Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114886 "streamlined, efficient industrial waste heat capture... constructed from single material avoiding alternating layers of p-/ n-type semiconductors causing electrical contact resistance/ energy loss... generates voltage perpendicular to heat flow... Axis-Dependent Conduction Polarity, mixed-dimensional Fermi surface... significantly large transverse thermopower signal... effective at low temperatures, thin film appliable/ large surface area coverage on industrial machinery/ engines... more efficient sensors/ waste-heat recovery"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115272 "Spatial Light Modulation-assisted Femtosecond Laser Plasma Lithography: orders of magnitude faster processing speeds than conventional laser direct writing, in-situ electrode/ sub-wavelength micro/ nanograting structure simultaneous fabrication, programmable, scalable, works with various materials including: graphene oxide, MXene, COFs... electrodes with laser-etched gratings perform better than those smooth unstructured... 4.3X increased volumetric capacitance... retains 93% capacity after 5K cycles"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115244 "mechanical durability, conductivity, environmental stability trade-off in conventional hydrogels... overcome: low-temperature alkali treatment removes lignin/ hemicellulose from basswood, leaving porous, aligned cellulose nanofiber framework... ternary zinc chloride, acrylic acid, and ethylene glycol infused into wood's micro-channels... UV irradiation triggers polymerization without needing additional chemical crosslinkers... 2.82 X 10^-2 S m^-1 ionic conductivity... sensors, signal transmission, wearables"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114950 "no moving parts, chip patterned with nanostructures, achieves 3rd-harmonic generation nonlinear light converts telecommunications band 1530 nm IR into 510 nm green light... overcomes pixel-level control (high flexibility, low efficiency)/ collective resonance (high efficiency, low control) efficiency tradeoff... quasi–bound state in the continuum traps/ amplifies light across entire surface, maintaining precise control... 100X more efficient... steered by changing incoming laser polarization... faster fiber-optics"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-angstrom-scale-plasmonic-gap-boosts.html "7 Å gap created by scanning tunneling microscope between metallic tip/ substrate... 1 V across gap generates 10^9 V/m field altering gap molecules' electronic states... 2nd-harmonic generation intensity changed quadratically with voltage, for precise electrical control... works across broad spectral range... ultra-compact electro-photonic devices where electrical/ optical signals interconverted at atomic scale... modulation depth ~2000% at ±1 V, also for sum-frequency generation, mid-IR to visible conversion"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-niobium-superconducting-field.html "superconducting phase niobium's energy gap prevents low-frequency thermal photon absorption, record 70% photonic thermal diode rectification turning off heat transfer from nearby objects... 50-µm gold-coated silica sphere tipped vertical cantilever 10 nm above niobium-coated plate inside superconductors act as thermal valves/ insulators managing 7.4°K ultra-high vacuum cryogenic environments protecting superconducting quantum processors' stability"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-real-view-microreactor-reveals-2d.html "2D monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors ideal for ultra-thin, low-power electronics... identified crystal growth regimes: triangular (stable growth), hexagonal (rapid expansion fueled by edge-accumulated droplets), ribbon-like (formed in sulfur-rich environments, showing high sensitivity to substrate features)... fabrication precise instead of trial and error... IC miniaturization, energy efficiency... AI, smartphones, wearable sensors, bendable tech for healthcare/ internet of everything"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-focusing-defocusing-lens-montgomery-effect.html "high contrast, no noise/ unwanted background light... spatial light modulator sculpts laser beams to vanish, then sharply refocus at specific pre-determined distances: periodic, non-periodic and exotic shapes... can tightly focus light at multiple depths simultaneously... quantum computing: neutral-atom quantum computers trapping atoms at multiple depths (3D) with minimal light leakage between them,  biological multiplane microscopy, controlled beam integrates into optical chips' metasurfaces"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-natural-magnetic-materials-unprecedented-ways.html "programmable nanoscale optics bypassing need for complex, artificial metamaterials... built miniature hyperlens capable of focusing light into spots far smaller than what standard lenses allow, for high-resolution imaging... . light-bending switched on/ off using magnets or changing temperature... beyond diffraction limit high-resolution microscopes, more compact/ efficient optical data processing, advanced light manipulation for quantum computers, medical imaging: detailed non-invasive diagnostic tools"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111823 "large-scale simulation modeling (fluid dynamics, electromagnetics, structural mechanics, nuclear physics) using rigorous partial differential equations' exascale-level computations using much less power than conventional supercomputers... leads to world's first neuromorphic supercomputer... additionally, a health angle: brain’s architecture naturally wired for complex physics, so neurological disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s may be diseases of computation"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-tiny-silicon-accurate-matrix-multiplication.html "heat diffusing through silicon grid's pores whose geometry determines how heat flows, calculating result encoded as continuous temperature values collected by thermostat... >99% accurate matrix-vector multiplication, backbone of LLMs/ AI... separate structures for positive/ negative components, subtracting results... thermal management without additional battery power/ extra sensors... energy efficient programmable structures/ sequential operations... future: scaling, bandwidth, long distance accuracy"

https://www.smithamevents.com.au/spains-turbine-free-hydropower-breakthrough-how-a-water-pipe-problem-became-a-new-clean-energy-source/ "dangerous water pressure in mountainous pipelines transformed into renewable energy source, utilizing turbine-free hydropower system... patented hydraulic converters much cheaper than dams, integrate into existing infrastructure: irrigation networks, municipal water lines, desalination plants... no moving blades: silent, no risk to aquatic life... no disrupting water supply/ quality... scalable: >2K potential mountainous sites identified within Spain... future: standard for decentralized, resilient energy grids worldwide" Related: Vortex-induced cylinder uses water current rocking to generate electricity https://www.pilotauctionfacility.org/31-169818-spain-turns-an-engineering-headache-into-turbine-free-hydropower-for-humanity/

