Researchers study the transition from bound states in the continuum (BICs) to quasi-BIC caused by out-of-plane asymmetry and illustrate how quality factors of BIC resonances are valuable tools for precise chip patterning accuracy.
Category: nanotechnology – Page 8
Electron-phonon ‘surfing’ could help stabilize quantum hardware, nanowire tests suggest
That low-frequency fuzz that can bedevil cellphone calls has to do with how electrons move through and interact in materials at the smallest scale. The electronic flicker noise is often caused by interruptions in the flow of electrons by various scattering processes in the metals that conduct them.
The same sort of noise hampers the detecting powers of advanced sensors. It also creates hurdles for the development of quantum computers—devices expected to yield unbreakable cybersecurity, process large-scale calculations and simulate nature in ways that are currently impossible.
A much quieter, brighter future may be on the way for these technologies, thanks to a new study led by UCLA. The research team demonstrated prototype devices that, above a certain voltage, conducted electricity with lower noise than the normal flow of electrons.
Platinum nanostructure sensor can differentiate mirror-image volatile scent compounds
Terpenes are volatile organic compounds that are responsible for, among other things, the typical scents of plants, resins or citrus fruits. These compounds occur naturally in the environment and influence chemical processes in the atmosphere. At high concentrations, they can irritate the respiratory tract and contribute to the formation of harmful derivatives. Many terpenes exist in two mirror-image forms, known as enantiomers, which can differ significantly in terms of their effects and how they are perceived—but which are difficult to distinguish between using technical means.
Now, researchers from the Department of Chemistry at the University of Basel have presented a new approach that allows these mirror-image forms of the molecules to be detected specifically.
“Our work focused on a specially developed platinum-based molecule that works as a sensor,” explains Dr. Annika Huber, first author of the study and a former doctoral student at the Swiss Nanoscience Institute’s Ph.D. School. “This sensor molecule has a fixed, three-dimensional shape and aggregates with a large number of identical molecules to form tiny stack-like nanostructures that react differently to the two mirror-image forms of the terpenes.”
Niobium’s superconducting switch cuts near-field radiative heat transfer 20-fold
When cooled to its superconducting state, niobium blocks the radiative flow of heat 20 times better than when in its metallic state, according to a study led by a University of Michigan Engineering team. The experiment marks the first use of superconductivity—a quantum property characterized by zero electrical resistance—to control thermal radiation at the nanoscale.
Leveraging this effect, the researchers also experimentally demonstrated a cryogenic thermal diode that rectifies the flow of heat (i.e., the heat flow exhibits a directional preference) by as much as 70%.
“This work is exciting because it experimentally shows, for the very first time, how nanoscale heat transfer can be tuned by superconductors with potential applications for quantum computing,” said Pramod Sangi Reddy, a professor of mechanical engineering and materials science and engineering at U-M and co-corresponding author of the study published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Engineering immunotherapy from within
In Science last year, researchers presented a method to safely and preferentially generate CAR T cells directly inside the body using targeted lipid nanoparticles that deliver mRNA directly to T cells.
The approach showed rapid and sustained immune reprogramming in preclinical models, highlighting its promise for treating cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Learn more on WorldCancerDay.
Lipid nanoparticles are designed to generate therapeutic T cells inside living animal models.
Vivek Peche and Stephen Gottschalk Authors Info & Affiliations
Science
Two-step approach creates more sustainable protein nanostructures for advanced sensing and therapeutics
Gas vesicles are among the largest known protein nanostructures produced and assembled inside microbial cells. These hollow, air-filled cylindrical nanostructures found in certain aquatic microbes have drawn increasing interest from scientists due to their potential for practical applications, including as part of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools. However, producing gas vesicles is a difficult task for cells in the lab, hindering the development of applications.
In a study recently published in Nature Communications, a team of researchers led by Rice University bioengineer George Lu reports the development of a new genetic regulatory system to improve cell viability during the production of gas vesicles.
“In the past few years, studies have shown that gas vesicles’ ability to reflect sound makes them useful as unique and versatile acoustic reporter systems for biomedical research and clinical applications,” said Lu, an assistant professor in the Department of Bioengineering at Rice’s George R. Brown School of Engineering and Computing.
Affinity-guided labeling reveals P2X7 nanoscale membrane redistribution during BV2 microglial activation
A new chemical labelling tool lets researchers watch the inflammatory receptor P2X7 reorganise and cluster on immune cells at the nanoscale, revealing how inflammatory signals reshape receptor behaviour in real time.
An affinity-guided chemical strategy enabling highly specific biotinylation of P2X7 receptors reveals, by super-resolution microscopy, how the nanoscale organization of endogenous P2X7 in BV2 microglial cells dynamically changes upon activation.
MXene nanoscrolls could improve energy storage, biosensors and more
Researchers from Drexel University who discovered a versatile type of two-dimensional conductive nanomaterial called MXene nearly a decade and a half ago, have now reported on a process for producing its one-dimensional cousin: the MXene nanoscroll. The group posits that these materials, which are 100 times thinner than human hair yet more conductive than their two-dimensional counterparts, could be used to improve the performance of energy storage devices, biosensors and wearable technology.
Their finding, published in the journal Advanced Materials, offers a scalable method for producing the nanoscrolls from a MXene precursor with precise control over their shape and chemical structures.
“Two-dimensional morphology is very important in many applications. However, there are applications where 1D morphology is superior,” said Yury Gogotsi, Ph.D., Distinguished University and Bach professor in Drexel’s College of Engineering, who was a corresponding author of the paper.