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2002
Electroluminescence: United luminescence
(from Nature
Materials)
The remarkable properties of organic semiconductors and inorganic
quantum dots are combined to create a single LED. To isolate
the luminescence processes from charge conduction, a quantum-dot
LED (QD-LED) has been fabricated that contains only a single
monolayer of QDs, sandwiched between two organic thin films.
(12.23.02)
Multicolor Photochromism: Chameleonic thin films
(from Nature
Materials)
A new type of multicolor photochromic material has been developed
whose optical properties depend on the color of the light incident
on it. It consists of thin films of titanium oxide embedded with
silver nanoparticles. (12.23.02)
Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Getting MRI in shape
(from Physical
Review Focus)
A new analysis technique for magnetic resonance imaging scans
could squeeze mesoscopic scale details such as micron size pores
in minerals. Currently NMR relaxation rates are used to obtain
MRI images. A new way of analyzing relaxation rates in the case
where small objects are suspended in solution could enhance resolution
of MRI scans by a factor of 100. (12.23.02)
Top Physics Stories
of 2002 (from AIP
Physics News Update)
(12.23.02)
MEMS Sensors: Bend it like a cantilever (from ChemWeb)
A MEMS hydrogen sensor is reported. It conists of palladium-nickel
coatings on cantilever beams which bend in the presence of hydrogen.
(12.18.02)
Tissue Engineering: Synthetic Skin
(from IEEE
Spectrum)
Recent advances in the development of synthetic skin using state-of-the-art
tissue engineering techniques are reported. (12.18.02)
Diamondoids: Nanodiamonds in oil
(from Nature
Materials)
Scientists have isolated diamondoids or various hydrocarbon molecules
that are nanoscale fragments of diamond from petroleum. These
diamondoids could be used as building blocks of nanotechnological
devices or new drugs. (12.18.02)
Acoustic Microscopy: Acoustic microscopy
(from AIP
Physics News Update)
Significant advances in acoustic microscopy are reported. The
technique is particularly useful for imaging live biological
tissue. (12.18.02)
Multifunctional Composites: Minimalist's tug-of-war (from Physical
Review Focus)
"Topology optimization" was used in computer simulation
to calculate the microstructure of a composite that simultaneously
conducts both heat and electricity. The resulting boundary turns
out to be a bicontinuous, triply-periodic, minimal surface. (12.18.02)
2002 MRS Fall
Meeting News (from
Nature)
Electronic Textiles:
E-fabrics
still too stiff to wear (from
Wired News)
A report on the electrotextiles and flexible circuits symposium
from the 2002 MRS Fall Meeting. While electronic textiles hold
enormous potential, they need to be more textiles and less circuits.
They are still very brittle. This was the overarching theme at
this MRS symposium. (12.10.02)
Transistors:
New nano
capacity (from Physical Review Focus)
Researchers have used an electron Y-branch switch (YBS), in which
a single stem splits into two branches, to construct a Y-shaped
nano electronic circuit that boosts signals spontaneously. Earlier
work has suggested that at the sizes where an electron's wave
nature becomes important, YBSs would show a "quantum capacitance",
which should allow a small YBS to produce gain with a relatively
small gate voltage. This could lead to circuits of atomic proportions.