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-unveils-ultra-high-sensitivity-broadband.html "perovskite-organic heterojunction so sensor captures wide 109.1 dB linear dynamic spectral range: perovskite layers for high-sensitivity visible light detection, organic semiconductors capture near-IR manipulating oxygen atoms' position within organic semiconductor Y2PhO molecule for efficient electrical signal flow between layers/ no molecular clumping... less noise, >90% external quantum efficiency at 830 nm, images external appearance/ internal structures, optical communication, biometrics"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-mesh-bioreactor-20fold-efficiency-reduction.html "biocake layer naturally forming on 10–200 μm mesh to filter solids eventually clogs/ fouls... overcome integrating piezoelectric ultrasound transducers creating microbubbles rapidly collapsing (transient cavitation), stripping away fouling... cleaning: 3.8 seconds (anaerobic conditions)/ <10 seconds (aerobic), biocake reforms <10 minutes (minimal downtime/ consistent effluent quality)... 120-day continuous filtration test, then 21-day field trial: mesh maintained structural/ mechanical integrity... scalable"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-industrial-chemical.html "hydrocarbon ladder 3D polymer membranes with tunable structural backbones filter gases at molecular level without using heat, allowing for small gas molecule separation with record-breaking precision... Smaller footprint/ easier integration into existing facilities (lower upfront costs)... separate: CO2/ methane (landfills, dairy farms), helium/ hydrogen wells, hydrogen/ industrial chemicals... planned pilot projects, and potentially producing hundreds of kg: carbon capture, natural gas sweetening, refrigerant reuse"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-key-micro-enabling-reality-visuals.html "AlInP/ GaInP quantum-well energy barrier confines electrons/ holes preventing energy leakage from smaller pixels... picking/ placing individual LEDs prone to alignment errors/ defects at high resolutions, overcome using low-temperature monolithic 3D integration, stacking LED layers directly onto driving circuitry... monolithic 3D integration on silicon... high quantum efficiency, minimal power consumption... AR/ VR smart glasses creating reality-like immersion, brightness/ longevity for heads-up displays"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114640 "2D MXenes' nano-confinement effect where flat layers stack on top of each other obstructing ion movement... overcome rolling sheets into 1D scrolls creating highways for rapid transport... Janus reaction creates structural asymmetry by altering surface chemistry with water, introducing lattice strain, causing layers to peel/ curl into tight tubes... scalable: produced 10g nanoscrolls across 6 different MXene types... superconductive solution-processed films: quantum sensors/ flexible superconducting interconnects"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-freestanding-3d-mxene-limits-microscale.html "pure MXene additive-free ink requiring no ceramic backbones/ supporting structures... leverages natural aerosol droplet evaporation/ aerodynamic control guiding nanosheets into intricate geometries... fabricated a 3D microsupercapacitor with record 375 mF cm-2 areal capacitance, 11.04 𝜇Wh cm-2 area energy density... optimizes the flow of ions and electrons, paving the way for high-performance power sources in: microrobotics, wearables, next-generation batteries/ sensors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114378 "2-photon polymerization largely restricted to polymers lacking key mechanical, electrical, magnetic properties, overcome using fs laser creating localized hot spot within liquid containing randomly dispersed micro- or nanoparticles... heat generates precise fluid flow (optofluidic interaction) propelling particles through small opening into prefabricated polymer mold which when removed leaves free-standing 3D object held together by van der Waals forces... multifunctional, micro-scale: sculptures, robotics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114081 "depending on incoming near-IR laser polarization, nonlinear programmable metasurface generates either electric-/ magnetic-mode vortex skyrmions (future: more modes) stable/ resistant to environmental noise/ physical obstacles even with limited bandwidth since topologically protected... high-capacity multiplexing: encodes data into the light's shape, adding new channels to same frequency... laser polarizations create different 3D shapes (skyrmions) carrying data via 6G+ safely through crowded areas"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114541 "holography reached saturation using light's wavelength, polarization, orbital angular momentum encoding data... overcome using optical orbital angular momentum multiplication operator-specific holograms requiring specific mathematical pathways to open... each operator defined by: incident topological charge, scaling factor, propagation distance... 9X increased optical data storage capacity subdividing single channel, etching multiplexed independent holograms into glass using fs lasers"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-quantum-batteries-quadruple-qubit-capacity.html "recharges using system's own components and light... reducing heat generation/ wiring requirements enables 4X number of qubits within same footprint... increasing number of qubits accelerates computation speed (superextensivity)... batteries entangled with processing units optimizing energy distribution... avoids: using electrical grid, room-sized cryogenic systems, heavy/ complex wiring, heat/ space scaling limitations"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ferroelectric-ultraviolet-photodetector.html "uses a ... ferroelectric materials have boundaries between regions of different polarization, trapping/ scattering separated charge carriers slowing down response times... overcome synthesizing a thin-film titanate-substituted strontium aluminate (magnetoplumbite-type) exhibiting single-domain charge carrier highway... >500 hours polarization retention, 6.8 ns / 17.7 ns rise/ fall times... UV (330 nm) detection: 860 mA/W responsivity... high-precision optical communications, environmental sensing, space exploration"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114304 "recycles light energy in circular loop increasing intensity... compatible with battery-powered electronics like smartphones/ laptops... broader bandwidth for greater data-carrying capacity without interference (adds minimal signal noise)... size: fits on fingertip... 100x (20 dB) amplification, broad spectrum bandwidth... data communications: increasing network speed/ efficiency, biosensing: highly sensitive medical diagnostic tools, light sources: advanced laser and imaging technologies"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-wavelengths-approach-circuit-quantum.html "strontium or other charged atoms manipulated by EM/ lasers for calculations have difficulty scaling: space constraints, routing complexity... supports several hundred qubits on single chip... optical fibers attached to waveguides split/ rearranged in overlapping tapestry-like patterns so light reaches correct trapping zones... individual beams can be toggled on/ off without affecting others... 