Andy Extance Selected Articles

Process models unmask power device costs

Tue, 21 May 2013 13:17:00 +0000

System Plus Consulting can use physical samples to reveal critical information about device manufacturing methods, says Michel Allain, the company's general manager.

Delayed progress hits SiC and GaN power device prospects

Mon, 20 May 2013 13:17:00 +0000

As photovolatic inverters become the latest application for wide-bandgap diodes and transistors, Yole Développement's Philippe Roussel is cautious over the next advances.

Ascatron seeks to resolve SiC device doping drawbacks

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:17:00 +0000

Adolf Schöner, director technology and sales, explains how the Stockholm, Sweden, based SiC epitaxial deposition specialist company he co-founded is helping push to higher voltages and powers.

Undoped GaN-on-SiC E-mode devices target unmatched value

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:17:00 +0000

Fabless start-up VisIC Technologies experience GaN-on-SiC's leading role in many RF applications is helping it develop normally-off 600V-plus power MOSHEMTs.

Raytheon rides the wave of SiC's efficiency

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:17:00 +0000

The company's recently-opened £3.5 million 4-inch SiC foundry in Glenrothes, UK, will produce devices for both new entrants and established players, explain Paul D'Arcy, Business Unit Manager for Semiconductors, and Ewan Ramsay, Principal Engineer

Lasertec focuses on GaN and SiC power device inspection

Fri, 10 May 2013 08:00:00 +0000

Confocal and differential interferometry contrast optics promise users enhanced ability to spot killer defects and control processes, explains Yuji Asakawa, Lasertec's director of marketing.

SiC and GaN power devices jostle to grow their role

Thu, 09 May 2013 10:15:06 +0000

EPC Corporation, Fairchild Semiconductor, GeneSiC Semiconductor, Rohm Semiconductor, and Transphorm tell Andy Extance and Power Dev' how they're turning module and system makers towards wide bandgap devices.

Microreactors tame osmium tetroxide

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 15:46:06 +0000

Nanobrush-lined silicone channels spare chemists from deadly fumes, while achieving high dihydroxylation and oxidative cleavage conversions.

Electron flashes catch organics in the act

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:00:06 +0000

'Beautiful' diffraction movie shows small molecule superconductor candidate transition from insulator to metal phases

Split water splitting raises green hydrogen hopes

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 07:58:06 +0000

Two-stage electrolysis releases hydrogen on demand separately from oxygen, potentially enabling cheaper renewable energy production

Start-up takes strain out of LEDs

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 11:59:06 +0000

Seren Photonics - a spin-out from the UK's University of Sheffield - promises technology that boosts the brightness of LEDs by a factor of two. Andy Extance reveals how.

Plessey plans silicon-based LED ramp

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 16:01:06 +0000

UK firm lands government support for dramatic capacity expansion, with roadmap targeting lighting-quality devices.

Court convicts ex-Aptuit researcher over drug data

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 09:12:06 +0000

Altered liquid chromatography results at Scottish site lead to first successful good lab practice prosecution

OLED lighting sparks innovation frenzy

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:54:06 +0000

Technological developments from the sector could be even more valuable than the revenues it earns, suggest Yole Developpement's Pars Mukish and Milan Rosina..

UDC broadens OLED lighting focus

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 16:38:06 +0000

Ewing, New Jersey's Universal Display Corporation (UDC) has even more to offer OLED lighting than PHOLED materials, explain Mike Hack, senior vice president and general manager, OLED lighting and custom displays and Janice Mahon, vice-president of technology commercialization.

Sunic Systems lays foundation for OLED manufacturing

Fri, 18 Mar 2013 17:45:06 +0000

The Korean deposition and encapsulation equipment producer's ongoing development is bringing a move to Gen 5 glass that will cut lighting costs, explains Peter Kim, senior manager in its technology and business department.

Quality underpins OLED panel progress

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:12:06 +0000

As Lumiotec targets future 100 lm/W efficacy, the company is today delivering high-quality mass produced OLED panels, explains executive general manager Yoshihiko Morita

Quality underpins OLED panel progress

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:12:06 +0000

As Lumiotec targets future 100 lm/W efficacy, the company is today delivering high-quality mass produced OLED panels, explains executive general manager Yoshihiko Morita

Efficacy steps turn OLED lighting on

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:10:06 +0000

Astron-Fiamm, Ledon, Novaled, Osram and Philips Lumiblade tell Andy Extance their plans for commercializing OLEDs in the lighting market.

