Nanoscience and nanotechnology

MIT researchers have observed mysterious Majorana fermions in islands of gold. The discovery could lead to new family of robust qubits for quantum computing.

First sighting of mysterious Majorana fermion on a common metal

Physicists’ discovery could lead to a new family of robust qubits for quantum computing.

April 10, 2020

New “refrigerator” super-cools molecules to nanokelvin temperatures

Technique may enable molecule-based quantum computing.

April 8, 2020

MIT Professor Markus Buehler designs new proteins with the help of artificial intelligence. He recently translated the spike protein of the novel coronavirus (SARS-Cov-2) into sound to visualize its vibrational properties, as seen here, which could help in finding ways to stop the virus. Primary colors represent the spike’s three protein chains.

Q&A: Markus Buehler on setting coronavirus and AI-inspired proteins to music

Translated into sound, SARS-CoV-2 tricks our ear in the same way the virus tricks our cells.

April 2, 2020

The process of how crystals form on a flat surface, as shown in this electron microscope image, has been difficult to study in detail until now.

Technique reveals how crystals form on surfaces

DNA-based self-assembling system sheds light on processes essential for semiconductors and nanotechnology.

April 1, 2020

MIT engineers have developed nanoparticles that can be delivered to the lungs, where tumor-associated proteases cut peptides on the surface of the particles, releasing reporter molecules. Those reporters can be detected by a urine test.

New sensors could offer early detection of lung tumors

Study shows that a simple urine test can reveal the presence of lung cancer in mice.

April 1, 2020

Terahertz waves are pervasive in our daily lives, and if harnessed, their concentrated power could potentially serve as an alternate energy source. Imagine, for instance, a cellphone add-on that passively soaks up ambient T-rays and uses their energy to charge your phone.

Energy-harvesting design aims to turn high-frequency electromagnetic waves into usable power

Device for harnessing terahertz radiation might help power some portable electronics.

March 27, 2020

Students from the first academic course to use MIT.nano's facilities pose in the facility's soft lithograpy space with technical instructor Scott Poesse (left).

Meet the first undergraduate users of MIT.nano

Micro/nano processing course fabricates devices in MIT.nano’s facilities.

March 25, 2020

To test the new sensor’s capabilities, the researchers deposited the carbon nanotubes and other sensor components onto a glass slide. They then used it to monitor ethylene production in two types of flowers — red carnations and purple lisianthus.

New sensor could help prevent food waste

Monitoring the plant hormone ethylene could reveal when fruits and vegetables are about to spoil.

March 18, 2020

An MIT team found a way to “recruit” normally disruptive quantum bits (qubits) in diamond to, instead, help carry out quantum operations. This approach could be used to help scale up quantum computing systems.

Novel method for easier scaling of quantum devices

System “recruits” defects that usually cause disruptions, using them to instead carry out quantum operations.

March 5, 2020

Undergraduate Teaching Lab wins SafetyStratus College and University Health and Safety Award

The award is given annually by the American Chemical Society.

March 3, 2020

MIT Professor Evelyn Wang (right), graduate student Elise Strobach (left), and their colleagues have been performing theoretical and experimental studies of low-cost silica aerogels optimized to serve as a transparent heat barrier in specific devices.

Making a remarkable material even better

Aerogels for solar devices and windows are more transparent than glass.

February 25, 2020

Researchers found that strontium cobalt oxide (SCO) naturally occurs in an atomic configuration called brownmillerite (center), but when oxygen ions are added to it (right), it becomes more orderly and more heat conductive, and when hydrogen ions are added (left) it becomes less orderly and less heat conductive.

A material’s insulating properties can be tuned at will

Most materials have a fixed ability to conduct heat, but applying voltage to this thin film changes its thermal properties drastically.

February 24, 2020

Mirrored chip could enable handheld dark-field microscopes

Simple chip powered by quantum dots allows standard microscopes to visualize difficult-to-image biological organisms.

February 24, 2020

Engineer and physicist Deblina Sarkar has been appointed as an assistant professor at the MIT Media Lab, where she will lead the Nano-Cybernetic Biotrek group.

Deblina Sarkar joins the MIT Media Lab faculty

New research group aims to bridge the gap between nanotechnology and synthetic biology.

February 19, 2020

In a diamond crystal, three carbon atom nuclei (shown in blue) surround an empty spot called a nitrogen vacancy center, which behaves much like a single electron (shown in red). The carbon nuclei act as quantum bits, or qubits, and it turns out the primary source of noise that disturbs them comes from the jittery “electron” in the middle. By understanding the single source of that noise, it be...

Correcting the “jitters” in quantum devices

A new study suggests a path to more efficient error correction, which may help make quantum computers and sensors more practical.

February 18, 2020

MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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