2 patterning methods, bubble sort/ blockwise duplication, minimizing power loss depending on specific needs of chip"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114004 "2D-like electron flow in solid 3D network structural stability... honeycomb layers with chiral stacking pattern preserves 2D electronic behavior within 3D volume... hosts Weyl points enabling electrons' energy-efficient movement with extreme ease... create materials where function is dictated by atomic arrangement rather than just physical dimensions... low power computers, spintronics, scalable advanced electronics' manufacturing using materials more durable than layered crystals"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113891 "mimics diving bell spider/ fire ant survival strategies traping air bubbles against their bodies to remain buoyant/ breathe underwater... stable air bubble forced to remain inside even if tube pushed vertically into water/ subjected to turbulent motion, due to central divider...remain afloat even after being riddled with holes, or placed at extreme angles... tubes up to 0.5m, scalable, linkable for larger load-bearing structures... shipping, buoys, floating platforms, harvesting wave energy to generate electricity"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113980 "exciton behavior trade-off: must recombine tightly to produce light in OLEDs/ must split quickly into free charges to generate power in OPVs... overcome utilizing Multiple-Resonance Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence managing exciton binding energy/ minimizing voltage loss during power generation... larger binding energy = yellow light, smaller = blue, for full-color control... lighting systems generating power during day/ fuel illumination at night, self-charging: smartphones, wearables, sensors" Related: Stacked ionic cells inspired by electric rays generate over 100V for small electronics https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-stacked-ionic-cells-electric-rays.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113662 "photolithography's chemical etching/ photoresists often cause lost lamination/ conductivity, overcome by selectively modifying chemical bonds without removing material... pre-etched glass substrate pressed against graphene under vacuum at 380°C, 1K volts applied causing alkali ion migration creating oxygen-rich zones that convert carbon–carbon bonds into carbon–oxygen bonds forming pattern... neural interfaces, solar cell/ advanced display transparent electrodes, flexible electronic skins/ health monitors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113974 "different frequencies need different devices, overcome by adjusting thin metal plate thickness (elastic wave phase sensitive to thickness of material it travels through) creating responses for different frequencies... single metasurface focused elastic 40 kHz, 60 kHz, 80 kHz onto spatial locations simultaneously. converting vibrations into electricity using piezoelectric elements, up to 48X higher signal intensities... combines wave control, frequency separation, spatial routing, electrical conversion" 

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-breakthrough-laser-technique-quantum-stable.html "atoms wave-like at quantum level dispersing over time, overcome stabilizing (for nearly half second) solitons within lattice using attractive forces using cesium atoms cooled to near absolute zero (Bose-Einstein condensate)... magnetic fields tune attraction between atoms: too weak and atoms disperse, too strong and cluster collapses... 2 types of stable atoms' structure: concentrated at single point on grid/ distributed across multiple sites while still behaving as a unified soliton... quantum sensing/ transport"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-superconducting-nanowire-memory-array-significantly.html "4 × 4 superconducting nanowire memory array overcomes bulk, using 1D nanostructures for scalable row–column operations, higher functional density (2.6 Mbit cm⁻²)... each memory cell: superconducting nanowire loop containing: 2 temperature-dependent switches changing resistance based on thermal pulses, variable kinetic inductor stabilizing electrical flow... magnetic flux data encoding... 10^−5 bit error rate... optimized write-/ read-pulse sequences minimizes bit errors/ maximizes operating margins"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260125081138.htm "overcomes 2D fabrication limitations which degrade material choices/ quality... fabricates helical switchable diodes... chiral (twisted) helix: electric current flows more easily in 1 direction then the other (non-reciprocal)... diode effect reversed by either changing crystal magnetization/ altering the helix's handedness... low-power, shape-engineered components: memory, logic, and sensing technologies that move beyond the constraints of conventional flat electronics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113224 "on Quafu cloud platform, introduces select-before-compile workflow improving speed/ accuracy... heuristic algorithms find chip areas with low noise/ high fidelity, abstracted entities stored in unified virtualization database enabling multiple quantum backends' consistent management, query, invocation... compiler matches the quantum circuit structure fidelity requirements to best available entity in database... hardware-aware optimization, compiler performs qubit mapping, routing, gate decomposition"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-molecular-surgery-deleting-atom-molecule.html "modifying molecule's outer edges is common, but difficult to do with molecular core which is highly stable... overcome applying voltage pulses using scanning probe microscope tip, at –268 °C, removing specific atoms...deleted 1 oxygen atom: forced to periphery or be removed entirely from 20 carbon atoms' organic precursor molecule... transforms skeleton without rebuilding entire structure... drug discovery, plastic upcycling, creation of unstable molecules not existing in standard liquid-phase chemistry" Related: Electron beams guide atomic-scale structural transformations in crystals https://phys.org/news/2026-01-electron-atomic-scale-crystals.html

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-amino-acids-fuels-graphene.html "reduced graphene oxide method has low conductivity due to structural defects, overcome furnace combusting graphene oxide with amino acids (cost effective) that release intense heat restoring sp2 carbon crystals (long graphene crystallites, C-rGO), 50X more conductive than standard rGO... printed thin films/ electronics: chipless RFID on PET substrate for microwave sensing, battery additives, thermal management, Joule heating"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-2d-material-solution-obstacle-diamond.html "diamond ideal semiconductor (superior heat dissipation/ radiation resistance) but difficult to N-type dope (P-type relatively easy) since phosphorus atoms makes conductive only at high temperatures... overcome using 2D heterointegration: electrostatic doping layering molybdenum disulfide on top of p-type diamond, electrons tunnel into diamond layer at interface, creating PN junction without structural strain/ temperature requirements... smaller, more efficient high-power electronics"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-harnessing-nanoscale-magnetic-limits-conventional.html "AI/ IoT: high-density storage/ high-speed low-power computing... 