https://phys.org/ en-us Phys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Controlling light at the micro- and nanoscale opens up opportunities for a better understanding of the world and the development of technology. As modern electronics approaches the limits of its capabilities, photonics comes into play. Instead of manipulating relatively heavy and slow electrons, we can use light and fast photons to encode information. This will make it possible to create devices that are not only faster but also even smaller than those currently in use. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-ultra-thin-mose8322-infrared-nanometer.html Nanophysics Thu, 19 Mar 2026 17:20:05 EDT news693154681 Scientists have observed a new microscopic mechanism enabling precise control of the magneto-optical properties of excitons in alloys of two-dimensional semiconductors. This discovery opens up tangible prospects for technological applications in devices exploiting valleytronics. The research findings were published in the journal Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-alloy-valleytronics-microscopic-mechanism-scientists.html Condensed Matter Mon, 23 Feb 2026 18:00:03 EST news691078141 A tiny device that entangles light and electrons without super-cooling could revolutionize quantum tech in cryptography, computing, and AI. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-scientists-advance-quantum-technology.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 02 Dec 2025 13:40:01 EST news683904546 Two-dimensional (2D) materials have proved to be a promising platform for studying exotic quasiparticles, such as excitons. Excitons are bound states that emerge when an electron in a material absorbs energy and rises to a higher energy level, leaving a hole (i.e., the absence of an electron) at the site that it used to occupy. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-distinct-exciton-states-2h-stacked.html Condensed Matter Fri, 16 May 2025 07:30:01 EDT news666526645 After dominating the electronics industry for decades, conventional silicon-based transistors are gradually approaching their limits, which is preventing engineers from further reducing their size without affecting their performance. To continue advancing portable computers, smart phones and other devices, researchers have thus been exploring the potential of transistors based on two-dimensional (2D) materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-12-2d-materials-boost-p-transistor.html Nanophysics Tue, 17 Dec 2024 07:10:07 EST news653569321 James Tour's lab at Rice University has developed a new method known as flash-within-flash Joule heating (FWF) that could transform the synthesis of high-quality solid-state materials, offering a cleaner, faster and more sustainable manufacturing process. The findings were published in Nature Chemistry on Aug. 8. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-synthesis-technique-sustainable.html Materials Science Sat, 17 Aug 2024 03:27:13 EDT news643084027 Researchers in the field of nanophotonics have spent significant time in recent years investigating fascinating concepts known as polaritons and/or plexcitons. These ideas revolve around the strong coupling of light photons and/or plasmons to excitons in semiconductor materials. https://phys.org/news/2024-06-strong-coupling-catenary-field-hybrid.html Nanophysics Fri, 14 Jun 2024 12:48:21 EDT news637588097 National University of Singapore (NUS) researchers have developed a novel phase-selective in-plane heteroepitaxial strategy for growing two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs). This approach provides a promising method for phase engineering of 2D TMDs and fabricating 2D heterostructure devices. https://phys.org/news/2024-05-strategy-dimensional-transition-metal-dichalcogenides.html Nanomaterials Thu, 23 May 2024 12:06:03 EDT news635684761 DGIST Professor In Su-il's research team has developed a high-efficiency photocatalyst that utilizes sunlight to convert carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary cause of global warming, into methane (CH4) fuel. The research team expects that this environmentally friendly technology can be applied to Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technology. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-high-efficiency-photocatalyst-carbon-dioxide.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 29 Mar 2024 14:14:03 EDT news630940441 In a significant advancement for next-generation semiconductors, a collaborative research team has made groundbreaking discoveries in the field of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductors. https://phys.org/news/2024-02-gold-nanowire-spectroscopy-reveal-trions.html Nanophysics Thu, 01 Feb 2024 09:32:04 EST news626002321 Hydrogen energy, as a green and environmentally friendly energy carrier, is a critical switch in energy conversion to the green economy, and the green hydrogen generation via water splitting technique from renewable energy sources is regarded as the best choice. While, the high energy input for water splitting is thermodynamically required (1.23 V), and the cell voltage can go beyond 1.8 V for the practical water electrolysis resulting from the retard kinetics of oxygen evolution reaction (OER). https://phys.org/news/2023-10-efficient-bi-functional-catalyst-methanol-assisted-hydrogen.html Analytical Chemistry Mon, 16 Oct 2023 16:50:01 EDT news616693135 Novel, ultrathin nanomaterials exhibit remarkable properties. If you stack individual atomically thin layers of crystals in a vertical assembly, for example, fascinating physical effects can occur. For instance, bilayers of the wonder material graphene twisted by the magic angle of 1.1 degrees may exhibit superconductivity. And researchers are also focusing their attention on bilayer semiconducting heterostructures made of so-called transition metal dichalcogenides, which are held together