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High-precision 3D micro-/nanofabrication technologies such as two-photon polymerization are limited to photocurable polymers. Here, the authors report a “capillary-trapping” strategy to fabricate various 3D micro-scaffolds composed of different nanomaterials.

Single-photon detectors built from superconducting nanowires have become a vital tool for quantum information processing, while their superior speed and sensitivity have made them an appealing option for low-light imaging applications such as space exploration and biophotonics. However, it has proved difficult to build high-resolution cameras from these devices because the cryogenically cooled detectors must be connected to readout electronics operating at room temperature. Now a research team led by Karl Berggren at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has demonstrated a superconducting electronics platform that can process the single-photon signals at ultracold temperatures, providing a scalable pathway for building megapixel imaging arrays [1].

The key problem with designing high-resolution cameras based on these superconducting detectors is that each of the sensors requires a dedicated readout wire to record the single-photon signals, which adds complexity and heat load to the cryogenic system. Researchers have explored various multiplexing techniques to reduce the number of connections to individual detectors, yielding imaging arrays in the kilopixel range, but further scaling will likely require a signal-processing solution that can operate at ultralow temperatures.

Berggren and his collaborators believe that the answer lies in devices called nanocryotrons (nTrons), which are three-terminal structures made from superconducting nanowires, just like the single-photon detectors are. Although nTrons do not deliver the same speed and power of superconducting electronics based on Josephson junctions, the researchers argue that these shortcomings are not a critical problem in photon-sensing applications, where the detectors are similarly limited in speed and power. The nTrons also offer several advantages over Josephson junctions: they operate over a wider range of cryogenic temperatures, they don’t require magnetic shielding, and they exploit the same fabrication process as that used for the detectors, allowing for easy on-chip integration.

Google scientists have modelled a fragment of the human brain at nanoscale resolution, revealing cells with previously undiscovered features.

We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic waves such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals. What if we could turn the unused excess into usable energy? Researchers at Tohoku University, the National University of Singapore, and the University of Messina developed a novel technology to efficiently harvest ambient low-power radiofrequency (RF) signals into direct-current (DC) power. This ‘rectifier’ technology can be easily integrated into energy harvesting modules to power electronic devices and sensors, enabling battery-free operation.

The results were published in Nature Electronics (“Nanoscale spin rectifiers for harvesting ambient radiofrequency energy”).

Schematic illustration of a wireless network with energy-harvesting modules. RF signals that are unused by electronic gadgets and would otherwise go to waste are used to generate usable DC power to drive sensors and devices. (Image: Shunsuke Fukami & Hyunsoo Yang)

Nanoelectronics.

This new feature in Nano TV will present the best of science and technology in a short format, which is easy to understand and also appreciate the beauty of scientific knowledge. Catering to all, these shorts will be informative and educative. Explore science, explore Nanotechnology through our latest series called Nano Shorts.

Continue reading “Nanotechnology in Electronics” »

A new quantum sensor developed by researchers from Korea and Germany can measure magnetic fields at the atomic scale with high precision. This technology uses a single molecule for detection, offering superior resolution and the potential for significant advancements in quantum materials and molecular systems analysis.

In a scientific breakthrough, an international research team from Korea’s IBS Center for Quantum Nanoscience (QNS) and Germany’s Forschungszentrum Jülich developed a quantum sensor capable of detecting minute magnetic fields at the atomic length scale. This pioneering work realizes a long-held dream of scientists: an MRI-like tool for quantum materials.

“You have to be small to see small.” —

ACE, a groundbreaking DNA-powered signal amplification technology, significantly enhances the sensitivity of mass cytometry, providing new insights into various biological and pathological processes.

Since the 1950s, researchers have employed “flow cytometry,” a renowned technique devised by Wallace Coulter, to characterize various types of immune cells in research studies and human blood samples. This method has significantly enhanced our understanding of immune cell development and provided innovative approaches for evaluating human health and diagnosing various blood cancers. Eventually, flow cytometry was extended to analyze other cell types as well.

In traditional flow cytometry, cell surface and intracellular proteins are detected with antibody molecules that are linked to fluorescent probes. However, while providing single-cell sensitivity, this method is limited in detecting multiple proteins by the number of fluorophores that can be clearly distinguished within the entire spectrum of fluorescent light.

A study focused on cesium vanadium antimonide, a Kagome metal, has shown its potential in enhancing nano-optics by generating unique plasmon polaritons. These findings could advance optical communication and sensing technologies.

In traditional Japanese basket-weaving, the ancient “Kagome” design, notable for its symmetrical arrangement of interlaced triangles with shared corners, graces many handcrafted items. Similarly, in quantum physics, scientists use the term “Kagome” to refer to a category of materials whose atomic structures mimic this unique lattice pattern.

Since 2019, when the latest family of Kagome metals was discovered, physicists have been working to better understand their properties and potential applications. A new study led by Florida State University (FSU) Assistant Professor of Physics Guangxin Ni focuses on how a particular Kagome metal interacts with light to generate what are known as plasmon polaritons — nanoscale-level linked waves of electrons and electromagnetic fields in a material, typically caused by light or other electromagnetic waves. The work was published recently in the journal Nature Communications.

Quantum technology is quantifiable in qubits, which are the most basic unit of data in quantum computers. The operation of qubits is affected by the quantum coherence time required to maintain a quantum wave state.