0.3 nm gadolinium layer (between platinum/ cobalt layers) enhances spin–orbit torque efficiency, force that moves skyrmions; higher efficiency means the skyrmions can move faster using significantly less electrical current... interface design maintains nanoscale structures' stability while allowing for high-speed operation... blueprint for tailoring material interfaces to create energy-efficient, high-density storage and processing units"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-gnss-method-stable-positioning-autonomous.html "bypasses integer ambiguity resolution which determines number of radio wavelengths between satellite/ receiver, which causes interference in cities due to signal reflections... overcome using Rao-Blackwellized particle filter probabilistically estimating position: phase likelihood based on carrier-phase measurements'  fractional parts, velocity integration using Kalman filter to process raw Doppler measurements, outlier resilience removing non-Gaussian errors... 30% better than traditional... autonomous vehicles/ robotics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113462 "P2P often disorganized/ random leading to redundant data transmission/ congestion/ high queuing delays, network topology (not protocol itself) primary cause of sluggishness... if neighbor consistently slow, node automatically disconnects/ seeks faster peer... decentralized algorithm analyzes data devices already receiving so doesn't drain battery/ processing power... 50-node IoT: 48.54% block-related delay reduction... smart cities/ homes/ industrial, secure/ instant health data sharing from wearable sensors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113564 "spruce wood biochar, montmorillonite clay, paraffin... biochar-clay scaffold increases thermal energy storage capacity 223% compared to clay-only/ improves thermal conductivity by 78% over pure paraffin... maintains >95% heat storage capacity after 1K cycles with negligible leakage... cooling consumption reduced 54% compared to bulk paraffin/ 24.3% compared to buildings without composite... more sustainable/ cost-effective than graphene... future: replace synthetic surfactants with bio-based molecules" Related: Mechanical engineers' wood-based material could cut energy costs https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-mechanical-wood-based-material-energy.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113650 "avoids energy-intensive digital-to-analog/ analog-to-digital converters by: performing complex signal analog processing/ constructing signals directly in RF using 3 synchronized sub-transmitters... antenna-to-bits receiver uses hierarchical analog demodulation to peel apart data layers before digitization, consuming only 230 mW (avoids overheating)... fabricated using standard 22-nm silicon-on-insulator... data centers, smartphones (6G without draining batteries in minutes), AI edge computing, autonomous vehicles"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ultrafast-atomically-thin-semiconductors-rapid.html "overcomes silicon-based electronics' limits... combines silver nano-slit array/ 3-atom-thick tungsten disulfide layer, creating active metamaterial... external laser pulses manipulate material's reflectivity during 70-fs storage phase... 10% brightness change within few fs... fast conventional/ quantum computer data processing, optical sensors, improved chip manufacturing efficiency, telecommunications... future: optimize the materials to further boost the switching effect and move toward practical application"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-cleaner-industrial-revolution-electrifying-boilers.html "standardized, mass-produced, drop-in replacement... compressor/ heat pump cycle uses 50% less electricity than electric resistive boilers... uses ambient air, but waste heat source compatible... delivers up to 150°C steam, currently focusing on facilities <10MW thermal energy: fragmented mid-sized manufacturing market where steam is the primary working fluid for diverse industrial processes... scaling to hundreds of units annually by 2028"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-handheld-fuel-cell-reactor-rapid.html "cantilevered yttria-stabilized zirconia ceramic minimizes heat conduction/ prevents structural failure, using multilayer insulation trapping heat internally allowing safe touch while reaching operating temperatures in 5 minutes (was 30)... if insulation punctured, temperature drops rapidly below the hydrogen ignition point within 5 minutes... up to 4X gravimetric energy density benefit high-drain edge devices: drones, compact robotics, AI hardware, scalable high-density off-grid power"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113254 "uses 5,000X less energy than digital computers while reducing latency/ footprint on silicon... 2 64×64 programmable resistive memory arrays built using standard CMOS technology... combines SRAM with integrated resistors, operational amplifiers, analogue-to-digital converters... industrial scalability: By using standard manufacturing processes, the team demonstrated that this analogue approach is feasible for industrial-scale production... AI, 6G, robotics, data centers"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113320 "metals' heat flow restricted by strong interactions between electrons/ phonons... overcome with material’s hexagonal pattern of tantalum atoms interspersed with nitrogen, exhibiting extremely weak electron-phonon interactions... AI accelerators, high-performance chips, removing localized hotspots in high-density processors, improving energy efficiency in massive data centers, enhancing reliability in aerospace systems and quantum computing platforms"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1113304 "steered across 74° angle 2.2X more effectively... linked 3 AI models: simplified complex data into manageable format, designed/ executed/ analyzed 300 experiments on optical equipment in continuous loop, acted as fact-checker deriving mathematical formulas explaining trends found by 2nd AI... fundamentally new light-material nanoscale interaction method... moves AI beyond simple automation to interpretable discovery, providing verifiable equations facilitating peer-review and fabrication"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260118064641.htm "brittle ceramic LLZO electrolytes develop microscopic surface cracks leading to battery failure... apply 3-nm silver layer onto electrolyte surface, heat silver to 300°C causing silver ions to replace smaller lithium ions within crystal structure to 20 to 50 nm depth... becomes 5X more resistant to cracking under mechanical pressure... scalable production... similar but less protection using less costly copper instead... also applicable to sodium batteries... future: sulfur-based electrolytes further improving stability/ lifespan" Related: New process for stable, long-lasting all-solid-state batteries https://www.psi.ch/en/news/media-releases/new-process-for-stable-long-lasting-all-solid-state-batteries