weakly by van der Waals forces. https://phys.org/news/2023-03-nanophysics.html Nanophysics Tue, 28 Mar 2023 11:38:03 EDT news599222282 Bound electron-hole pairs, or excitons, are the workhorses in layered transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors. Like the negative and positive charge carriers from which it forms, the exciton exhibits great mobility that ultrafast transient diffusion is required for ultrafast information processes. https://phys.org/news/2023-02-door-ultrafast-2d-devices-nonequilibrium.html Condensed Matter Fri, 10 Feb 2023 10:25:02 EST news595247101 In a study of one-dimensional electron correlation states at the MTB of monolayer and bilayer MoSe2, a research team found that two types of correlated insulating states driven by a dubbed Hubbard-type Coulomb blockade effect could be switched by tip pulses. https://phys.org/news/2022-10-hubbard-type-coulomb-blockade-effect-mirror.html Nanophysics Fri, 28 Oct 2022 13:05:32 EDT news586181129 Lithium sulfide (Li-S) batteries are considered a promising and efficient energy storage system because of their high energy density (2600 Wh kg-1) and low sulfur material cost. However, numerous obstacles to the practical implementation of Li–S batteries remain, including low sulfur conductivity, the shuttle effect, and the requirement for an adequate volume change (80%) of sulfur during charging and discharging operations. These have limited the applicability of Li–S batteries. https://phys.org/news/2022-09-electrocatalytic-li-s-batteries.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 23 Sep 2022 13:19:02 EDT news583157941 Tiny materials hold big mysteries, the solutions to which could bring about next-generation electronics. An international collaboration led by researchers based in Japan has solved the whodunit of cryptic overtone signals in an analysis of molybdenum diselenide, an atomically thin crystal lattice with desirable properties unique from its bulkier three-dimensional form. https://phys.org/news/2022-08-reveal-ultrafast-mystery-valleytronic-materials.html Nanophysics Wed, 24 Aug 2022 10:54:03 EDT news580557241 A study published in Advanced Materials reveals the thermal transport properties of ultrathin crystals of molybdenum diselenide, a two-dimensional material of the transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) family. Outperforming silicon, TMD materials prove to be outstanding candidates for electronic and optoelectronic applications, such as flexible and wearable devices. This research, which involved researchers belonging to four ICN2 groups and from ICFO (Barcelona), Utrecht University (the Netherlands), the University of Liège (Belgium) and the Weizmann Institute of Science (Israel), was coordinated by ICN2 group leader Dr. Klaas-Jan Tielrooij. https://phys.org/news/2022-02-excellent-dissipation-properties-layered-semiconductors.html Nanomaterials Tue, 01 Feb 2022 09:20:02 EST news562929511 As silicon based semiconducting technology is approaching the limit of its performance, new materials that may replace or partially replace silicon in technology is highly desired. Recently, the emergence of graphene and other two-dimensional (2D) materials offers a new platform for building next generation semiconducting technology. Among them, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), such as MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, WSe2, are the most appealing 2D semiconductors. https://phys.org/news/2021-11-ultra-large-single-crystal-ws2-monolayer.html Nanomaterials Mon, 15 Nov 2021 12:19:09 EST news556201119 The light-matter interaction has long been one of the most advanced areas in physics. Recently, it has attracted more attentions due to the rapid development of ultra-short lasers, and a variety of ultra-fast phenomena have been experimentally achieved, including band structure, transition dipole moments, and Berry curvature. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-crystal-symmetry-high-harmonic-monolayer-dichalcogenides.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 29 Oct 2021 11:07:03 EDT news554724421 Exploring the properties and behaviors of strongly interacting quantum particles is one of the frontiers of modern physics. Not only are there major open problems that await solutions, some of them since decades (think high-temperature superconductivity). Equally important, there are various regimes of quantum many-body physics that remain essentially inaccessible with current analytical and numerical tools. For these cases in particular, experimental platforms are sought after in which the interactions between particles can be both controlled and tuned, thus allowing the systematic exploration of wide parameter ranges. One such experimental platform are carefully engineered stacks of two-dimensional (2D) materials. Over the past couple of years, these 'designer quantum materials' have enabled unique studies of correlated electronic states. However, the strength of the interaction between the quantum states is typically fixed once a stack is fabricated. Now the group of Professor Ataç Imamoğlu at the Institute for Quantum Electronics reports a way around this limitation. Writing in Science, they introduce a versatile method that enables tuning of the interaction strength in 2D heterostructures by applying electrical fields. https://phys.org/news/2021-10-electrical-quantum-materials.html Nanomaterials Fri, 22 Oct 2021 10:25:33 EDT news554117129 In physics, the moiré pattern is a specific geometrical design in which sets of straight or curved lines are superposed on top of each other. Recent studies have found that bilayers of transition metal dichalcogenide materials arranged in moiré patterns could be particularly promising for studying electronic phenomena and excitons (i.e., concentrations of energy in crystals formed by an excited electron and an associated hole). https://phys.org/news/2021-09-moir-trions-h-stacked-transition-metal.html