University cleared, student recovering after poisoning

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:17:06 +0000

Seemingly deliberate thallium and arsenic exposure leaves Southampton PhD chemist fighting nerve damage

'Plasmonic smart dust' conjures kinetics clues

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:30:06 +0000

Silica-coated gold nanoparticles enable versatile optical sensing method to track reaction kinetics

WLP positive for LED performance and price

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:52:06 +0000

Visera Technologies' director of R&D, LED business, T. H. Lin explains how his company's wafer level packaging economically delivers more uniform color and improved thermal properties.

Keeping inverters cool puts EV/HEVs on the right course

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:52:06 +0000

Packaging utilizing molded power modules with Danfoss Silicon Power's ShowerPower cooling allows carmakers to shrink their power trains, according to Siegbert Haumann, the company's senior director, automotive and industrial power modules.

UK considers patent rule change for trials

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:52:06 +0000

Government to change law that organisations say makes the country less appealing as a location for clinical trials.

Chemical transport defines 'Goldilocks' cell size

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Too big and macromolecules like proteins and DNA have to travel too far, too small and they're too crowded

Time slicing captures molecular birth pictures

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Reaction-timescale x-ray images of I2 formation push instrumental and interpretation boundaries

Insulator pile shows solar potential

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

LaVO3/SrTiO3 system promises to bring better electron-hole separation and native electrodes to photovoltaics

Thin wafers propel motor drive IGBTs along efficiency path

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

International Rectifier's Alberto Guerra and Llewellyn Vaughan-Edmunds tell Power Dev' how new IGBT chip architectures are meeting high power applications' needs.

Low loss IGBT modules are system makers' gain

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Tatsuo Oomori, deputy general manager of Mitsubishi Electric's power device works explains the company's continuing strategy of delivering higher performance, especially higher efficiency, and smaller size devices.

Reliability and quality drive IGBT modules

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Drivers and bias supplies supplied by Power Integrations and its subsidiaries promise long lifetimes, says Doug Bailey, the company's vice president, marketing, while its Qspeed diode business expands, thanks to products that deliver SiC-like performance, despite the folding of its actual SiC investment.

IGBT producers adapt to vibrant market

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:08:06 +0000

ABB, Alpha and Omega Semiconductor, BYD, Dynex Semiconductor and ON Semiconductor reveal a fertile sector to Andy Extance and Power Dev'.

Enzyme draws nanopore protein sequencing nearer

Sun, 03 Feb 2013 18:08:06 +0000

Californian team hope changes in current as unfoldase drags proteins through a pore could identify individual amino acids

IGBT developments face off against weak economy

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Yole Developpement's Alexandre Avron and Brice Le Gouic explain how the industry has been hit by a slowdown even as it's pushing towards lower voltages, float zone and larger diameter Czochralski wafers, a foundry model and packaging innovation.

India pushes for emergency drug licences

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Government looks set to force licensing of three patented cancer drugs

Crystals aim to light up dark matter

Wed, 09 Jan 2013 10:08:06 +0000

Scaling calcium tungstate detector up to 500kg will improve chances of finding Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs)

Phenome centre move ends GSK role

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:08:06 +0000

'Olympic legacy' centre to shift to dedicated Imperial College Hammersmith Hospital facility

LED cost cutting propels package designs

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 10:08:06 +0000

Manufacturers are exploring many alternatives of package substrate, format and phosphor as they try and balance the price/performance equation for solid state lighting, according to Yole Developpement's Eric Virey and Pars Mukish.

Overcoming small obstacles

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:08:06 +0000

Fabrication methods combining printing and lithography have proven fertile. Andy Extance now asks how successful will they be outside the lab?

Quantum dots display color's value

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:14:06 +0000

The color advantage that quantum dots bring to LED-backlit LCD displays is even more important than LED efficiency improvements, according to Seth Coe-Sullivan, QD Vision's chief technology officer.

Chemical cooperation is material gain for LEDs

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:14:06 +0000

Dow Electronic Materials is now tailoring photoresist and polishing products for GaN, and ramping phosphor production, according to Nate Brese, global marketing director for growth technologies within the company.

Automated die bonding levels playing field

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 20:38:06 +0000

David Rasmussen, senior applications engineer at Palomar Technologies in Carlsbad, California, underlines the reliability and cost benefits that the company's die bonders provide, and how Palomar Technologies Assembly Services supports the demanding requirements of the today's LED industry.