(11.25.02)
Superconductivity: Plutonium based Superconductivity (from Nature Materials)
A plutonium-based intermetallic alloy PuCoGa5 has
been discovered to be superconducting with a transition temperature
(T c) of 18.5 K, which is unusually high for an intermetallic
compound. Also, it has a critical current in excess of 104
A cm-2, which is of the same order as the best commercially available
superconductors. (11.25.02)
Titanium: Kept under glass
(from Nature
Materials)
Titanium is used in a large number of applications but it is
difficult to work with since it oxidizes rapidly at high temperatures
(a few hundred degrees C). A glass-ceramic coating has now been
developed that protects a titanium alloy against oxidation during
heat treatment even at around 900 degrees C. (11.25.02)
Nanotechnology: Nanoxerography Creating nanoscale photocopies
(from Nature Materials)
Using a process similar to xerography in print, researchers have
been able to deposit nanoparticles in lines just 800 nm wide
by using electrostatic forces to control where the particles
sit. The process could be used to create nanostructures and the
entire pattern can be deposited in one simple step from either
a dry powder, a liquid suspension, or a gas-phase suspension
of particles. (11.25.02)
Polymers: Fluorescent polymer colloids (from ChemWeb)
200-600 nm fluorescent colloidal polymer spheres of poly methyl
methacrylate have been synthesized, which behave as classical
hard spheres in non-aqueous solvents. These polymer colloids
provide an ideal model system for the study of colloidal phenomena
using fluorescent confocal microscopy. (11.20.02)
Integrated Circuits: IBM advance connects layers of tiny wafers (From The New York Times)
A new approach to building 3-dimensional ICs has been reported
by IBM researchers involving stacking of separately created layers
of the circuit. (11.20.02)
Liquid Crystals: Tristable
nematic liquid crystal device
(from Nature
Materials)
A tristable liquid crystal display device one that can
be switched between three stable states has been developed.
This could drastically reduce the power consumption required
for high-information-content displays. (11.18.02)
Ferromagnetic
Carbon: Extraterrestrial ferromagnetic
carbon (from Nature Materials)
Several recent studies indicate that various forms of carbon
including graphite and fullerenes may be weakly ferromagnetic.
A new study of ferromagnetism measurements on fragments from
a meteorite adds to this body of evidence. The authors suggest
that the observed ferromagnetism may be due to a magnetic proximity
effect induced at the interface with other strongly ferromagnetic
inclusions such as magnetite or kamacite. (11.18.02)
Spider Silk: Exploiting spiders' silk (PDF) (from Materials Today)
Spider silk has extraordinary properties - it is simultaneously
strong, fine and tough. Several researchers have been studying
its structure-property relationships and are attempting to mass-produce
a similarly strong fiber for various applications. (11.18.02)
Transistors: Triple gate, double play (from IEEE Spectrum)
Within the next several years, three-dimensional multigate transistor
structures will likely replace the current planar single-gate
structures. The new transistors will be smaller, faster and more
tightly packed on integrated circuits. (11.14.02)
Metamaterials:
Light given
new direction (from Physical Review Focus)
Metamaterials were created using sheets of copper punched with
a lattice of 5 mm square holes embedded in foam. A microwave-producing
cable was wedged between two of the copper grids. The material
was found to focus the microwaves into a narrow cone of about
10 degrees. Similar systems could be used for focusing other
electromagnetic waves. (11.14.02)
Biofuel cells: Chemists build body fluid battery (from Nature)
A miniature battery has been developed that runs on the energy
produced when glucose reacts with oxygen during normal metabolism.
Each battery consists of two carbon fibers 2 cm long and 7 micrometers
wide, each coated with a catalyst, and produces about 1.9 microwatts
of energy. These could one day be used to power human electronic
implants. (11.14.02)
Nanowires: Nanowires
within nanowires (from PhysicsWeb)
"Core shell" and "multi-shell" nanowire structures
can now be created using a CVD technique developed by Harvard
Researchers. This allows a semiconducting wire, for example,
to be enclosed in an insulating shell. (11.11.02)
Amorphous Ice: Extra-dense glassy ice
(from AIP
Physics News Update)
The structure of very high density amorphous ice (which has a
density of 1.25 g/cm3) has been worked out using neutron beams.
