NEWSROOM

An atomic force microscope tip writes data in stable ferroelectric structures, enabling reliable multistate storage at extremely small scales in this illustration. @ Morgan Manning/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used specialized tools to study materials at the atomic scale and analyze defects at the materials’ surface. Results of their research help to better understand these materials used for advanced electronics, enabling innovative

Whether they’re tickling your nose, hugging your eyelashes or melting on your tongue, few winter wonders are as fascinating as snowflakes. The freezing-cold crystals are known for their one-of-a-kind appearances, which can be attributed to the multiple scientific processes that converge during their growth. Water molecules solidify and stick together in the glacial air. As they collect, they craft complex hexagonal formations often too small for the naked eye. No two snowflak

One of the great successes of 20th-century physics was the quantum mechanical description of solids. This allowed scientists to understand for the first time how and why certain materials conduct electric current and how these properties could be purposefully modified. For instance, semiconductors such as silicon could be used to produce transistors, which revolutionized electronics and made modern computers possible. To be able to mathematically capture the complex interplay

Nanosize platelets of an aluminum material slide and join in a staggered orientation to form larger crystals

Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have optimized and 3D-printed helix structures as optical materials for Terahertz (THz) frequencies, a potential way to address a technology gap for next-generation telecommunications, non-destructive evaluation, chemical/biological sensing and more. The printed microscale helixes reliably create circularly polarized beams in the THz range and, when arranged in patterned arrays, can function as a new type of Quick R

The group’s MOCHI material is a silicone gel with a twist: The gel traps air through a network of tiny pores that are many times thinner than the width of a human hair. Those tiny air bubbles are so good at blocking heat that you can use a MOCHI sheet just 5 millimeters thick to hold a flame in the palm of your hand.