Innovation pulsates at the heart of LED packages

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 09:16:06 +0000

CeramTec, Cree, Everlight Electronics, Tong Hsing Electronic Industries Limited and VisEra tell Andy Extance and iLED how LED package substrates influence performance and cost.

Chemists cull compounds using 'intuition'

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 15:23:06 +0000

Medicinal chemists apparently decided which fragments should be in their screening collection using surprisingly few parameters

Parylene films show their dielectric strength

Mon, 26 Nov 2012 10:23:06 +0000

Parylene's insulating and water barrier properties means SCS can help meet the needs of modern power electronics modules, says Alan Hardy, the company's automotive, electronics and military market manager.

Silver sintering materials are a kind of mAgic

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:00:06 +0000

Thomas Krebs, head of development for sintering materials at Heraeus Materials Technology in Hanau, Germany, explains what the company's silver-based mAgic die-attach products bring to power electronics.

Electric vehicles drive packaging innovation

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 11:00:06 +0000

Power module designs and industry manufacturing dynamics are set to change as millions of electric and hybrid electric vehicles roll out in coming years, says Yole Developpement's Alexandre Avron.

Power module producers blaze new trails

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 11:00:06 +0000

Demands of applications like electric vehicles, renewable energy and rail transport have triggered a burst of innovation in IGBT modules and their packaging Fuji Electric, Hitachi, Infineon, Mitsubishi Electric and Semikron tell Andy Extance

Molecular muscle machines bulk up

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:00:06 +0000

Iron co-ordination wrestles daisy-chain rotaxane molecular machines into a muscle-mimicking polymer

RNA teams up to beat selfish rivals

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 12:00:06 +0000

Ribozymes that cooperate outdo autocatalytic rivals, supporting the idea that life evolved from an 'RNA world'

Perovskite posits answer to xenon riddle

Thu, 11 Oct 2012 19:00:06 +0000

Solubility in silicate minerals emerging from a magma ocean billions of years ago could explain why Earth's atmosphere has an unexpected noble gas ratio.

UK's nuclear testing laser on target for 2013 firing

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:00:06 +0000

Astrophysics and fusion research added to main deterrent certification function as twelve-beam Orion laser nears commissioning.

Silicon sliver implants melt away

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 19:00:06 +0000

Transfer printing silicon and magnesium onto silk makes water-soluble 64-pixel camera and anti-bacterial heater, heralding 'transient' medical devices

Sensitive automated eyes look out for LED producers' interests

Wed, 26 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

KLA-Tencor's wafer inspection tools and process management software promise to lower LED manufacturing costs by improving manufacturing yield and productivity, and device quality.

AMEC's etch experience stands out among Chinese MOCVD startups

Mon, 24 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Though one of more than 20 fellow Chinese companies looking to become MOCVD equipment suppliers, AMEC feels its semiconductor experience makes it well positioned to deliver automation, uniformity and productivity

Veeco comes at lower LED costs from two sides

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Delivering tools that focus on improving both productivity and yield is contributing to progress towards solid state lighting fixture price targets, says senior vice-president of marketing Jim Jenson.

Front-end toolmakers support LED profit push

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Manufacturing equipment makers CORIAL, Evatec, EVG, Maxis and Plasma-Therm tell Andy Extance how they are increasingly answering LED industry needs for reproducibility, uniformity, uptime and ultimately cost.

UK university lab shut after student poisoning

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Police and safety body investigate as University of Southampton PhD student exposed to thallium and arsenic falls ill

2010's blow-out cycle marked LED industry investment peak

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

The pool of tools in fabs in China whose survival is questionable means that overall sales of LEDs will reach their pinnacle almost a decade after sales of manufacturing equipment used to produce them, explains Yole Developpement's Eric Virey.

