Category Technology/Electronics

Actuator Discovery Outperforms Existing Technology

organic semiconductor nanotubes in artificial muscle
Depiction of the application of organic semiconductor nanotubes in artificial muscle. Artwork courtesy of Mohammad Reza Abidian.

Researchers use organic semiconductor nanotubes to create new electrochemical actuator.

University of Houston researchers are reporting a breakthrough in the field of materials science and engineering with the development of an electrochemical actuator that uses specialized organic semiconductor nanotubes (OSNTs).

Currently in the early stages of development, the actuator will become a key part of research contributing to the future of robotic, bioelectronic and biomedical science.

“Electrochemical devices that transform electrical energy to mechanical energy have potential use in numerous applications, ranging from soft robotics and micropumps to au...

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Researchers realize Gallium Nitride-based Complementary Logic Integrated Circuits

Researchers realize Gallium nitride (GaN)-based complementary logic integrated circuits
(a) Schematic view of the device structure of the GaN complementary logic inverter developed at HKUST; (b) corresponding circuit diagram; (c) perspective view of a true-color photo of the 15-stage GaN complementary ring oscillator fabricated in HKUST. (d) Cross-coupled plot of voltage transfer curves at different temperatures, and (e) static power dissipation with respect to different supply voltage and input voltage of the reported inverter. The inverter is very stable up to 200 °C with substantially large noise margins. (f) Oscillating waveform and the corresponding power spectrum of the reported ring oscillator. Credit: Zheng et al. (Springer Nature).

Most integrated circuits (ICs) and electronic components developed to date are based on silicon metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) tec...

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Quantum Emitters: Beyond Crystal Clear to Single-Photon Pure

Nanoscale luminescence quenching occurs when a focused ion beam is irradiated. By selectively quenching the uncorrelated light, one can increase the single-photon purity from the quantum emitter without optical degradation and structural destruction

A research team has developed a technique that can isolate the desired quality emitter by reducing the noise surrounding the target with what they have dubbed a ‘nanoscale focus pinspot.’

Photons – fundamental particles of light – are carrying these words to your eyes via the light from your computer screen or phone. Photons play a key role in the next-generation quantum information technology, such as quantum computing and communications...

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New Molecular Device has unprecedented Reconfigurability reminiscent of Brain-Plasticity

Decision trees within a molecular memristor | Nature
Fig. 1: Circuit element structure and I(V) characteristics

Device can be reconfigured multiple times simply by changing applied voltage. In a discovery published in the journal Nature, an international team of researchers has described a novel molecular device with exceptional computing prowess.

Reminiscent of the plasticity of connections in the human brain, the device can be reconfigured on the fly for different computational tasks by simply changing applied voltages. Furthermore, like nerve cells can store memories, the same device can also retain information for future retrieval and processing.

“The brain has the remarkable ability to change its wiring around by making and breaking connections between nerve cells...

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