Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110859 "vortex beams' ring size expands as topological charge (orbital angular momentum) increases hindering use in systems requiring multiple beam superpositions/ bulky & hard to align generation methods (spiral phase plates, axicons)... overcome using metasurface light manipulation creating beams: elliptical/ fractional-order (specialized spatial shaping), multi-channel & concentric-ring (multiple beam parallel generation from 1 surface), grafted (angular momentum non-uniform distributions), optical manipulation/ communication"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-sustainability-functionalized-graphene-materials.html "make graphene dissolvable by doping with nitrogen without: toxic chemicals/ harsh acids, >600 °C, significant waste... ball-milling grinds graphite with bio-derived amino acids, breaks/ reforms chemical bonds in solid state eliminating need for solvents, then paired with vitrimers... high electrical conductivity/ easier dispersion... 80% starting material converted to final product, no: long heating cycles (post-annealing)/ solvent recovery... electricity heals cracks... longer-lasting, repairable aerospace/ electronic components"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-fabricating-photon-sources-carbon-nanotubes.html "difficult controlling how many light-emitting points (defects) nanotube has/ where located... overcome by stretching nanotube across microscopic trench, exposing nanotube to iodobenzene vapor, then focused UV laser strikes specific spot on nanotube stopping as soon as 1 photon-emitting point (defect) created... controlling emitter's position to within a μm enables nanotube integration into photonic circuits on chips... unhackable data transmission"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-rare-hall-effect-reveals-pathways.html "low magnetic moment requires significantly less energy to manipulate spins, leading to ultra-low-power devices/ allows for the efficient electrical reading and control of magnetic data... polycrystalline alloys easier/ cheaper to produce than single- crystal samples, aiding industrial scalability... neuromorphic computers, non-volatile memory"