Sweaty buildings cool themselves

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Keeping buildings cool with hydrogels, while cutting carbon emissions is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration

Inert nanoshells succumb to iron will

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Doping hollow silica nanoshells with iron could make them biodegradable and therefore safer for medical applications like real-time tumour imaging

Cells step toward plugless charging

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Piezoelectric power packs that could self-charge as you walk on them skip usual first electricity generation stage

Carbon clusters score lucky seven

Tue, 14 Aug 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Teaming up with titanium is predicted to deliver stable seven-coordinate carbon dication, larger than any seen in the lab

'Spider threads' bring great self-healing power

Mon, 06 Aug 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Mimicking silk protein's stimuli responsiveness not only brings millimetre-scale cracks together, it also successfully recreates its legendary toughness

Gel polymer seizes shadow

Fri, 03 Aug 2012 07:34:06 +0000

A tiny dip in the intensity of light used to trigger polymerisation can provide more effective light guides

Innovation delivers pinpoint resistor performance

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:34:06 +0000

The processes EBG Resistors uses to make its metal oxide devices ensure it can meet demanding specifications with short lead times, explains general manager Alois Klein

Mature power electronic capacitor market chases opportunities

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Even as a well-established technology, film capacitors are playing a growing part in the power electronics market, explain Yole Developpement's Alexandre Avron and Wenbin Ding, while supercapacitors' role in a hybrid vehicle in the Le Mans 24 hour race underline their potential.

Integrated cooling solutions hot up

Thu, 19 Jul 2012 07:34:06 +0000

High power applications and those needing size and weight reductions are driving innovation in power module cooling systems, Aavid Thermalloy, Arkansas Power Electronics International, Danfoss, and Semikron tell Power Dev'.

Falling costs and usage mindshift will turn on LED lighting

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Halving fixture prices over the next year will help drive expansion that Yole Developpement's Pars Mukish says could see LED products reach 75 per cent of annual bulb sales by 2020

Silian Optoelectronics sees integration in a different light

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:34:06 +0000

Though not manufacturing LED chips, the Chinese company is exploiting many opportunities offered by its giant parent in its solid-state lighting business, says chief operating officer David Reid.

LED industry pursues divergent lighting paths

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 07:34:06 +0000

While Cree, Osram Opto Semiconductors, Philips Lumileds, Seoul Semiconductor, and Toyoda Gosei all agree on the importance of the general illumination market, their approaches to driving adoption differ, Andy Extance finds.

Raising a glass to champagne

Fri, 1 Jun 2012 17:50:06 +0000

Andy Extance uncorks the secrets of sparkling wines' unique taste and aroma

Drug watchdogs mark out global territory

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:50:06 +0000

US and European regulatory agencies are leading worldwide collaborations to ensure drugs from outside their borders are safe

Polymers perform non-DNA evolution

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:14:06 +0000

Successful transcription of DNA to xeno-nucleic acids (XNA) and back again shows that life's chemistry could have very different

Microfluidic fuel cell powers forward

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:20:06 +0000

Laminar flow eliminates expensive membranes, allowing higher power density and otherwise incompatible fuels and oxidants to be used

Lack of detail spoils geoengineering schemes

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:20:06 +0000

Poorly understood concepts mean climate-modifying tools remain far beyond reach, said Richard Turco of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)

Protocells called thermal springs home

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:10:06 +0000

Cells' ionic composition suggests life may have originated in thermal springs rather than deep sea vents

Calculations reveal carbon-carbon quadruple bond

Sun, 29 Jan 2012 20:10:06 +0000

High bonding order possible in main group and may be responsible for the ability to isolate molecular species.

Tube-wrapped lamp makes malaria drug

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:10:06 +0000

Continuous flow photochemistry enables critical singlet oxygen hydroperoxidation, raising hopes of cheap artemisinin production

Co-ordinated development turbocharges inverter research

Tue, 1 Nov 2011 14:35:06 +0000

In the automotive industry and beyond, the way in which companies communicate and fulfi l their power electronics needs determines their success in going electric, explain BYD, Danfoss Silicon Power, DENSO and General Motors.

Dirty pots reveal ancient fish suppers

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 08:45:06 +0000

Isotope ratios and fatty acids residues in ancient pottery indicate that Europeans carried on fishing after farming began

Water erodes 'lock and key' drug model

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 20:00:06 +0000

Protein binding is not ruled by increases in entropy when ligands displace water, contrary to long-held ‘hydrophobic effect’ theory

LED equipment hits critical mass after Chinese explosion

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 16:25:06 +0000

Massive investment is attracting vendors to offer dedicated LED packaging tools, while setting up the industry for aggressive competition, with both promising to make manufacturing processes more efficient.

