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Category: nanotechnology – Page 2

ZZU team synthesizes bulk hexagonal diamond

Findings of ZZU team are published online in the journal Nature. [Photo/zzu.edu.cn]

A research team from Zhengzhou University (ZZU) has successfully synthesized bulk pure-phase hexagonal diamond and precisely resolved its crystal structure, revealing a novel phase transition mechanism. The findings were published online in the journal Nature on March 5, 2026, under the title “Bulk hexagonal diamond”

Diamond, renowned for its exceptional hardness, thermal conductivity, and wide bandgap, typically adopts a cubic structure. However, the existence of a hexagonal polymorph was first predicted theoretically in 1962 and later discovered in meteorites in 1967. Yet natural samples exist only as nanoscale grains embedded in meteorites, making isolation and property measurement extremely challenging. Moreover, the high formation energy barrier of hexagonal diamond under laboratory conditions has long hindered its synthesis, fueling debate over whether it can exist as a stable bulk material.

Novel AI semiconductor uses hydrogen ions for learning and memory

A research team led by Lee Hyun Jun and Noh Hee Yeon from the Division of Nanotechnology at DGIST has succeeded in implementing the world’s first two-terminal-based artificial intelligence (AI) semiconductor that precisely controls hydrogen with electrical signals to enable self-learning and memory. The team’s work appears in Advanced Science.

Whereas modern AI requires the rapid processing of vast amounts of data, the separation of computation and memory in conventional computers results in speed degradation and high power consumption. “Neuromorphic semiconductors,” which perform computation and storage simultaneously by mimicking the human brain, are gaining attention as a next-generation technology that can resolve this problem. At the heart of this semiconductor is an artificial synapse device that changes its conductivity based on electrical signals and maintains that state, and the research team focused on hydrogen as the solution.

Conventional oxide-based memory devices have primarily utilized the migration of oxygen vacancies (defects) as memory. However, this has made it difficult to ensure long-term stability and uniformity between devices. In contrast, the research team solved this problem by developing its own method to precisely control the injection and discharge of hydrogen ions (H+) using an electric field.

Key transistor for next-generation 3D stacked semiconductors operates without current leakage

A research team led by Professor Jae Eun Jang and Dr. Goeun Pyo from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at DGIST has developed “dual-modulated vertically stacked transistors” that operate stably without current leakage even in two-dimensional nanoscale channel structures. A study on this work is published in the journal Advanced Science.

In recent years, the semiconductor industry has faced physical limitations as the demand to integrate more devices within limited space continues to grow. To overcome these constraints, “vertically stacked transistors,” in which current-carrying channels are vertically layered, have emerged as a promising alternative for next-generation 3D semiconductors. However, conventional vertically stacked transistors suffer from a critical drawback in which gate electric signals are not delivered uniformly into the channel interior due to their electrode structure, consequently leading to current leakage or unstable device operation as the channel length becomes shorter.

To address this issue, the research team proposed a “dual-modulation structure” in which two gates—positioned above and below—control the channel through different mechanisms. This represents an innovative approach in which current flows in a sandwich-like configuration, with the upper and lower electrodes facing each other across the channel.

The Terraforming Compendium

Could we sculpt dead planets into living worlds? From artificial crusts and orbital mirrors to taming tectonics and engineering biospheres, this is your definitive guide to turning alien rocks into second Earths.

