Physorg February 12, 2018 Bipolar effect of resistive switching (BERS) can be used for developing nonvolatile two-terminal memory cells, as well as for memristors. Researchers in Russia have shown that epitaxial fields that form on the surface of a single-crystalline substrate of strontium titanate can be used to create memristors for a new generation of computers. The innovation in this research is in applying the lithography which allows developing the technology for miniaturization of resistive memory elements…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Tag Archives: Materials science
Precision experiments reveal gaps in van der Waals theory
Science Daily February 16, 2018 An international team of researchers (Denmark, Japan) measured a single TiS2 crystal to show that the interlayer interactions are in fact stronger than theory indicates, and involve significant electron sharing. The outstanding agreement of the synchrotron diffraction data with theoretical calculations in describing the intralayer Ti-S interactions, supports the validity of these new-found differences for the long-range interactions across the interlayer gaps. The research contributes to the fundamental understanding of weak chemical bonding in 2D layered materials in general, and to the development of TMD materials… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Compound could transform energy storage for large grids
Phys org February 5, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (University of Rochester, State University of New York – Buffalo) developed a method to modify polyoxometalates by replacing the compound’s methanol-derived methoxide groups with ethanol-based ethoxide ligands. They expanded the potential window during which the cluster was stable, doubling the amount of electrical energy that could be stored in the battery. The ethoxide and methoxide clusters can be generated by using methanol and ethanol. Both reagents are inexpensive, readily available and safe to use. According to the researchers the process may set a new standard in the field… […]
Vanadium dioxyde: A revolutionary material for tomorrow’s electronics
EurekAlert February 5, 2018 An international team of researchers (Switzerland, Germany) working on the EU Horizon 2020 project called Phase-Change Switch found that the atomic structure of the metal-insulator vanadium dioxide (VO2) changes as the temperature rises, transitioning from a crystalline structure at room temperature to a metallic one at temperatures above 68°C. They found that adding germanium to VO2 film can lift the material’s phase change temperature to over 100°C required for modern electronic devices. The technology is particularly effective in the frequency range crucial for space communication systems (the Ka band, with programmable frequency modulation between 28.2 and […]
Controlling quantum interactions in a single material
Science Daily February 5, 2018 Using computational simulations, an international team of researchers (USA – Northwestern University, Austria, Germany, China) discovered coexisting quantum-mechanical interactions in the compound silver-bismuth-oxide. Bismuth enables the spin of the electron to interact with its own motion and does not exhibit inversion symmetry. By applying an electric field to the material, researchers were able to control whether the electron spins were coupled in pairs or separated as well as whether the system is electrically conductive or not. The findings could enable ultrafast, low-power electronics and quantum computers that operate faster than current models… read more. Open Access […]
High-temperature superconductivity gets agile (w/video)
Nanotechweb January 12, 2018 An international team of researchers (Japan, Australia) has synthesized of YBa2Cu3O x superconducting nanorods using solution chemistry. Initially, a mixture of fine-grained coprecipitated powder was obtained and subsequently converted to YBa2Cu3O x nanorods by heating to 1223 K in oxygen for 12 h. The nanorods are superconducting without the need for any further sintering or oxygenation, thereby providing an avenue for direct application to substrates at room temperature or direct use as formed nanorods. The research opens a route to designer superconductors, tailoring them for specific uses… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A major step forward in organic electronics
Eurekalert January 11, 2018 Researchers in Sweden have shown that ladder-type polymers, such as poly(benzimidazobenzophenanthroline) (BBL), can successfully work as stable and efficient n-channel material for OECTs. BBL-based OECTs show high transconductance (up to 9.7 mS) and excellent stability in ambient and aqueous media. They have demonstrated that BBL-based n-type OECTs can be successfully integrated with p-type OECTs to form electrochemical complementary inverters. The latter show high gains and large worst-case noise margin at a supply voltage below 0.6 V. Applications of the organic components include logic circuits that can be printed on textile or paper, various types of cheap […]
Researchers design dendrite-free lithium battery
Phys.org January 8, 2018 In lithium batteries the anode requires a rigid electrolyte to block dendrite growth, but it is difficult for a rigid electrolyte to maintain sufficient contact with the solid cathode, which creates a highly resistive cathode/electrolyte interface. To address this problem, the researchers in China designed an asymmetrical solid electrolyte, in which the side facing the anode is a rigid ceramic material that presses against the lithium anode to discourage dendrite growth, the side facing the cathode is made of a soft polymer, which allows for a strong interfacial connection with the cathode. In tests, the new […]
Flexible bonding: hard and soft at the same time
Fraunhofer Research News January 2, 2018 Researchers in Germany have developed a new material called MetAK which is comparable to commercially available resins. Its stiffness can be determined by two hardening mechanisms: irradiation with UV light, and heat. The areas that should remain flexible are not irradiated; they are instead treated with heat, which cures them. As the rigidity is very easily adjustable, it is possible to flexibly adjust the material to the frequency range of the vibrations and compensate for them. MetAk can be cast in a specified shape making it attractive for orthopedic applications. Read more.
Atomically thin perovskites boost for future electronics
Physorg.com December 27, 2017 High-κ dielectric materials may be the key for developing electronic devices of the future. Researchers in Japan created high-performance dielectric nanofilms using 2-D perovskite nanosheets (Ca2Nam−3NbmO3m+1; m = 3–6) as building blocks. It exhibited an unprecedented capacitance density of approximately 203 μF cm-2, which is about three orders of magnitude greater than that of currently available ceramic condensers, opening a route to ultra-scaled high-density capacitors. The research provides a strategy for achieving 2-D high-κ dielectrics/ferroelectrics for use in ultra-scaled electronics and post-graphene technology. Read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE Credit: National Institute for Materials Science