Lake water checks come under scrutiny

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:05:06 +0000

With the US EPA scheduled to review recreational water-quality standards, and climate change set to worsen quality, researchers are looking at the influence lake water has on swimmers' health

Engines of innovation

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:03:06 +0000

Our desire for economical but environmentally friendly transport has driven progress in fuel and oil additives. But as Andy Extance discovers, further development is needed

Regulators misread key climate weapon

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:50:06 +0000

Controlling black-carbon emissions, which Stanford Univerity's Mark Jacobson has identified as the second leading cause of global warming after CO2, remains a low priority

U.K. Slashes Science and Engineering Ph.D.s

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:50:06 +0000

The United Kingdom's Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) has revealed that it may fund 1000 fewer new Ph.D.s in the upcoming academic year than in 2010-11.

Raytheon targets aviation pressure opportunity

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:36:06 +0000

James McGonigal, the executive responsible for power and control technologies at Raytheon Systems Ltd in Glenrothes, Scotland, explains the company's outlook on developing SiC-based power modules for transportation applications.

600V devices set to switch on GaN power electronics

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:36:06 +0000

While significant market penetration will have to wait until 2013, wall plug and electric vehicle applications could see GaN device sales multiply rapidly thereafter says Yole Développement’s Philippe Roussel.

Wide bandgap devices prepare for long power switching push

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 12:36:06 +0000

SiC switch developers Cree, Shindengen, Rohm and Infineon and GaN HEMT vendor International Rectifier tell Andy Extance that targeting the right applications and getting costs down is key to getting market acceptance.

UK average tuition fees to hit £8,393

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 12:36:06 +0000

Universities claim schemes to widen participation are not tackling the problem of underachievement in schools

Funders unveil 'elite' open access journal

Mon, 4 Jul 2011 15:10:06 +0000

Three research foundations say they are answering scientist demand for an open access rival to Cell, Nature and Science

Inverters compete over cost

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:11:06 +0000

PV inverter manufacturers still want to lower their costs, whether through industry-wide strategies or more individual efforts, but Chinese government action could soon open up divisions.

LED manufacturing expansion creates sapphire furnace industry

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:11:06 +0000

Chinese substrate suppliers are investing heavily in turnkey crystal-growth equipment, even though just a few months ago suppliers of such equipment were nearly unheard-of.

Thermal substrates: LED chips' cool but overlooked friend

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:11:06 +0000

Despite playing an often-overlooked role in solid-state lighting, metal core boards from companies like DuPont and Bergquist and ceramic substrates like those provided by Tong Hsing are aiding the quest for brighter LEDs by helping dissipate the heat they generate, the companies tell Andy Extance.

Luminus goes large on packaging

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 14:11:06 +0000

Paul Panaccione, Director of Packaging Technology, and Arvind Baliga, Vice-President Engineering, at Luminus Devices, talk about how their company integrates the industry's biggest LED chips into suitable formats for their customers' applications.

Surface plasmons create vivid holograms

Fri, 8 Apr 2011 16:50:06 +0000

Natural colour images that appear under white light could lead to moving 3D pictures and 'revolutionary' personalised medicine tools.

Cell-based flu vaccines ready for US prime time

Mon, 4 Apr 2011 07:14:06 +0000

Egg-based flu vaccines have long ruled the US marketplace, but alternatives are finally catching up. Mammalian cell-based production systems — many of which cultivate the flu virus in kidney cell lines rather than in eggs — are as safe and effective as established systems, show the first published pivotal trial data from two leading candidates: Baxter's Preflucel and Novartis's Optaflu.

Hydrazine fuels hydrogen power hopes

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 19:50:06 +0000

Improving how spent a hydrogen storage material is regenerated makes it a more practical prospect for powering fuel cells.

GSK will pay off UK graduate tuition fees

Thu, 10 Mar 2011 09:25:06 +0000

Drug maker backs its belief in the country by totally reimbursing top graduates' fees

Demand pressurises super junction MOSFET producers

Thu, 3 Mar 2011 09:25:06 +0000

Super junction MOSFET manufacturers are evolving their strategies after rapid growth in interest in 2010 and with further applications set to take off, Andy Extance finds.

Rehabilitating captured CO2

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 14:10:06 +0000

Rather than burying it underground, companies are developing processes that use carbon dioxide emissions as chemical starting materials.

Pfizer to close historic UK site

Wed, 2 Feb 2011 14:50:06 +0000

Challenging industry climate looks set to claim majority of 2400 pharma jobs at renowned facility in Sandwich in Kent

VCs stake chips on Europe's LED innovators

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:03:06 +0000

Sweden's Glo and Germany's Azzurro have technologies that promise to significantly reduce the cost of LED lighting, discovers Andy Extance.

