Team clarifies valley polarization for electronic and optoelectronic technologies

An interdisciplinary team of scientists has uncovered a direct link between sample quality and the degree of valley polarization in monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs).

Terahertz spectroscopy goes nano

Researchers have demonstrated a way to bring a powerful form of spectroscopy -- a technique used to study a wide variety of materials -- into the nano-world.

Chaos reigns even in simple electronics

It's really surprising: it turns out that among simple electronic circuits, built of just a few components, many of them behave chaotically, in an extremely complicated, practically unpredictable manner.

Scientists solve a magnesium mystery in rechargeable battery performance

A new study reveals surprising chemical reactivity in battery components previously considered compatible.

Strange but true: Turning a material upside down can sometimes make it softer

Scientists describe how the indentation toughness of polar crystals can be manipulated in such a way that they become easier or harder to dent from a given direction.

Extreme light trapping with nanomaterials

New nanomaterials technique bends light, pushing the limit of thin-film absorption in solar and water-splitting applications.

2D materials gets a new theory for control of properties

A theoretical method to control grain boundaries in two-dimensional materials could result in desirable properties, such as increased electrical conductivity, improved mechanical properties, or magnetism for memory storage or information processing, among other applications.

Nanomaterial risk profiling puts safety first

With uncertainty around the risks of nanomaterials hampering the EU's innovative potential, researchers are working on a safety concept to better monitor this emerging technology.

Nanomedicine researchers target disease at the molecular level

A scientists work on the diagnostic side of nanomedicine and is centered on nanopores - nanoscopic holes in synthetic membranes through which individual molecules can be threaded.

What tiny structures reveal about material properties

Scientists explore in what way a material's macroscopic properties are determined by its microstructure.

A sputtering step closer to cheaper solar cells

A simple, low cost technique that uses common materials could lead to significantly cheaper solar cells.

NanoFARM: Using nanoparticles to grow food

The answer to the growing, worldwide food production problem may have a tiny solution - nanoparticles, which are being explored as both fertilizers and fungicides for crops.

Researchers watch in real time as fat-encased drug nanoparticles invade skin cells

A new study describes the use of cutting-edge microscopy technology to visualize how liposomes escape from blood vessels into surrounding cells in a living mouse, offering clues that may help researchers design better drug delivery systems.

Integrated lab-on-a-chip uses smartphone to quickly detect multiple pathogens

Researchers have developed a novel platform to diagnose infectious disease at the point-of-care, using a smartphone as the detection instrument in conjunction with a test kit in the format of a credit card.