Power/Performance Bits: July 28


Synthesizing graphene on silicon Researchers from Korea University, in Seoul, developed an easy and microelectronics-compatible method to grow graphene and have successfully synthesized wafer-scale (four inches in diameter), high-quality, multi-layer graphene on silicon substrates. The method is based on an ion implantation technique, a process in which ions are accelerated under an electric... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: May 19


3D microbatteries for large-scale on-chip integration By combining 3D holographic lithography and 2D photolithography, researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign created a high-performance 3D microbattery suitable for large-scale on-chip integration with microelectronic devices. According to Paul Braun, professor of materials science and engineering at Illinois, "Micr... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Feb. 10


Solar power technology progresses at a snappy pace and the diversity of approaches keeps expanding. In this edition, investigations in two aspects of solar energy design: understanding a potential solar cell material and a design to make those we use now more effective. Unravelling the peculiarities of nanocrystals Researchers at ETH Zurich conducted an extensive study of nanocrystal ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 30


Crafting ultrathin color coatings Harvard University researchers have developed a technique that coats a metallic object with an extremely thin layer of semiconductor, just a few nanometers thick. And while the semiconductor is a steely gray color, the object ends up shining in vibrant hues because the coating exploits interference effects in the thin films. Carefully tuned in the laboratory, ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Nov. 25


Better photodetectors Photodetectors are semiconductor devices that convert incoming light into electrical signals used in a vast array of products, from visible and infrared light detection systems to television remote controls. Meanwhile, perovskite is an organic-inorganic hybrid material with a crystal structure that is very efficient at converting light into electricity, and in recent year... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Sept. 23


Improved liquid battery Researchers at MIT, led by a materials chemistry professor, have improved a proposed liquid battery system that could enable renewable energy sources to compete with conventional power plants. Professor Donald Sadoway and some colleagues have already started a company to produce electrical-grid-scale liquid batteries, with layers of molten material that automatically... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Aug. 19


Spray-on power In a discovery that could help cut the cost of solar electricity, a team of scientists at the University of Sheffield has fabricated perovskite solar cells using a spray-painting process. The researchers had used the spray-painting method previously to produce solar cells using organic semiconductors - but using perovskite is a major step forward, they asserted. Efficient ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: June 10


Cheaper, lighter solar cells Think those flat, glassy solar panels on your neighbor’s roof are the best solar technology has to offer? Not so. Engineers in the University of Toronto’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering have designed and tested a new class of solar-sensitive nanoparticle that they say outperforms the current state of the art. Based on a new form of solid... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: May 6


Boosting image quality UCLA researchers have created a device based on a new material and manufacturing process that they say could lead to a significant leap in the quality of images on smartphones, computer displays, TVs and inkjet printers. The new material and manufacturing process are used to produce semiconductors that are essential to LCDs and organic light-emitting diode (OLED) disp... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: April 22


Plasmonics could improve solar performance, data storage According to researchers at Purdue University, plasmonic metamaterials that operate at high temperatures could significantly improve solar cell performance and make advanced computer data storage technology possible that uses heat to record information on a magnetic disk. These materials could make it possible to harness clouds of ele... » read more

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