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/lensless-imager-breaks-optical-resolution-limits "event horizon telescope inspired synthetic aperture imaging for nm-precise physical alignment of visible light sensors... allowing independent sensor operation, captures raw light intensity/ phase diffraction patterns with software to stitch data together after the fact... algorithms synchronize wavefields digitally, creating virtual lens much larger than any individual sensor could provide... sub-micron resolution without sacrificing wide field of view/ requiring camera closeness... medical diagnostics, industrial inspection, remote sensing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110555 "interface 2D semiconductor tungsten diselenide with organic semiconductor perylenetetracarboxylic dianhydride... energy transfers from 2D to organic layer in <10⁻¹³ seconds... excitons generally immobile (localized), excitons highly mobile (delocalized), hybrid at interface harnesses best of both: 2D materials' speed/ movement alongside organic chemistry's light-harvesting strengths... solar cells' more efficient energy capture/ transfer, ultrafast optoelectronics, quantum state manipulation for information processing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110787 "emissive layer of QDs, hole-transport polymer, UV-activated crosslinker... no harsh chemicals/ photoresists degrading performance... UV triggers polymer to form network locking QDs in place, patterns develop using simple solvent, bypassing destructive ligand exchanges... >10K (single color)/ 1K ppi (full RGB) pixel density, 1.7X increased external quantum efficiency, nearly 3X device lifetime... of the device. scalable:  demonstrated on  4" wafer... AR, VR, smart glasses, optoelectronic chips"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-lowering-barriers-ai-technique-llms.html "LangVAE and LangSpace software make LLMs more explainable/ controllable while drastically reducing resource costs... Geometric Mapping: Instead of modifying LLM itself, creates compressed representations of language... treats internal patterns as geometric shapes/ points in space, allowing mathematical model behavior adjustment... lowers barrier to entry to AI development, more scientists can contribute to AI safety/ explainability... makes AI behavior more predictable for mission-critical fields like healthcare"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-optimized-nanotube-amplify-electromagnetic-field.html "identified shape using: isoieometrics–based boundary element method modeling complex EM fields around tube boundaries, hybrid optimization combining global/ local search algorithms, parametric modeling ensuring shapes manufacturable... stable even if incoming waves' angle changes... scalable: appliable to large nanotube arrays, not just single pairs... nanophotonics/ plasmonics, high-sensitivity sensors, EM gratings/ photonic metasurfaces (for cloaking/ flat lenses), advanced signal processing, wave-manipulation"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110828 "multipath interference, clock bias, complex multi-beam transmissions limits use for navigation, overcome combining advanced 5G signal tracking with real-time fusion of satellite/ cellular measurements... 5G synchronization/ reference signals stabilize tracking in environments affected by multipath interference, reducing ranging errors... phase-stabilized Kalman filter helps maintain accurate carrier phase estimates... continues delivering reliable positioning when satellite visibility is severely limited... autonomous vehicles"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110807 "LLMs using memory 8 times smaller than uncompressed LLM scored better on math, science, coding tests while spending same time amount reasoning... helps LLMs respond to more user queries simultaneously, reducing power needed/ task... benefits AI solving complicated tasks or slow/ limited smart home/ wearables' memory... Dynamic Memory Sparsification decides which data units (tokens): important enough to keep/ can be deleted... faster reasoning/ same quality compared with non-compressed models"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-vision-method-links-photos-floor.html "maps/ photos look nothing alike, making correlating by AI difficult, overcome with dataset of 90K pairs floor plans/ photos (manually aligned) across nearly 600 internet photos turned into 3D models... includes 153 million pixel-level matches, allowing AI to see spot in photo corresponding to map coordinate... reduces errors by 34%... step toward multi-modal 3D computer vision... robots navigating indoor spaces using only blueprint, AR helping people find way through buildings, digital modeling: 3D architecture reconstructions"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-chirality-electricity-voltage-driven-method.html "naturally achiral molybdenum disulfide single crystal semiconductor in chiral ionic liquid containing specific right-handed or left-handed molecular ions... positive voltage applied to transistor's gate electrode forces chiral ion accumulation on crystal's surface imprinting ions' handedness onto electronic state of crystal surface without permanent bonding... achieved Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity allowing only electrons with specific spin direction through/ Electrical Magnetochiral Effect... new way to control electron spin"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-ionic-liquids-perovskite-degradation-solar.html " acts as multi-functional additive during fabrication: binds to positively charged lead ions filling halide vacancies, added to perovskite precursor slows down crystallization for larger grains/ fewer imperfections, additive migrates to bottom (buried) interface, suppressing defects where perovskite meets underlying layer... tested at 90°C, 1,500 hours simulated full sunlight: retained 90% initial performance... scalable: ionic liquid easy to synthesize/ compatible with large-area panel blade coating methods... tandem solar compatible"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-exciton-moir-superlattices-method-leverages.html "moiré superlattice: 2 layers dichalcogenides stacked with small rotational mismatch, creating periodic potential trapping electrons/ excitons, for easy charge-neutral exciton manipulation using electric fields... electrostatic doping (adjusting gate voltage) to change electron density radically alters how excitons move... when electrons dense forming Mott insulator, exciton diffusivity up to 100X greater... when electrons rigid/ Wigner crystal, exciton flow suppressed trapping energy... excitons, not electrons, as information carriers"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110207 "bulky/ costly current sensor elimination... derives duty cycle using only inductor voltage equation, split into feedforward/ control components... built-in delay compensation ensures current/ voltage perfectly aligned... implements on standard digital signal processors avoiding complex mathematical observers/ models... 1.3 kW prototype: up to 0.9998 power factor, low 2.12% total harmonic distortion at full load, high tolerance for variations in circuit parameters, for scalability... slimmer laptop adapters, compact chargers"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110535 "at least 2 orders magnitude less expensive than etching away bulk materials' layers using caustic acids, 90% weight purity (was 60%), tetrachloroethylene safer/ more stable than highly reactive precursors... MXenes atomically thin highly conductive, ideal for: hosting ions between layers for faster-charging batteries, EM interference shielding/ optoelectronics, highly efficient catalysts in industrial chemistry"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-quantum-entanglement-drones-disaster-relief.html "wireless signals/ fiber optics disrupted during wildfires/ natural disasters but not with instant entanglement information transmission not reliant on external network/ open internet... qubits store more complex environmental information like amplitudes/ phases (audio/ video from fire line) more efficiently than classical bits... change in entangled partner allows base station(s)/ rest of swarm to read it instantly... quantum/ classical technologies work together as single system... less energy-intensive AI, better data security"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109523 "maintaining small, controlled barrier at metal/ semiconductor interface allows operation in contact-controlled mode, significantly improving long-term consistency... shifting current flow control from semiconductor channel to contact interface enables aging effect/ voltage shift resistance caused by trapped charges... stays stable even at ≤-4 V... silver contacts, multimodal transistor designs allow for more uniform current between devices/ simpler circuit architectures... OLED/ microLED displays, wearable sensors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110614 "sensitivity signal loss trade-off solved, moving away from using boron/ phosphorus... bombard silicon waveguide with germanium ions, creating controlled defects, without having to add free carriers that degrade optical signals.... high sensitivity in both O-band (1,310 nm) and C-band (1,550 nm), ultra-low absorption ensuring strong primary data signal, minimal electrical noise when no light present, low bias voltage reducing power consumption... programmable photonic networks, medical diagnostics, lab-on-chip"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-driven-method-rapidly-complex-nanomaterials.html "replaces extreme heat/ pressure with sustainable, CO₂-driven chemical reaction bridge bonding disparate metal ions normally difficult to combine due to varying atomic sizes... add hydroxide ions, stir forming metal carbonate nanoparticles exhibiting non-crystalline highly disordered structure, often superior for chemical reactions... scalable, low-cost manufacturing, eco-friendly, enhanced durability/ catalytic efficiency... hydrogen production/ more efficient battery electrodes, semiconductors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109726 "when electrolyte solidifies its molecules lock into place significantly hindering ion movement, overcome by maintaining constant ionic conductivity across liquid, liquid-crystal, solid phases... organic molecules with flat, disc-shaped center surrounded by long, flexible side-chains... positive charge spread evenly across molecule, preventing grabbing negative ions too tightly... molecules stack into rigid columns, but flexible side-chains provide enough space for negative ions to flow through them, even at lower temperature"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109809 "more flexibility, utilizing optical latent space/ Bayes-based training algorithms... scalable to dimensionality of optical network... high density, integrating >2 million photonic neuron-mimicking structures... high-resolution image synthesis, video manipulation/ style transfer, advanced denoising... performs tasks with speed/ energy-efficiency several orders magnitude higher than current electronic GPUs/ AI accelerators... significant step toward making large-scale generative AI more sustainable and faster"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-team-shatters-3d-nanofabrication-limits.html ">120K metalense array (ultrathin optical elements) splits single laser into thousands of coordinated focal spots... prints across cm-scale areas simultaneously rather than point-by-point... throughput 1,000X faster while maintaining sub-μm precision, feature sizes as small as 113 nm... spatial light modulator enables real-time intensity control of each individual beam... prints non-periodic, complex, stochastic structures (like 16 chess openings at once), quantum computing, fuel capsules (fusion energy), biomedicine, microelectronics" Related: Goodbye stereolithography: Scientists develop a faster and finer way to 3d print metal https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110463

