Nanotechnology News from Nanowerk

The Chinese puzzle ball is an ornate decorative artwork consisting of several concentric shells that move independently of each other. In the past decade, scientists provided a universal method for the fabrication of a conceptually similar micronanoscale structure, called the hollow multishell structure. New work proposes a novel concept of temporal-spatial ordering and dynamic smart behavior in these structures.

 

Researchers have realized an all-optical bit that is temporarily written into a planar semiconductor nanostructure only using light and that can also be reconfigured only using optical techniques.

 

Hematite as a magnetic photocatalyst can support the production of oxygen in its magnetic ground state and thereby improve the efficiency of hydrogen production. When hematite is made thinner, another important improvement in the efficiency of the reaction could be accomplished by expectedly more efficient separation of charge carriers upon the absorption of light on the surface. Scientists now elucidate exactly how optical and magnetic properties of hematite change when decreased in thickness to the atomistic scale.

 

Researchers have developed a new method of depositing catalyst particles to tiny electrodes. It is inexpensive, simple and quick to perform.