(11.11.02)
Carbon: Negatively curved spongy carbon (from Nature Materials)
A new form of macroporous nanostructured "spongy carbon"
has been synthesized with a fully connected, negatively curved,
three dimensional structure. (11.7.02)
Nonlinear optics: Lithium Niobate (from
Nature
Materials)
Sometimes dubbed the "silicon of nonlinear optics,"
lithium niobate is currently the most important material in nonlinear
optics and photonics. (11.7.02)
Carbon Nanotubes: Novel clay-carbon composites (from ChemWeb)
Clay-carbon nanotubes composites have been synthesized by catalytic
decomposition of acetylene over iron-catalyst centers. (11.4.02)
Fullerenes:
Buckyballs
redux (from ChemWeb)
Researchers continue to search for new applications for fullerenes,
intercalation for example. (10.31.02)
Biomineralization: Tooth and nail (from
AIP
Physics News Update)
An inorganic barium fluoride (BaF2) lattice has been directly
grown beneath a two-dimensional crystalline array of organic
molecules. The two lattices were found to become commensurate.
(10.31.02)
Nanotechnology: DNA combed into nanochannels (from Nature Materials)
Lithographic techniques is used to create a 'gradient nanostructure'.
By using nanofluidic techniques, this structure can be used to
stretch and isolate DNA molecules for analysis. (10.29.02)
Nanoscience: Nanoparticles save paper (from Nature)
A sprinkling of calcium hydroxide nanoparticles have been used
to preserve old manuscripts, some fromt he fourteenth century.
The nanoparticles neutralize any acids in the paper without altering
its appearance. (10.29.02)
Ferroelectromagnets: Union of domains (from
Nature
Materials)
Ferroelectromagnets exhibit both ferroelectricity and ferromagnetism.
A new study reports the first spatial mapping of ferromagnetic
and ferroelectric domains in a YMnO3 ferroelectromagnet using
a nonlinear optical imaging technique based on second-harmonic
light generation. (10.29.02)
Transistors: The amazing vanishing transistor act (from IEEE Spectrum)
The dimensions of transistors are shrinking fast. Significant
changes are expected for transistors over the next 10 years including
strained silicon, high-k dielectrics and metal gates. (10.24.02)
Nanotechnology: Opinion: Big opportunities for small objects -
Mildred Dresselhaus (PDF)
(from Materials
Today)
Midred Dresselhaus (MIT) discusses nanotechnology. (10.24.02)
Failure Analysis: Why aircraft fail (PDF)
(from Materials
Today)
A review of common materials failures of aircraft structures
including case studies and examples. (10.24.02)
Nanotechnology: The
simple pump (from Physical Review Focus)
A nanoscale ion pump has been created by punching a hole in a
plastic foil using high energy gold atoms, and applying an oscillating
electric field. It was found to pump potassium ions in a potassium
chloride solution. Similar mechanisms are likely used in biological
systems. (10.24.02)
Holography: Neutron holography
(from AIP
Physics News Update)
[Graphic]
Neutron holography with atomic-scale resolution has been performed
for the first time. Neutrons are scattered only from nuclei of
atoms. An atomic -scale sample of lead atoms embedded with neutron
absorbing cadmium-113 atoms was used to obtain a clear picture
of a lead unit cell with 12 atoms. (10.21.02)
Microwave Technology: Microwaves drill ceramics (from Nature)
Intense microwave radiation has been used to drill holes in materials
including ceramics, concrete and rock. A microwave drill is silent,
does not create dust. and can create holes between 1 mm and 1
cm in diameter. It is also significantly less expensive than
using lasers. (10.21.02)
Supramolecular
Systems: Extended chemistry (from ChemWeb)
A molecular "extension cable" has been developed that
emulates the macroscopic behavior of an electrical extension
cable. This might make it possible to create molecular components
for future nano-electronic devices. (10.15.02)
Acoustic Emission: Physicists tell ripping yarns (from Nature)
Study on acoustic emission from paper fracture reveals that a
paper rip is not as catastrophic as fracture, and is more complex
than crack propagation. (10.15.02)
Soil Structure:
Dirt radar (from Physical Review Focus)
The fractal scattering of microwaves from soil have been used
to capture distribution of solid particles and pores, suggesting
a simple technique for measuring soil properties. (10.15.02)
Nanotubes: Nanotubes
hang tough (from Nature)
Nanotubes-polymer composite created which is six times stronger
than conventional carbon-fiber composites, The material approaches
the strength of silicon carbide and tantalum carbide. (10.14.02)
Superconductivity: Pressed to superconduct (from Nature Materials)
Observation of superconductivity in lithium compressed to pressures
in excess of 30 GPa is reported, with a transition temperature
of 20 K. This is the highest among all elements. (10.14.02)
Data Storage: Magnetic islands boost memory (from Nature)
IBM researchers create patterned perpendicular magnetic film
made of a magnetic alloy of cobalt, chromium and platinum. A
focused ion beam was used to create rows of magnetic islands,
with a storage density of 206 gigabytes per square inch. (10.11.02)
Superconductivity: Compressed superconductivity (from ChemWeb)
Scientists have shown the existence of a superconducting transition
in lithium at pressures greater than 30 GPa. (10.11.02)
nsulators: The unbearable lightness of conducting (from InSight)
Researchers are able to transform the optically transparent but
electrically insulating calcium-aluminum oxide known as C12A7
into a conductor. They heated it to 1300 C in a hydrogen atmosphere.
