Emerging electron pairs in an insulator hint of a hidden mechanism that could be exploited for designer ‘high-temperature’ superconductors. Superconductors need electrons to pair, and then many pairs to become coherent inside the material. “The electron pairs are telling us that they are ready to be superconducting, but something is stopping them,” said Ke-Jun Xu, a researcher at Stanford University’s ...
In a report, Amnesty International details what it claims are “grievous human rights abuses” due to the expansion of industrial-scale cobalt and copper mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “The forced evictions taking place as companies seek to expand industrial-scale copper and cobalt mining, projects are wrecking lives and must stop now,” said Amnesty International secretary general Agnès ...
Toshiba has created a gull-wing mosfet package specifically for high current automotive applications, and has released a 400A 40V mosfet in it. Branded L-TOGL and measuring 9.9 x 11.8 x 2.3mm (right), the AEC-Q101-capable package is designed for up to 175°C, 100V, 400A, 750W, with minimum mosfet device Rds(on) around 300μΩ. This compares with 250A, 372W and ~740μΩ from the ...
Researchers from Osaka University have found a way to bond copper foil to notoriously slippery polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The aim is to improve the bandwidth of PCBs. “Copper is the go-to wiring material for printed wiring boards because it is highly conductive, so the focus for improvement is to decrease transmission loss from the support material,” according to the university, “PTFE ...
Graphene can be grown on all sorts of substrates using chemical vapour deposition, but it is riddled with defects and cannot easily be removed for further processing. Growth it on liquid catalyst shows promise, as the liquid surface is naturally flat, and devoid of crystal structure that can encourage periodic defects in the graphene. Furthermore, it might be possible to ...
Japanese scientists are proposing a copper alternative to sintered silver die-attach and conductive ink. Sintering – the process of pressing powders together to form solids – can occur at far lower temperatures than melting the same powder into a mould. However copper, for all of its excellent electrical and thermal properties, does not easily form particles suitable for sintering. “Copper ...
Israeli 3D printing firm Nano Dimension has developed novel copper nanoparticles that are resistant to oxidation
High Conductivity Copper for Electrical Engineering is an e-book from the Copper Development Association which describes the electrical and mechanical properties of copper and copper alloys for use in electrical applications – from inside chips to industrial bus bars. “High conductivity copper is the best choice for bulk electrical conductors such as cables, motor windings and bus bars,” said the ...
The Copper Development Association has released a book on how electrical contacts work and the various materials involved, and it is free to download. “The importance of electrical contacts has been underscored by some high-profile and costly system failures. One example is the F-16 fighter plane, where connector failure has been linked to the cause of engine failure and aircraft ...
Globalfoundries claims a breakthrough in 3D stacking of chips with the demonstration of functional 20nm silicon wafers with integrated through-silicon vias
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