Scientists enhance quantum sensing for chemical detection with nanodiamonds in microdroplets.
A new study has integrated nanodiamonds with microfluidic channels to demonstrate quantum sensing for chemical detection.
Category: nanotechnology
Researchers from the Department of Physics have managed to experimentally develop a new magnetic state: a magneto-ionic vortex or “vortion.” The research, published in Nature Communications, allows for an unprecedented level of control of magnetic properties at the nanoscale and at room temperature, and opens new horizons for the development of advanced magnetic devices.
The use of Big Data has multiplied the energy demand in information technologies. Generally, to store information, systems utilize electric currents to write data, which dissipates power by heating the devices. Controlling magnetic memories with voltage, instead of electric currents, can minimize this energy expenditure.
One way to achieve this is by using magneto-ionic materials, which allow for the manipulation of their magnetic properties by adding or removing ions through changes in the polarity of the applied voltage. So far, most studies in this area have focused on continuous films, rather than on controlling properties at the nanometric scale in discrete “bits,” essential for high-density data storage.
A phone screen you can’t scratch no matter how many times you drop it; glasses that prevent glare; a windshield that doesn’t get dusty. These are all possibilities thanks to a new way to produce sapphire.
Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have discovered techniques to bestow superpowers upon sapphire, a material that most of us think of as just a pretty jewel. But sapphire is seen as a critical material across many different areas, from defense to consumer electronics to next-generation windows, because it’s nearly impossible to scratch.
“Sapphire is such a high-value material because of its hardness and many other favorable properties,” said Chih-Hao Chang, associate professor in the Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering and leader of the new research. “But the same properties that make it attractive also make it difficult to manufacture at small scales.”
A small international team of nanotechnologists, engineers and physicists has developed a way to force laser light into becoming a supersolid. Their paper is published in the journal Nature. The editors at Nature have published a Research Briefing in the same issue summarizing the work.
Supersolids are entities that exist only in the quantum world, and, up until now, they have all been made using atoms. Prior research has shown that they have zero viscosity and are formed in crystal-like structures similar to the way atoms are arranged in salt crystals.
Because of their nature, supersolids have been created in extremely cold environments where the quantum effects can be seen. Notably, one of the team members on this new effort was part of the team that demonstrated more than a decade ago that light could become a fluid under the right set of circumstances.
Researchers across 14 medical centers in China, including Peking University People’s Hospital, have found that an investigational drug, berberine ursodeoxycholate (HTD1801), significantly lowered blood sugar levels and improved metabolic and liver health in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The findings and an invited commentary, both published in JAMA Network Open, suggest that HTD1801 could serve as a new oral treatment option for T2D and its related complications.
Researchers develop nanoscale 3D printing method to create biodegradable vaccine carriers with controlled release.
Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) have developed an innovative tool that enhances surgeons’ ability to detect and remove cancer cells during cryosurgery, a procedure that uses extreme cold to destroy tumors. This breakthrough technology involves a specialized nanoscale material that illuminates cancer cells under freezing conditions, making them easier to distinguish from healthy tissue and improving surgical precision.
Detailed in the study “Freezing-Activated Covalent Organic Frameworks for Precise Fluorescence Cryo-Imaging of Cancer Tissue” in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, the Trabolsi research group at NYUAD designed a unique nanoscale covalent organic framework (nTG-DFP-COF) that responds to extreme cold by increasing its fluorescence. This makes it possible to clearly differentiate between cancerous and healthy tissues during surgery.
The material, prepared by Gobinda Das, Ph.D., a researcher in the Trabolsi Research Group at NYUAD, is engineered to be biocompatible and low in toxicity, ensuring it interacts safely within the body. Importantly, it maintains its fluorescent properties even in the presence of ice crystals inside cells, allowing real-time monitoring during cryosurgery.
This method enables applications in photonics, electronics, and advanced materials for energy and environmental use.
This technique will control functional nanoparticle assembly into uniform monolayers over large surfaces.
Employing nanoparticle components is often challenging despite its versatility, especially when fabricating a device. Therefore, scientists presented an electrostatic assembly as a potential solution, where nanoparticles attach to oppositely charged surfaces.
However, this process can take a lot of work, and thus, the South Korean scientists devised the “mussel-inspired” one-shot nanoparticle assembly technique that transports materials from water in microscopic volumes to two-inch wafers in 10 seconds.
The researchers indicate that several challenges remain. The current system operates at cryogenic temperatures, which limits practical applications. While photons themselves can function at room temperature, the quantum dot requires cooling to maintain stability. Researchers are exploring alternative materials and designs that could allow operation at higher temperatures.
Additionally, the experiment used a single quantum dot, which is not easily scalable to large numbers of qubits needed for universal quantum computing. Future work will need to integrate multiple quantum dots or alternative photon sources that can be mass-produced with high consistency.
Another limitation is the reliance on superconducting detectors with an efficiency of 79%. If detection efficiency is improved beyond 93.7%, the overall system efficiency could surpass the required threshold even further. Advancements in superconducting nanowire technology suggest this is feasible in the near future.