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-ultrathin-coating-electronics-miracle-insulator.html "leakage not due to pinholes/ cracks, but chemistry: depositing aluminum oxide on top of titanium oxide, top layer steals oxygen from underlying layer, enabling quantum tunneling to allow electrons to leak through layers too thin the be effective barriers so they become incomplete/ leaky... stronger oxygen source immediately replaces any oxygen lost during reaction, allowing complete barrier formation even at <1 nm thickness"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-liquid-metal-powers-kind-motor.html "similar to miniature waterwheel but uses electricity/ liquid metal instead of mechanical force... submerge liquid metal droplet in salt solution, apply electric field triggering swirling internal flows within droplet, place small copper paddle inside flows pushing paddle up to 320 RPM... motor inherently soft/ adaptable... liquid metal actuator fast/ efficient... less mechanical complexity: easier integration into small-scale tech... delicate or confined environments: soft robotics, biomedical devices, flexible electronics, wearables"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-approach-energy-harvesting-quantum-world.html "Tomonaga–Luttinger liquids occur when electrons, moving collectively, are confined to narrow channels, its electronic energy not easily relaxing into thermal equilibrium... sustained naturally, not needing precise laser control... 2–3X higher voltage generation/ consistently higher conversion efficiency than thermal equilibrium... high/ low-energy electron populations coexist without uniform relaxation, not lost to entropy... energy filters capture high-energy particles... factories, data centers, electronics, cryogenics"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-scientists-uncover-quantum-state-power.html "merges: (1) quantum criticality: electrons fluctuate intensely between different phases in systems with strongly correlated electrons, (2) electronic topology: stable wave twists of electrons that remain protected even if material's structure slightly altered, in materials with weak electron interactions... heavy fermion material's electron interactions so intense particles behave as if significantly more mass, manifesting hybrid quantum state... durable/ stable quantum materials, high-precision sensing, low-power electronics"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-memristor-method-slashes-ai-energy.html "hardware-algorithm mismatch hinders analog in-memory computing for training deep neural networks: difficult to precisely write to/ backpropagation requires tiny, deterministic weight adjustments but memristor noise/ drift creates update errors 10 to 100X larger than intended adjustment... overcome embracing noise using probabilistic scaling precise updates converted into larger discrete pulses applied with specific probability... skips update if smaller than noise threshold... reduces writes by over 99%"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111836 "integrates: (1) asynchronous optical sampling using 2 lasers, slightly different frequencies providing high-speed scanning/ 100 MHz spectral resolution identifying chemical signatures, (2) photoconductive probe, 20 µm spatial resolution for near-field detection observing how light interacts with surfaces... using small detection area, filteres out noise from samples' edges, providing cleaner data... verifies light-matter interaction models in real-time... wireless communications, chemical sensors, nonlinear THz devices"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-electrification-technology-high-emission-metal.html "retains conventional structure/ conveyor furnace mechanisms... rapid, uniform heating through high-temperature radiant heat, by optimizing distance between steel/ electric elements positioned above/ below... 40% reduced capital investment/ installation footprint, >98% reduced emissions, microstructure, color, mechanical properties identical to using fossil-fuel... future: integrate AI to automatically optimize heating configurations based on steel strips' dimensions/ speed... automobiles, appliances"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-bio-copper-composite-thermal-expansion.html "trade-off between materials' expanding when heated/ good (non-brittle) heat conductors, overcome mimicking abalone nacre brick-and-mortar" structure/ bamboo transport membranes... laminated copper foil layers provide continuous thermal conductivity 3X higher... reinforced with negative-thermal-expansion particles... prevents catastrophic failure by deflecting cracks, increasing flexural fracture energy to 53 kJ·m⁻², 4X that of the monolithic composite... achieves zero expansion in all directions"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-tuning-commercially-devices-room-temperature.html "magnons' oscillation frequency controlled quasi instantly/ on demand by means of interacting: optical excitation, magnetic anisotropy (directional dependence), external magnetic field... scalable since material only 20 nm thick, so compatible with modern computer chip architecture... most cloud data is currently stored magnetically, but controlling frequency of spin waves (magnons) unlocks faster, energy-efficient data storage/ transfer"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112946 "leverages latent heat released/ absorbed during shape memory alloy cyclic phase transitions... synergistic combination: nickel-titanium alloy maintaining super-elasticity/ high latent heat even at -20°C, calcium chloride transfer fluid having low freezing point/ high wettability improving heat exchange, cascaded tubular design (8 units) providing high surface area/ active Brayton cycle/ withstanding 900MPa stress... cooled insulated chamber to -4°C within 1 hour, 1.43W/g cooling power, 3.4 COP"

https://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2026/january/scientists-put-teeth-into-water-driven-gears.html "no: wear, misaligned/ damaged gear teeth jamming mechanism... vortex exerts force on nearby passive cylinder, which then rotates without physical contact... rotors: further apart, spin in same direction, higher speed... flip rotation direction/ adjust speed ratios by changing distance between cylinders or active rotor's speed... durable, versatile, precise alignment/ spacing less critical... furthers: soft robotics and mechanical devices that are more resilient and adaptable than those using traditional gear designs"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-solution-enables-unprecedented.html "taming heat diffusion's chaotic process difficult since spreads via diffusion rather than wave... overcame using: nonuniform micro-composites forcing heat to flow differently depending on direction it enters, mapping/ predicting via math model how heat will flow, enabling heat steering ability... thermal shields steering heat away from sensitive components, efficient waste heat routing toward conversion systems turn it back into electricity, temperature management where standard insulation or cooling isn't enough"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112850 "no bulky, vibration-sensitive external lasers limiting quantum hardware growth... laser cooling has temperature floor (Doppler limit) leaving ions with too much vibrational energy, overcome using polarization-gradient cooling on-chip, utilizing interaction of 2 differently polarized light beams creating light vortex that stops ion vibration more effectively... chip has 1,000s ion-trapping sites, cooling levels 10X below Doppler limit reached in 100 ms, antennas/ waveguides emit/ route light creating stable optics" Related: Novel quantum refrigerator benefits from problematic noise https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1114376

