A paper battery with water switch

A team of researchers has developed a water-activated disposable paper battery. The researchers suggest that it could be used to power a wide range of low-power, single-use disposable electronics -- such as smart labels for tracking objects, environmental sensors and medical diagnostic devices -- and minimize their environmental impact.

New hardware offers faster computation for artificial intelligence, with much less energy

Researchers have created protonic programmable resistors -- the building blocks of analog deep learning systems -- that can process data 1 million times faster than the synapses in the human brain. These ultrafast, low-energy resistors could enable analog deep learning systems that can train new and more powerful neural networks rapidly, which could then be used for novel applications in areas like self-driving cars, fraud detection, and health care.

New glass-ceramic emits light when under mechanical stress

Researchers have created a new glass-ceramic that emits light in response to mechanical stress, a property known as mechanoluminescence. With further development, the new material could be used to create a light source that is switched on by mechanical stress.

Boosting memory performance by strong ion bombardment

Researchers have developed a technology to increase data storage by intentionally generating defects.

Decoding the structure and properties of near-infrared reflective pigments

Layered perovskites like titanium-added calcium manganese oxide ceramics have attracted attention as materials that can prevent solar heat absorption by reflecting near-infrared (NIR) radiation better than commercial pigments. However, the mechanism underlying their high NIR reflectivity is unclear. Now, researchers have adopted a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches to provide useful insights into the structure, properties, and functioning of these layered perovskites that can be extended to a broad range of crystalline ceramics.

New research furthers understanding of the electronic structure of graphite

Graphite is an incredibly important, versatile mineral, with uses spanning industries. Graphite is an essential component of many batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, and demand is only increasing as new technology is developed. Surprisingly, no spectroscopic studies have so far accurately measured the electronic states of the surface and the edge of graphite from a microscopic point of view. Indeed, the improvement in battery performance depends largely on the control of the characteristics of the graphite at the tip.

The best semiconductor of them all?

A material known as cubic boron arsenide has two major advantages over silicon, research shows. It provides high mobility to both electrons and holes, and it has excellent thermal conductivity. It is, the researchers say, the best semiconductor material ever found.

Magnetic memory milestone

Computers and smartphones have different kinds of memory, which vary in speed and power efficiency depending on where they are used in the system. Typically, larger computers, especially those in data centers, will use a lot of magnetic hard drives, which are less common in consumer systems now. The magnetic technology these are based on provides very high capacity, but lack the speed of solid state system memory. Devices based on upcoming spintronic technology may be able to bridge that gap and radically improve upon even theoretical performance of classical electronic devices.

How ultrathin polymer films can be used for storage technology

Precisely applied mechanical pressure can improve the electronic properties of a widely used polymer material. This requires that the material be mechanically processed to an accuracy of a few nanometers. In their new study, the researchers show how this previously unknown physical effect works and how it could also be used for new storage technologies. The team has also succeeded in sketching the coat of arms of the city of Halle as an electrical pattern with a spatial resolution of 50 nanometers in the material.

Researchers learn to control electron spin at room temperature to make devices more efficient and faster

As our devices become smaller, faster, more energy efficient, and capable of holding larger amounts of data, spintronics may continue that trajectory. Whereas electronics is based on the flow of electrons, spintronics is based on the spin of electrons.

Efficient, stable, and eco-friendly thermoelectric material discovered

A thermoelectric metal oxide film with a thermoelectric figure of merit of ~0.55 at 600°C has been discovered, opening new avenues towards the widespread use of thermoelectric converters.

Future smart homes could be powered with electronics built on stones

What if you could power the smart thermostats, speakers and lights in your home with a kitchen countertop? Stones, such as marble and granite, are natural, eco-friendly materials that many people building or renovating houses already use. Now, in a step toward integrating energy storage with these materials, researchers have fabricated microsupercapacitors onto the surface of stone tiles. The devices are durable and easily scaled up for customizable 3D power supplies.

Researchers build long, highly conductive molecular nanowire

Researchers announced today that they have built a nanowire that is 2.6 nanometers long, shows an unusual increase in conductance as the wire length increases, and has quasi-metallic properties. Its excellent conductivity holds great promise for the field of molecular electronics, enabling electronic devices to become even tinier.

Towards autonomous prediction and synthesis of novel magnetic materials

In materials science, candidates for novel functional materials are usually explored in a trial-and-error fashion through calculations, synthetic methods, and material analysis. However, the approach is time-consuming and requires expertise. Now, researchers have used a data-driven approach to automate the process of predicting new magnetic materials. By combining first-principles calculations, Bayesian optimization, and monoatomic alternating deposition, the proposed method can enable a faster development of next-generation electronic devices.

Thin mica shows semiconducting behavior, say scientists in new study

Muscovite mica (MuM) is a highly stable mineral that is commonly used as an insulator. However, the electrical properties of single-layer and few-layered MuM are not well understood. Now, a group of researchers reports and explains unusually high conductivity in MuM flakes that are only a few molecule layers thick. Their findings could open doors to the development of two-dimensional electronic devices that are robust against harsh environments.

Physicists see electron whirlpools

Physicists have now observed electron whirlpools. Theorists have long predicted electrons should exhibit this hallmark of fluid flow; the findings could inform the design of more efficient electronics.

Hearing better with skin than ears

A research team develops a sound-sensing skin-attachable acoustic sensor. The new sensor decreased in size and increased in flexibility and is applicable as auditory electronic skin.