Watch my exclusive video Fishbowl Starships — Water As Shielding — https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur–… Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isa… Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36. Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net Support us on Patreon: / isaacarthur Support us on Subscribestar: https://www.subscribestar.com/isaac-a… Facebook Group: / 1,583,992,725,237,264 Reddit: / isaacarthur Twitter: / isaac_a_arthur on Twitter and RT our future content. SFIA Discord Server: / discord Credits: Interstellar Travel: Can We Survive The Long Journey? Episode 725; June 15, 2025 Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur Graphics: Jarred Eagley Jeremy Jozwik Ken York YD Visual Mafic Studios Sergio Botero Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator Chris Zabriskie, “Unfoldment, Revealment”, “A New Day in a New Sector”, “Oxygen Garden”, “Wonder Cycle” Kai Engel, “Endless Story About Sun and Moon” Taras Harkavyi, “Alpha and…” Dark Future, “Staring Through” pt1 Miguel Johnson. “The Commanders”, “Far From Home” Lombus, “Hydrogen Sonata”, “Cosmic Soup” Aerium, “Deijocht” Stellardrone, “Red Giant”, “Solar Eclipse”, “Billions and Billions” Chapters 0:00 Intro 5:33 What is Terraforming? 8:27 Terraforming vs Para-Terraforming 11:54 Planets vs Megastructures 14:05 Terraforming vs Bioforming 17:14 The Inevitable Hybrid Approach 20:59 Ethics & Debate: Preservation vs. Transformation 22:42 Terraforming as a Civilization-Scale Endeavor 23:46 Terraforming Technologies & Techniques 24:42 Artificial Gravity Solutions 27:58 Atmospheric Manipulation 31:25 Bioforming & Genetic Engineering 34:06 Comet & Asteroid Bombardment 39:43 Domes & Worldhouses 43:24 Geoengineering & Climate Control 47:05 Hydrospheric Engineering 49:58 Magnetosphere Generation 53:35 Fishbowl Starships 55:02 Mass & Orbital Adjustments 1:00:17 Mega-Mirrors & Solar Shades 1:04:30 Oxygenation & Soil Processing 1:07:39 Planetary Shells & Artificial Crusts 1:10:37 Terraforming Nanotechnology 1:14:04 Tidal & Seismic Stabilization 1:18:45 From Theory to Practice: Adapting Terraforming to Specific Worlds 1:20:27 Extreme Radiation Levels 1:23:57 Frequent Asteroid & Meteor Impacts 1:27:41 High Gravity 1:30:29 Highly Eccentric Orbits 1:34:46 Hostile Native Life 1:38:25 Intense Volcanism 1:40:55 Long or Erratic Day/Night Cycles 1:51:09 Low Light Levels 1:52:57 No Air 1:54:25 No Magnetosphere 1:56:17 No Seasons 1:58:13 No Water 2:00:48 Short or Long Years & Seasons 2:02:05 Tidally Locked 2:03:32 Tidally Wracked 2:04:36 Too Cold 2:05:36 Too Hot 2:06:21 Too Much Air 2:07:05 Too Much Ocean 2:08:44 Too Much Solar Wind 2:11:13 Toxic or Corrosive Atmosphere or Surface 2:14:09 Unstable Tectonics 2:15:10 Wrong Air Composition 2:16:21 Final Thoughts.
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur.
Get a Lifetime Membership to Nebula for only $300: https://go.nebula.tv/lifetime?ref=isa…
Use the link https://gift.nebula.tv/isaacarthur to give a year of Nebula to a friend for just $36.

Visit our Website: http://www.isaacarthur.net.
Support us on Patreon: / isaacarthur.
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Facebook Group: / 1583992725237264
Reddit: / isaacarthur.
Twitter: / isaac_a_arthur on Twitter and RT our future content.
SFIA Discord Server: / discord.
Credits:
Interstellar Travel: Can We Survive The Long Journey?
Episode 725; June 15, 2025
Written, Produced & Narrated by: Isaac Arthur.
Graphics:
Jarred Eagley.
Jeremy Jozwik.
Ken York YD Visual.
Mafic Studios.
Sergio Botero.
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images.
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator.
Chris Zabriskie, \

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Nanotechnology: Building Machines at the Smallest Scale

Nanotechnology is moving from the realm of science fiction to reality, and in the process, these tiny technologies are offering giant opportunities.

Watch my exclusive video The Fermi Paradox: Air https://nebula.tv/videos/isaacarthur–… Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur Credits: Nanotechnology: The Future of Everything Episode 481a; January 12, 2025 Produced, Narrated & Written: Isaac Arthur Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator Stellardrone, “In Time”, “Red Giant” Aerium, featuring Sieger, “Deiljocht“
Get Nebula using my link for 40% off an annual subscription: https://go.nebula.tv/isaacarthur.

