LEDs no wider than a human hair could soon take on work traditionally handled by lasers, from moving data inside server racks to powering next-generation displays. New research co-authored by UC Santa Barbara doctoral student Roark Chao points to a practical path forward.

Superhydrophobic surfaces — those famously “never-wet” materials that make water bead up and roll away — have a stubborn weakness: hot water. Once temperatures climb above roughly 40 degrees Celsius, many superhydrophobic coatings abruptly lose their magic. Instead of skittering off, hot droplets start sticking, soaking into the surface texture and leaving behind wet patches and residue. A new study from mechanical engineers at Rice University describes a surprisingly straightforward fix: Instead of just engineering the surface’s chemistry and texture, they focused on engineering its heat flow.