Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-metamaterial-image-sensor-oblique.html "light entering at angle (oblique incidence) causes colors to mix/ efficiency to drop... overcome moving away from manual design, utilizing inverse approach using computer algorithms to autonomously find optimal nanostructure handling light from various angles... metamaterial design maintains approximately 78% optical efficiency within ±12° range... allows for thinner camera modules still producing sharp, color-accurate images... Samsung Electronics did early research, named Nano Prismand"

https://www.livescience.com/technology/computing/thermodynamic-computer-can-mimic-ai-neural-networks-using-orders-of-magnitude-less-energy-to-generate-images "uses orders magnitude less energy, potentially up to 10 billion times less... instead of 0s and 1s leverages natural thermal noise/ physical energy fluctuations... allows set of images to degrade into noise through random interactions, calculating decay process reversal probability, adjusting internal values so reversal as likely as possible, effectively generating image from noise... compared to human brain which operates on only about 20 watts... potential 3rd way of computing distinct from classical/ quantum" Related: Noise-free full-color holography under incoherent ordinary light: a quarter-wave geometric-phase route to practical 3D imaging https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115487

https://norwegianscitechnews.com/2026/02/physicists-may-have-found-the-missing-link-for-quantum-computers/ "essential for creating Majorana particles which can perform calculations in very stable way... operate at 7°K (normally 1°K)... which is significantly easier and more practical to achieve in a laboratory or industrial setting.... experiments show behavior different than any conventional superconductor, but must be verified by other experimental groups and undergo further testing to confirm triplet status once and for all... ultra-fast quantum computers consuming almost no electricity"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116981 "catches rapid qubit energy-loss (relaxation) rate changes once invisible to standard characterization... superconducting qubit performance often sabotaged by microscopic environmental defects fluctuating 100s times/ second ruining qubit in fraction of second... overcome using Field-Programmable Gate Array high-speed commercially available controller, updating checking at ms-speed via Bayesian model after every measurement... programmable in Python-like language... stable, large-scale quantum processors"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-noisy-2d-algorithm-imaging-ai.html "slow signal-to-noise ratios: overcome using mathematically grounded filtering of noise from signal... resolution limited by fixed templates: overcome using scales with improved detector resolution... pattern-recognition using Frobenius norm distance formula rotates reference dataset/ compares to measured data, identifies rotation yielding smallest difference, pinpointing signal's source direction... medical imaging, machine learning, weather mapping, neutrino trajectory/ cosmic event tracking"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-p-thin-power.html "up to 4X more efficient converting heat into power than existing p-type thin films... equally capable p-type counterpart to n-type (both needed)... safe, low-cost... maximum 4.26 mWK−2m−1 power factor at 300 K, thickness-dependent with highest power factor in 500 nm film... future: overcome 600°C deposition cap for possible higher efficiency... solid-state cooling method for hardware, potentially reducing the reliance on energy-heavy fans and liquid cooling systems... data centers, factories"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-nature-method-zno-quantum-dots.html "avoids high temperatures, harsh chemicals, complex liquid solvents... [RZn(X)]ₙ cluster organozinc crystals act as tiny reaction chambers... humid air adsorbs onto crystal surface triggering controlled hydrolysis... R–Zn and Zn–X bonds within crystal break down, forming uniformly sized ZnO quantum dots (4.5 nm across) inside hydrogen-bonded organic matrix semiconductor in 3 to 4 days... all-solid-state low-energy... quantum dots precisely controlled/ extracted... electronics, sensors, energy"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117192 "normal-dispersion Kerr hybrid microcomb capable of reaching difficult to access spectral bands... rotated racetrack-shaped resonator suppresses interference... requires significantly less power... provides wider line spacing for high-speed telecommunications/ spectroscopic sensors... combs coexist with high-speed electro-optical controls on same mm-scale circuit... miniaturized atomic clocks, gas sensors, and ultra-fast data communication systems" Related: Phonon lasers unlock ultrabroadband acoustic frequency combs https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117216

