Next to silicon, germanium (Ge) is the most widely used semiconductor material in the world. But while it’s great at conducting electricity, its inefficiency at turning light into electricity (or electricity into light) restricts the other applications for which it can be used. Paul Simmonds, an assistant professor with a dual appointment to the departments…
Thermoelectric Screen Printing Proves to be Flexible Technology
What if you could easily print a thin layer of material — for use anywhere — that would allow you to create flexible energy harvesters or coolers? That may soon be a reality. Thermoelectric conversion is a solid-state and environmentally friendly energy conversion technology with broad applications that include solid-state cooling, energy harvesting and waste…
Unlocking DNA and Cancer Mysteries Using Nanopores
Cancer thrives when mutated cells undergo frequent division. Most anti-cancer drugs work by inserting themselves in between the DNA base pairs that encode our genetic information. This process is known as intercalation, and it can result in subtle changes to the DNA molecule’s geometric shape or tertiary structure. These structural changes interfere with the DNA’s…