https://techxplore.com/semiconductors-news/ en-us The latest news on electronics and semiconductor technology developments Researchers in the Andrew and Erna Viterbi Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Technion in Israel have demonstrated control over an emerging material, which they consider as a possible future alternative to silicon in microelectronics. This is a timely development, because scientists and engineers face challenges in continuing the transistor shrinking trend, an important driver of computer chip performance. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-lays-groundwork-future-high-performance-alternatives.html Engineering Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:12:05 EDT news608469122 A University of Minnesota Twin Cities team has, for the first time, synthesized a thin film of a unique topological semimetal material that has the potential to generate more computing power and memory storage while using significantly less energy. The researchers were also able to closely study the material, leading to some important findings about the physics behind its unique properties. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-material-key-energy-consumption-electronics.html Engineering Thu, 13 Jul 2023 12:00:01 EDT news608468203 Scientists at the Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), have developed a super flexible, composite semiconductor material that may have applications in next-generation flexible or curved displays, foldable phones and wearable electronics. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-super-flexible-composite-semiconductors-next-gen.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 13 Jul 2023 08:58:27 EDT news608457503 As researchers make major advances in medical care, they are also discovering that the efficacy of these treatments can be enhanced by individualized approaches. Therefore, clinicians increasingly need methods that can both continuously monitor physiological signals and then personalize responsive delivery of therapeutics. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-headway-precision-therapeutics-fully-bioelectronic.html Engineering Mon, 10 Jul 2023 17:07:31 EDT news608227641 Imagine a wearable patch that tracks your vital signs through changes in the color display, or shipping labels that light up to indicate changes in temperature or sterility of food items. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-stretchy-color-changing-display-future-wearable.html Engineering Mon, 10 Jul 2023 16:56:05 EDT news608226959 Computers, despite all their apparent complexity, are basically just a large number of electronic switches, flicking on and off in the right order to process digital information. Semiconductor technology has made these switches very small and incredibly fast. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-2d-metal-contacts-transistor-leakage.html Electronics & Semiconductors Mon, 10 Jul 2023 10:56:03 EDT news608205361 Organic electronics can make a decisive contribution to decarbonization and, at the same time, help to cut the consumption of rare and valuable raw materials. To do so, it is not only necessary to further develop manufacturing processes, but also to devise technical solutions for recycling as early on as the laboratory phase. Materials scientists from FAU are now promoting this circular strategy in conjunction with researchers from the U.K. and U.S. in the journal Nature Materials. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-electronics-sustainability-entire-lifecycle.html Electronics & Semiconductors Wed, 05 Jul 2023 10:39:32 EDT news607772368 Transistors that can change properties are important elements in the development of tomorrow's semiconductors. With standard transistors approaching the limit for how small they can be, having more functions on the same number of units becomes increasingly important in enabling the development of small, energy-efficient circuits for improved memory and more powerful computers. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have shown how to create new configurable transistors and exert control on a new, more precise level. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-07-edge-transistors-semiconductors-future.html Engineering Mon, 03 Jul 2023 09:38:04 EDT news607595881 Are you feeling nostalgic for homogeneous integration of chips—one flat board where you can use your fingers to stuff in all the circuitry you need? It might be best to head to the Lego store. The rest of the world is moving fast to heterogeneous integration—where the boards are 3D, the chips are a mix of electronic and photonic functions, and every specification is in nanometers. It just as challenging as it sounds, but much more fun. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-micro-transfer-heterogeneous-si-photonic-circuits.html Engineering Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:58:17 EDT news607273095 Engineers have been trying to devise increasingly efficient and low-cost methods to fabricate electronic components and devices on a large-scale. Recently, some studies explored the possibilities of creating electronics using solution processing techniques, which involve the deposition of materials with electrical properties from a solution onto a surface. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-wafer-scale-transistor-arrays-slot-die.html Electronics & Semiconductors Tue, 27 Jun 2023 09:30:02 EDT news606990229 There will soon be a new tool to fight global warming with the development of lightweight flexible light sensors that can simultaneously image across a wide spectral range, from the visible to the infrared, with minimal optical components. This makes it perfect for drones and satellites deployed to monitor greenhouse gas emissions. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-advance-flexible-photodetector-greenhouse-gases.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 22 Jun 2023 11:40:03 EDT news606652801 An international research group has engineered a new energy-generating device by combining piezoelectric composites with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a commonly used material that is both light and strong. The new device transforms vibrations from the surrounding environment into electricity, providing an efficient and reliable means for self-powered sensors. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-device-vibrations-electricity-self-powered-sensors.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 15 Jun 2023 09:59:03 EDT news606041941 The performance and realism of virtual reality (VR) technology has significantly improved over the past decade, allowing users to immerse themselves in digital content in ways that were previously inaccessible. The technology will most likely continue to evolve over the next few years, introducing additional features and components that further engage the five senses. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-origami-based-haptic-device-virtual-reality.html Electronics & Semiconductors Wed, 14 Jun 2023 10:16:37 EDT news605956590 Just as a superb meal requires the right ingredients prepared expertly, the production of better green fuel alternatives requires combining the right materials and methods. Recently, a team of researchers from China and the U.K. have found new ways to optimize the recipe for the production of solar fuels. Their findings have been published in two articles, one in the journal Applied Surface Science, and the other in Optical Materials. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-recipes-solar-fuel-production.html Electronics & Semiconductors Mon, 12 Jun 2023 09:39:32 EDT news605781566 Like the brakes that stop cars, a molecular brake exists that can prevent semiconductor chains from slipping, enabling the creation of more groundbreaking devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-limits-stretchable-semiconductors-molecular-harness.html Electronics & Semiconductors Fri, 09 Jun 2023 13:55:49 EDT news605537743 In recent years, electronics engineers have been trying to develop new brain-inspired hardware that can run artificial intelligence (AI) models more efficiently. While most existing hardware is specialized in either sensing, processing or storing data, some teams have been exploring the possibility of combining these three functionalities in a single device. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-electrochemical-transistor-sensor-processor.html Hardware Fri, 02 Jun 2023 09:30:01 EDT news604748492 As we move into a world where human-machine interactions are becoming more prominent, pressure sensors that are able to analyze and simulate human touch are likely to grow in demand. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-06-newborn-baby-sensor-simulates-human.html Engineering Thu, 01 Jun 2023 12:43:53 EDT news604842004 Advanced communication technologies, such as the fifth generation (5G) mobile network and the internet of things (IoT) can greatly benefit from devices that can support wireless communications while consuming a minimum amount of power. As most existing devices have separate components to perform computations and transmit data, reducing their energy consumption can be challenging. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-approach-parallel-in-memory-wireless.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 01 Jun 2023 09:30:03 EDT news604662691 Transistors, semiconducting devices that regulate, amplify and generate the flow of electrical current, are central components of most electronics. Electronics engineers have been trying to develop increasingly smaller transistors, as this could support the fabrication of more compact devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-potential-ferroelectric-hafnia-low-power-logic.html Engineering Wed, 31 May 2023 09:30:02 EDT news604227829 In recent years, electronics engineers have developed a wide range of systems inspired by human and animal biology. By closely replicating complex biological processes, these systems could ultimately tackle numerous real-world problems more reliably and effectively. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-artificial-cochlea-aids.html Engineering Tue, 30 May 2023 05:50:01 EDT news604320254 Whether you are a new employee, a gymnast, or a bendy straw manufacturer, one trait is ideal across the board: flexibility. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-flexible-rapid-prototyping-electronic-devices.html Engineering Thu, 18 May 2023 16:43:38 EDT news603646986 In recent years, material scientists have been trying to develop soft and flexible fibers that could be used to create new electronics. These fibers could, for example, be used to create smart sensing clothes, energy solutions, and wearable biometric devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-technique-soft-functional-fibers-smart.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 18 May 2023 09:42:20 EDT news603621738 AI tools based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) are being introduced in a growing number of settings, helping humans to tackle many problems faster and more efficiently. While most of these algorithms run on conventional digital devices and computers, electronic engineers have been exploring the potential of running them on alternative platforms, such as diffractive optical devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-programmable-surface-plasmonic-neural-network.html Electronics & Semiconductors Wed, 17 May 2023 10:20:01 EDT news603536976 Three-dimensional (3D) printing has become increasingly advanced over the past few years and has been successfully used to create countless items, including toys, furniture and electronic components. As 3D printing equipment becomes more affordable, it could potentially also be used to fabricate soft electronic components for wearable devices. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-3d-elastic-conductors-stretchable-electronics.html Engineering Thu, 11 May 2023 09:24:14 EDT news603015851 You may not have heard of piezoelectric materials, but odds are, you have benefitted from them. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-dont-phantom-energy-spacecraft.html Electronics & Semiconductors Mon, 08 May 2023 10:43:53 EDT news602761429 Semiconductor materials are the foundation of modern electronic, photonic, photovoltaic, thermoelectric and many other semiconductor devices, which are integral for computers, mobile phones, gadgets, home appliances, cars and other equipment. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-breakthrough-hole-mobility-strained-germanium.html Electronics & Semiconductors Thu, 04 May 2023 11:02:43 EDT news602416958 For decades, roboticists have been trying to develop robots that closely resemble humans, both in terms of their appearance and capabilities. Recent technological advances have opened exciting new possibilities for the creation of human-like robotic systems, for instance by introducing more advanced sensors and soft artificial skins. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-hydrogel-based-skin-tactile-capabilities.html Robotics Wed, 03 May 2023 09:30:01 EDT news601895827 It's time to roll up your sleeves for the next advance in wearable technology—a fabric armband that's actually a touch pad. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-touch-responsive-fabric-armband-flexible-keyboards.html Electronics & Semiconductors Tue, 02 May 2023 16:37:21 EDT news602264219 In the effort to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, one strategy involves harvesting the waste heat that is already being produced by our energy systems. Thermoelectric generators can convert waste heat to clean electricity, and a new design breakthrough may make these devices more efficient than previously possible, according to scientists at Penn State and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-05-conversion-efficiency-thermoelectric-devices.html Electronics & Semiconductors Mon, 01 May 2023 09:00:03 EDT news602150401 Scientists at Forschungszentrum Jülich have fabricated a new type of transistor from a germanium–tin alloy that has several advantages over conventional switching elements. Charge carriers can move faster in the material than in silicon or germanium, which enables lower voltages in operation. The transistor thus appears to be a promising candidate for future low-power, high-performance chips, and possibly also for the development of future of quantum computers. https://techxplore.com/news/2023-04-germanium-tin-transistor-alternative-silicon.html Engineering Thu, 27 Apr 2023 14:44:04 EDT news601825441