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117033 "hear echo of own signals, creating self-interaction protecting quantum information/ providing form of system memory... multiple natural atoms share single quantum state, enabling quantum information from multiple qubits to be stored/ controlled without need for increasingly complex external circuitry... scalable hybrid approach facilitates entanglement distribution... highly stable... potentially connecting different types of quantum technologies... large-scale quantum computing over longer distances"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-microscopic-mirrors-future-quantum-networks.html "thermal oxidation on silicon wafer flattens surface irregularities at atomic level, dielectric coating deposited on smoothed surface, then when underlying silicon etched away built-in mechanical stress causes released coating to buckle into curved high-quality mirror shape suitable as optical cavity... single photon bounces back/ forth nearly 1 million X ensuring strong interactions between photons/ single atoms... quantum networks, modular quantum computing, integrated photonics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1117040 "significant lithium-ion battery technical upgrade... unlike slurry-based electrodes, more robust, better conductivity, can be made thicker without losing effectiveness... synergistic coupling between binder/ reactive carbon it protects by partially coating... suppresses side reactions typically occurring at high voltages, eliminates need for toxic solvents and energy-intensive drying stages... better-connected conductive network, improved structural/ chemical stability during cycling, faster EV charging"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116897 "polymer capacitors often brittle/ unusable under heat if without heavy/ expensive cooling... overcome using alloy having dielectric constant of 13.5 (value of 4 for each polymer alone), maintaining that value from -148 to 482°F... like oil/ water, the polymers don't mix, which promotes self-assembly into 3D structure that creates barriers against electric charge leaks... scalable since components cheap/ assembly simple... EVs' power electronics, aerospace, data centers, manufacturing"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-amplifier-noise-gain-quantum.html "fast, high-resolution (single-shot), amplification/ readout of several qubits at once... spiraled, fishbone-like, tapered waveguide bypasses noise issue by eliminating lossy dielectric materials... reduces noise to 0.68 quanta, merely 0.18 quanta above quantum limit... fabricated using standard techniques... high-performance, accessible method for signal processing, facilitating simultaneous readout of multiple qubits, which is essential for managing the complexity of larger-scale quantum processors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116677 "individual pixels 49 nm... code milled into thin ceramic films using focused ion beams, ensuring chemically/ physically stable long-term data storage unlike magnetic and electronic media/ hard drives lasting only a few years... requires no energy/ cooling to maintain data once written... single A4 sheet could theoretically hold over 2 terabytes... data centers... future: increasing writing speeds and developing scalable manufacturing processes for more complex data structures" 

