What is said to be a major step forward in the development of quantum computing systems has been made by researchers at Princeton University in the US. The team has built a laser the size of a grain of rice powered laser powered by single electrons tunnelling through quantum dots. The microwave laser (maser) is said to demonstrate the fundamental i...

A team of electrical engineers from Penn State University in the US has developed a device featuring a single layer of metallic nanostructures and says the device provides 'exceptional capabilities' for manipulating light. Applications potentially include satellite communications. "We have designed and fabricated a waveplate t...

A new generation of outdoor displays is being developed by Austrian company Trilite Technologies, in conjunction with scientists from the Vienna University of Technology. The approach uses a sophisticated system to send laser beams in different directions. The angular resolution of the system is said to be so fine that the left eye sees a...

Materials scientists at University of Wisconsin-Madison say they have made a significant leap towards the creation of electronics with improved battery life and the ability to flex and stretch. The team, led by materials science Associate Professor Michael Arnold, pictured, and Professor Padma Gopalan, has reported the highest performing c...

A new type of 'nanowire' crystal that fuses semiconducting and metallic materials on the atomic scale could lay the foundation for future semiconducting electronics, say researchers in the Neils Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen. "Our new material was born as a hybrid between a semiconducting nanowire and its elec...

Belgian research center imec says it has attained a conversion efficiency of 22.02% for its large area n-type PERT (passivated emitter, rear totally diffused) crystalline silicon solar cell. This, it adds, is the highest efficiency achieved for this type of two side-contacted solar cell on a 6in wafer. Because they do not suffer from light...

Cadence has unveiled the 11th generation of Tensilica's Xtensa processor. The Xtensa LX6 and Xtensa 11 processors feature architectural improvements that are said to allow users to create custom processor instruction sets with up to 25% less processor logic power consumption and up to 75% better local memory area and power efficiency. ...

Power specialist CUI has appointed Ismosys as its manufacturing sales representative for Europe. Ismosys will represent CUI's power products and board level component portfolio. The move is said by CUI to be the latest step in its plans to expand its European support network. "We recognise the great opportunity for growth that the...

A research team led by North Carolina State University has developed a method of integrating multiferroic materials on a silicon chip. The move is said by the team to enable the development of new memory devices. Prototypes are said to have been created and are being tested. Multiferroic materials have both ferroelectric and ferromagnetic...

Infineon Technologies has completed its acquisition of International Rectifier, following the approval of all interested parties. "The acquisition is an important step for Infineon to foster our position as a global market leader in power semiconductors," said CEO Dr Reinhard Ploss. "We are sure that IR and its employees wil...