➀ Engineers at the University of Pennsylvania have successfully transmitted quantum data over commercial fiber-optic networks using the same Internet Protocol (IP) as today's internet;
➁ The key to this success is a 'Q-chip' that coordinates quantum and classical data streams;
➂ The experiment marks a significant milestone in the quest for a functional 'quantum internet' and could change how we process and transmit information.
➀ Researchers at the 2011 Kavli Futures Symposium speculated that designer viruses could someday produce nano-scale logic components, such as 64-bit adders, for integration into chips;
➁ Professor David Awschalom envisioned multifunctional quantum systems combining logic, storage, and communication, potentially spanning biological, chemical, or solid-state platforms;
➂ The Kavli Foundation highlighted the potential of nanoscience for revolutionary applications in technology, medicine, and energy.
➀ University of Illinois researchers developed a phase-change heatsink (using paraffin wax) for satellites, enhancing thermal management in space where convection cooling is unavailable;
➁ The wax-filled heatsink absorbs peak heat through melting (170kJ/kg) and releases it via radiation, validated by CubeSat orbital tests showing gravity-independent performance;
➂ Simplified models were created for design optimization, with future studies to include solar heating effects during spacecraft orbits.
➀ Dr. Costanza Lucia Manganelli will lead IHP's new junior research group focused on Computational Materials Engineering, leveraging her expertise in material science and silicon photonics;
➁ The group's MODoMAT project aims to develop a comprehensive modeling platform integrating mechanical, optical, and electrical properties of semiconductor materials to optimize device performance and accelerate R&D for applications in power electronics, quantum computing, and autonomous driving;
➂ Funded internally for up to five years, the initiative supports young scientists in high-risk, strategy-aligned research, with plans to transition to third-party funding in later stages.
➀ Researchers developed vapor-deposited tin-halide perovskite thin-film transistors (TFTs) using PbCl₂ to enhance performance and stability;
➁ The TFTs achieved high hole mobility (33.8 cm²/V·s) and on/off current ratios (~10⁸), outperforming solution-based methods and commercial IGZO transistors;
➂ This scalable process holds potential for low-cost, large-area electronics and energy-efficient OLED displays, with future focus on materials optimization and 3D integration.
➀ Researchers at the University of Science and Technology of China developed a new material design for red perovskite LEDs (PeLEDs), solving efficiency loss at high brightness;
➁ The team used a 3D intragrain heterostructure with p-Toluenesulfonyl-L-arginine (PTLA) to confine charge carriers and minimize leakage;
➂ Achieved record-breaking performance: 24.2% external quantum efficiency, 24,600 cd/m² luminance, and 127-hour operational stability.
➀ Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz's Professor Jairo Sinova will coordinate a new Priority Program focusing on unconventional magnetism in condensed matter physics.
➁ The program aims to develop IT components that push the technical limits of speed, storage density, and efficiency.
➂ The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved the program with around EUR 8 million in funding over three years.
➀ Researchers at Penn State have developed a novel solid-state electrolyte (SSE) using cold sintering, which enables safer and higher performance solid-state batteries.
➁ The newly developed ceramic-polymer composite SSE combines the stability of ceramic LATP with the conductivity of poly-ionic liquid gel (PILG), reducing ion transport obstacles.
➂ This breakthrough could transform energy storage across various industries, including smartphones and electric vehicles, with potential further applications in semiconductor manufacturing and ceramics processing.
➀ Researchers at Fraunhofer ILT and RWTH Aachen are using synchrotron radiation to observe welding processes in detail, in real-time. This research aims to visualize steam bubbles, molten movement, and defects, optimizing battery and microelectronics production.
➁ The interdisciplinary team 'Laser Meets Synchrotron' at DESY focuses on fundamental scientific questions leading to industrial innovations. The team conducts 700 experiments in seven days to improve material properties and processes.
➂ Synchrotron radiation allows for high-resolution visualization of material structures and dynamic processes, enabling precise analysis for industrial innovation and optimization of welding processes in high-performance batteries and other critical components.
NTT has developed the world's first lightning triggering and guidance system using drones, aiming to protect cities and infrastructure from lightning damage. The system has successfully undergone trials and is expected to be installed in key locations to prevent damage. NTT's drones are equipped with lightning-resistant cages and have demonstrated the ability to intercept lightning safely.
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➁ The article features a picture of the day: a holographic microscope named ELVIS, which stands for Extant Life Volumetric Imaging System.
➂ The system utilizes holographic technology to provide detailed 3D views of cells and microbes, enhancing the accuracy of biological studies.
Researchers at the European XFEL have developed a new measuring device for hard X-ray light, known as a Laue spectrometer. It can detect photon energies over 15 kiloelectronvolts with high precision and improved efficiency. This is important for the study of technologically significant materials, such as those capable of transporting electricity without loss or enhancing the efficiency of chemical processes.