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110364 "soft X-rays identify/ track specific atoms, observing how electrons reorganize during chemical reactions/ phase transitions in real-time... utilizes high-harmonic generation, advanced laser engineering, new pulse retrieval method... observes how: molecular rings open during polymerization, electrons interact with crystal lattices in solids, dynamics driving quantum devices, processes powering PV/ catalysis... operates below atomic unit of time... physics, chemistry, biology, quantum, material/ drug design"

https://www.uts.edu.au/news/2025/11/scientists-reveal-it-is-possible-to-beam-up-quantum-signals "satellite downlinks limited by hardware size/ power (suitable for just sending secret keys), overcome by first uploading, despite atmospheric interference/ signal loss, then downlinks... greater bandwidth with access to more power/ cooling, lower satellite costs (only re-directs), easier maintenance since at ground... aligns 2 single light particles from separate ground stations to meet on satellite traveling 20,000 km/h... allows quantum computers to plug into global network for massive distributed computations across continents"

https://interestingengineering.com/energy/china-heat-pump-turns-sunlight-into-heat "heat source: twaste heat or solar energy... converts 293°F heat source into 518°F, shattering the previous 392°F limit... instead of mechanical compressors, uses interaction between sound waves/ heat converting thermal energy into intense acoustic waves to pump heat from a low-temperature source to a high-temperature sink... ceramics, petrochemicals and metallurgy... future: 2,372°F by 2040"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110089 "0 net magnetization (like antiferromagnets) but with spin-split electronic structures (like ferromagnets), best of both: stable, high-density, easy to read electrically... poor sample quality overcome using sapphire substrates/ precise growth conditions to align all crystal axes... memory cells packed much closer together without interfering with each another since no stray magnetic fields... altermagnets inherently faster switching speeds than ferromagnets... future: discover other altermagnetic materials" Related: Flat Fermi surface in altermagnets enables quantum limit spin currents https://phys.org/news/2025-12-flat-fermi-surface-altermagnets-enables.html Reversible spin splitting effect achieved in altermagnetic RuO₂ thin films https://phys.org/news/2025-12-reversible-effect-altermagnetic-ruo-thin.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110092 "non-toxic, low-cost, stable, less electrical loss... larger, more uniform grains enhances charge transport/ collection... at interface between molybdenum back contact/ thin-film absorber: unwanted chemical reactions/ unintended atomic movement, overcome using 7-nm thick germanium oxide interlayer created exploiting oxidation during vapor transport deposition... 4.81% (was 3.71) Power Conversion Efficiency... contact resistance: thin-film transistors; PCE: thermoelectric; performance: photodetector/ memory devices"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110024 "mimics neuron Compute-in-Memory: digital logic more accurate but uses more energy than analog... versatile platforms switching between traditional/ neuro-inspired networks based on application... only communicates (sends spike) when electrical charge (membrane potential) reaches threshold... responds to irregular/ occasional events (sparse signals) enabling AI to operate onboard device (like drone), outside large data centers/ cloud... event-Based cameras send data only when pixel change detected"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-transparent-ceramic-boost-internet-energy.html "cheaper, easier manufacture at scale, better chemical composition control... faster, smaller, more energy-efficient... contain tiny, dynamic few atoms wide polarization pockets fluctuating continuously... zentropy theory: with small, fluctuating pockets, extremely low energy barrier required for polarization to flip, allowing almost instant polarization adjustment under applied electric field... optical communications, sensing, medical imaging, optical modulators/ switches... future: make lead-free, replace lithium niobate"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-nanoscale-magnetic-mazes-center-communications.html "enables depositing cerium-substituted yttrium iron magnetic garnet films onto substrates with different lattice mismatches (opposite strain types). with both films still exhibiting strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy...  film's magnetic direction primarily determined by magnetotaxial anisotropy (growth-related effect from how atoms arrange during deposition) which is >10X more important than substrate strain... magnetic domains orders of magnitude smaller, Faraday rotation 1.6X better, low saturation field"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109988 "pressure forces the material's electrons closer together, unlocking extraordinary electronic behaviors... charge-density waves, collective electronic behaviors, typically weaken or disappear under pressure in similar materials, but in this specific material, this behavior not only strengthens under extreme pressure but also emerges at room temperature" Related: Physicists push superconducting diodes to high temperatures https://phys.org/news/2025-12-physicists-superconducting-diodes-high-temperatures.html Scientists unlocked a superconductor mystery under crushing pressure https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251219093328.htm