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116775 "need for mechanical compressor prepping air for ignition wastes half of power generated... instead uses energy from fluid-mechanical instability/ vortice generated high pressure detonation waves within (without harming) combustion chamber transferred to turbine... reduces moving parts, lowers weight, significantly increases net power output, ideal using hydrogen due to its rapid reaction time but also works with other fuels... more cost-effective, ultra-efficient turbines for grid power generation, aviation"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-miniaturized-radar-chip-generation-wireless.html "overcomes chirp speed/ measurement accuracy trade-off... avoids complex digital predistortion, instead uses ramp tracker/ voltage-controlled oscillator calibration block... balances n-/p- channel metal-oxide-semiconductor varactors with opposing nonlinear characteristics to self-compensate for distortions. core circuit only 0.24 mm², mere 9.8 mW power, 1562.8 MHz/μs chirp rate at 1 GHz, 0.094% frequency modulation error... handles high-speed data and precise distance/ motion sensing simultaneously"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-optical-protocol-entangled-quantum-states.html "measuring: destroys quantum state leaving no states left for actual use/ requires exponential number of copies as system grows/ usually assumes every state generated by source is identical... overcome using active optical switches creating non-destructive verification... switches randomly divert small subset of photons to verifier for certification; remaining for quantum task... same speed source generates photons... functions even if states not identical, allows device-independent certification ensuring security"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116142 "immune-priming agent rather than direct pathogen targeting... more rapidly recruits/ more effectively activates neutrophils (1st-line defense cells) to infection site... untreated control group had 0% survival rate... immune activation only triggers in pathogen's presence, avoiding chronic inflammation/ overstimulation in healthy states... alternative to antibiotics/ vaccines, pathogen agnostic: not hindered by viral mutations/ drug resistance... critically ill in ICUs, immunocompromised, elderly, future pandemics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112949 "overcomes irreversible signal loss/ limited triggers/ natural non-emissivity under ambient conditions due to concentration-caused quenching... pressure induces phase transition (monoclinic-to-triclinic)/ N,N-dimethylformamide exposure triggers bright yellow emission with 97% photoluminescence quantum yield... gentle heating removes solvent, reversing... 0D hybrid framework allows for significant structural distortion without compromising integrity >10+ cycles... anti-counterfeiting, optical computing, sensors"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1111763 "double-layer liquid crystal processes information using light propagation's laws, not digital conversion, switching between twisted/ non-twisted states (synthetic phase modulation)... high-speed, low-power, integrates 8 image processing functions into single architecture: single /dual-channel bright-field imaging, vortex filtering, 1D edge enhancement, vertex recognition, resolution-tunable edge extraction based on photonic spin Hall effect... front-end processor for autonomous driving, biomedical imaging"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-barriers-solid-state-batteries-pure.html "introducing oxygen/ sulfur (divalent anions) into low-cost zirconium- based halide solid electrolyte’s crystal framework alters internal architecture, lowering lithium ions' energy barriers allowing them to move more freely through solid medium... improved lithium-ion mobility by two to four times compared to conventional zirconium-based electrolytes... cheaper, faster, room-temperature charging all-solid-state lithium batteries"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-safer-effective-solution-large-scale.html "bismuth electrodeposition onto electrodes speeds up chromium redox reactions >10X, inhibits hydrogen gas parasitic evolution energy waste/ destabilization... stable >500 cycles, 99.29% coulombic efficiency, 75.22% energy efficiency, aqueous electrolytes (non-flammable), iron/ chromium widely available/ inexpensive... energy storage (liquid tank)/ power generation (electrode stack) separation allows for massive, long-duration storage... scalable, durable, economical" Related: Safer batteries for storing energy at massive scale https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116882

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-atom-thin-ferroelectric-transistor-polarization.html "2 orders magnitude more memory states for more granular synaptic connection strengths in neuromorphic AI... transistor few atoms thick, stable >100K seconds even at room temperature, 93% accurate running image recognition AI algorithm, durable, fast switching... energy efficient, non-volatile... mechanical exfoliation, then dry-transfer stacking without solvents... applying DC voltage pulses/ gate voltages for on-demand modulation within the moiré potential. scale to wafer-size production" Related: Strong correlations and superconductivity observed in a supermoiré lattice https://phys.org/news/2026-02-strong-superconductivity-supermoir-lattice.html

