fields at room temperature, fulfilling a long-held dream. The material's ferromagnetic properties were demonstrated using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism, paving the way for more efficient data storage and logical switches.

SourceRuhr-University Bochum·JournalNature Materials·DateAug 23, 2011

Charge it: Neutral atoms made to act like electrically charged particles

Researchers from NIST have created a new method to make neutral atoms behave as if they are charged particles in an electric field. This allows for the simulation and study of fundamental electrical phenomena, including superconductivity and the quantum Hall effect. The synthetic electric fields mimic the behavior of charged particles ...

Enhancing the magnetism

Researchers at Berkeley Lab have enhanced spontaneous magnetization in special versions of bismuth ferrite, creating a stable nanoscale mixture of rhombohedral and tetragonal phases. This allows for electric control of magnetization at room temperature, opening the door to spintronic devices.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 18, 2011

Powerful new way to control magnetism

Scientists at Rutgers University discovered a material where an electric field controls the overall magnetic properties, leading to ultra-dense data storage. The effect could revolutionize small-scale magnetic bits and potentially lead to more dense storage devices than current terabyte discs.

SourceAmerican Physical Society·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 23, 2010

A new spin on drug delivery

A new DNA delivery method has been discovered by Virginia Tech chemical engineers, which enhances the delivery of genetic material into cells. The method uses hydrodynamic effects to uniformly deliver DNA over the entire cell surface, resulting in a greatly enhanced transfer of genetic material.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalNature·DateJul 9, 2010

It's electrifying

Researchers at JILA have demonstrated a new tool for controlling ultracold gases and ultracold chemistry by applying small electric fields. The study shows that the electric field spurs a dramatic increase in chemical reactions, with molecules reacting faster when approaching each other head-to-tail parallel to the applied field.

Researchers show applied electric field can significantly improve hydrogen storage properties

A team of researchers from Virginia Commonwealth University has identified a new theoretical approach to simplify the synthesis of hydrogen fuel storage materials. An external electric field can significantly improve the thermodynamics and reversibility of the system, making it an ideal energy carrier.

SourceVirginia Commonwealth University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateFeb 2, 2010