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-thick-electrode-battery-power-capacity.html "lithium ions must travel further through dense/ messy pore network, causing sharp power drop during short acceleration burst... overcome using parallel channel AI/ neural network optimization: (1) macro-pores: ion flow along large gaps between particles, (2) micro-pores created by conductive additives/ binders slowing/ trapping ions tuned to not hinder overall flow of both... output rate under short burst 2C discharge rate: 1.71 (was 0.98) mAh/cm²... 10 mAh/cm² capacity (unchanged)... high-nickel, LFP"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112196 "microscopic vibrations that travel across material's top layer, in smartphones concentrated photon beam converts RF into vibrations filtering out signal noise before converting back into RF... now, concentrated phonon (acoustic) wave instead... piezoelectric stack of silicon/ lithium niobate, and indium gallium arsenide... electric current accelerates electrons which interact with lithium niobate vibrations bouncing between reflectors, gaining strength forming wave... battery powered single chip, 1 GHz scalable to 100s"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-atomic-surface-boosts-brightness-eco.html "indium phosphide magic-sized clusters are so small even single atomic surface defect causes almost total light loss, overcome using precision atomic etching strategy utilizing incremental chemical reactions removing only specific defects leaving core structure intact (previously etching often caused damaged)... fluorine reacts with zinc forming protective layer (passivation) sealing surface... 18.1 (was <1) % luminescence efficiency... also: quantum communication, IR sensing for advanced electronics"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-graphene-derived-material-generation-electronics.html "trade-off between ink concentration/ flow, used polymer binders/ surfactants to prevent clumping but  dead weight ingredients reduce final product's electrical/ thermal conductivity... overcome using 3D blocks of loosely packed layers rather than flat sheets, preventing interlocking into gel stopping irreversible stacking... remain printable at 100–200 (instead of only a few) mg/mL without any binders... high-resolution screen printing on flexible surfaces: circuits/ interdigitated patterns, electrothermal Heaters"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-qubit-quantum-register-silicon.html "scalable (uses silicon/ existing fiber optics), up to 100 ms coherence (substantial duration for spin-based qubits)... electrically charged atoms fired into silicon creating initial defect sites, rapid thermal annealing,  lithographic patterning adds optical waveguide/ metal traces for spin control... multi-qubit nodes store/ process information locally before transmitting... generated entanglement/ performed controlled-NOT gates... future: improving readout efficiency/ narrowing optical linewidths, repeaters for quantum data"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-standalone-chip-external-magnets-future.html "100×150 square μm samarium cobalt micromagnets/ magnetic flux concentrators on chip (no bulky external magnets), existing electronics fabrication (silicon-compatible)... magnetic field tunable (11 to 20.5 mT) adjusting distance between magnets/ concentrators, enabling 3 to 8 GHz adjustment, phase shift tuned up to 120° at 6 GHz, stable up to 200°C... future: integrate with Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems making real-time reconfigurable revolutionizing consumer/ automotive sensors, medical diagnostics"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-scientists-qubit-quantum-register-silicon.html "15% success rate per attempt (previously not possible) using quantum dot (artificial atom) embedded waveguide acting as mediator separating fast/ slow dynamics suppressing single-photon transitions... sculpts/ correlates incoming photons' frequencies creating qudits... scalable since: entangles photons without needing to filter afterward/ uses existing fiber-optics... unhackable even against future quantum computers... future: move from theory to functional on-chip photonic platform"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-valve-quantum-chiral-fermions-geometry.html "chiral fermionic valve spatially separating quantum particles of opposite chirality using quantum geometry alone, combining materials with exceptional topological quality/ transport attributes at mesoscopic quantum limit... electric current applied to palladium-gallium hosting multifold fermions generates chirality-dependent velocities controlling fermionic chirality; separated chiral currents remain phase coherent over >15 µm... information encoded/ processed using quantum states' handedness"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112270 "problems: >80% OLED generated light lost as heat getting trapped/ reflected/ absorbed within ultrathin organic layers, solutions bulky and ruin thin/ flat structure... optimizes light extraction for the actual, finite size of individual display pixels, thin as existing microlens but with efficiency of larger hemispherical lenses... reduced optical interference between neighboring pixels, brighter displays using same power, reduced heat = longer lifespan... also compatible: flexible displays, perovskites, quantum dots"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-discovery-reveals-silica-hidden-potential.html "silica (glass) ensures light follows single, clean path through each nanopillar... less aggressive bending light, so devices more forgiving of physical imperfections/ fabrication errors... stable response across many light wavelengths without need for complex engineering... scalable: compatible with standard deep-UV chip-making lithography, cheaper than electron-beam lithography... silica can handle high-powered lasers that would damage other materials... reduces camera, sensor, microscope production costs"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-image-robots.html "avoids heavy mapping/ LiDAR... interconnects: Vision-Language Model identifying open floors vs. walls/ gaps from photo, Diffusion-based Trajectory Generation denoising/ refining rough guess into smooth, safe path toward goal... 90 ms navigation data processing real-time on robot's internal processor... requires only few robot-specific examples to learn robot/ drone platform's unique motion style... warehouse/ industrial logistics, monitoring crops/ inspecting infrastructure autonomously... future: swarm" Related: Why 5G alone may not be enough for tomorrow’s factories https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112484 Quantum-inspired wireless technology could tackle 6G's biggest challenges https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-quantum-wireless-technology-tackle-6g.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-ultra-small-high-electronics-grown.html "overcomes contact resistance (lengthy charge transfer) potentially enabling 1nm node transistors (20nm charge transfer length)... grow crystalline semimetallic antimony contacts in vacuum, atoms arranged in specific, high-quality crystal orientation, 13nm transfer length, resistance where materials meet down to 18nm (was 60) beyond which degradation starts, meeting 1nm node requirements... 