Shining ultraviolet light on the annealed material then changed
it into a fairly good conductor. They were also able to reconvert
it back to an insulator by heating it to 320 C. (10.11.02)
2002 Nobel Prizes
Physics
Raymond Davis Jr.
USA
Masatoshi Koshiba
Japan
"for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, in particular
for the detection of cosmic neutrinos"
Riccardo Giacconi
USA
"for pioneering contributions to astrophysics, which have
led to the discovery of cosmic X-ray sources"
Chemistry
John B. Fenn
USA
Koichi Tanaka
Japan
"for the development of methods for identification and structure
analyses of biological macromolecules"
"for their development of soft desorption ionisation methods
for mass spectrometric analyses of biological macromolecules"
Kurt Wüthrich
Switzerland
"for his development of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy
for determining the three-dimensional structure of biological
macromolecules in solution"
Physiology/Medicine
Sydney Brenner
United Kingdom
H. Robert Horvitz
USA
John E. Sulston
United Kingdom
"for their discoveries concerning genetic regulation of
organ development and programmed cell death"
(10.9.02)
Crystal Nucleation: Crafting crystals with a light touch (from Physical Review Focus)
A brief flash of polarized light forced comingling chemical atoms
to nucleate one crystal structure over another. This could pave
the way to force nucleation of a specific crystal structure by
carefully applied polarized light. (10.8.02)
Chemical Bonds: New bond movie
(from Nature)
For the first time, researchers have been able to view a single
covalent bond forming and breaking repeatedly. (10.8.02)
Nanotechnology: Bugs trained to build circuit (from Nature)
Japanese resarchers train a bacterium to exude cellulose on a
grooved film. This could be a method to repair wounds or to build
microscopic electrical circuits. (10.8.02)
Semiconductor
Lasers: The semiconductor laser
is 40 years old (from AIP
Physics News Update)
The now ubiquitous semiconductor laser was invented 40 years
ago in much humbler settings. (10.4.02)
Nanochemistry: Cancer
treatment at the nanoclinic (from
Nature
Materials)
Composite multifunctional nanoparticles are able to find their
way into cancer cells and then punch holes in their membranes
when activated by a magnetic field. They are dubbed as "nanoclinics"
and can be considered to be a nanoscale device for biomedicine.
(10.4.02)
Shape-Memory
Alloys: Shape-Memory alloys (from Nature Materials)
An overview of shape-memory alloys.
See also: MRS
Bulletin February 2002 Issue
Science and Technology of Shape-Memory Alloys: New Developments
(10.4.02)
Catalysis: Clean fuel from Sunlight? (from InSight)
Carbon enrichment of TiO2 catalyst significantly enhances catalytic
conversion of water to hydrogen gas. (10.1.02)
Atom Lithography: Atom lithography sees the light (from PhysicsWeb)
New modification of atom lithography makes it possible to have
new features and spacing between features smaller than the diffraction
limit of light. (10.1.02)
Microfluidics: Lab shrunk to a chip
(from Nature)
Microfluidics:
Water powers
novel chips (from PhysicsWeb)
Researchers create an integrated microfluidics circuit with the
equivalent of over 3500 transistor-like switches. (10.1.02)
Diamonds: Big diamonds grown faster (from Nature)
Researchers develop a new method using microwave-assisted CVD
to deposit (and grow) single crystal diamond on existing diamonds.
