Copper is the metal that is at the heart of the electronics, semiconductor and electro-optics industry. But oxidation and unwanted corrosion on its surface can limit the lifespan and increase the electrical resistance of Cu. Now, a team of researchers led by Prof. Se-Young Jeong from Pusan National University have developed a way to fabricate oxidation-resistant thin films of copper.
When you stretch a material, it normally becomes thinner. Take the case of a rubber elastic band. Most materials behave like this. Yet, a small number of materials can become thicker when they are stretched.
The National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) has succeeded in developing a new approach to the design of thermoelectric materials by constructing a database of electronic structure parameters correlated with materials’ thermoelectric conversion properties and by a comprehensive analysis of the database.
European scientists say they have made a major breakthrough in their quest to develop practical nuclear fusion—the energy process that powers the stars. As a bonus to the environment, it is carbon free. Courtesy of BBC News.
Lasers are often used to look at objects in microscopes. But even the best laser has “quantum noise” that makes a picture blurry and hides the details. This in turn results in measurements that are less precise than scientists need.