Nanophysics Wed, 29 Sep 2021 09:40:01 EDT news552122548 A research team led by Professor Jyh-Ming Wu of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) in Taiwan has recently developed two composite piezoelectric materials extracted from common waste products. One is a new type of catalyst extracted from discarded rice husks and is capable of treating industrial wastewater 90 times quicker than the photocatalysts now in use. The other is a material extracted from discarded squid bones and has been used to produce a self-sanitizing transparent film suitable for use as a cover on mobile phone screens, elevator buttons, door handles, etc. https://phys.org/news/2021-07-composite-piezoelectric-materials-common-products.html Nanophysics Tue, 20 Jul 2021 08:02:51 EDT news545986967 When two similar atomic layers with mismatching lattice constants—the constant distance between a layer's unit cells—and/or orientation are stacked together, the resulting bilayer can exhibit a moiré pattern and form a moiré superlattice. https://phys.org/news/2021-06-trions-characteristics-moir-superlattices.html Nanophysics Mon, 14 Jun 2021 10:16:38 EDT news542884595 A new study recently published in Advanced Materials reveals that MoSe2, a prominent material of the transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) family, loses relative stiffness when its thickness is reduced. This work was carried out by researchers from the Adam Mickiewicz University (AMU) in Poznan (Poland) and the ICN2, under the coordination of Dr. Bartlomiej Graczykowski and Dr. Klaas-Jan Tielrooij, respectively. https://phys.org/news/2021-05-transition-metal-dichalcogenides-weaker-thickness.html Nanophysics Wed, 12 May 2021 08:13:28 EDT news540026000 In 1884, Edwin Abbott wrote the novel Flatland: A Romance in Many Dimensions as a satire of Victorian hierarchy. He imagined a world that existed only in two dimensions, where the beings are 2D geometric figures. The physics of such a world is somewhat akin to that of modern 2D materials, such as graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides, which include tungsten disulfide (WS2), tungsten diselenide (WSe2), molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2). https://phys.org/news/2021-05-physicists-energy-landscapes-intersection-2d.html Nanophysics Mon, 10 May 2021 04:00:01 EDT news539836360 Current electronic components in computers, mobile phones and many other devices are based on microstructured silicon carriers. However, this technology has almost reached its physical limits and the smallest possible structure sizes. https://phys.org/news/2021-02-vibrating-d-materials.html Nanophysics Thu, 11 Feb 2021 09:52:51 EST news532259568 A McGill research team has developed a new technique to detect nano-sized imperfections in materials. They believe this discovery will lead to improvements in the optical detectors used in a wide range of technologies, from cell phones to cameras and fiber optics, as well as in solar cells. https://phys.org/news/2020-08-ultrafast.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 05 Aug 2020 12:29:24 EDT news515849360 Measurements of the optical response of 2-D transition-metal dichalcogenides have now pinpointed real material systems in which a hypothesized light-squeezing quasiparticle can form. The 2-D exciton-polariton, which couples light to bound electron-hole pairs in the form of excitons in an unusual way, can confine light to dimensions orders of magnitude below the diffraction limit. Confining light to such a high degree may affect more than the resolving power of imaging devices and detector sensitivity. Recent studies of cavity modes have suggested that highly confined light could also alter the inherent properties of materials. https://phys.org/news/2020-07-light-squeezing-d-exciton-polaritons.html Nanophysics Tue, 07 Jul 2020 10:00:59 EDT news513334852 H2O2 is an important commodity chemical and potential energy carrier, and is widely used for various environmental, medical and household applications. At present, about 99% of H2O2 is produced from an energy-intensive anthraquinone oxidation process. Its centralized production in this way produces highly concentrated H2O2 that often has to be distributed to and diluted at the site of use, bringing additional complexity and challenges. In addition, H2O2 can also be produced from the direct reaction between H2 and O2 in the presence of Pd-based catalysts. The potential explosion hazard of this approach, however, hinders its practical application. https://phys.org/news/2020-05-molybdenum-telluride-nanosheets-enable-electrochemical.html Materials Science Wed, 20 May 2020 11:28:48 EDT news509192925 Since the development of diffractive optical elements in the 1970s, researchers have increasingly uncovered sophisticated fundamental principles of optics to replace the existing bulky optical elements with thin and lightweight counterparts. The attempts have recently resulted in nanophotonic metasurfaces that contain flat optics made of dense arrays of metal or semiconductor nanostructures. Such structures can effectively control the local light scattering phase and amplitude based on plasmonic or Mie resonances. Scientists have studied the two types of resonances to realize small-form-factor optics that deliver multifunctionality and control across the light field. While such metasurface functions have remained static, it is highly desirable to achieve dynamic control for emerging photonic applications such as light direction and ranging (LIDAR) for 3-dimensional (3-D) mapping. Plasmonic and Mie resonances only offer weak electrical tunability, but decades of research on optical modulation describe exciton manipulation to be stronger to control optical properties of a material. https://phys.org/news/2020-05-exciton-resonance-tuning-atomically-thin.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 04 May 2020 10:00:01 EDT news507804475