(10.1.02)
Polymer LEDs:
A little
impurity goes a long way
(from Physical
Review Focus)
Small amount of Palladium impurity atoms (left over from the
synthesis catalyst) in conjugated polymers causes electrophosphorescence.
(9.27.02)
Amorphous Materials: Order by design (from
Nature
Materials)
Amorphous materials have intermediate- range order between crystals
and liquids. New study using amorphous zinc chloride networks
now indicates that it may be possible to engineer the intermediate-
range-order in amorphous materials. (9.27.02)
Bell Labs Investigation
Report: Bell Labs releases report
on its investigation on scientific misconduct by J. Hendrik Schön. (9.26.02)
Link to Full Report (PDF)
Link to New York Times Article
Acoustic Memory: Crystal remembers sound
(from Nature)
Lithium Niobate crystal has been discovered to have acoustical
memory, It is able to store sound briefly before emitting it.
(9.25.02)
Lithium Batteries: Phones and laptops to shrink? (from Nature)
A new electrode material for lithium batteries, lithium phospho-olivine,
was found to conduct electricity much better than currently used
materials. This could lead to the development of lithium batteries
with the highest power density yet. (9.25.02)
Water Diffusion: Skating on Palladium
(from ChemWeb)
Researchers have used scanning tunneling microscopy to create
movies of water molecules moving on a palladium surface. The
study shows molecules aggregating into clusters of dimers, trimers,
tetramers, pentamers and hexamers . The size and shape of each
cluster influences its behaviour. (9.25.02)
Single Electron
Processes: Unravelling electron
mysteries (PDF) (from Materials
Today)
It is becoming increasingly important to measure single electron
processes on the atomic scale. A combination of scanning tuneling
microscopy and modeling is now making this a reality, (9.23.02)
Polymers: Mechanical polymers
(from ChemWeb)
A comprehensive comparative study of impact toughening properties
of various rubber-modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) systems
is reported. (9.23.02)
Aerogels: Light but tough
(from ChemWeb)
U.S. researchers have created the world's lightest and strongest
solids in the form of silica aerogels using nanoengineering techniques.
(9.23.02)
Nanoparticles: Nanoparticles hit the target (from Nature Materials)
Metal and semiconductor nanoparticles are coated with peptides
in order to target them at specific tissue types in the body.
(9.19.02)
Antiatoms: 50,000 atoms of antihydrogen made (from Nature)
Antiatoms: Cold Anti-Hydrogen atoms (from
AIP
Physics News Update)
Antiatoms: More Sci- than Fi, Physicists create antimatter
(From The New
York Times)
Physicists create antiatoms, or atoms made of antimatter. More
specifically, antihydrogen atoms were created for detailed study.
(9.19.02)
Gallium Nitride: 1D blue laser (from
Nature
Materials)
First observation of lasing from an optically pumped GaN nanowire.