Dimer delivers pinpoint recognition

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:57:06 +0000

Synthetic molecule pairs up to provide a novel way to mimic selective binding seen in biological systems

Reducing the health impact of heatwaves

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 14:29:06 +0000

Researchers investigate urban measures that can cut risks

Linking Chinese monsoons and North Atlantic climate

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:50:06 +0000

Larry Edwards' isotope technique provides detailed insight into past

U.K. Scientists: Budget Threatens Facilities

Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:51:06 +0000

Heads of the United Kingdom's research councils today warned politicians that delaying capital investments due to funding cuts will harm the country's scientific standing.

Charged dust particles let in the sunshine

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:18:06 +0000

Electrical interactions line up dust in "open Venetian blind" form

EPSRC plans represent 'huge change'

Thu, 13 Jan 2011 10:18:06 +0000

Academics are concerned that £61m research grant cuts through to 2015 at the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), changes in how students are funded and more centralised control will threaten careers.

Osram interview: unleashing the LED market

Mon, 3 Jan 2011 11:40:06 +0000

As the competition hots up, new Osram Opto Semiconductors CEO Aldo Kamper says that the LED revolution is only just beginning.

Images show atom 'spinning top' control

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 16:44:06 +0000

Precession of quantum mechanical angular momentum in atomic oxygen can be directed and pictured, potentially allowing more detailed reaction studies.

Heat waves may "become norm" by 2100

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 13:11:06 +0000

NCDC's David Easterling is trying to identify links to climate change for individual extreme temperature events

Wikileaks: US urged halt to Sofradir IRD sales

Wed, 1 Dec 2010 17:25:06 +0000

Leaked cable from 2009 shows Hillary Clinton believed that Sofradir's customer Zhejiang Dali Technology was selling imaging systems to Iran.

Talk before research wins politicians' ears

Tue, 9 Nov 2010 13:22:06 +0000

Intensive engagement at a project's outset helps to ensure that the conclusions are listened to, says University of Maryland's Matthias Ruth

Hydrogen bond set to be redefined

Wed, 3 Nov 2010 09:12:06 +0000

Evidence of a more covalent nature and more possible partners than previously thought leads to a long-needed reclassification.

Dancing facets reveal nanowire kinetics

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 08:35:06 +0000

Scientists snap sapphire columns taking two steps forward, and one step back.

Marine algae offer sustainable fuel hope

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 12:20:06 +0000

Seawater species could avoid problem of freshwater supply

Alzheimer's failure raises questions about disease-modifying strategies

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:11:06 +0000

On 17 August this year, Eli Lilly and Company (Lilly) announced that it was halting the development of its potential Alzheimer's disease (AD) treatment semagacestat, a γ-secretase inhibitor.

DNA strides into organic synthesis

Mon, 11 Oct 2010 09:32:06 +0000

Programmed DNA walker autonomously controls a sequence of three reactions with record yield.

Peptide balls prove tougher than steel

Fri, 8 Oct 2010 17:04:06 +0000

Could Alzheimer's-related material help produce a space elevator?

Building solar demand - one house at a time

Tue, 5 Oct 2010 11:04:06 +0000

A combination of lower cell costs, feed-in tariffs and innovative module designs is set to drive a huge expansion of building-integrated photovoltaics.

Arming the solid-state lighting revolution

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:13:06 +0000

As LEDs increasingly find use in general lighting, Andy Extance tracks a dramatic increase in deployments of the tools used to manufacture the chips.

Warming worry shades ozone success

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:13:06 +0000

CFC replacements may have helped repair the hole in the ozone layer, but could contribute significantly to climate change

Green roofs offer antidote to urban heat island effect, say researchers

Mon, 6 Sep 2010 08:50:06 +0000

Researchers at Columbia University have demonstrated that a layer of plants and earth can cut the rate of heat absorption through the roof of a building in summer by 84%

Dye-sensitized cell redesign;

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 09:18:06 +0000

3D photonic-crystal solar cell; Embedded scatterers; Best of all solar worlds; CdTe films get thinner

Green roofs redefine cooling plant

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 08:30:06 +0000

Vegetation-decked flat roofs promise cooler cities and energy savings for building owners

Production challenges slow OLED market growth

Thu, 2 Sep 2010 08:30:06 +0000

Costly manufacturing has held back the roll-out of OLED TVs and constrained supply for handset displays, discovers Andy Extance.

