Research Bits: September 26


2D waveguides Researchers from the University of Chicago found that a sheet of glass crystal just a few atoms thick could trap and carry light efficiently up to a centimeter. In tests, the researchers found they could use extremely tiny prisms, lenses, and switches to guide the path of the light along a chip. “We were utterly surprised by how powerful this super-thin crystal is; not on... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Feb. 15


3D printed piezoelectrics Researchers at University of Notre Dame and Purdue University developed a hybrid 3D printer that combines multi-material aerosol jet printing and extrusion printing, integrating both functional and structural materials into a single printing platform. They used it to create an all-printed piezoelectric wearable device. The stretchable piezoelectric sensors conform ... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: July 27


Amplifying light for lidar Engineers at University of Texas at Austin and University of Virginia developed a light detector that can amplify weak light signals and reduce noise to improve the accuracy of lidar. "Autonomous vehicles send out laser signals that bounce off objects to tell you how far away you are. Not much light comes back, so if your detector is putting out more noise than th... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: June 29


Persistent photoconductivity Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), University of Wisconsin Madison, and the University of Toledo, discovered a unique effect in metal-halide perovskite semiconductors that could be used in neuromorphic computing systems. Perovskites are currently being investigated as highly efficient solar cells. In fact,... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Feb. 8


Transparent sensor Researchers at Osaka University created a thin, flexible, transparent sensor using silver nanowire networks. High-resolution printing was used to fabricate the centimeter-scale cross-aligned silver nanowire arrays, with reproducible feature sizes from 20 to 250 micrometers. As a proof-of-concept for functionality, they used their arrays to detect electrophysiological signals... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Sept. 22


Drawing sensors on skin Researchers from the University of Houston and University of Chicago created an ink pen that can draw multifunctional sensors and circuits directly on skin. These "drawn-on-skin electronics" aim to provide more precise health data, free of the artifacts that are associated with wearable devices and flexible electronic patches. Caused when the sensor doesn't move prec... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Sept. 1


Cooling sensors with lasers Researchers at the University of Washington developed a way to cool a solid semiconductor sensor component with an infrared laser. The laser was able to cool the solid semiconductor by at least 20 degrees C, or 36 F, below room temperature. The device uses a cantilever, similar to a diving board, that can oscillate in response to thermal energy at room temperatur... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: Aug. 10


Flexible electrodes for thin films Researchers from the University of Queensland and ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science (University of Melbourne) developed a material for flexible, recyclable, transparent electrodes that could be used in things like solar panels, touchscreens, and smart windows. Eser Akinoglu of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Exciton Science said, "The performance... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: June 8


High temp capacitor Researchers at Pennsylvania State University doped a dielectric capacitor to increase storage capacity while also increasing electric charge efficiency, enabling the capacitor to withstand greater voltage with very little energy loss at temperatures higher than 300 degrees Fahrenheit. “What we have done is to use interface effects in nano-dopants to increase both the stor... » read more

Power/Performance Bits: March 31


Tellurium transistors Researchers from Purdue University, Washington University in St Louis, University of Texas at Dallas, and Michigan Technological University propose the rare earth element tellurium as a potential material for ultra-small transistors. Encapsulated in a nanotube made of boron nitride, tellurium helps build a field-effect transistor with a diameter of two nanometers. �... » read more

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