Phys.org July 23, 2018 According to some physicists the next scientific breakthroughs could lie in the interplay between Casimir force and superconductivity. Researchers in the Netherlands developed a sensor that consists of a microchip on which two strings are placed in close proximity. The wires can be cooled down to cryogenic temperatures, making them superconducting. The strings have holes in the centre that act as an optical resonator trapping laser light of a certain wavelength. They used this light to measure small displacements between the two wires, in essence it is possible to measure the forces that are acting upon […]
Using spin current to convert mechanical vibrations into electricity
Nanowerk July 20, 2018 Researchers in Japan have designed a nanoscale device that converts mechanical ripples into an electrical current via a spin current. They found that the spin current generated in the second layer was large enough to move magnetic domain walls, which could be used in memory devices. It is still below the spin currents needed, but they could be increased by optimizing the devices. The technology could be used in devices that permit sound waves to pass in one direction but block them in the opposite direction… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Top 10 Science and Technology Innovations for the Week of July 20, 2018
01. Tuning into quantum: Scientists unlock signal frequency control of precision atom qubits 02. Light, finely sliced 03. Researchers develop first-of-its-kind optic isolator 04. Nanocrystal links could lead to better electronics 05. Close-ups of grain boundaries reveal how sulfur impurities make nickel brittle 06. A silicon-nanoparticle photonic waveguide 07. Slippery when dry 08. New study could hold key to hack-proof systems 09. Electronic stickers to streamline large-scale ‘Internet of Things’ 10. Solutions to water challenges reside at the interface And others… Digital age ‘desperately’ needs ethical and legal guidelines How Russia, China Use Nuclear Reactors To Win Global Influence Masters […]
Close-ups of grain boundaries reveal how sulfur impurities make nickel brittle
Eurekalert July 17, 2018 It is known that sulfur embrittlement is related to the grain boundary segregation of sulfur, but the underlying atomic mechanisms have remained elusive. Researchers at UC San Diego examined the general grain boundaries in nickel polycrystals doped with sulfur. They found that competition between interfacial ordering and disordering leads to the alternating formation of amorphous-like and bilayer-like facets at general grain boundaries. They also found that bipolar interfacial structures cause brittle intergranular fractures between polar sulfur-nickel structures that are disorderly aligned in two opposite directions. The discovery enriches fundamental understanding of general grain boundaries that often […]
Digital age ‘desperately’ needs ethical and legal guidelines
Phys.org July 16, 2018 Speaking at a recent conference on ethics in science and technology in Toulouse in France, researchers from the Netherlands called for a Europe-wide network of institutions that can provide a set of values, based on the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights, which the technology industry could operate within. Ethical issues surrounding AI – such as bias in machine learning algorithms and how to oversee the decision-making of autonomous machines – also attracted widespread discussion at the conference. In the military domain, a very important concept is meaningful human control. Good design of the interface between humans and […]
Electronic stickers to streamline large-scale ‘Internet of Things’
Purdue University July 16, 2018 Researchers at Purdue University developed a wafer-recyclable, environment-friendly transfer printing process that enables the wafer-scale separation of high-performance thin-film nanoelectronics in a defect-free manner that enables multiple reuses of the wafer. The interfacial delamination is enabled through a controllable cracking phenomenon in a water environment at room temperature. The technique cuts down manufacturing costs by using a single wafer to build a nearly infinite number of thin films. The film can peel off at room temperature… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
How Russia, China Use Nuclear Reactors To Win Global Influence
Defense One July 13, 2018 Russia and China are using nuclear power projects to build spheres of energy dependence, and the United States is unprepared to respond. Russia bids for such projects through its state-owned nuclear company, Rosatom, under a model that finances construction of nuclear plants, furnishes the trained personnel to run them, and leases them back to the client country. This has allowed Russia to secure 60 percent of the recent global nuclear reactor sales. China has identified 41 countries along the Belt and Road as potential sites for nuclear power projects. China also aims to establish long-term […]
Light, finely sliced
Nanowerk July 16, 2018 Current technology for polarization beam splitters is limited to extinction ratio of around 25 decibels which is high enough to affect high-speed data transmission. Researchers in Singapore conceptualized design for a three-waveguide device and verified its feasibility on computer simulation. They confirmed its vastly improved extinction ratio of 40 decibel, representing a further 30-fold reduction in polarization crosstalk. The research is a breakthrough in improving high-performance data transmission systems, as well as applications in quantum computing… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Masters programme offers pathway to emerging nano-industry
Physics World July 13, 2018 In collaboration with industry, the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) in the UK will start a Masters programme in nanoscience and nanotechnology specifically designed to give students the skills and experience they need to work in the fast-moving nanotechnology industry. Prospective employers also have the opportunity to get to know the students they are working with. To make the course very relevant to employers, the university will be bringing in industrial partners to talk about nanotechnology and their current challenges, and then incorporate that insight into the teaching programme. According to the university, nanotechnology will be […]
Nanocrystal links could lead to better electronics
Nanowerk July 17, 2018 Colloidal nanocrystals can be easily tweaked to have a number of different properties as a function of their size. Depending on how they’re built, colloidal nanocrystals could be made into solar panels, electronics or optical devices. Through an integrated theoretical and experimental approach to characterize the transport properties of colloidal nanocrystals, an international team of researchers (Germany, USA – University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory) found that the inorganic links between the nanoparticles themselves are changing and reforming on the surface of the nanoparticles. The linker molecules react where they are attached and form a sort […]