Solar scientists rough up silicon panels to boost light capture

A research team modifies the surface texture of both the front and back of silicon solar cells to cheaply enhance light harvesting and boost power conversion efficiency.

On-chip optics find their groove

Clever design of rail-like waveguides makes it simpler to miniaturize photonic components on to silicon wafers.

Hybrid zinc battery beats its rivals

A new low-cost battery offers a hefty voltage and sustained energy capacity.

Hard drive boost comes in layers of iron and cobalt

Thin layers of iron and cobalt show promise as material for fast, low-energy hard drives.

Microscale lens realizes nanoscale imaging

A microscope with a specially engineered lens overcomes a fundamental limitation.

Physicists master unexplored electron property

Physicists have demonstrated how to manipulate the 'valley' property of electrons using light by placing two-dimensional semiconductors in a light trapping structure called microcavity.

Molecular microscopy illuminates molecular motor motion

To understand how motors work on a nanoscale and millisecond scale, researchers need to see how the motors are walking.