https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-physics/ en-us The latest science news on nanophysics, nanotechnology, nanotech and nanoscience. Photographs can reveal things that are otherwise impossible for the naked eye to see, be they distant galaxies or microscopic cells. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a practical and versatile imaging technique that makes another usually invisible phenomenon visible: surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs), light waves that travel along metal surfaces. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-dots-reveal-hidden-metal.html Nanophysics Fri, 24 Jul 2026 14:40:07 EDT news704113602 Photonic microchips can process data at extremely high speeds and are embedded in a wide variety of today's technologies. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) and Harvard University have now succeeded in developing three functional components for such chips that are up to 500 times smaller than conventional designs. The researchers used inverse design, a computer algorithm, to achieve this. The results are published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-algorithms-foundry-ready-photonic-circuits.html Nanophysics Fri, 24 Jul 2026 13:40:08 EDT news704113562 Researchers at the University of Twente have developed an optical method that follows the shape changes of a single protein in liquid without attaching anything to it. It reads the protein's structure from its own molecular vibrations, free from the labels or tags that other techniques rely on. The method could help researchers study how proteins respond to drugs, toxins and other biomolecules. The paper is published in the journal ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-optical-method-proteins-shift.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 22 Jul 2026 15:20:01 EDT news703943222 Researchers from Skoltech, in collaboration with the Harbin Institute of Technology and Jiangsu University (China), have published a study presenting the first empirical model to explain and predict the sensing behavior of hierarchical tri-phase carbon nanotube systems across a wide temperature range (from -170°C (-274°F) to 90°C (194°F)). The study has been published in the Carbon journal. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-carbon-nanotube-reveals-smart-sensors.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Jul 2026 17:20:05 EDT news703780670 University of Arizona researchers have demonstrated a promising new application for graphene nanoribbons, a nanoscale semiconductor material with the potential to withstand extreme environments. The team's findings could help clear a key hurdle to bringing fusion energy to the electric grid. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-graphene-nanoribbons-survive-gamma-revealing.html Nanophysics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 16:23:15 EDT news703437770 Some researchers are leaning into biology for inspiration in computing. In particular, neuromorphic computing offers a brain-inspired approach to hardware that replaces traditional binary processing with systems that function more like neurons and synapses. Now, a new study, published in Nature Communications, describes an innovative design for a fluidic memristor that uses its own self-heating mechanism to induce a history-dependent memory effect. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-brain-nanopore-device-current-memory.html Nanophysics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:40:03 EDT news703417766 Many of the advanced electronic components surrounding us in everyday life rely on polar materials to function. Polar materials have an uneven distribution of electric charge. This gives them a positive and a negative side even in the absence of an external electric field. The most important among these are ferroelectric materials, in which the direction of polarization can be reversed by applying an electric field. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-hybrid-material-antiferroelectricity-coexist-switchable.html Nanophysics Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:20:01 EDT news703410647 Researchers have shown it is possible to expand the field of twistronics—literally. They have demonstrated a technique that allows them to fabricate oxide twistronic materials at much larger scales while also controlling the twist angles between materials that dictate their structural and electronic properties. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-method-scales-oxide-materials-future.html Nanophysics Wed, 15 Jul 2026 14:10:01 EDT news703339019 Driving an electric current through a molecule can create a magnetic field. Yet in practice, such fields are often too weak to be detected experimentally. Through theoretical modeling, researchers at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) show how quantum effects can turn single molecules into effective magnets—including one shaped like a microscopic soccer ball, just in time for the FIFA World Cup final. The findings are published in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-quantum-currents-nano-soccer-ball.html Nanophysics Wed, 15 Jul 2026 11:20:10 EDT news703326458 As computer chips become more powerful and compact, the materials that protect them must perform better than ever. In advanced chip packaging, liquid epoxy is widely used because it can flow into tiny spaces before curing into a solid protective layer. To be effective, the material must be easy to process in its liquid state while becoming strong, stable and reliable after curing. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-highly-liquid-epoxy-smaller-reliable.html Nanophysics Tue, 14 Jul 2026 08:40:01 EDT news703232968 Materials with magnetic nanostructures have a wide range of potential applications. One area is so-called spintronics, with devices that encode information in magnetic domains. These magnetic bits can be written, read and erased in a more energy-efficient way than bits in current semiconductor devices. Spin textures and magnetic domains in such materials can be investigated using nanoscale magnetic imaging techniques. For example, photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM), coupled with a magnetically sensitive detection mechanism. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-tiny-magnetic-image-spintronic-materials.html Nanophysics Sun, 12 Jul 2026 17:00:03 EDT news702563676 A new study led by MIT researchers could drive the development of more energy-efficient digital displays—such as flat-screen TVs, augmented and virtual reality headsets, smartphone screens, medical imaging devices and even large-area ambient lighting surfaces—that also generate richer, brighter colors. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-simple-solution-lifespan-quantum-dots.html Nanophysics Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:06 EDT news702888058 Researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have developed gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) nanosheets that may enhance camera resolution in compact devices, including smartphones and medical endoscopes. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-transparent-nanosheets-cameras-high-resolution.html Nanophysics Thu, 09 Jul 2026 08:40:01 EDT news702802141 Light can carry enormous amounts of information at extreme speeds, making photonic technologies promising for the development of faster communications, more powerful computing systems and more sensitive sensors. But for light to be useful for these purposes, engineers need to be able to control where it goes and redirect it quickly. A new device built by Caltech researchers uses a beam of light to steer another to a different angle in just 74 femtoseconds (74 quadrillionths of a second). That's about the time it takes light to travel the width of a human hair. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-chip-redirects-trillionth.html Nanophysics Tue, 07 Jul 2026 15:40:06 EDT news702648282 Nanomechanical resonators are miniature vibrating structures on chips that oscillate at frequencies ranging from a few kilohertz to gigahertz. They are used as ultrasensitive detectors of mass and force, temperature and pressure, and as components in radio frequency filters and on-chip clocks. Modern, state-of-the-art resonators are also used to create quantum states of macroscopic objects and test fundamental physics. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-proximity-energy-nanoresonators.html Nanophysics Tue, 07 Jul 2026 05:00:09 EDT news702570929 Next-generation batteries that use new electrolyte materials could achieve far higher energy density than today's lithium-ion batteries, without many of the safety concerns. But advanced batteries, such as those that use solid or almost-solid electrolytes, have been plagued by the formation of tiny spikes of lithium metal called dendrites that cause the batteries to lose efficiency and fail. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-electrical-imbalances-grain-boundaries-solid.html Nanophysics Mon, 06 Jul 2026 16:00:37 EDT news702571329 Researchers from Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (HHU) have taken an important step toward developing intelligent molecular materials. The team headed by Dr. Bernd M. Schmidt (Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry) and Professor Dr. Jan Meisner (Institute of Physical Chemistry) has shown that complex molecular nanostructures can be selectively activated, disassembled in a controlled way and even reassembled using ultrasound. The results, published in Nature Communications, could, for example, aid the development of more targeted cancer medication in the future. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-molecular-nanostructures-ultrasound.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 06 Jul 2026 15:20:09 EDT news702562709 New research has revealed that water behaves differently when confined to spaces just one molecule thick. For the first time, scientists have directly measured the vibrational signatures of truly two-dimensional water. In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers used ultrathin channels only a few angstroms high to trap water in isolated layers and probe how its hydrogen-bonding network changes under extreme confinement. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-scientists-behavior-molecular-layer.html Nanophysics Mon, 06 Jul 2026 09:20:03 EDT news702543801 A newly developed framework for understanding the photoproperties of both natural organic matter and eumelanin, a natural pigment responsible for dark colors in organisms, may inspire advanced sustainable technologies, scientists say. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-common-nanostructures-photoproperties-widespread-dark.html Nanophysics Sat, 04 Jul 2026 14:00:01 EDT news701963416 Two-dimensional (2D) perovskites are increasingly recognized as promising candidate materials for the next generation of optoelectronic devices. These materials combine key characteristics of both 2D semiconductors and three-dimensional (3D) perovskites. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-2d-perovskites.html Nanophysics Thu, 02 Jul 2026 15:20:05 EDT news702212042 Due to their high porosity, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are regarded as promising materials for innovative applications, which is why the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2025 for their discovery. They are used, for example, to store gases, to capture CO2 and for the targeted delivery of medicines. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-mof-thin-reveal-hidden-dense.html Nanophysics Thu, 02 Jul 2026 13:20:05 EDT news702211861 Scientists have engineered a nanoscale switch using DNA "origami." Inspired by macroscale mechanical switches, the device achieves long-term functionality without the continuous forcing mechanism that past versions required while remaining capable of fast switching. The paper is published in the journal Science Robotics. https://phys.org/news/2026-07-dna-based-nanoswitch-flip-milliseconds.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 01 Jul 2026 14:40:09 EDT news702132276 Scientists from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, in collaboration with teams from the National University of Singapore and Radboud University in the Netherlands, have observed single-photon emission from layered two-dimensional material ZnPS₃. This discovery represents a crucial step toward establishing low-dimensional materials as a versatile platform for quantum information science. The research findings were published in the journal ACS Nano. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-layered-znps-emits-photons-path.html Nanophysics Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:10:01 EDT news702055261 Olive oil and water do not naturally mix. Water molecules are polar, having a net electric dipole moment due to the bend angle of about 104.5° between the two oxygen-hydrogen bonds. Olive oil is nonpolar due to its long hydrocarbon chains, which makes it hydrophobic and insoluble in water. Mixtures of the two are called emulsions, and emulsifiers exist that can stabilize them into a thicker temporary or permanent mixture. Cooks use such a technique to make vinaigrette, a salad dressing consisting primarily of oil and vinegar with emulsifiers such as mustard, honey or mayonnaise. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoscale-droplets-dont-coalesce-microscale.html Bio & Medicine Mon, 29 Jun 2026 09:00:04 EDT news701942376 A research team has developed a methodology to precisely design and control the "degree of disorder" in nanopattern arrays using metal-infiltrated block copolymer (BCP) thin films. The work was led by Professor So Youn Kim of the Seoul National University College of Engineering Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in collaboration with Professor Su-Mi Hur's team at DGIST and Professor S. Joon Kwon's team at Sungkyunkwan University. The paper is published in the journal Nature Communications. The study was selected as an Editors' Highlight in materials science and chemistry. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanopattern-method-precise-disorder-devices.html Nanophysics Sun, 28 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news701617181 Nonlinear optical materials are essential for advanced photonics and laser technologies, but researchers are still searching for ways to optimize organic, carbon-based alternatives. Using computational modeling, scientists demonstrated that adding a lithium atom to the outside of a carbon molecule made of 12 benzene rings creates a material with exceptionally strong optical responses. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-lithium-doped-carbon-nanorings-generation.html Nanophysics Sat, 27 Jun 2026 14:30:01 EDT news701439394 Plasma is an ionized gas, often referred to as the fourth state of matter. Plasmas, which are created artificially by applying energy to a gas, are found in the fluorescent tubes that illuminate kitchens. However, they have many other possible applications, such as the production of graphene. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-plasma-graphene-combine-metal-surfaces.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news701700902 More accurate navigation systems and improved wireless communications may not come from traditional electronics, but rather from atoms. Researchers at Penn State and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have developed a new way to build tinier, smarter glass sensors filled with highly precise and stable atoms. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-glass-cells-atoms-path-smarter.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:40:04 EDT news701699108 Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are tiny carbon-based nanomaterials that have attracted increasing attention as environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional heavy-metal quantum dots. They are lightweight, photostable and potentially biocompatible, and their light absorption and emission properties can be tuned. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-atomic-defects-carbon-quantum-dots.html Nanophysics Fri, 26 Jun 2026 15:00:01 EDT news701696975 A research team has developed a new strategy to simultaneously control the electronic and magnetic properties of oxide thin films through a process known as exsolution. The team was led by Professor Hyeon Han and Professor Donghwa Lee from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), together with Professor Sang Ho Oh's group at Korea Institute of Energy Technology (KENTECH). The findings are published in the journal Advanced Materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nanoparticle-exsolution-route-functional-oxide.html Nanophysics Thu, 25 Jun 2026 21:00:01 EDT news701624281