The promise of deep grooves
A manufacturing technique that could help the semiconductor industry make more powerful computer chips began in the humblest of places—at a lunch table at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory.
Oct 04, 2018
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First truly black solar modules roll off industrial production line
A 2011 invention made by Aalto University's researchers has proceeded from concept to reality. Just a few years ago the researchers obtained the record efficiency of 22% in the lab for nanostructured solar cells using atomic ...
An unexpected gray area could bring about long-lasting solar cells
University of Wisconsin-Madison materials engineers have made a surprising discovery that could dramatically improve the lifetime of solar energy harvesting devices.
Physicists take first step toward cell-sized robots
An electricity-conducting, environment-sensing, shape-changing machine the size of a human cell? Is that even possible?
Scientists engineer nanoscale pillars to act like memory foam, paving the way to new nanoelectromechanical devices
A team of scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory and the University of Connecticut have developed a customizable nanomaterial that combines metallic strength with a foam-like ability ...
Glass microparticles enhance solar cells efficiency
Scientists from ITMO University have suggested a new solar cell coating that combines features of an electrode and those of a light-trapping structure. The coating enabled researchers to cut down on reflected light and avoid ...
New mirror-coating technology promises dramatic improvements in telescopes
Materials scientist Nobuhiko Kobayashi wasn't quite sure why the astronomer he met at a wine-tasting several years ago was so interested in his research, but as he learned more about telescope mirrors it began to make sense.
Faster, more precise, more stable: Study optimizes graphene growth
Each atomic layer thin, tear-resistant, and stable. Graphene is seen as the material of the future. It is ideal for e.g. producing ultra-light electronics or highly stable mechanical components. But the wafer-thin carbon ...
New optical device could help detect drugs, bomb-making chemicals and more
Scientists searching for traces of drugs, bomb-making components and other chemicals often shine light on the materials they're analyzing.
Defect-free coatings for silicon spheres
The prototype kilogram – to which all scales are calibrated to – is losing weight. International efforts are striving to redefine the base unit for measuring mass and, in future, redefine the kilogram on natural constants. ...