100X larger/ crystalline... future: p-type tungsten diselenide contacts enabling complete integrated circuits, scale"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-physicists-resilient-3d-solitons-lab.html "only observed in 1D before... waves distort/ lose information due to turbulence, overcome applying external voltage to strontium-barium niobate crystals, making solitons integrable in 3D space possessing conserved energy/ momentum keeping them stable, turned crystal's interior into photon fluid enabling light movement control through it, generating light beam matching mathematical lump... wave packet did not spread out/ distort as traveled, 2 lump solitons colliding through each other left properties/ shapes intact"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-configuring-optical-devices-automatically.html "overcomes error snowball effect from manipulating thousands light variables at once using diffractive neural network... light bounces through cavity hitting patterned surfaces, each reflection gradually reshapes/ nudges light into desired pattern... single beam simultaneously carries multiple independent information channels with near perfect alignment, utilizing 1 million microscopic self learning/ adjusting mirror grid that can move 1,000X/ second... medical imaging, vastly increased internet speeds"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112193 "avoids: edge devices being bulky/ power-hungry, latency, battery drain (constant transmission), security concerns... In-Physics Analog Computing performs math using signals from 5G tower or Wi-Fi router broadcasting radio frequency that encode weights of AI model... frequency mixers combine incoming RF with device's local data... uses existing, miniaturized RF components... 96% image classification accuracy... wireless network distributed intelligence, drone swarms (search/ rescue), smart city sensors"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-ionogel-power-safe-energy-storage.html "dendrites overcome using hybrid structure combining best solid/ liquid properties... ultrathin polymer sheets layered with lithium salt/ ionic liquid ionogel... pseudosolid membrane both electrolyte/ separator, eliminating need for volatile liquid electrolytes... suppresses dendrite growth, withstands internal gas pressure, scalable, flexible (portable electronics). nonflammable, puncture-resistant, high ion conductivity for stable performance 100s cycles... also: aerospace, medical devices, autonomous robotics" Related: Tougher solid electrolyte advances long-sought lithium metal batteries https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112749

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-heat-pumps-will-soon-be.html "when electricity cheap or heat pumps running, heats non-toxic salt hydrate phase change material until melts, absorbing massive thermal energy... when need heat for showers/ morning warmth, material solidifies/ releases stored energy... salt hydrates' higher energy density than water so up to 4X smaller water tank speeds heat transfer, thin recycled aluminum fins last decades (plasma electrolytic oxidation coated), 85% efficient (was 65), >70% reduced charging times, >80% reduced time releasing heat"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ultra-fast-quantum-tunneling-device.html "Quantum tunneling devices require massive electric fields forcing electrons through energy barriers, generating extreme heat melting/ destroying metal electrodes, overcame swapping aluminum oxide for titanium dioxide lowering energy barrier... atomic layer deposition of nearly perfect thin film eliminates microscopic defects... thermally stable over 1K+ cycles, signal modulation/ up to 60% transmission control, operates at 25% previous voltage requirements... quantum sensing, optical communication"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-oled-corrugated-panel-longevity-efficiency.html "OLEDs built on flat panels driven at high currents causes burn out/ degrade quickly, overcome creating micro-ridges 0.1 mm tall onto glass surface increasing surface area... allows more light-emitting material packing into same panel footprint, producing same total light at lower individual brightness/ lower current... white OLED stacking red, green, blue layers... 2.7x longer lifespan, 40% higher light extraction efficiency... 3D shape helps light bounce out, not trapped... curved or foldable architectural lighting"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111546 "overcomes 2D metal nanosheet's low current output/ poor durability... stable over 100K mechanical cycles, spray-coating process scalable... converts walking, breathing into electricity... continuous battery-free heart rate/ temperature/ physical activity monitoring, energy harvesting, EMI shielding, Joule heating (smart clothing/ thermal comfort)"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-hidden-defects-degrade-semiconductor-1000x.html "Hall measurements using electric/ magnetic fields to track electron motion, improved upon by adding controlled light illumination/ temperature variation... under weak light traps begin electron capture, traps fill up as light intensity increases allowing subsequent electrons to move freely... observing transition enables hidden defects' density/ behavior calculation... simultaneously measures electron speed/ lifespan... analyzed both silicon/ perovskite solar cells, identifying performance degradation source... memory chips"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111980 "nanoscale mirror electronically switched on/ off at room temperature functions as optical modulator... metasurface traps light within single tungsten disulfide atomic layer, creating exciton, causing material to act like mirror... applying voltage suppresses excitons, causing light absorption instead of reflection turning off mirror... makes metasurfaces tunable (optics previously were permanent once manufactured)... optical computing, wireless communication, nano-optics (lenses/ mirrors) that are not bulky"

https://interestingengineering.com/ces-2026/worlds-first-terahertz-vision-sensor "984 feet range, 0.13° native resolution (up to 20X better than current automotive radar), provides detailed 3D point clouds with Doppler data (range, direction, elevation, speed), solid-state digital phased array using proprietary modular THz engine... unlike cameras or lidar, THz waves can see through fog, rain, snow, sleet, sun glare without losing accuracy... advanced driver-assistance system/  L2 to L5 autonomous driving levels... high-volume production 2028... motor vehicles, defense, healthcare, manufacturing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111853 "light hits thin silver film, interacts with free electrons on surface creating oscillations (plasmons) concentrating light/ enhancing electromagnetic field, increasing nearby molecules' light absorption 10X, enabling 19X reduced light intensity to trigger conversion compared to previous non-plasmonic systems... built low-energy powered blue OLED prototype (blue normally requires high energy, often leading to instability), then combined with green/ red light for stable white light"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111833 "scaling small image to large windshield adds massive empty data to calculation, consuming too much memory/ too slow for real-time driving... overcome using Matrix Multiplication based diffraction method acting as mathematical zoom lens calculating display chip/ windshield requirements independently... 