Novel sensing technology 20 times more responsive, even in liquids
The new framework can power sensors that measure forever chemicals in water, dopamine in the brain and more
By Ty Tkacik
Q&A: Gassing up bioengineered materials for wound healing
By Ty Tkacik
Biomaterials are specifically engineered to support tissue, nerve and muscle regeneration across the body, yet physicians and researchers have limited control over the size and connectivity of the internal pores that transfer oxygen and vital nutrients to where they are most needed. To solve this problem and better support tissue regeneration, a team at Penn State has designed a new class of tunable biomaterials.
Tiny thermometers offer on-chip temperature monitoring for processors
By Ty Tkacik
The semiconductor chips driving modern-day computer processors are covered in billions of individual transistors, each of which can overheat under stress, causing steep drops in performance. To address this, a team led by researchers at Penn State has developed a microscopic thermometer, smaller than an ant’s antenna, that can be integrated onto a chip to accurately track temperatures.
Atom-thin material could help solve chip manufacturing problem
By Jamie Oberdick
Making computer chips smaller is not just about better design. It also depends on a critical step in manufacturing called patterning, where nanoscale structures are carved into materials to form the circuits inside everything from smartphones to advanced sensors.
To create these patterns, engineers use a hard mask, a thin, durable material layer that protects selected regions while the exposed areas are etched away.