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-optical-modulation-silicon-electron-avalanche.html "single free electron generated by 1 absorbed photon is accelerated by applying high voltage to silicon diode, gaining enough energy to collide with atoms/ create multiple additional free electrons in chain reaction... significantly amplifies resulting change in silicon's metallicity... effect modulates reflected intensity of 2nd, macroscopic optical beam, mimicking photonic transistor... increases silicon device's nonlinear refractive index, at room temperature, no optical cavity needed, CMOS fabrication compatible"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108298 "overcomes low mixing strength/ performance degradation by controlling polytetrafluoroethylene binder's structure rather than changing material itself... add small amount of binder forming thread-like fibrous network, densely connecting active material/ conductive additive, ensuring uniform dispersion/ mixing... then remaining binder added creating rope-like fiber binding entire electrode together, increasing electrode's strength/ stability... with pouch-type lithium metal anode 349 Wh/kg energy density, about 40% improved"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-framework-2d-materials-printable-electronics.html "predicting 2D materials that can be successfully formed into nanosheets via electrochemical exfoliation... key factor: in-plane must be higher than out-of-plane stiffness" (resistance to: deformation vs. deformation perpendicular to material)... dozens of 2D semiconductors identified... printed transistors, and for 1st time printed: digital-to-analog converters, BASK communication circuits, wearable sensors, smart packaging, disposable IoT... future: reduce performance limits in junctions between nanosheets (flake-to-flake)"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-femtosecond-lasers-limits-nanostructures-thermal.html "manipulates/ scatters phonons (quasiparticles of vibrational energy that conduct heat) through small, parallel grooves (created via high-speed, powerful laser ablation) on silicon/ silica thin films... limits phonons' average travel distance reducing thermal conductivity... laser throughput >1,000X faster than single-beam electron-beam lithography... highly scalable wafer-level mass production: maskless, resist-free, CMOS-compatible... high-performance computing, on-chip energy conversion, quantum devices" Related: Cracking the mystery of heat flow in few-atoms thin materials https://phys.org/news/2025-12-mystery-atoms-thin-materials.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109121 heats areas down to 150 nm on thin magnetic films' surface... modulating laser's intensity can alter magnetization strength/ direction, change: oxidation, crystallization, alloying... 2D gradients/ arbitrary shapes (circles, spirals, snowflakes) of magnetic properties, previously limited to 1D gradients... spintronics, continuous magnetic gradient allows electric current (instead of magnetic field) to write/ read... in-memory computing, creates magnetic landscapes mimicking neurons, can change material's refractive index"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109236 "qubits in quantum chips rely on superconducting thin films with stable crystal structure... superconductive below -263°C... iron and telluride atoms deposited onto cadmium telluride substrate using molecular beam epitaxy... 20% lattice misalignment typically leads to defects, but instead resulted in superconducting film... led to higher-order epitaxial matching (alignment) between film/ substrate reducing lattice distortion, enabling superconductivity"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-atom-advance-quantum-emitter.html "Quantum Emitter Electron Nanomaterial Microscope in combination with cathodoluminescence spectroscopy... focused beam of electrons excites material causing it to emit single photons 1 at a time... twisting layers at specific angles creates twisted interfaces amplifying light up to 120X, pinpointing emitters' location emitters within <10 nm... create these emitters at chosen spots by adding carbon/ activating using electron beam... boosts signals/ improves information sharing efficiency in quantum systems"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-growth-strategy-enables-coherent-quantum.html "crystalline defects typically arise (coalescence) when small crystal regions (grains) merge... overcome combining epitaxial growth with precise control of coalescence kinetics on vicinal sapphire substrates yielding single-crystal molybdenum disulfide channels with minimal defects... exhibits coherent transport at low temperatures/ high 1,200 cm2 V−1 s−1 Hall mobility... used to fabricate arrays of field-effect transistors: 100 cm2 V−1 s−1 average mobility, 65 mV dec−1 minimum subthreshold swing at room temperature"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-monolithic-3d-chip-built-foundry.html "stacks ultra-thin memory/ computing units vertically, enabling fast, massive data movement between layers... layers built 1 on top of other in continuous, low-temperature process in commercial foundry... helps chip bypass the bottlenecks that have long slowed improvement in flat designs... outperforms comparable 2D chips 4X, up to 12X improvement on real AI workloads... 100 to 1,000X improvements in Energy-Delay Product metric balancing speed and energy efficiency" Related: CityUHK pioneers breakthrough in 3DIC semiconductor packaging materials https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109660

