Power/Performance Bits: July 14


5G switches Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin and University of Lille built a new radio frequency switch that could save power in 5G devices when not actively jumping between different networks and spectrum frequencies. “It has become clear that the existing switches consume significant amounts of power, and that power consumed is useless power,” said Deji Akinwande, a ... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Feb. 13


Watching nanowires grow Using X-ray techniques, the University of Siegen and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have observed the formation of tiny nanowires in gallium arsenide (GaAs) materials in real time. GaAs is used for fiber optics, infrared systems, RF devices in mobile phones and solar panels in spacecraft. Observing the growth of GaAs nanowires could lead to a better unde... » read more

Manufacturing Bits: Nov. 28


Cryogenic microscopes The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) has developed and commissioned a new cryo-electron microscope. A form of transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) is used to study a sample at cryogenic temperatures. A gas is assumed to be cryogenic if it can be liquefied at or below −150 °C. Cyro-EM is often used in structural ... » read more