Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 10


Muscle-tracking clothing Researchers from the University of Utah and Gyeongsang National University developed a low-cost bioelectrical sensor that can be integrated into clothing. The sensor measures electromyography (EMG) signals that are generated in muscles when they contract. EMG signals are useful for studying muscle fatigue and recovery and could potentially be used to inform diagnosi... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Jan. 3


Gallium oxide chips Looking to commercialize a promising ultra wide-bandgap technology in the market, Novel Crystal Technology (NCT) has developed a Schottky barrier diode based on a material called gallium oxide. NCT devised an ampere-class 1,200-V diode based on gallium oxide. A diode is a device that passes electricity in one direction and blocks it in the opposite direction. Still in R&... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Jan. 3


Optical device integration Researchers from the University of Strathclyde, University of Glasgow, and the Australian National University propose a way to place multiple micron-scale optical devices made from different materials close together on a single silicon chip. “The development of electronics that are based on silicon transistors has enabled increasingly more powerful and flexible ... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 28


Measuring microdroplets The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has found a new way for microscopes to measure the volumes of microdroplets. Using this technique, NIST has measured the volume of individual droplets smaller than 100 trillionths of a liter with an uncertainty of less than 1%. That represents a tenfold improvement compared to previous measurements, according ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 28


Shrinking LEDs Researchers from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) are working to make LEDs smaller. Micrometer-scale light-emitting diodes (μLEDs) could be an ideal building block for future microLED displays, but devices based on nitride-based alloys used to achieve a broad color range become poor emitters of light when shrunk to micrometer scales. “The main ... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 21


Tiny electronic fountain pens Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and Taiyuan University of Technology have developed what resembles a tiny electronic fountain pen, a technology that can pattern and deposit small structures on surfaces. The system from KIT and Taiyuan University is actually a high-precision tabletop microplotter, which is used to print or deposit materials for printed e... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 21


Compact optical amplifier Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology propose a new optical amplifier design that is compact, high-performance, and doesn't generate excess noise. “We have developed the world's first optical amplifier that significantly enhances the range, sensitivity and performance of optical communication, that does not generate any excess noise – and is also com... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 14


3D-SOCs At this week’s IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM), a plethora of companies, R&D organizations and universities presented papers on the latest and greatest technologies. One of the themes at IEDM is advanced packaging, a technology enables an IC vendor to boost the performance of a chip. Advanced forms of packaging also enables new 3D-like chip architectures. Fo... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Dec. 14


Improved digital sensing Researchers from Imperial College London and Technical University of Munich propose a technique to improve the capability of many different types of sensors. The method addresses voltage limits in analog-to-digital converters and the saturation that results in poor quality when an incoming signal exceeds those limits. “Our new technique lets us capture a fuller ra... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Dec. 6


China’s rare earth power play Rare earth elements (REEs) are back in the news. China, the world’s largest supplier of rare earths, plans to combine three domestic vendors to create a large state-owned company with a nearly 70% share of the REE market, according to reports from Nikkei and others. In 2020, China in total accounted for 85% of global production of refined REEs, accordi... » read more

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