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109423 "structural frustration at interface of 2 compounds: manganese/ cobalt/ germanium, and manganese/ cobalt/ arsenic... translates to magnetic frustration causing atomic spins to twist, creating desired magnetic properties for: high-density hard drives, reduced power consumption for data centers as moving skyrmions requires little energy, materials for fault-tolerant quantum computing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109566 "logic (transistors)/ memory fabricated in 1 compact stack on 1 chip... 2 nm thick amorphous indium oxide active channel layer grown at relatively cool 150°C preventing damage to existing front-end circuitry, minimized defects (oxygen vacancies)... added ferroelectric hafnium-zirconium-oxide layer, ending up with 20 nm back-end transistors with built-in memory, 10 ns switching speed, lower voltage... generative AI, deep learning, computer vision... future: integrate these back-end memory transistors onto single circuit"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109604 "quantum computers using trapped-ion or trapped-neutral-atom systems rely on precise laser beams to communicate with and control individual qubits... uses microwave-frequency vibrations to manipulate laser light... generating, with high stability and efficiency, many copies of laser with slightly different frequencies... higher density of components, scalable CMOS fabrication, high efficiency consuming 80X less microwave power, reduced heat allowing more channels placed close together on single chip"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109311 "CMOS inefficient for compressed sensing reconstruction due to high energy/ latency caused by data shuttling between processor/ memory)... overcome using memCS: 128Kb memristor chip with CIM architecture executing core CS calculations directly within memory... 31.11 dB peak signal-to-noise ratio, 94.2% classification accuracy, closely matching pure software implementations... 11.22X faster, 30.46X more energy-efficient... excels in power-constrained edge computing scenarios"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109250 "P-bits hardware elements naturally fluctuate between 0 & 1, so ideal for optimization/ inference, but rely on bulky, power-hungry, expensive digital-to-analog converters... overcome using magnetic tunnel junctions  naturally switching between 2 states randomly, a 50/50 bitstream fed into simple digital circuit that uses controlled timing combining signals, allowing smooth tuning probability of output being 0 or 1... requires significantly less area and power while being compatible with modern semiconductor manufacturing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109310 "more efficient, durable, scalable, cheaper... sulfuric acid applied to nanotube films, improving electrical conductivity, maintaining high transparency, stabilizing nickel-based interfacial layer, which improves connection between internal cell components, >20% power conversion efficiency... after month of heat, humidity, sunlight, retained > 95% initial performance, when repeatedly bent 1,000X lost only about 5% efficiency, roll-to-roll chemical vapor deposition 6X cheaper than ITO sputtering (by $200/ m2), scalable"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108851 "extreme thinness/ tendency to collapse due to metallic bonding makes synthesis difficult, overcome combining quantum-mechanical modeling/ machine learning... interface stability with smooth well-aligned geometries at metallene edges, most robust interfaces overall use transition metals, machine-learning accurately predicts atomic-level interface behavior... accelerates synthesis of more robust, larger-scale metallene structures... high-performance devices in: high-tech electronics, energy conversion, biomedicine"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-nanomagnet-production-efficiency.html "greater efficiency/ higher density than horizontal alignment... ion beam magnetic engraving imprints magnetic nanostrips onto iron-vanadium alloy thin film... ion beam locally orders atoms into crystal lattice, making bombarded areas ferromagnetic... reduced nanostrip widths to 25 nm, forcing magnetic moments to stand out vertically from surface... increased data storage density, increased efficiency especially in spintronics, enhanced sensitivity, cost-effective... magnetic storage, sensors, spin-based quantum computing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109148 "materials can be engineered with mobile ions to modulate their internal fields, furthering light sculpting across various wavelengths... could form the basis for tunable UV/ blue components in integrated electro-optics... control method: tuning of these components would be controlled not just by traditional electronics (electrons), but by the motion of ions within the crystal, which is only billionths of a meter thick... also control of how much the crystal slows and bends light... also applies to other types of components"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108915 "fundamentally different approach to data processing that does not treat all data equally... up to 10X performance improvements at half the power without requiring users to rewrite their applications... national security tasks, such as advanced fluid dynamics simulations helping assess nuclear deterrent safety/ reliability without underground testing... more sophisticated/ efficient simulations... scalable, featuring innovative server/ advanced cooling... smarter, more adaptive designs rather than just bigger machines"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-reconfigurable-platform-chip-photonic.html "extending light storage time crucial for quantum memory... on-chip vital for robustness, deployability, manufacturability... light loss from chips' defects overcome utilizing slow-light effect on-chip (reducing velocity nearly 1,000X) extending propagation time using spectral hole burning... achieved using erbium-doped lithium niobate, exhibiting high density/ coherence... tunable/ reconfigurable repeatedly over large bandwidth without needing to fabricate new device for each different application"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1109000 "removing positively charged cesium cations from quantum dots creating bromide-rich solution, then manganese cations added enabling dots to absorb magnetic cations into their structure, displacing about 40% of lead ions, resulting in magnetic, cheap, scalable, near 100% efficient manganese-doped quantum dots... lighting: energy-efficient dots glow in desirable warmer, orange hues... solar cells: increased efficiency... quantum computers: magnetic dots as stable qubits... cheaper/ scalable (no protective stabilizing coating)"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-solid-state-quantum-processor-based.html "each nuclei sits close to rare-earth ion Er3+, which carries unpaired electron spin, much easier to manipulate/ detect than nuclear spin, so it acts as amplifier for nuclear spin... atoms located within calcium tungstate crystal, which is placed on top of superconducting microwave resonator used to manipulate quantum states... no need for additional optical transition (as in NV centers) or particular electrical properties (as in semiconductor donors)... very long coherence (seconds)... improves sensitivity/ performance"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108474 "unit-cell level: surrogate modeling accelerates electromagnetic response prediction, inverse design frameworks explore complex solution spaces, robust design methods improve stability against manufacturing errors... system-level: AI unified differentiable framework integrates structural design physical propagation models, task-specific loss functions... AI shifting metasurface design from staged methods to intelligent, collaborative, system-level optimization... compact/ computational imaging, AR/VR displays, LiDAR"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108271 "avoids complex, energy-intensive, unidirectional freezing... discarded egg white precursor, self-assembly (salting-out protein)... yields directional 1–7 µm macroporous channels enhancing impedance matching/ EM wave attenuation when EM waves propagate parallel to channels... WC1-x nanoparticles formed (tunable) during pyrolysis/ uniformly dispersed on carbon matrix, improving energy dissipation... record minimum reflection loss, wide absorption bandwidth... radar stealth, chip anti-interference"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108469 "computes while data in transit over optical fibers... speed: tera- to peta-scale operations/ second, energy consumption: femtojoules to attojoules/ operation, latency: pico- to nanoseconds... remote access to optical processor without digital conversion drastically reduces computing latency... performs machine learning computations within optical fiber... proof-of-concept combining computation with data transfer over 20 km fiber access line achieved good classification accuracy for image recognition tasks"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-gold-nanoclusters-materials-nanoelectronics.html "gold nanoclusters (act like individual atoms) assembled into 3D framework using metal ions, forming cluster-based MOFs... assembly allows for precise control/ fine-tuning material's properties... reducing distance between gold nanoclusters improved material's electrical conductivity as much as 31X... metal ions' electron structure affects material's overall electrical conductivity... 4 cluster-based MOF materials created... poised to revolutionize nanoelectronics"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-demand-electronic-topology-crystal.html "topological currents protected by symmetry have significantly less dissipation (energy waste)... addition or subtraction of electrical charge drives reversible topological transition: initial OFF non-conductor insulator: modifying antimony/ tellurium ratio changes electron count/ lattice arrangement, disrupting symmetry, opening energy gap... switching ON metal conductor: depositing thin potassium layer donates electrons, restoring symmetry... restoring OFF: heating removes potassium, returns to initial insulating state"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108479 "multiple tantalum oxide molecular junctions can be created automatically/ simultaneously... approx. 0.3 V individual molecular circuits, without use of silicon... stable electrical contacts (molecular junctions) between functional molecules (rectifiers, switches, memory units)/ metal electrodes... atomic switch chemically forms/ breaks conductive path rather than moving physical parts, ON = positive voltage, silver atoms move... highly energy-efficient molecular switches/ sensors leveraging molecules' quantum properties"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-strong-material-egg-whites-cool.html "protein foaming method used to create structure in which low cost particles densely/ uniformly interconnected, similar to how egg-white proteins expand at high temperatures... enables creation of composite material with continuous thermal pathways, preventing heat transfer from being interrupted... inherently economic/ scalable injection molding fabrication... high performance, eco-friendly, lightweight, strong, low cost... electronics/ battery thermal management" 