Traditional X-ray spectrometers operate in the Bragg geometry, where X-rays are bent by parallel atom planes, similar to mirrors reflecting visible light. However, at high energies, much of the hard X-ray light passes through the crystal unused, reducing the performance of conventional spectrometers. The new Laue spectrometer developed at the FXE experimental station at the European XFEL addresses this issue by working in the Laue geometry, where X-rays pass through the crystal and are bent by atomic layers perpendicular to the surface. This makes the new Laue analyzer more efficient at higher X-ray energies.
The newly developed device, called the High Energy Laue X-ray Emission Spectrometer (HELIOS), is now available to all users at the European XFEL. It offers an extremely high precision of about 1.2 x 10^-4 at a photon energy of about 18.6 keV, reaching 4 to 22 times higher signal strength compared to conventional spectrometers. This allows the detection of particularly interesting electronic transitions in so-called 4d-transition metals, which are otherwise very difficult to measure.
➀ The IAMHH e.V. Association has appointed Dr. Maximilian Heres as its new Managing Director to promote the development of new technologies in the Hamburg Metropolitan Region and the industrial application of additive manufacturing.
➁ Dr. Heres has over seven years of experience in the development, optimization, and implementation of advanced manufacturing processes, focusing on integrating futuristic manufacturing technologies like 3D printing.
➂ As the new Managing Director, Dr. Heres will represent IAMHH e.V. in local and national scientific and industrial organizations, fostering collaboration and innovation.
➀ Researchers from Tokyo University of Science and other institutions have discovered antiferromagnetism in quasicrystals for the first time.
➁ The discovery was made in a novel Tsai-type gold-indium-europium (Au-In-Eu) iQC with unusual symmetries.
➂ The research suggests that quasicrystals with a positive Curie-Weiss temperature are more likely to establish antiferromagnetic order.
➀ Researchers in the UK are developing a technology designed to identify individuals most likely to commit murder.
➁ The tool, known as 'sharing data to improve risk assessment,' analyzes crime data from various official sources.
➂ Concerns have been raised about potential biases against minorities and the privacy implications of using sensitive data.
➀ The Bavarian State Minister Hubert Aiwanger has opened the new technology center of the Fraunhofer IISB for research into contactless energy transfer for electric vehicles, and awarded the funding certificate.
➁ The E|Road-Center is another milestone in the high-tech spectrum of the Cleantech Innovation Park in Hallstadt near Bamberg.
➂ The center focuses on technologies for contactless energy transfer from the road directly into the electric vehicle, while stationary and during operation.
The study by the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) shows that light pollution, known as skyglow, promotes the growth of cyanobacteria and stimulates matter cycling in lakes. The research used a unique lake laboratory in Stechlinsee, where 24 experimental cylinders were used to study the effects of light pollution on the water ecosystem. The results indicate that low light intensities, such as typical skyglow, can significantly increase the abundance of cyanobacteria and stimulate the carbon cycle in the lake.
The use of graphene in lithium-ion batteries has shown promising potential to significantly improve battery performance. Although technological advancements have been made, the widespread application of graphene-based battery components remains challenging. The article 'Graphene Roadmap Briefs No. 4' published in the journal 2D-Materials highlights the central trends since 2017 and future prospects for the commercialization of graphene in battery technology.
Graphene, due to its unique electronic, mechanical, and chemical properties, is considered a promising material for the further development of lithium-ion batteries (LIB). The publication 'Graphene Roadmap Briefs (No. 4): innovation prospects for Li-ion batteries' summarizes the key progress and challenges in the development and commercialization of graphene-based lithium-ion batteries, focusing on graphene-based silicon anodes.
Graphene can improve the energy density of batteries, offer advantages in fast-charging capabilities, and enhance the stability and lifespan of batteries through its integration into silicon anodes. However, the stability of silicon anodes currently does not match that of conventional graphite anodes. The cost-effective production methods for graphene-based batteries are still lacking, and the prices of graphene and related materials have remained unexpectedly high in the past.
➀ Researchers from the University of Tokyo have developed a cost-effective method to test lithium-ion batteries for overheating, aiding in the design of safer batteries.
➁ The new method involves creating a miniature battery that is more prone to thermal runaway, allowing easier study in laboratory settings.
➂ By using a thermal runaway factor (TRF), the method evaluates the likelihood of a battery overheating based on its energy storage, volume-to-surface ratio, and material properties.
Chinese researchers have built a 32-bit RISC-V processor using molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) on a sapphire substrate. The processor, RV32-WUJI, has 6000 transistors and operates at KHz speeds, executing the full RISC-V 32-bit instruction set. The researchers used machine learning to optimize the wiring and materials for the transistors. The overall yield was over 99.9 percent, with a chip-level yield of 99.8 percent.
