International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics eBulletin: Nobel Laureate F. Duncan M. Haldane Shares his Insights into the Discovery of 'Topological Phases of Matter'

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The International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics

16 Jul, 2019, 07:34 GMT

TSUKUBA, Japan, July 16, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA), Japan, publishes the July 2019 issue of the MANA E-Bulletin featuring an interview F. Duncan M. Haldane, Sherman Fairchild University Professor of Physics, Princeton University, Nobel Prize Laureate (Physics) 2016; and  research highlights on 'High-Performance Solar Cells Based on Silicon Nanopencil Structures'; 'Enhanced Thermoelectric Conversion in Magnetic Materials through Spin Fluctuations'; and 'Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment'.  

MANA E-BULLETIN VOL.07

https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/ebulletin/index.html

Interview

F. Duncan M. Haldane Sherman Fairchild University Professor of Physics, Princeton University, Nobel Prize Laureate (Physics) 2016

Professor Duncan Haldane shares his insights on topics including the importance of science tuition at schools, mentoring research at university, and his career in overturning conventional wisdom in magnetism and matter, and his discovery of 'topological phases of matter'. [...]

More https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/ebulletin/feature.html

Research Highlights

High-Performance Solar Cells Based on Silicon Nanopencil Structures

Solar cells are an important alternative energy source. The traditional solar-cell material of choice is crystalline silicon, which enables high power conversion efficiency, is stable, and has a well-established manufacturing process. Drawbacks with crystalline silicon are the high production cost and its fundamental efficiency limit. [...]

More https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol50.html

Reference

Junyi Chen et al., "Fabrication of high-performance ordered radial junction silicon nanopencil T solar cells by fine-tuning surface carrier recombination and structure morphology", Nano Energy 56, 604 (2019).

DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2018.12.002

Enhanced Thermoelectric Conversion in Magnetic Materials through Spin Fluctuations

Rather than letting 'waste' heat dissipate, it is possible to use it and convert it into electrical energy. Such thermoelectric conversion is an important technology, especially in today's context of alternative energy sources. Yet, achieving high recovery efficiency is difficult. [...]

More https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/jp/research/highlights/vol51.html

Reference

Naohito Tsujii et al., "Observation of enhanced thermopower due to spin fluctuation in weak itinerant ferromagnet", Sci. Adv. 5, eaat5935 (2019).
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat5935

Polymeric Particles with Anti-Inflammatory Potential for Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment

One of the pathological mechanisms observed in neurodegenerative diseases in the central nervous system, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, is the accumulation of so-called microglia — cells that perform functions such as removing dead cells and excess synapses in the brain. When over-activated, microglia can also produce cytokines (small proteins) causing inflammation. [...]

More https://www.nims.go.jp/mana/research/highlights/vol52.html

Reference

Y. Nakagawa et al., "Apoptotic Cell-Inspired Polymeric Particles for Controlling Microglial Inflammation toward Neurodegenerative Disease Treatment", ACS Biomater. Sci. Eng. XXX, XXX (2019). DOI: 10.1021/acsbiomaterials.8b01510

Further information

The International Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics
1-1 Namiki Tsukuba-shi Ibaraki, 305-0044 JAPAN
Tel: +81 (0) 29-860-4710
Email: mana-pr@ml.nims.go.jp

http://www.nims.go.jp/mana/