https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/ev-motor-packs-1000-hp-per-wheel "28-pounds, 59 kW/ kg power density, paired with highly efficient 33-pound dual inverter, EV conversions still save about 441 pounds... advanced regenerative braking captures/ reuses energy, potentially eliminating the need for rear disc brakes and driveshafts... light enough to be fitted inside the wheel while remaining mass-neutral, meaning it does not add net weight to the vehicle... performance, efficiency, weight reduction, scalable for various high-performance EVs"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107901 "electrically driven switching without substantial heating and under a weak current... switching completing within few to several tens of ps... fastest was 140 ps, constrained by the short current pulses that could be generated by the current device setup, not by the material itself... faster computing, communications, and advanced electronics,,, future: switch even faster under optimized conditions, including creating even shorter current pulses"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-aluminum-nitride-transistor-advances-gen.html "ultra-thin gallium nitride layer on bulk single-crystal aluminum nitride (AlN) substrate... AlN has ultrawide bandgap allowing it to withstand higher temperatures/ voltages, with low defect densities/ high thermal conductivity... lower channel temperature enables operation at even higher power, extending communication/ radar range... about 1 million-fold fewer crystalline defects significantly improves performance, several orders magnitude less gallium... RF power amplifiers for: 5G/ 6G, radar"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108300 "energy-efficient: achieves >50% reduction in core loss compared to initial amorphous material... particularly high performance in high-frequency range (up to several tens of kHz) where materials usually suffer from increased energy loss... efficiency of soft magnetic materials in high-frequency transformers/ inductors in: EV drive power supply circuits, AI-focused data centers... future: prototype transformers: test material's integration into actual power conversion circuits"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-energy-efficient-rare-earth-element.html "uses electricity to split neodymium chloride molecules, drawing pure neodymium to cathode... eliminates 2 major, energy-intensive steps... reduces production costs from >14 to approximately $5/ kg... no harmful gas byproducts... anode design prevents degradation, allowing continuous use... complete mine-to-magnet U.S.-based manufacturing chain... future: making scalable, testing new deposition approaches to stabilize anode... method can be extended to other critical rare-earth metals"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-previously-untrainable-neural-networks-effectively.html "network encouraged to match internal representations of guide network during brief training... transfers structural knowledge, aligning way 2 networks organize information within each layer, even when guide network untrained, as already encode valuable architectural biases steering other networks toward effective learning... even few alignment steps before full training sufficient to confer lasting benefits... stabilizes training, eliminates failure modes, prevents overfitting... success less dependent on task-specific data" Related: For visual AI systems, selecting the right blueprint may accelerate learning https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108079 Taming chaos in neural networks: A biologically plausible way https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-chaos-neural-networks-biologically-plausible.html

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-terahertz-device-quantum-horizons.html "prototype device fabricated >11 years ago still works as well/ stable as on day 1... longevity (materials' intrinsic resilience/ engineered to resist degradation from air or moisture)/ stability... built from high-temperature superconductor/ consists of atomically thin layers... contains Josephson junctions, enabling phase-locked coherent generation/ transmission... small (elements less than human hair width), 1 V low-power... emits waves tunable from 100 GHz to 1 THz... operates as superconductor near 90°K"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108105 "sound scattered off them creates attractive forces, causing them to snap together into single clump...  introducing/ tuning electric charge to particles leverages electrostatic repulsion to keep particles separated, achieving stable configurations ranging from completely separated systems to fully collapsed ones, and hybrids in between, including non-reciprocal: particle arrangements that spontaneously rotate/ pairs of particles that chase each other... stable mid-air manipulation: material science, micro- robotics/ engineering"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108208 "low: power consumption/ signal interference (cross talk)... created from carbon and other light elements to form covalently bonded, highly porous crystalline sheetlike films... ultralow dielectric constant/ ultrahigh electrical breakdown strength (needed for high-voltage), good thermal stability... synthetic interfacial polymerization stitches molecular building blocks to form strong crystalline layered sheets.... ultimate goal is to greatly lower the power consumption of the booming AI data center growth"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-scientists-advance-quantum-technology.html "silicon nanopatterned substrate creates corkscrew-like spinning photons imparting spin on electrons in/ nanopatterning thin-film molybdenum diselenide, above... replaces complex, costly super-cooling systems, for smaller, simpler, cheaper, low-energy quantum components for use in cryptography, advanced sensing, high-performance computing, AI... future: integrate into larger quantum networks (requiring new light sources, detectors), embed into smart phones enabling smart phone quantum computing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107673 "replaces large-aperture metalens with array of multiple small-aperture metalenses, preventing chromatic/ off-axis aberrations from severely escalating with increases in aperture size or FOV... reduced wavefront error from >90 to approximately 1 wavelength, reducing aberration, ensuring Modulation Transfer Function curve stays above noise-limited threshold, enhancing recoverability/ image quality... Multi-scale Feature-domain Wiener Deconvolution Deep Fusion Network: interpretable/ detail-preserving image reconstruction"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-argon-ion-treatment-carbon-nanowall.html "carbon nanowalls: vertically stacked 10-15 graphene sheets have large specific surface area for high capacitance... ion implantation allows for material's bulk treatment due to high penetrating capacity... also creates nanosized cavities in material's structure, which are then passivated in air by functional groups... 10¹⁴ ions/ cm2 optimal dose since aligns cavity size to that of electrolyte molecules enabling them to embed, providing nanostructuring further increases capacitance... works better than embedding heteroatoms" Related: Mini-vortices in nanopores accelerate ion transport for faster supercapacitor charging https://phys.org/news/2025-12-mini-vortices-nanopores-ion-faster.html