Pocket projectors: now showing major growth

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 07:10:06 +0000

With over 100 pocket-sized projectors now available, Andy Extance sizes up a growing market opportunity for optical component suppliers.

Shadow falls on LEDs' energy impact

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:47:06 +0000

Efficiency advantages likely to be balanced by increased light consumption at constant energy prices

Making light work of LED droop

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:17:06 +0000

LEDs suffer from an embarrassing drop in performance when the power goes up. Tweaking their "quantum wells" could perk them up.

French plough money into green chemistry

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:50:06 +0000

Research into developing green chemical processes to gain €200 million in funds over the next 4 years in France.

Science controversy authors fight on

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 10:17:06 +0000

Chemistry weaknesses in 'reactome bioarray' work do not undermine its effectiveness, its inventors say.

Vacuum helps limit greenhouse gases

Mon, 2 Aug 2010 12:57:06 +0000

Abatement techniques can help make industrial processes "greener" by managing gas emissions.

Concentrating PV: risky business or solar star?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:19:06 +0000

Dismissed by its detractors as an old, expensive and complex technology, is concentrating photovoltaics (CPV) finally coming in from the cold?

Molecular interference reveals reactions

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:17:06 +0000

Scientists see atoms reacting on the femtosecond timescale in unprecedented detail using femtosecond laser spectroscopy

Buckyballs give clue to space mystery

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:20:06 +0000

Fullerenes have been identified in space, raising the hopes of discoverer Harry Kroto that they hold the answer to a persistent astronomical problem

Breakthrough bulbs usher in LED lighting

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 08:41:06 +0000

"A" class general LED bulbs launched by top lighting firms this year are the start of a push to replace familiar incandescent lights in our homes.

Powering up organic solar cells

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:27:06 +0000

Nanofibre electronic films based on multi-part organic molecules could boost organic solar cells.

Eurasian glaciers come under scrutiny

Fri, 21 May 2010 14:38:06 +0000

Researchers investigate effect of debris on glacial lake formation and how retreat into narrow valleys can slow melting.

Prepare to lose metals, says UN group

Thu, 20 May 2010 16:31:06 +0000

Speciality metals like lithium, neodymium and indium could become restricted unless recycling rates improve, say reports.

Nanotube chip creates bioelectronic link

Thu, 6 May 2010 16:18:06 +0000

Wrapping a carbon nanotube in a lipid bilayer containing 'biological machines' integrates active proteins into a transistor for the first time.

Artificial tree becomes carbon castle

Tue, 4 May 2010 10:40:06 +0000

Backed by Bill Gates, Carbon Engineering thinks big on scrubbers

Balloon model bursts battery charge gap

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:15:06 +0000

Energy loss caused by previously ignored lithium ion exchange between storage particles inside a battery.

Silver sputtered nano chips mimic brain synapse

Thu, 4 Mar 2010 15:15:06 +0000

New approach to embedding silver in silicon-based memristors set to help researchers imitate animal brains.

Bacterial mix sweetens biodrug synthesis

Mon, 1 Mar 2010 16:29:06 +0000

Putting modified bacterial genes into E. coli enables uniform glycoprotein production.

Molecular attraction keeps asteroids together

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:12:06 +0000

Dust particles hold on by van der Waals forces

Reversing attraction shrinks car batteries

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:51:06 +0000

Using repulsive van der Waals forces could enable US scientists to halve the size of lithium-ion batteries

First light for germanium laser

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:49:06 +0000

Strain bridges an indirect bandgap

Polymer nanofibres smash energy record

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:35:06 +0000

Direct-write piezoelectric 'nanogenerators' based on organic nanofibres could power miniature devices with their impressive energy conversion efficiency

Plasmas are cool for dental disinfection

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:35:06 +0000

Futuristic alternative to the dreaded dentist's drill.

Boron cluster forms unique ring system

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 20:15:06 +0000

Concentric double n-structure doesn't exist in organic compounds.

Bright colour-changing skins

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 17:15:06 +0000

Electronic paper technology that can change colour without backlights

Quantum computer hits hydrogen bullseye

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 19:03:06 +0000

A basic quantum computer has successfully calculated hydrogen's molecular energy

LED TVs spark trimethylgallium price rise

Thu, 07 Jan 2010 19:03:06 +0000

TVs backlit by LEDs have caused the first price rise for trimethylgallium in industry players' memories.