(9.19.02)
Electroactive
Polymers: Muscle power (from Nature Materials)
New research in electroactive polymers could lead the way to
artificial muscles with properties approaching those of natural
muscles. (9.19.02)
Molecular Electronics: HP announces molecular electronics breakthrough (from PhysicsWeb)
Researchers create the highest density electronically addressable
memory to date. (9.16.02)
Colloidal Transport: Light filtered
(from Physical
Review Focus)
University of Chicago researchers report that colloidal particles
become locked into specific paths when flowing through an array
of optical tweezers. (9.13.02)
Polymer Solar
Cells: Shine on (from ChemWeb)
Polymer solar cells are the opposite of polymeric organic light
emitting diodes. There are numerous research groups working on
developing organic photoelectric devices. (9.13.02)
Nanotubes: Atoms light up very rapidly near nanotubes (from AIP Physics News Update)
Theoretical calculations indicate that fluorescence rate of an
excited atom or molecule near a nanotube should be enhanced by
as much as million which is a much greater effect than for other
geometries studied. This is due to the Purcell effect wherein
certain nanoscale curved surfaces modify the behavior of atoms
in the vicinity by modifying the electromagnetic properties of
the nearby physical vacuum. (9.13.02)
Photonic Crystals: Liquid lasers (from Nature Materials)
Three dimensional lasing is demonstrated for the first time from
a liquid crystal blue phase Photonic crystal (that appears between
a chiral nematic phase and an isotropic liquid phase as the temperature
is raised). The study also shows that lasing is possible even
in materials with small and incomplete bandgaps.
(9.13.02)
Lasers: A DNA laser (from AIP Physics News Update)
DNA complexes could be used as candidates for thin film lasers.
Japanese researchers have observed lasing action from DNA derivative
films doped with light-emitting dye molecules. (9.6.02)
Diamond: Diamond
chips coming (from Nature)
Using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition, Swedish researchers
have created diamond films with high carrier mobilities, approaching
that of silicon. (9.6.02)
Superconductivity: Smooth steps to superconducting devices
(from Nature
Materials)
A new method has been found to create high quality films of magnesium
diboride. This could goa long way in using the superconducting
material in real applications. (9.6.02)
Lithium Niobate: Sound memories (from Nature Materials)
An acoustical memory effect, that is storage and remission of
acoustic energy, has been observed in single-crystals of lithium
niobate. This appears to be related to the acousto-electric properties
of the ferroelectric medium. (9.6.02)
Optical Interconnects: Linking with light (from IEEE Spectrum)
In the near future, copper interconnects in microchips could
be replaced by high speed optical interconnects. (8.29.02)
Adhesion: How Geckos stick on der Waals (from
Insight)
Researchers confirm that tiny hairs on Geckos' feet adhere
to surfaces via Van der Waals forces. This could be used in various
applications requiring adhesion to a variety of surfaces. (8.29.02)
Thin Films: APCVD of tin phosphide (from ChemWeb)
Atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition of tin phosphide
thin films on glass substrates has been achieved by British scientists,
as reported in the journal Polyhedron. (8.27.02)
Nanomaterials: Hot dots mark the spot (from Nature Materials)
French researchers have developed a new molecular labelling
technique using metal nanoparticles, by using a laser to warm
the nanoparticles and then using a light interference technique
to measure this warm-up. (8.27.02)
Hassium (Element
108): A handful of
Hassium (from Nature
Materials)
Hassium (Element 108): A very brief encounter
(from Nature)
Hassium (Hs, element 108), was first synthesized in 1984.