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-compleximer-plastic-glass-impact-resistance.html "amber-colored, can be heated/ blown/ kneaded into precise shapes, highly impact-resistant, applying heat/ pressing repairs cracks... no rigid chemical bonds (cross-links) tying molecular chains together... uses opposing electrical charges (half the molecular chains positive, others negative) pulling together like magnets work over greater distance than chemical bonds, leaving more space between chains for flexibility/ strength... future: biobased versions for longevity/ restoration rather than just recycling"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-hologram-method-boosts-3d-image.html "intelligent microscope captures/ computationally merges set of holograms at different focal distances creating synthetic hologram... 5x increased depth of focus, maintains high image quality/ signal-to-noise ratios even under diffusive illumination (common imaging thick/ complex biological samples)... post-recording flexibility facilitating study of complex tissue dynamics and biological structures that are typically difficult to capture with static imaging systems"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-based-3d-method-enables-finer.html "higher precision/ efficiency positioning sound source closer to printing surface... works with materials required for flexible electronics/ microfluidics... achieves complex, multi-material features up to 10X smaller using less power... much higher repeatability/ consistency... healthcare: faster medical diagnostic tool prototyping, lab-on-a-chip systems, wearables: advanced flexible sensors/ soft robotic components, environmental monitoring: highly sensitive microscale sensors for real-time data collection"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116387 "lasers have physical limits on how small they can be while remaining functional, overcome using light-trapping nanocavity allowing room temperature laser operation at exceptionally low power... ultra-compact so 1000's lasers integrated onto single microchip... halves computer/ data center energy consumption, faster with minimal heat/ energy loss... high-resolution imaging, ultrasensitive biosensors, seamless transition from fiber optics into chip's internal architecture... future: electrical pumping"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116354 "drop-casting results in messy inefficient layers, overcome using narrow glass slits guiding drying, forcing graphene flakes into highly ordered, laminated structure optimizing electron/ ion movement... mild sulfuric acid converts inactive epoxy groups into electrochemically active hydroxyl groups, adding pseudocapacitance... result: durable, freestanding film not needing substrate... high efficiency, 1,589.78 mF cm^-2 areal capacitance, 99.80% cycling stability after 20K cycles... compact, flexible electronics"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116319 "protons become stuck near dopant atoms, overcome using donor co-doping: donor elements molybdenum/ tungsten into barium scandate base (having inherent oxygen vacancies) achieves: proton trapping suppression allowing protons to move freely in 3D, high mobile protons concentration... resulting perovskite-type oxide exhibits superprotonic conductivity of 0.01 S/cm at 193°C/ 0.10 S/cm at 330 °C... chemically stable around CO2, O2, H2... protonic ceramic fuel cells, efficient hydrogen-to-electricity"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115813 "loop allows light to build up complex relationships naturally over repeated passes, using standard LCD/ LED components... passive or low-power optics drastically reduces heat/ energy... photons do not interact with one another, allowing multiple signals to pass through simultaneously at speed of light... uses abundant/ cheaper materials... edge computing enables smaller, more efficient advanced AI to run on drones, medical sensors, cars without needing cloud connection or draining batteries"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-lithium-based-green-phosphors-rival.html "lithium rare-earth oxonitridolithosilicates' crystal structure: 4-membered silicate rings linked by layered lithium tetrahedra... rare earth activator ions positioned in square-antiprismatic environment coordinated by 4 oxygen/ 4 nitrogen highly efficient anions... lower synthesis temperature, abundant materials... this lithium-based green phosphor LED prototype fabricated/ confirmed competitive with current market standards for green luminescence, as required for ubiquitous white-light LEDs

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-ai-analog-layout.html "unlike digital circuits, difficult to automate: high sensitivity, data scarcity (proprietary), design strategies vary significantly between different circuit types... self-supervised learning similar to LLM training... predicts missing layout parts looking at surrounding data patches... generated 320K training samples from 6 existing datasets... fine-tuned for contact/ via generation, dummy pattern insertion, N-well generation, metal routing. 96.6% accuracy, using only 12.5% data required by conventional... 1 model/ multiple tasks"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115976 "instead of filtering static image, treat single infrared frame as part of temperature sequence during thermal equilibrium... 3-step non-linear spatio-temporal transformation creates/ analyzes filters simulating IR image sequences at different temperature intervals finding spatio-temporal correlations... Zero-Reference Deep Curve Estimation model constructs high-order, pixel-level curve to map out and predict the final enhanced image... firefighting masks"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115989 "low threshold voltage making prone to accidental switching due to electrical noise, overcome suppressing positive charges accumulation at critical interfaces within gate, enabling ultrahigh >4 V turn-on voltage mimicking silicon-based chip stability... narrow safety margins often leak/ fail if experience >5–6 V, now safe from gate breakdown up to 15.5 V, reducing gate leakage up to 10,000X... developed patented gate stack using aluminium–titanium oxide... expected widespread deployment in high-value electronics"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-current-loss-newly-fractional-quantum.html "2 layers molybdenum ditelluride twisted at specific angle suffers from energy lost as heat... overcome using: horizontal flux growth increasing charge-carrier mobility >10X, refined fabrication significantly reducing twist-angle disorder between layers... when tuned to 2/3rd filling electronic state, resistance nearly vanished/ electricity flowed along material's edges with essentially no energy loss... unlike standard quantum Hall states, energy gap decreased as magnetic field was applied... low-power quantum devices"  Related: Using light to probe fractional charges in a fractional Chern insulator https://phys.org/news/2026-02-probe-fractional-chern-insulator.html