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-high-pressure-terahertz-emission-2d.html "using diamond anvil cell... >150 fs phase shift under high pressure, indicating transient current process precedes optical rectification... pressure alters intrinsic resonant frequency/ initial charge distribution, which determines amplitude, frequency, THz phase... hydrostatic pressure could be used to probe, informing improved new THz-active materials' bandwidth, efficiency, and tunability, including those modified through chemical-pressure-based doping... topological materials, spintronics, heterostructures"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1105641 "hybrid design allows projecting either scanning beam arrays or uniform flash illumination by modulating incident light's polarization... left-circularly polarized high-precision 3D scanning/ right-circularly polarized single-shot, full-field snapshot 3D detection... superior balance between resolution, field of view, adaptability... ultrathin metasurfaces leads to compact beam forming device... compatible with time-of-flight, binocular vision detection mechanisms... optical sensing, versatile: autonomous navigation, 3D sensing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1104682 "high signal-to-noise ratio between single photons (previously extremely weak) made possible using high-speed entangled photon-pair sources, low-noise superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, high-efficiency nonlinear optical crystal... high-fidelity entanglement swapping without destroying resulting entangled pair, by detecting photon generated via SFG... photonic quantum information processing circuits' miniaturization/ efficiency, device-independent quantum key distribution transmission distance extension"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1103434   "parity metamaterials are constructed by pairing arbitrary asymmetric meta-atoms with their unique parity-inverted counterparts, maintaining undistorted transmitted wavefront across ultrabroad frequencies while simultaneously allowing for flexible control of reflected wavefronts... integrated into sonar systems, significantly suppress specular reflection signals, achieving acoustic stealth... does not rely on global symmetry/ balanced gain–loss conditions... underwater acoustics, elastic waves, adaptive metasurfaces"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1105887 "incorporates different capacitors on radiating patch, meta-atoms integrating initial radiation/ scattering phases...achieves cost-effective phased arrays... 12×12" metasurface achieves grating-lobe-free single-beam scanning over a ±45° range, with sidelobe level better than 10 dB... facilitates wireless energy harvesting... meta-surface reflected beam dynamically controlled, with >7 db average increased signal power density within blind zones... integrates: communication, sensing, decision-making, power supply"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1106442 "characterization, involving multiple interacting optical modes (qumodes) to generate entanglement, becomes exponentially resource-intensive, overcome utilizing mathematical framework precisely describing multimode 2nd-order nonlinear optical quantum processes... quantum state map: captures how mean fields of light transform/ describes noise (loss) introduced by environment, leading to more realistic characterization... achieved characterization of large-scale optical quantum operation involving 16 (was 5) modes"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-intelligent-photodetectors-dogs-materials-spectra.html "directly encodes visible to mid-IR spectral/ spatial information into output photocurrent, allowing sensor to identify materials, chemicals,.. optoelectronic sensors learn/ compute without need for digital post-processing... can be electrically tuned to enhance/ suppress specific spectral signatures... trains sampling pixels/ receiving simple commands, then learns optimal electrical control sequence to highlight target object's pixels/ suppress background... for new/ unseen images, produces only for pixels belonging to target object"

https://phys.org/news/2025-11-physicists-generate-hybrid-options-6g.html "strong coupling between miniaturized surface acoustic waves/ yttrium iron garnet's lattice atomic acoustic waves, results in nanoscale hybrid GHz spin-sound waves... leads to magnon-polaron hybrid excitations... combines pillars of microwave technology: acoustic filters/ ferrimagnetic insulators... quantitative understanding and control over this spin-sound coupling offers pathway for developing agile frequency filters that can be adjusted during operation, a key innovation for upcoming 6G mobile communications"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-tensor-world.html "3D sensing (point clouds), computer graphics, physics simulations are continuous, requiring real-number coordinates, complex/ specialized code outside mainstream tensor frameworks... overcome with new framework: allowing data to be stored/ accessed using real-number coordinates, continuous Einsums language expressing computations between continuous tensors in concise math-like form, infinite real number representation in finite array... drastically simplifies coding for continuous data tasks"

https://phys.org/news/2025-11-nanoscale-bragg-photonic-chips-suppress.html "produces narrow spectrum light... eliminates lasers' noise source... photonic bandgap removes states' density parasitic modes rely on to operate... induced dead zone causes 6X increase in Brillouin lasing's minimum energy threshold for exciting laser emission, 2.5X power, boost... Bragg gratings can be written, erased, re-tuned after creation using only laser light, for low-noise single-mode or cascaded multi-mode operation... general framework for controlling optical processes on photonic chips, not only Brillouin lasers"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107373 "converts electrical energy into mechanical motion using ferroelectric fluids... amplifies TEF, which acts perpendicularly to applied electric field,,, ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal mixture combines free-flowing liquid attribute with spontaneous polarization (ability to retain internal electric dipole)... dielectric constant generating stress exceeding 1,000 N/m², achieved at few tens of V (was 10 kV)... future: motor made entirely of plastic, eliminating need for magnets/ rare-earths... compact, energy-efficient actuators/ motors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107423 "synthetic polymers as a promising, sustainable alternative to expensive, unsustainable minerals currently used in electronic devices like conductors, transistors, and diodes... newly developed polymers possess special electronic properties enabled by 2 controlled techniques: chirality and chemical doping: structural chirality significantly boosts chemical reaction controlling doping in polymers, even though initially detrimental"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107536 "overcomes metasurface manufacturing's refractive index limitation, retains nanoimprint lithography high-speed/ low-cost, electron beam lithography performance... Hybrid Material Method: imprint nanoscale patterns on low-refractive-index resin using NIL, coat high-refractive-index thin film onto patterns using atomic layer deposition... Particle-Embedded Resin Method: mix high-refractive-index nanoparticles into NIL resin... water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol mold dissolved in water after imprinting... future: roll-to-roll" Related: Nanoscience breakthrough puts low-cost, printable electronics on the horizon https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108775

https://press.uni-mainz.de/common-metal-unusual-power-new-manganesei-complex-breaks-lifetime-record-for-excited-states/ "2 orders magnitude (100 times) longer, giving catalyst more time to diffuse/ encounter another molecule with which to transfer an electron, enabling photoreaction... single-step reaction directly from commercially available colorless: manganese salt and a ligand... resulting in deep purple complex exhibiting strong light absorption... sustainable, highly efficient, robust behavior, long excited-state lifetime... large-scale photoreaction applications, such as sustainable hydrogen production" Related: Redox reaction using main-group element gallium from group 13 in a move away from rare-earth and precious metals https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107516

