Lifeboat Foundation: Safeguarding Humanity
Toggle light / dark theme

Blog

Category: electronics

Watch: HydroGNSS, IRIDE and Greek mission satellites launch

The European Space Agency’s HydroGNSS, a twin-satellite mission to gather data on Earth’s water cycle, is scheduled to launch on 19 November at 19:18 CET (10:18 Pacific Time). Live coverage of the launch will be shown on ESA Web TV.

The live coverage will start at 19:01 CET (10:01 Pacific Time). Launch is from the Vandenberg Space Force Base with SpaceX on Falcon 9.

Please note: launch times are subject to change at short notice. This page will be updated as soon as information becomes available, so please check back or bookmark the article.

Dual-mode design boosts MEMS accelerometer accuracy, study reveals

A research team led by Prof. Zou Xudong from the Aerospace Information Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (AIRCAS) has proposed a new solution to address two longstanding challenges in Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) resonant accelerometers: temperature drift and measurement dead zones.

By implementing a dual-mode operating scheme that effectively decouples the operating frequencies of the device’s differential beams, the team has achieved improvements in the sensor’s accuracy and performance. Their findings were recently published in Microsystems & Nanoengineering.

The study revealed that driving one in its first resonant mode while operating the other in its second resonant mode can enhance temperature compensation and mitigate the modal localization effect that typically causes measurement dead zones. The dual-mode design also preserves the geometrical symmetry of the beams, which is critical for minimizing temperature-induced errors and maintaining stable sensor performance.

Scientists to Use Earth Itself as a Giant Sensor in Hunt for New Physics

Far above Earth, scientists are using quantum sensors to listen for the faintest whispers of unseen forces that may weave through the universe. Scientists are constantly searching for new clues about the hidden forces that may exist beyond the known laws of physics. One promising area of research

Scientists just found a material that beats diamond at its own game

Boron arsenide has dethroned diamond as the best heat conductor, thanks to refined crystal purity and improved synthesis methods. This discovery could transform next-generation electronics by combining record-breaking thermal conductivity with strong semiconductor properties.

X-ray techniques map and measure the invisible properties of altermagnets

The new big thing in magnetics is altermagnetism, a form of magnetism that promises to power the next generation of electronics. Unlike ferromagnets, like a fridge magnet, where all internal atomic spins align to create a strong magnetic field, altermagnets have no net magnetic pull (strongly magnetic on the inside, but appears non-magnetic on the outside). This is similar to antiferromagnets where internal spins cancel each other out. However, altermagnets retain powerful internal properties that could let them carry and control information more efficiently than traditional magnets.

Because this magnetism has a zero net pull, it is hard to detect using standard measurement tools. In two new papers, researchers detail how they have developed X-ray techniques to map and measure different aspects of an altermagnet’s internal structure.

New diode chain could be used to develop highpower terahertz technologies

Electromagnetic waves with frequencies between microwave and infrared light, also known as terahertz radiation, are leveraged by many existing technologies, including various imaging tools and wireless communication systems. Despite their widespread use, generating strong and continuous terahertz signals using existing electronics is known to be challenging.

To reliably generate terahertz signals, engineers often rely on frequency multipliers, electronic circuits that can distort an input signal, to generate an output signal with a desired frequency. Some of these circuits are based on Schottky barrier diodes, devices in which the junction between a metal and semiconductor form a one-way electrical contact.

While some frequency multipliers based on Schottky barrier diodes have achieved promising results, devices based on individual diodes can only handle a limited amount of energy. To increase the energy they can manage, engineers can use several diodes arranged in a chain. However, even this approach can have its limitations, as the distribution of the electromagnetic field between the diodes in a chain often becomes uneven.

Peering inside 3D chaotic microcavities with X-ray vision

In the world of optics, tiny structures called microcavities—often no wider than a human hair—play a crucial role in technologies ranging from lasers to sensors.

These microscopic resonators trap light, allowing it to circulate millions of times within their boundaries. When they are perfectly shaped, light inside them moves in smooth, circular paths. But when their symmetry is slightly disturbed, the light begins to behave unpredictably, following chaotic routes that can lead to surprising effects like one-way laser emission or stronger light–matter interactions.

Until now, most research on this has focused on flat, two-dimensional microcavities. These are easier to study because their shape can be seen and measured under a microscope. But truly three-dimensional (3D) microcavities—where deformation occurs in all directions—have remained largely unexplored. Their internal geometry is difficult to capture without cutting or damaging the sample, making it hard to understand how light behaves inside them.

New diode chain could be used to develop high-power terahertz technologies

Electromagnetic waves with frequencies between microwave and infrared light, also known as terahertz radiation, are leveraged by many existing technologies, including various imaging tools and wireless communication systems. Despite their widespread use, generating strong and continuous terahertz signals using existing electronics is known to be challenging.

To reliably generate terahertz signals, engineers often rely on frequency multipliers, that can distort an , to generate an with a desired frequency. Some of these circuits are based on Schottky barrier diodes, devices in which the junction between a metal and semiconductor form a one-way electrical contact.

While some frequency multipliers based on Schottky barrier diodes have achieved promising results, devices based on individual diodes can only handle a limited amount of energy. To increase the energy they can manage, engineers can use several diodes arranged in a chain. However, even this approach can have its limitations, as the distribution of the electromagnetic field between the diodes in a chain often becomes uneven.

Seeking Signatures of Graviton Emission and Absorption

A proposed experiment may deliver evidence for the emission or absorption of gravitons—an advance that might one day enable gravity to be controlled much like electromagnetism is today.

A major milestone in human development was the transition from passively observing electromagnetic phenomena, such as electric discharges and magnetism, to actively manipulating them. This shift led to a plethora of applications—from power plants to modern electronics. The exquisite control of electromagnetic fields and of their interaction with matter has also yielded deep insights into the fundamental laws of nature, allowing us to test modern theories with remarkable precision. Now Ralf Schützhold of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf in Germany argues that a similar turning point may be reached for gravity [1]. His approach for manipulating gravity relies on experiments that can control the emission or absorption of gravitons, the hypothetical elementary particles mediating the gravitational interaction in a quantized theory of gravity.

/* */