In case you missed it (ICYMI), here are some of the stories that made headlines in the world of cleanrooms and nanotechnology in the past week:

Researchers in The Netherlands have figured out a way to fit various functional coatings to silicon microwires. Microwires made of the semiconductor silicon can be used in several ways, but generally they have to be “functionalized” by adding a layer of metal or a layer of a catalyst. The new technique enables the creation of a wire that could be coated with platinum on its lower side and silver on top, to be used for generating renewable energy or for purifying water.

Chalmers University of Technology has made a novel report — the electrical detection of spin current on topological insulator surfaces at room temperature by employing a ferromagnetic detector. Earlier reports on this topic were limited only to measurements at cryogenic temperatures. From the results on the magnitude of the spin signal, its sign, and control experiments, using different measurement configurations, angles, and interface conditions, the authors rule out other known physical effects. 

Finally, University of Maryland scientists have made a breakthrough discovery in graphene research by developing a theoretical model that demonstrates how to bend and shape graphene to create a powerful, adjustable, and sustainable magnetic force. Their findings could provide a testing ground to figure out how electrons move in extremely high magnetic fields.