58% reduced calculation time, significantly less memory usage by eliminating redundant 0 data, can project images at vastly different sizes/ distances simultaneously without driver's eyes constantly refocusing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111579 "light cages: hollow-core waveguides created via 2-photon polymerization lithography fill with atoms in days (was months)... coated structure stable for 5 years... fabrication accurate within 2 nm so multiple memories on same chip perform identically... stores information by converting light pulses into atomic excitations... light pulses guided into cage, mapped onto cesium atoms, optical control laser reverses/ releases stored light on demand... parallel photonic synchronization for long-distance quantum repeaters"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111548 "information stored in qubits through delicate entanglement, where observing/ interacting with stored information changes state, making copying impossible... overcome by encrypting information during copying process, where even needing to use 1-time decryption key enables redundant, scalable encrypted quantum cloud services... encryption/ single-use keys make backups inherently secure... quantum cloud storage for: medicine, materials science, cryptography"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-error-technology-quantum-real-world.html "quantum computers use wave interference to find answers in single sweep rather than checking 1 by 1, but creates noise, a built-in flaw making some errors inevitable... overcome by preventing ripple effect from working at scale... remains ultra-fast even when dealing with millions of qubits, enabling large-scale machines... applications: (1) drug discovery: simulating complex molecules, (2) cryptography: creating ultra-secure communication, (3) climate science: building more accurate prediction models"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-ai-approach-optical-months-milliseconds.html "time-consuming simulations/ custom neural network creation for every new design, overcome training LLMs on >45K design dataset for quickly predicting how metasurface interacts with light... can work backward finding exact nanoscopic structure needed to reach desired light-manipulation outcome... optimizes free-form/ complex shapes offering higher performance/ efficiency... system responds to prompts so researchers need not be experts... paper-thin camera lens, eyeglass-weight VR headsets"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111439 "spin state can change in response to external conditions such as temperature/ magnetic resonance control... Rabi oscillations demonstrated spin states coherently manipulated... molecule exhibits slow magnetic relaxation, with spin lifetimes long enough to meet key requirements for quantum information processing... electron spin not confined to single metal atom but delocalized across all 3 cobalt ions, helping stabilize quantum state... suppress unwanted vibrations, achieve longer spin lifetimes"

https://phys.org/news/2026-01-fault-tolerant-quantum-protocol-efficiently.html "surface codes: fast computation but massive number of qubits to make reliable/ QLDPC Codes: few qubits but difficult to manipulate slowing computation... overcome combining concatenated codes to rapidly generate auxiliary quantum states that assist in executing logical operations on QLDPC codes... accounted for time classical computers decode errors and noise accumulation during that delay... math formula proved system remains reliable as long as environmental noise stays below specific level"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-sensor-acoustic-smallest-scales.html "performance loss caused by miniaturizing sensors... overcome with belt buckle -sized device honing acoustic energy into nano-scale regions... in a proof-of-concept experiment, the team successfully detected a low-powered infrared laser only five micrometers wide... precision medicine identifying individual cancer cells/ specific proteins, managing/ sensing quantum scale parameters for quantum computers, condensed matter physics validating new hypotheses about how matter behaves at atomic level"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-thermal-metasurfaces-amplify-signatures-factor.html "negative thermal conductivity, impossible, needed to make small object look large thermally, instead manipulating heat requires bulky insulation or massive heat spreaders... overcome using 10 mm radius object surrounded by active shell of 10 controllable semiconductor heating/ cooling plates... electronically controlling plates' heat flux mimics negative thermal conductivity mathematical patterns... bypasses natural materials' limits to heat spread control... energy efficient, thermal privacy, ultra-compact"

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-optical-fiber-bundles-solution-high.html "360° laser coverage from aircraft requires multiple bulky, articulated terminals (gimbals) on fuselage, overcome using small external light collectors routing signals via fiber bundles to single, centralized laser communication terminal housed safely inside aircraft... must be manufactured using UV optimized materials (so far only tested on bundles designed for visible light having loss/ distortion link penalties when used with UV lasers)... future: multiplex multiple signals from different collectors into 1 terminal"

https://phys.org/news/2025-12-microwave-pulses-leaks-quantum-reliable.html "leakage occurs when qubit jumps to a higher energy level leaving calculation/ creating noise interfering with neighboring qubits... need for difficult to scale bulky hardware overcome, by moping up errors using specific microwave pulses nudging qubits back into correct energy states without stopping computation... secondary ancilla (helper) qubits detect/ reset errors with microwaves clearing system. 70X more effective, error suppression improves with scaling... large-scale quantum processors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111233 "remote networks limited by geography/ high costs... high-throughput satellites, LEO mega-constellations, optical inter-satellite links (low/ medium/ geostationary -earth orbit) provide low latency, filling coverage gaps, but high deployment costs/ complex beam alignment... overcome with direct-to-device links/ IoT support international standardization... 6G needs overcoming Doppler shifts/ handovers... AI-driven management, direct smartphone-to-satellite access, spectrum sharing, optical wireless communication" Related: Space computing power networks: a new frontier for satellite technologies https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111232 AI-powered intelligent 6G radio access technology significantly enhances wireless communication performance https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-ai-powered-intelligent-6g-radio.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-free-optical-ai.html "overcomes failure due to difficulty modeling small hardware shifts in hardware, environmental interference of light paths, light propagation too complex for perfect simulation... optical processor learns on-site without need to understand underlying physics, prevents drastic/ unstable changes during training, algorithm reuses data reducing experiments needed to train... efficiently focuses light through random/ unknown diffuser, holography/ aberration correction, image classification, photonic accelerators"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1110343 "enables deterministic networks: more resilient, have less delay, can predict behavior... single Wi-Fi router with Ponte simultaneously manages up to 40 devices with <8 ms speed, assigning specific transmission times/ frequencies to each device to prevent signal interference/ delays... allows companies to use standard Wi-Fi infrastructure for high-stakes tasks such as: remote operation of robotic arms, autonomous guidance for factory transport vehicles, real-time drone inspections, interactive video feeds"