Category Physics

Materials Science Researchers develop First Electrically Injected Laser

Schematic illustration of electrically injected germanium-tin laser and its power output versus current and spectrum characteristics.

Materials science researchers, led by electrical engineering professor Shui-Qing “Fisher” Yu, have demonstrated the first electrically injected laser made with germanium tin. Used as a semiconducting material for circuits on electronic devices, the diode laser could improve micro-processing speed and efficiency at much lower costs.

In tests, the laser operated in pulsed conditions up to 100 kelvins, or 279 degrees below zero Fahrenheit.
“Our results are a major advance for group-IV-based lasers,” Yu said...

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Spray-on Clear Coatings for Cheaper Smart Windows

Square sample of clear coating, held by tweezers, on a green leafy background
The ultra-thin clear coatings are made with a new spray-on method that is fast, cost-effective and scalable.

New transparent spray-on coatings are conductive, cost-effective and rival the performance of current industry standards. A simple method for making clear coatings that can block heat and conduct electricity could radically cut the cost of energy-saving smart windows and heat-repelling glass.

The spray-on coatings developed by researchers at RMIT University in Melbourne, Australia, are ultra-thin, cost-effective and rival the performance of current industry standards for transparent electrodes.

Combining the best properties of glass and metals in a single component, a transparent electrode is a highly conductive clear coating that allows visible light through.

The coati...

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Simplified Circuit Design could Revolutionize how Wearables are manufactured

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Researchers have demonstrated the use of a ground-breaking circuit design that could transform manufacturing processes for wearable technology.

Silicon-based electronics have aggressively become smaller and more efficient over a short period of time, leading to major advances in devices such as mobile phones. However, large-area electronics, such as display screens, have not seen similar advances because they rely on a device, thin-film transistor (TFT), which has serious limitations.

In a study published by IEEE Sensors Journal, researchers from the University of Surrey, University of Cambridge and the National Research Institute in Rome have demonstrated the use of a pioneering circuit design that uses an alternative type of device, the source-gated transis...

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Sweat Science: Engineers detect Health Markers in Thread-based, Wearable Sweat Sensors

Lactate curve from sweat sensor
Lactate curve from sweat sensor during exercise

Real-time measurement of electrolytes and metabolites could be used to diagnose and monitor disease or track performance. Engineers at Tufts University have created a first-of-its-kind flexible electronic sensing patch that can be sewn into clothing to analyze your sweat for multiple markers. The patch could be used to to diagnose and monitor acute and chronic health conditions or to monitor health during athletic or workplace performance. The device, described today in the journal NPJ Flexible Electronics, consists of special sensing threads, electronic components and wireless connectivity for real time data acquisition, storage and processing.

Typical consumer health monitors can track heart rate, temperature, glucose, walking distan...

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