Researchers have now measured chemical properties of Hassium
using just 7 atoms. The properties appear to be very similar
to Osmium, its group 8 homologue in the periodic table. (8.27.02)
Nanostructured
Materials: A chip
off the nanoblock (from ChemWeb)
Purdue University researchers discover that chips created
during machining of metals contain nanocrystalline structures,
with crystal sizes between 100 and 800 nanometers. This is due
to the large strains introduced into the material during the
machining process. This could be a method for producing nanocrystalline
metallic materials very inexpensively. (8.23.02)
Microphotonics (pdf): Manipulation with molecules (From
Materials
Today)
Review of recent work on photonic molecular structures, which
are mesoscopic heirarchical structures constructed from monomer
units with dimensions typically of1-5 microns. (8.23.02)
Polymers: Superoxides for super contacts (from
ChemWeb)
Monomolecular layers of organo-selenium could be used to covalently
coat silicone contact lenses. This significantly retards bacterial
biofilm formation due to the generation of superoxide and other
reactive oxygen species, and could allow users to wear contact
lenses for up to two months continuously. (8.23.02)
Solar Energy: Solar surgery hots up (from Nature)
Scientists concentrate sunlight and route it into a fiber-optic
cable. This concentrated beam could be used as an alternative
to lasers. (8.19.02)
Lithium Batteries: Rubbery batteries (from Nature Materials)
Researchers use organic-inorganic hybrid materials for solid
polymer electrolytes for the next generation of rechargeable
batteries. (8.19.02)
Biomaterials: Building up some artificial muscle (from Nature)
Japanese researchers use components of real muscles in the
form of gels to create artificial muscle tissue. (8.19.02)
Electroluminescence: Nanometer-scale light source is first
to show single-molecule electroluminescence (from ScienceDaily)
Researchers have created what might be the smallest electroluminescent
light source using photon emissions from individual molecules
of silver. (8.14.02)
Bose-Einstein Condensates: Mesoscopic molecular ions in Bose-Einstein
condensates (from Physical
Review Focus)
Normal ions dropped into a Bose-Einstein condensate could
seed the formation of "molecular ions" or micron-wide
charged shells of atoms. (8.14.02)
Spintronics: Fresh spin on DNA electronics (from
Nature
Materials)
Theoretical study suggests that molecular wires made from
DNA molecules could be used in spintronic devices. (8.14.02)
Magnesium Diboride: Overview of the newest superconducting
material (from Nature
Materials)
MgB2 has become the focus of intense research over
the past couple of years. (8.13.02)
Light-Emitting Silicon: Gap design (from Nature Materials)
Quantum confinement effect is the dominant approach in the
quest for light-emitting silicon. Calculations now suggest new
design principles for light-emitting silicon and for providing
the microscopic origin for the observed strong luminescence and
band gap increase in the SiO(001) multilayer superlattices. (8.13.02)
X-Ray Microscopy:
High Resolution 3D X-Ray Diffraction Microscopy (from Physical Review Focus)
Researchers use high energy x-rays, a computer algorithm and
"oversampling" of the diffraction pattern to visualize
nanometer-sized etched patterns stacked one on top of the other.
(8.7.02)
Hexatic Phase: Halfway home for thin films (from Physical Review Focus)
Simulations and experiments using spherical carbon tetrachloride
(CCl4) molecules confined in pores of carbon fibers have yielded
evidence for the existence of the "hexatic" phase,
an intermediate ordered phase with hybrid solid-liquid properties.
(8.7.02)
- Amorphous Silicon: Overview (from Nature Materials)
- Amorphous silicon is an important
material with significant technological applications and fluorishing
research. (8.7.02)
Acoustic Levitation: Sound waves hold heavy metal aloft
(from inScight)
Scientists were able to use ultrasonic waves to float gram
sized chunks of the heaviest metals and liquids, including mercury
and iridium, using a single emitter. (8.7.02)
Polymers: Medical applications of Polycarbonate
(from Medical
Plastics and Biomaterials)
The various biomedical applications of polycarbonate are discussed.
(8.1.02)
Zeolites+Metal Ions: Close-up of atomic cave-dwellers (from Physical Review Focus)
Atomic pair distribution function (PDF) analysis was used
to study cesium-laced ITQ-4, a zeolite. The investigation showed
that cesium atoms form zigzag chains of positively charged ions
within the zeolite. This material is the first room-temperature
stable "electride". (8.1.02)
Nanowires: Insulation for molecular wires (from
ChemWeb)
sp carbon double helixes surround sp carbon chains to create
a class of molecules that are accessible by self-assembly and
that could form insulated molecular-scale devices. (8.1.02)
Nanostructures: Genetic glue for nanostructures (from
Nature
Materials)
Researchers show that complex nanoscale structures and mesoscale
structures can be glued together using DNA, such as polyhedral
structures of submicron polystyrene beads. These might be used
as building blocks for photonic crystals. (8.1.02)
Zeolites: Zeolites branch out (from Nature Materials)
Wood was used as a template for creating zeolites to duplicate
the complex pore structures found in different kinds of wood.
(8.1.02)
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