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115841 "silicon: high optical loss/ polarization sensitivity degrade quantum signals... overcome using more stable/ efficient borosilicate glass photonic chip... low 1 dB loss, handles all light orientations, laser writing for more compact/ reduced scattering 3D waveguide routing, highly resistant to thermal/ mechanical fluctuations over 8+ hours, integrates beam splitters/ phase shifters/ directional couplers... record 42.7 Gbit/s secure rate for an RNG, generated secret keys at 3.2 Mbit/s over simulated 9.3-km fiber link"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ultra-mxenes-higher.html "MXene production uses harsh chemical etching resulting in chaotic mix of surface atoms (oxygen, fluorine, chlorine) trapping/ scattering electrons, significantly degrading electrical performance/ stability... overcome using MAX phases (solid precursors), molten salts, iodine vapor... uniform halogen termination, precision control, high purity... focused on titanium carbide MXene production... also: 13X THz conductivity, 4X charge carrier mobility... high-speed electronics, shielding, energy/ catalysis"

https://secom.es/electrochemical-water-splitting-breakthrough-slash-hydrogen-costs-discovery "makes green hydrogen cost-competitive with fossil fuels... significantly lower voltages, >80% energy efficiency (was 65%)... high value organic chemical byproducts instead of venting useless oxygen... 30–40% reduced hydrogen production costs...  pilot projects expected within 2–3 years, with the potential for full commercial deployment by the end of the decade. This could transition hydrogen from a niche industrial gas to a common fuel found at local filling stations and used in residential energy systems"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112792 "materials lacking inversion symmetry required to generate current without a p–n junction... overcome, shifting focus from bulk crystal to surface where symmetry naturally broken... thallium on silicon(111) superior platform rivaling ferroelectric materials... abundant/ symmetric materials instead of rare/ complex crystals... new pathways for highly efficient junction-free PV, spin current generation with light alone/ no magnets or external voltages for ultrafast low-power spintronic data processing devices"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1112580 "overcomes trade-off between mechanical flexibility/ light-emission efficiency... intrinsically stretchable layers instead of rigid LEDs with stretchable islands... MXene-contact electrodes instead of poorly contacting metal nanowire... uniform deformation/ skin-conformable, not prone to failure at rigid junctions... exciplex cohosts convert triplet excitons into singlet excitons for long-range Förster energy transfer, maintaining high brightness even stretched... can be laminated directly onto human skin" Related: Transistor-like MXene membranes enhance ion separation https://phys.org/news/2026-02-transistor-mxene-membranes-ion.html