Credits:
Nanotechnology: The Future of Everything.
Episode 481a; January 12, 2025
Produced, Narrated & Written: Isaac Arthur.
Select imagery/video supplied by Getty Images.
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound http://epidemicsound.com/creator.
Stellardrone, \

Frontiers: Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world

This is partly due to the low regenerative capacity of adult hearts. mRNA therapy is a promising approach under development for cardiac diseases. In mRNA therapy, expression of the target protein is modulated by delivering synthetic mRNA therapy benefits cardiac regeneration by increasing cardiomyocyte proliferation, reducing fibrosis, and promoting angiogenesis. Because mRNA is translated in the cytoplasm, the delivery efficiency of mRNA into the cytoplasm and nucleus significantly affects its therapeutic efficacy. To improve delivery efficiency, non-viral vehicles such as lipid nanoparticles have been developed. Non-viral vehicles can protect mRNA from enzymatic degradation and facilitate the cellular internalization of mRNA. In addition to non-viral vehicles, viral vectors have been designed to deliver mRNA templates into cardiac cells. This article reviews lipid nanoparticles, polymer nanoparticles, and viral vectors that have been utilized to deliver mRNA into the heart. Because of the growing interest in lipid nanoparticles, recent advances in lipid nanoparticles designed for cardiac mRNA delivery are discussed. Besides, potential targets of mRNA therapy for myocardial infarction are discussed. Gene therapies that have been investigated in patients with cardiac diseases are analyzed. Reviewing mRNA therapy from a clinically relevant perspective can reveal needs for future investigations.

Cardiovascular diseases are a group of diseases related to heart muscles, blood vessels, and valves. The death caused by cardiovascular diseases worldwide in 2019 was 17.9 million, which accounts for approximately 30% of total death in the year (DofE and SAPD, 2019; World Heath Organization, 2021). Myocardial infarction and strokes result in over 80% of deaths from cardiovascular diseases. Percutaneous coronary intervention treatment has significantly lowered mortality after acute myocardial infarction. However, the cardiac function will be permanently impaired. Newborn mammals can regenerate the injured heart, but this regenerative capacity disappears in adults (Porrello et al., 2011; Ye et al., 2018). The declined regenerative capacity in aged hearts is partly due to decreased cardiomyocyte proliferation, lowered angiogenesis, and increased fibrosis (Rivard et al., 1999; Senyo et al., 2012; Notari et al., 2018).

Local droplet etching yields more symmetric quantum dots for integrated photonics

Light-based quantum technologies, such as quantum communication and photonic quantum computing, require reliable sources of individual photons and, ideally, pairs of entangled photons. Semiconductor quantum dots are promising candidates for this purpose. These nanostructures have electrical conductivity between that of insulators and conductors and are capable of confining electrons and holes. This property causes them to emit light at well-defined frequencies when excited by a laser.

High‐Throughput In Vivo Subcellular Analysis of Gold Nanoparticles for Tumor Mitochondrial Targeting

A DNA barcoding system enables high-throughput in vivo screening of mitochondrial-targeting gold nanoparticles. Thirty nanoparticle types with varied shapes, sizes, and ligands are individually barco…

Atom-thin material could help solve chip manufacturing problem

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.

“As chips get smaller, the manufacturing process becomes much more demanding,” said Saptarshi Das, Penn State Ackley Professor of Engineering Science and professor of engineering science and mechanics. “The mask used to define these patterns must survive extremely harsh processing conditions. If the mask degrades, the patterns cannot be transferred reliably.”

Physicists finally see strange magnetic vortices predicted 50 years ago

A team of physicists has experimentally confirmed a long-predicted sequence of exotic magnetic phases in an atomically thin material. When cooled, the material forms tiny magnetic vortices before transitioning into a second ordered magnetic state—exactly as predicted by a famous theoretical model from the 1970s. Observing both phases together for the first time validates key ideas about how magnetism behaves in two dimensions. The findings could help inspire ultracompact technologies built on nanoscale magnetic control.

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