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107559 "using 3 standard sinusoidal projection patterns assumes object stationary... overcome using neural inverse rendering framework leveraging deep learning... models/ optimizes motion (represented as displacement field)/ shape, correcting for captured images' motion-induced discrepancies... extends structured light high-precision capabilities into dynamic environments merging deep learning/ optical principles... dynamic/ accurate 3D capture: manufacturing inspection, digital twin modeling, visual production performance"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107570 "<£100 shop-bought optical fiber links 2 separate smaller networks... chaotic light scattering inside fiber shaped at input into 8-user reconfigurable router, routes/ teleports entanglement on demand, switching between local, global, mixed connections... multiplexed entanglement: teleportation/ swapping entanglement between 4 distant users across 2 channels at once... sets a new standard for connecting and controlling quantum entanglement across distributed systems... this prototype built is scalable" Related: Quanta teleport between photons from two distant light sources https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1106475 Progress towards a quantum internet https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1108117

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-frontend-gbs-pam.html "processes high-voltage, higher-order signals,... fabricated in 28nm CMOS... 1.95 pJ/bit power efficiency... multi-path architecture: signal path divided, each path handling only sub-range of total dynamic range, reducing number of slicers/samplers, decreasing final stage's load, improving linearity-power trade-off, doubling linearity with only 20% power increase... separated Feed-Forward Equalization path for channel loss compensation while handling large input signals... accelerated supercomputers, speed between servers"

https://phys.org/news/2025-11-method-based-quantum-processors-neural.html "process information more efficiently than classical Convolutional Neural Networks, but quantum photonic states linear, limiting flexible operations needed for neural networks... overcome injecting adaptive state making photonic circuit more adaptable, so circuit adjusts behavior based on a measurement taken during processing... either injects new photon or sends existing light forward steering computation... proof of concept: encoded 4 × 4 images of horizontal/ vertical bar patterns, >92% classification accuracy, scalable"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107394 "TENGs excellent at harvesting mechanical energy from human motion, which when integrated with micro supercapacitors have stable output, but complex, expensive, slow fabrication like 3D printing/ laser cutting prevents large-scale production... overcome with: (1) TENG Conductive Layer created via a dip-spin-coating using MXene paste, (2) MSC electrode created via mask-assisted graphene solution vacuum filtration... press TENG with palm... 0.653 V/ minute charging efficiency" Related: Polymer beads generate electricity for self-charging devices using simple friction https://phys.org/news/2025-11-polymer-beads-generate-electricity-devices.html

https://phys.org/news/2025-11-quantum-photonic-chip-emitting-molecules.html "solid-state emitters' spectral diffusion: photon emission frequency randomly wanders (color spread unpredictable) determined by environmental noise... overcome, enabling 2 identical sources to run in parallel, using tunable light-emitting single molecules embedded in single-crystalline organic nanosheets combined with silicon-nitride photonic circuits (waveguides) and metal microelectrodes... fluorescent molecules placed into waveguides where electric fields applied via microelectrodes"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-11-photonic-millimeter-radar-chip-generation.html "struggle maintaining high bandwidth at high frequencies, overcome using optical rather than electrical signal processing... thin-film lithium niobate photonic platform shrunk to sub-coin-size while achieving highest resolution of any on-chip photonic radar... mm-wave V band (centered at 45 GHz) with 10 GHz bandwidth... precision velocity detection/ ranging, integrations signal generation/ echo processing, no high-speed digital-to-analog/ analog-to-digital converters... scalable production on 4-inch wafers"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1107210 "OLEDs use relatively thick metal masks to deposit light-emitting molecules, overcome using ceramic silicon nitride to form resilient membranes 3,000X thinner, integrable into standard chip production processes... light sources closer than half their wavelength exhibit waves with interference patterns, enabling light output reinforcement, cancellation, direction manipulation control... powerful mini lasers, medical diagnostic polarized light, razor-sharp screen in VR glasses, microscopy, sensors, phased array optics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1103233 "overcomes physical barrier historically restricting technologies' sensitivity for use in advanced science... single-photon entanglement improved precision but failed to provide high resolution, overcome using multi-mode N00N State entangling multiple photons along specific paths creating much denser interference fringes, detecting smallest physical changes with high sensitivity, simultaneously enhancing resolution... 88% higher precision (2.74 dB improvement), approaching ultimate Heisenberg limit... future: chip-based" Related: Quantum sensor based on silicon carbide qubits operates at room temperature https://phys.org/news/2025-11-quantum-sensor-based-silicon-carbide.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1102409 "chip-sized spectroscope confines THz light from 1 mm down to 3 µm for visualizing electron behavior/ optical conductivity...layers' edges in 2D materials naturally act as mirrors in optical cavities confining light/ electrons... excited electron streams reflect off edges, combining with light forming plasmon polariton hybrid quasiparticles... each layer's plasmons interact strongly, altering material's behavior... 2D material edges act as boundaries for light-matter waves... future: find other quasiparticles in variety of 2D systems"

https://www.geeky-gadgets.com/graphene-perovskite-solar-cell-efficiency/ "improved electron mobility/ minimized resistance... material costs up to 80% less (no precious metals)...  nano-film encapsulation guards against heat, moisture, UV degradation... reliable performance over long periods... use in: drones, satellites, portables, IoT powered by LEDs, rooftops... 98% recyclable...future: multi-junction cells, which could push efficiencies beyond 35% suggesting future where solar energy is not just an alternative, but the dominant, cost-effective standard for global energy needs"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1103430 "abundant, non-toxic, stable titanium oxide functions only as n-type, but CMOS used in computers require both n- and p-type... overcome, combining oxidation/ doping into single step: aluminum oxide film placed over titanium thin film is irradiated with laser for few seconds (tens of hours), forming titanium oxide, disrupting electron balance, transforming into p-type semiconductor... ambient conditions (no: high vacuum/ temperature, expensive equipment)... faster, cheaper, more reliable production of highly integrated circuits"