Jul 05, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was originally invented for visualizing surfaces with nanoscale resolution. Its basic working principle is to move an ultrathin tip over a sample’s surface. During this xy-scanning motion, the tip’s position in the direction perpendicular to the xy-plane follows the sample’s height...
Fresh wind blows from historical supernova
Jul 05, 2024 (Nanowerk News) A mysterious remnant from a rare type of supernova recorded in 1181 has been explained for the first time. Two white dwarf stars collided, creating a temporary “guest star,” now labeled supernova (SN) 1181, which was recorded in historical documents in Japan and elsewhere in...
Single atoms show their true color
Jul 04, 2024 (Nanowerk News) One of the challenges of cramming smarter and more powerful electronics into ever-shrinking devices is developing the tools and techniques to analyze the materials that make them up with increasingly intimate precision. Physicists at Michigan State University have taken a long-awaited step on that front...
Scientists observe record-setting electron mobility in a new crystal film
Jul 04, 2024 (Nanowerk News) A material with a high electron mobility is like a highway without traffic. Any electrons that flow into the material experience a commuter’s dream, breezing through without any obstacles or congestion to slow or scatter them off their path. The higher a material’s electron mobility,...
Graphene oxide films show tunable properties for integrated photonics applications
Jul 04, 2024 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The field of integrated photonics has seen remarkable progress in recent years, driven by the demand for faster, more efficient, and compact optical devices. As researchers push the boundaries of what is possible with traditional materials, attention has turned to novel two-dimensional (2D) materials as...
Getting bacteria into line
Jul 04, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at Finland’s Aalto University have found a way to use magnets to line up bacteria as they swim. The approach offers more than just a way to nudge bacteria into order – it also provides a useful tool for a wide range of research,...
Mass production will soon make ultra-large nano transparent screens accessible to everyone
Jul 04, 2024 (Nanowerk News) A groundbreaking 100-inch or larger super-sized Nano Transparent Screen (NTS) has been developed and commercialized for the first time in the world. This innovative screen can adjust its transparency according to the environment and can be produced at a low cost, paving the way for...
Researchers discover way to ‘grow’ sub-nanometer sized transistors
Jul 03, 2024 (Nanowerk News) A research team led by Director JO Moon-Ho of the Center for Van der Waals Quantum Solids within the Institute for Basic Science (IBS) has implemented a novel method to achieve epitaxial growth of 1D metallic materials with a width of less than 1 nanometer...
Designing photonic crystals with a genetic algorithm
Jul 03, 2024 (Nanowerk News) The advent of quantum computers promises to revolutionize computing by solving complex problems exponentially more rapidly than classical computers. However, today's quantum computers face challenges such as maintaining stability and transporting quantum information. Phonons, which are quantized vibrations in periodic lattices, offer new ways to...
Mapping the surfaces of MXenes, atom by atom, reveals new potential for the 2D materials
Jul 03, 2024 (Nanowerk News) In the decade since their discovery at Drexel University, the family of two-dimensional materials called MXenes has shown a great deal of promise for applications ranging from water desalination and energy storage to electromagnetic shielding and telecommunications, among others. While researchers have long speculated about...