STFC funding axe bodes ill for UK science

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:46:06 +0000

UK Science and Technology Facilities Council reprioritises, slashing studentships and facility funding as budgets are cut

'Climategate' resolution underlines concern over data falsification

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:46:06 +0000

US politicians raise pressure on scientists to ensure research legitimacy after email leak suggesting unethical practices at University of East Anglia

JET set to break own fusion record

Tue, 1 Dec 2009 14:46:06 +0000

The completion of a €60m upgrade means the Joint European Torus can better mimic the technology needed for ITER, as Andy Extance reports. (P5 in PDF - be patient for the download!)

Himalayan lake's flood threat overstated

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Reports that local inhabitants and travellers to the Mount Everest base camp are in danger from a lake of glacier meltwater overflowing have been exaggerated, a series of surveys suggests. A team of Japanese and Nepalese researchers say that the damming moraine at the downstream end of Imja Glacial Lake in fact appears more stable than it has for some years.

Carbon swaddles baby neutron star

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Nascent surface too hot for hydrogen

Chemical signature could help locate Earth-like planets

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Planet formation could have affected Sun's composition

Tricolour entanglement could connect qubits

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Demonstration is an early step towards a 'quantum switchboard'

Nanotubes set to shine for solar energy

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Multiple carrier generation could boost efficiency

'PRs have morals,' says study funded by PRs for PRs

Wed, 2 Sep 2009 05:10:06 +0000

Public relations professionals have higher morals than surgeons, businessmen and accountants, claims a study (and its press release)

Arm dentists with lasers, urge researchers

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 05:10:06 +0000

New dental technique can assess mineral content in teeth

Pharma supplier accused of multi-million pound fraud

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:10:06 +0000

South African pharmaceutical ingredient supplier accused of a £1.2 billion investment fraud

Plasmonics scores smoothness bull's eye

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 05:10:06 +0000

Pattern templates let plasmons travel further

Window opened on nanodot domain state formation

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:10:06 +0000

Scientists have directly observed how domain states form in nanometre-scale ferroelectric crystals for the first time

Detailed crystal structure raises antibiotic hopes

Thu, 9 Jul 2009 05:10:06 +0000

High resolution snapshots reveal how bacteria become resistant to quinolone antibiotics

Evanescent waves boost LED brightness

Tue, 17 Mar 2009 14:46:06 +0000

Japanese and French researchers are using evanescent waves to enhance the light output of LEDs.

Samsung launches first projector phone

Wed, 18 Feb 2009 14:46:06 +0000

The handset integrates Texas Instruments' emerging DLP technology.

Inverted metamorphic cell claims solar crown

Tue, 19 Aug 2008 14:46:06 +0000

Using GaAs instead of germanium substrates, NREL scientists can exploit the ideal combination of materials to produce a compound semiconductor cell.

III-V solar states its performance case

Mon, 2 Jun 2008 14:46:06 +0000

Looking out of the window on the train from Madrid to Seville, you might catch sight of a phalanx of solar panels in a key test plant for compound semiconductor-based energy production. With sites like this becoming increasingly common, the concentrating photovoltaic industry gathered in Madrid to report their systems’ latest results at the CPV Today summit, and Andy Extance joined them.

Post-it Notes: the phenomenon that nearly never happened

Wed, 30 Jan 2008 14:46:06 +0000

In 1968 Spencer Silver, while experimenting with some new monomers he'd obtained as part of 3M's "Polymers for Adhesives" research program, concocted a formulation that went against the received wisdom of textbooks and more experienced colleagues.

We will use SiC in hybrid vehicles, says Toyota

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:46:06 +0000

The Japanese automobile giant is seeking the help of the wider compound semiconductor community to cut the cost of SiC and make low-emission vehicles more commercially viable.

Lumileds chips shine light for world's poorest

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:46:06 +0000

A non-profit pilot project is using LEDs and CIGS solar cells to provide light in remote communities, and hoping to extend the concept to other electronic devices.

Ge-free solar cell seizes unconcentrated record

Mon, 23 Jul 2007 14:46:06 +0000

Academics move closer to the pivotal 50 percent efficiency level, improving the performance of the inverted metamorphic multi-junction approach.

$20 million LED prizes promise "Bright Tomorrow"

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 14:46:06 +0000

Multi-million dollar prizes for LED replacements of the 60 W bulb and a 150 lm/W fixture could be awarded if the US senate passes a bill currently under debate.