A new approach to building efficient thermoelectric nanomaterials

By doping a thermoelectric material with minute amounts of sulfur, a team of researchers has found a new path to large improvements in the efficiency of materials for solid-state heating and cooling and waste energy recapture.

New see-through material for electronics

A low-cost, stable oxide film is highly conductive and transparent, rivaling its predecessors.

New method to measure nano-mechanical bending

New advances in nanometrology are opening new opportunities to convert nanomechanical biosensors to reliable consumer products.

Physicists to study atomic-layer black phosphorus for its potential use in fiber-optic communication

The National Science Foundation has awarded $466,954 to physicists to study the ultra-thin material black phosphorous for its potential use in fiber-optic communication.

Progress in the application of spin effects in graphene: from the metal to the semiconductor world

Graphene on silicon carbide could be an interesting candidate for future spintronics components. Squeezing gold atoms between the semiconducting substrate and graphene does enhance spin-orbit interaction at hot spots and shows ways to controll the spins.

Biological nano-drones can vaccinate against cancer

Miniscule biological nano-drones are to teach the human immune system how to recognize and eliminate cancer cells.

Nonlinear effects in graphene membranes can be used for next-generation ICT

Like drums in regular drumsets, graphene membranes at the nanoscale possess a distinct set of oscillating modes that correspond to specific oscillation frequencies. The modes can be excited by applying an external voltage.

U.S. military stresses importance of nanotechnology

If there is one lesson to glean from Picatinny Arsenal's new course in nanomaterials, it's this: never underestimate the power of small.

Liquid crystals open new route to planar optical elements

Researchers have developed a technology to control the light wavefront reflected from a cholesteric liquid crystal - a liquid crystal phase with a helical structure.