"Harnessing Materials for Energy," focuses on the most important materials research challenges that need to be addressed to move toward secure, affordable, and environmentally sustainable energy to meet the world's accelerating energy needs. The issue fol
How light travels through a material is measured by the index of refraction, a fundamental optical constant long thought to be an intrinsic materials property. However, research has shown that features manipulated through nanofabrication techniques can le
A study in the January Physical Review E suggests that a sleep-wake cycle, allowing the brain to focus on one task at a time, may be the most efficient way to operate. The researcher shows mathematically that processing a continuously changing resource--s
A new manufacturing process could mean improved efficiency for solar cells. The technique, which is being pioneered by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, results in "hairy" solar cells.
Sandia researcher Rich Diver checks out the solar furnace which will be the initial source of concentrated solar heat for converting carbon dioxide to fuel. Eventually parabolic dishes will provide the thermal energy.
Photo: Randy Montoya / Sandia Nati
European researchers have measured the electrical conductance between a single pair of precisely oriented C60 molecules.
For the ultimate in miniaturization, researchers want to learn all they can about using molecules in electronic circuits. They have measured currents between molecules but not with a precise understanding of the configuration and positions of the molecular electrons.