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-topological-antenna-pave-6g-networks.html "bulky antenna arrays/ complex mechanical steering needed for 6G THz, prone to failure/ expensive to deploy... overcome by protecting light waves, allowing travel through material without scattering, varying hole patterns forcing THz leakage at precise angles... data rates 100s times faster, no moving parts... signal direction controlled by chip’s physical shape, reducing cost/ mechanical wear... goal: integrate transmission, reception, signal processing onto single THz chip for seamless, ultra-high-speed 6G"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115489 "eye strain caused by where eyes point/ where they focus disconnect... overcome using: non-orthogonal polarization-multiplexing metasurfaces performing different optical functions based on light's polarization allowing for multiple depth planes, freeform optics for design flexibility keep system slim while maintaining high image quality, joint optimization combining ray tracing/ diffraction theory ensuring clarity/ non-distortion... clear focus distances: 0.7 m, 1.5 m, 3 m., otherwise realistic defocusing"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115475 "brightness not negative so forced to either use electronic components to handle negative values (causing delays) or limit AI to simpler, less stable non-negative math... overcome using 2 microring resonators at different wavelengths representing positive/ negative values... cascadable nonlinear activation, Mach–Zehnder interferometer mesh... modeled generator that uses natural optical noise as an input, 98% accurate Iris classification... optical-to-optical image generation without need for digital-to-analog conversion"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-based-ising-room-temperature-stays.html "solves massive binary choice hurdles (protein folding for drug discovery/ logistics routing)... instead of magnets uses light pulses in loop representing up/ down states, settling into lowest-energy configuration to find optimal solution... scalable using commercially available fiber optics, lasers, modulators... stable for hours, billions of operations/ second, tens of thousands of variables, achieved 256 spins using only 5 basic components, fast/ energy efficient... future: increasing spin count, drug modeling" Related: Trading at the speed of light with scalable photonic neurons https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116172

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115612 "high pressure/ sintering expensive, consumes excessive raw materials, results in suboptimal yields, overcome using hot-wire laser welding combining laser beam/ preheated filler wire... softens metals rather than fully melting them, for precise deposition... 2 methods: irradiate top of carbide rod previously prone to decomposition, (2) irradiate nickel alloy located between rod /base with strict temperature control to produce industrial-grade carbide... >1400 HV hardness without introducing defects using less material"

https://phys.org/news/2026-02-crystal-emitting-red-uv-green.html "precisely controlling molecular arrangement/ rigid crystal packing π-conjugated organic compound featuring 1,2,5-thiadiazole-substituted pyrazine unit... red fluorescence/ green 2nd harmonic generation operate independently without interference... organic crystals lightweight, chemically tunable, flexible, easier to process... future: advanced optical sensors, medical imaging systems, and next-generation photonic devices that can sense invisible wavelengths using simpler, more adaptable materials"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-ai-limits-generative-video.html "current models trained on perfect data but generate imperfect images, each new frame relies on the prior so small errors compound until video collapses... overcome by error recycling: identify gap between generated frames/ ground-truth data, feed errors back into model during training, teach AI to recover from imperfections/ return to logical sequence... 2 outputs: open-source Stable Video Infinity generates stable/ high-quality videos lasting several minutes, LayerSync multimodal self-correcting internal logic"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115435 "MXenes do not just store charge physically but undergo complex chemical surface redox reactions that vary based on electrolyte... proton-based electrolytes lead to titanium atom oxidation state reduction... li-ion electrolytes lead to titanium atom oxidation state increase... bridges gap between batteries/ capacitors... layered 2D titanium carbide with conductive cores/ reactive surfaces... function with eco-friendly aqueous electrolytes... precise optimization for future energy storage materials"

https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-gesn-alloys-emerge-semiconductor-class.html "germanium-tin (do not naturally react) semiconductor alloys, previously considered nearly impossible to manufacture, overcome  combining elements under extreme synthesis: >1,200°C, up to 10 gigapascals, stable at room temperature/ normal atmospheric pressure... unlike standard silicon, highly effective converting light into electrical energy/ vice-versa... faster, more energy efficient optoelectronic devices: computer processors, medical imaging"

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1115415 "avoids complex synthesis, inert atmospheres, high temperatures, utilizing 1-step wet-ball-milling... up to 500 mL ink/ batch... bio-based ethyl cellulose polymer/ chiral molecule integration... nanocrystal surface passivity raises photoluminescence quantum yield from 56% to 83%, retains 80% brightness after 100 days air exposure, screen printing/ laser engraving/ handwriting compatible... high-detail QR codes/ encrypted text, flexible optoelectronic devices/ sensors... future: optimize purity/ long-term durability" Related: Mass production technology for ultra-high color purity perovskite emitters https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1116361

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/