Lifeboat Foundation

Two-dimensional materials, which are only a few atoms thick, can exhibit some incredible properties, such as the ability to carry electric charge extremely efficiently, which could boost the performance of next-generation electronic devices.

However, integrating 2D materials into devices and systems like computer chips is notoriously difficult. These ultrathin structures can be damaged by conventional fabrication techniques, which often rely on the use of chemicals, high temperatures, or destructive processes like etching.

To overcome this challenge, researchers from MIT and elsewhere have developed a new technique to integrate 2D materials into devices in a single step while keeping the surfaces of the materials and the resulting interfaces pristine and free from defects.

IN THIS EPISODE OF THE HUMAN UPGRADE™…you’ll learn how much control you can actually have over your brain. There’s a new way of accessing your meat operating system that adds an important element that’s been missing from the brain training conversation. Moha Bensofia joins the show to explain a new piece of neurotech called Mendi. He shares the benefits of getting more blood to the front of your brain. Mendi uses neurofeedback to provide visual feedback based on your brain activity.

A headset measures the activity while you play a fun brain-training mobile game. The system uses fNIRS technology to measure blood flow and oxygenation in the pre-frontal cortex of the brain. The brain training game requires focus and calmness, which increases activity and control of your brain’s pathways.

Cambridge researchers have identified magnetic monopoles in hematite, suggesting new possibilities for advanced, eco-friendly computing technologies. This first-time observation of emergent monopoles in a natural magnet could unlock new avenues in quantum material research.

Researchers have discovered magnetic monopoles – isolated magnetic charges – in a material closely related to rust, a result that could be used to power greener and faster computing technologies.

Researchers led by the University of Cambridge used a technique known as diamond quantum sensing to observe swirling textures and faint magnetic signals on the surface of hematite, a type of iron oxide.

For the first time, a team of Princeton physicists have been able to link together individual molecules into special states that are quantum mechanically “entangled.” In these bizarre states, the molecules remain correlated with each other—and can interact simultaneously—even if they are miles apart, or indeed, even if they occupy opposite ends of the universe. This research was recently published in the journal Science.

“This is a breakthrough in the world of molecules because of the fundamental importance of quantum entanglement,” said Lawrence Cheuk, assistant professor of physics at Princeton University and the senior author of the paper. “But it is also a breakthrough for practical applications because entangled molecules can be the building blocks for many future applications.”

These include, for example, quantum computers that can solve certain problems much faster than conventional computers, quantum simulators that can model complex materials whose behaviors are difficult to model, and quantum sensors that can measure faster than their traditional counterparts.

Quantum bits are potentially powerful but notoriously error-prone. Now a Harvard team says it has found a way to prevent mistakes — by manipulating individual atoms with laser beams — making quantum processing much more efficient.

face_with_colon_three Plants are basically an unlimited resource for batteries which can even make graphene microchips and graphene batteries.

As demand for electric vehicles soars, scientists are searching for materials to make sustainable batteries. Lignin, from waste paper pulp, is shaping up to be a strong contender.

Computing giant IBM has launched three new innovations in quantum tech – the first utility-scale quantum computer, the first 1,000+ qubit chip and the most efficient quantum processor in terms of error correction.

IBM gave a sneak preview of its Quantum System Two during a conference last year. Following 12 months of additional research and development, it has now officially launched the system, which is described as “the first modular, utility-scale quantum computer.”

To achieve high intrinsic gain (A_i) in OTFTs, it is necessary to enlarge output resistance (r_o) or transconductance (g_m) according to a typical formula of A_i = g_mr_o, which is very difficult for conventional OTFTs because of inherent device structure and operating mode limitations (11, 12). Recently, the “Schottky barrier” (SB) strategy based on metal-semiconductor junction (MS junction) has been adopted in TFTs to pursue high-gain and low-saturation voltage, including subthreshold SB-TFTs (11, 12, 15, 16) and source-gated transistors (17, 18). Unfortunately, the subthreshold transistors are limited in low and narrow subthreshold operating region rather than the normal ON-state region (namely, the normal voltage operating region in a typical TFT), which are difficult to be compatible with typical circuits. As far as we know, the ultrahigh-gain (1000) OTFTs operating in the ON-state region have not been previously reported. On the other hand, the state-of-the-art OTFTs above have mostly suffered from uncontrollable barriers owing to energy-level mismatches and a series of complex interface problems, such as Fermi-level pinning and interface chemical disorder (19). In this case, considerable low-energy carriers are allowed to pass through the junction by thermionic field emission and tunneling models instead of thermionic emission model, which is not conducive to obtaining a high output resistance and high intrinsic gain. Most barrier heights in MS junction do not conform to the prediction value of Schottky-Mott rule. Theoretically, an ideal and high-quality barrier with thermionic emission model allows the rapid depletion of carriers at the source electrode, thus yielding ultrahigh gain, infinite output resistance, and low saturation voltage (11, 12). In addition, infinite output resistance at the saturation regime indicates that the output current is very stable and flat. This performance is helpful because only a single OTFT is used as a simplified current stabilizer in circuits without complex circuit design, which benefits low power and low cost in circuits. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a high-quality barrier strategy to modulate charge injection to meet the requirements of ultrahigh-gain OTFTs.

Here, we demonstrate a metal-barrier interlayer-semiconductor (MBIS) junction to prepare high-performance MBIS-OTFT with an ultrahigh gain of ~10⁴ in the ON-state region, low saturation voltage, almost negligible hysteresis, and good stability. On the basis of low-energy processes and in situ surface oxidation technology, the high-quality van der Waals MBIS junction with wide-bandgap semiconductor (mainly Ga₂O₃) interlayer is achieved, allowing for an adjustable barrier height and thermionic emission properties. A series of in situ experiments and simulations revealed the relationship between the barriers and the device’s performance. Furthermore, as demonstrations, a simplified current stabilizer and an ultrahigh-gain organic inverter are exhibited without complex circuit design.

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