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Thinking thin brings new layering and thermal abilities to the semiconductor industry: In a breakthrough for the semiconductor industry, researchers demonstrate a new layer transfer technique called "controlled spalling" that creates many thin layers from

What would a simple technique to remove thin layers from otherwise thick, rigid semiconductor crystals mean for the semiconductor industry? This concept has been actively explored for years, as integrated circuits made on thin layers hold promise for developments including improved thermal characteristics, lightweight stackability and a high degree of flexibility compared to conventionally thick substrates.

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The same 20-micron spalled GaN film, demonstrating the film's flexibility.

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Making two out of one: FAU researchers have explained the mechanism behind a process that can increase the efficiency of organic solar cells

In view of climate change and the needs of the energy reform, it has become particularly important to significantly increase the efficiency of organic solar cells. In a process known as 'singlet fission', one photon simultaneously excites two electrons. If this effect can be exploited, it may well be possible to dramatically increase the power generated by solar cells. Physicists and chemists at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) collaborating in an international joint project with Northwestern University in the USA have successfully worked out all the decisive intermediate phases in the singlet fission process and have managed to describe the mechanism in detail for the first time.

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Making two out of one: FAU researchers have explained the mechanism behind a process that can increase the efficiency of organic solar cells

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Giant enhancement of electromagnetic waves revealed within small dielectric particles: Scientists have done for the first time direct measurements of giant electromagnetic fields

Scientists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University together with their Russian and foreign colleagues have done for the first time direct measurements of giant electromagnetic fields, emerging in dielectric particles with the high refractive index at the scattering of electromagnetic waves.

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Intensity of the magnetic field at the scattering of an electromagnetic wave. The incident wave propagates from left to right as it is indicated by the blue arrow. The color bar has different scales for the field outside the particle and within it (shown on a larger scale on the insert).

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Killing cancer in the heat of the moment: A new method efficiently transfers genes into cells, then activates them with light. This could lead to gene therapies for cancers

Mineko Kengaku, Tatsuya Murakami, and their colleagues from Kyoto University's Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS) have developed a new method that modifies the surface of nanorods, making them more efficient in transporting cancer-killing genes into cells.

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This is the delivery and activation of genes by gold nanorods. Gold nanorods coated with charged lipids efficiently bind to DNA and penetrate cells. The team designed an artificial gene that is turned on by heat generated by the gold nanorods upon exposure to near infrared light illumination.

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Hubble Pushed Beyond Limits to Spot Clumps of New Stars in Distant Galaxy

When the universe was young, stars formed at a much higher rate than they do today. By peering across billions of light-years of space, Hubble can study this early era. But at such distances, galaxies shrink to smudges that hide key details. Astronomers have teased out those details in one distant galaxy by combining Hubble’s sharp vision with the natural magnifying power of a gravitational lens. The result is an image 10 times better than what Hubble could achieve on its own, showing dense clusters of brilliant, young stars that resemble cosmic fireworks.

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When the universe was young, stars formed at a much higher rate than they do today. By peering across billions of light-years of space, Hubble can study this early era. But at such distances, galaxies shrink to smudges that hide key details. Astronomers have teased out those details in one distant galaxy by combining Hubble’s sharp vision with the natural magnifying power of a gravitational lens. The result is an image 10 times better than what Hubble could achieve on its own, showing dense clusters of brilliant, young stars that resemble cosmic fireworks.

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ANU invention may help to protect astronauts from radiation in space

Scientists at The Australian National University (ANU) have designed a new nano material that can reflect or transmit light on demand with temperature control, opening the door to technology that protects astronauts in space from harmful radiation.

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he sample here contains hundreds of thousands of nanoparticles that manipulate the incoming light.

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Into the quantum world with a tennis racket: Classical mechanics helps control quantum computers

Quantum technology is seen as an important future-oriented technology: smaller, faster and with higher performance than conventional electronics. However, exploiting quantum effects is difficult because nature's smallest building blocks have properties quite distinct from those we know from our everyday world. An international team of researchers has now succeeded in extracting a fault tolerant manipulation of quanta from an effect of classical mechanics.

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The motion of a tennis racket in the air can help predict the behavior of quanta. While the racket rotates 360 degrees about its lateral axis, the tennis racket effect leads to an unintentional 180-degree flip about its longitudinal axis. The overall rotation leaves the red, bottom side facing upward.

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3-D-printed jars in ball-milling experiments

Mechanochemistry is a widespread synthesis technique in all areas of chemistry. Various materials have been synthesized by this technique when the classical wet chemistry route is not satisfactory. Characterization of the reaction mixture is however much less accessible than in solutions.

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This image shows a thin-walled jar with a groove; isometric view with a cut (left) and cross section (right).

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Astronomers Detect Orbital Motion in Pair of Supermassive Black Holes

Using the supersharp radio “vision” of the National Science Foundation’s Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), astronomers have made the first detection of orbital motion in a pair of supermassive black holes in a galaxy some 750 million light-years from Earth.

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NASA Keeps a Close Eye on Tiny Stowaways

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he International Space Station, as seen from space shuttle Atlantis in 2011.

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