Digitizing books published before 1700 has created an aesthetic as well as quite pragmatic “black-dot problem” in translated texts, with the word “love,” for example, showing up as “lo•e.” Taking the digital savvy of today’s age one step farther, Northwestern University engineering students in the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have come to […]
A New Slant On Semiconductor Characterization
From laptops and televisions to smartphones and tablets, semiconductors have made advanced electronics possible. These types of devices are so pervasive, in fact, that Northwestern Engineering’s Matthew Grayson says we are living in the “Semiconductor Age.” “You have all these great applications like computer chips, lasers, and camera imagers,” said Grayson, associate professor of electrical […]
A New Way to Image Surfaces on the Nanoscale
A multi-institutional team of scientists has taken an important step in understanding where atoms are located on the surfaces of rough materials, information that could be very useful in diverse commercial applications, such as developing green energy and understanding how materials rust. Researchers from Northwestern University, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the […]
Nature Inspires First Artificial Molecular Pump
Using nature for inspiration, a team of Northwestern University scientists is the first to develop an entirely artificial molecular pump, in which molecules pump other molecules. This tiny machine is no small feat. The pump one day might be used to power other molecular machines, such as artificial muscles. The new machine mimics the pumping […]
Silver Nanowires Demonstrate Unexpected Self-Healing Mechanism
With its high electrical conductivity and optical transparency, indium tin oxide is one of the most widely used materials for touchscreens, plasma displays, and flexible electronics. But its rapidly escalating price has forced the electronics industry to search for other alternatives. One potential and more cost-effective alternative is a film made with silver nanowires – […]
Blu-Ray Disc Can Be Used to Improve Solar Cells
Who knew Blu-ray discs were so useful? Already one of the best ways to store high-definition movies and television shows because of their high-density data storage, Blu-ray discs also improve the performance of solar cells – suggesting a second use for unwanted discs – according to new research from Northwestern University. An interdisciplinary research team […]
‘Skin-Like’ Device Monitors Cardiovascular & Skin Health
A new wearable medical device can quickly alert a person if they are having cardiovascular trouble or if it’s simply time to put on some skin moisturizer, reports a Northwestern University and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign study. The small device, approximately five centimeters square, can be placed directly on the skin and worn 24/7 […]
Demonstrating continuous terahertz sources at room temperature
Imagine a technology that could allow us to see through opaque surfaces without exposure to harmful x-rays, that could give us the ability to detect harmful chemicals and bio-agents from a safe distance, and that could enable us to peer so deeply into space that scientists could better understand the formation of the universe. All […]
Taking the Lead Out of a Promising Solar Cell
Environmentally friendly solar cell pushes forward the ‘next big thing in photovoltaics’ Northwestern University researchers are the first to develop a new solar cell with good efficiency that uses tin instead of lead perovskite as the harvester of light. The low-cost, environmentally friendly solar cell can be made easily using “bench” chemistry — no fancy […]
Surprising Material Could Play Role in Saving Energy
One strategy for addressing the world’s energy crisis is to stop wasting so much energy when producing and using it, which can happen in coal-fired power plants or transportation. Nearly two-thirds of energy input is lost as waste heat. Now Northwestern University scientists have discovered a surprising material that is the best in the world […]