Phys.org February 23, 2024 Vertical cavity surface-emitting (VCSEL) arrays offer an attractive platform to develop a photonic Ising computer due to their scalability and compact physical size. Researchers in Singapore computationally investigated the performance of this approach by extending the spin-flip model to describe a system of mutually injection locked VCSELs for 2-, 3-, and 4-bit Ising problems. Numerical simulations demonstrated that the modeled system solved the given Ising problems significantly better than chance, with critical parameters in the model identified as crucial for achieving an unbiased Ising solver. According to the researchers the quantum well gain anisotropy parameter as […]
Tag Archives: S&T Singapore
Novel liquid metal circuits for flexible, self-healing wearables
Nanowerk October 2, 2023 Present integrated stretchable electronics easily suffer from electrical deterioration and face challenges in forming robust multilayered soft-rigid hybrid configurations. Researchers in Singapore have developed a bilayer liquid-solid conductor (b-LSC) with amphiphilic properties that reliably interfaces with both rigid electronics and elastomeric substrates. The top liquid metal could self-solder its interface with rigid electronics at a resistance 30% lower than the traditional tin-soldered rigid interface. The bottom polar composite comprising liquid metal particles and polymers could not only reliably interface with elastomers but also help the b-LSC heal after breakage. The b-LSC fabrication could be scaled up […]
Scientists develop 2D nanosheets for sustainable carbon capture
Phys.org July 6, 2023 Mica, a commonly occurring mineral, has significant potential for various applications due to its unique structure and properties. However, due to its non-Van Der Waals bonded structure, it is difficult to exfoliate mica into ultrathin nanosheets. Researchers in Singapore characterized exfoliated 2D mica nanosheets (eMica nanosheets) by various techniques, and their ability to capture CO2 was tested by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Their results showed an 87% increase in CO2 adsorption capacity with eMica nanosheets compared to conventional mica. Further characterization by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), as well as first-principles calculations, showed […]
Innovative paper-like, battery-free, AI-enabled sensor for holistic wound monitoring
Nanowerk June 26, 2023 Researchers in Singapore developed a paper-like battery-free in situ AI-enabled multiplexed (PETAL) sensor for holistic wound assessment by leveraging deep learning algorithms. This sensor consisted of a wax-printed paper panel with five colorimetric sensors for temperature, pH, trimethylamine, uric acid, and moisture. Sensor images captured by a mobile phone were analyzed by neural network–based machine learning algorithms to determine healing status. For ex situ detection via exudates collected from rat perturbed wounds and burn wounds, the PETAL sensor could classify healing versus nonhealing status with an accuracy as high as 97%. With the sensor patches attached […]
Scientists demonstrate quantum recoil for the first time, paving the way for precise X-ray imaging
Phys.org January 19, 2023 More than 80 years after quantum recoil was proposed researchers in Singapore have demonstrated the phenomenon of quantum recoil showing that it is observable at room temperature. By scattering free electrons off the periodic two-dimensional atomic sheets of van der Waals materials in a tabletop platform, they showed that the X-ray photon energy is accurately predicted only by quantum recoil theory, that it can be enormous, to the point that a classically predicted X-ray photon is emitted as an extremely low-energy photon. According to the researchers quantum recoil is a means of precision control over outgoing […]
Researchers invent self-charging, ultra-thin device that generates electricity from air moisture
Science Daily August 17, 2022 The current moisture-driven energy generation (MEG) materials and devices only establish moisture-driven energy interaction during water sorption in specific configurations, and conversion is eventually ceased by saturated water uptake. Researchers in Singapore have developed an asymmetric hygroscopic structure (AHS) that simultaneously achieves energy harvesting and storage from moisture absorption. The AHS was constructed by the asymmetric deposition of a hygroscopic ionic hydrogel over a layer of functionalized carbon. Water absorbed from the air creates wet-dry asymmetry across the AHS and hence an in-plane electric field. The asymmetry could be perpetually maintained even after saturated water […]
Customized magneto-optical trap allows for cooling indium atoms to near absolute zero
Phys.org July 13, 2022 Cooling some atomic gases confers unique and sometimes useful properties to the atoms. The use of magneto optical traps (MOTs) for cooling works on only a small number of atomic groups on the periodic table. Rather than a ground state transition, researchers in Singapore used a transition from a more long-lived metastable state in their MOT. This required modifying it to work with just indium atoms. Once the reconfiguration was completed, the researchers created a cloud made up of more than 500 million indium-115 atoms in their MOT and cooled the atoms to approximately 1 mK […]
Pollen paper that you can print on and ‘unprint’
Nanowerk April 5, 2022 Conventional paper is made of cellulose fibres found in wood, and the process involves energy-intensive steps that include logging, debarking, and chipping. Making pollen-based paper is similar to traditional soapmaking, which is much simpler and less energy-intensive. Researchers in Singapore used potassium hydroxide to remove the cellular components encapsulated in tough sunflower pollen grains and turned them into soft microgel particles. This step also removes allergens from the pollen. They used deionized water to remove unwanted particles from the microgel, before casting it into a 22 cm x 22 cm mould for air-drying, forming a piece […]
Making an object invisible under fluid flow
Phys.org January 7, 2022 Without any obstacle, the fluid flows along a straight line. If an obstacle is present, the straight streamline will be defected, and an observer can sense the size, shape, and position of the obstacle. Guiding the fluid to flow faster closer to the obstacle and slower farther from it conceals the distortions and restore original straight streamlines. Instead of engineering the mass density of the fluid to control the speed of the fluid flow, researchers in Singapore simply engineered the thickness of the fluid channel. They showed that thicker fluid channel gives rise to smaller mass […]
Using quantum Parrondo’s random walks for encryption
Phys.org October 15, 2021 Quantum game theory has stimulated some interest in recent years with the advancement of quantum information theory. This interest has led to a resurgence of quantum Parrondo’s games. With two losing games combining to give a winning game, this paradoxical idea is known as Parrondo’s paradox. Researchers in Singapore used chaotic switching between the two losing quantum games, to show that it is possible to achieve Parrondo’s paradox involving a quantum walker playing two-sided quantum coin tossing games. They showed that the framework of chaotic switching in quantum coin tosses can be applied to encryption. This […]