A spinel-type sulfide semiconductor that can emit light from violet to orange at room temperature has been developed by researchers at Science Tokyo, overcoming the efficiency limitations of current LED and solar cell materials. The material, (Zn,Mg)Sc₂S₄, can be chemically tuned to switch between n-type and p-type conduction, leading to future pn homojunction devices. This versatile semiconductor offers a practical path toward the development of more efficient LEDs and solar cells.

Harnessing quantum states that avoid thermalization enables energy harvesters to surpass traditional thermodynamic limits such as Carnot efficiency, report researchers from Japan. The team developed a new approach using a non-thermal Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid to convert waste heat into electricity with higher efficiency than conventional approaches. These findings pave the way for more sustainable low-power electronics and quantum computing.  

Cobalt (Co)-exsolution is a promising technique for improving electrochemical performance of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) cathodes made for Co-based rare-earth layered perovskite oxides. However, it has only been demonstrated in reducing atmospheres, reversing in actual oxidizing operating conditions of SOFCs. Now, a research team has presented the first experimental evidence of Co exsolution of SOFC cathodes in oxidizing atmospheres, presenting a new direction for developing stable and high performance SOFCs.

Rivers in northern Sweden do not always become wider or richer in species further downstream. Natural barriers shape the flow and stop plants from spreading, new research from Umeå University shows.