Why, and how, computational research matters is changing materials science

To stay competitive, businesses and governments are constantly looking for materials that will open the door to new technologies or sources of energy. Materials that will make their products faster, lighter, stronger or more efficient. Whoever develops those materials first will have a significant edge over the competition.

No Hogwarts invitation required: Invisibility cloaks move into the real-life classroom

A new solid-state device can demonstrate the physical principles of invisibility cloaks without special equipment or magic spells.

Photonic thermometers: Out of the lab, into a bucket of water

A new class of tiny chip-based thermometers has the potential to revolutionize the way temperature is gauged.

Detecting effects of 3D shapes in nanoscale chip features

Researchers have determined that, at the ultra-small scale of the latest chip features, SEM measurements are strongly affected by variations in the gate's three-dimensional shape that can occur in the course of fabrication, including the line width and center position, the angle formed by a raised feature?s sidewalls, the curvature radius of the top edge area, and the effect of adjacent structures.

Desirable defects in liquid crystals

Introducing flaws into liquid crystals by inserting microspheres and then controlling them with electrical fields: that, in a nutshell, is the rationale behind a method that could be exploited for a new generation of advanced materials, potentially useful for optical technologies, electronic displays and e-readers.

Making magnetic hot spots with pairs of silicon nanocylinders

Shining visible light on two tiny silicon cylinders, or a 'nanodimer', placed just 30 nanometers apart, produces resonant hot spots for both the electric and magnetic fields.

Harnessing sunlight more effectively with nanoparticles

Computer simulations reveal why semiconductor microspheres containing metal nanoparticles are so effective at harnessing sunlight to accelerate chemical reactions.