Will it be possible one day to reconfigure electronic microchips however we want, even when they are in use?
A recent discovery by a team at EPFL suggests as much. The researchers have demonstrated that it is possible to create conductive pathways several atoms wide in a material, to move them around at will and even to make them disappear. Their research is the subject of a recent article appearing in Nature Nanotechnology.
Adaptable electronics is generating significant interest in the scientific community because of the many applications. Imagine for a moment that one single microchip was capable of accomplishing the tasks of several different circuits. For example, a circuit assigned to process sound information could, when not being used for this purpose, be reassigned to process images. This would allow us to miniaturise our electronic devices.
At the same time, it would become possible to develop resilient circuits. Whenever a microchip is damaged, it could theoretically reconfigure itself so that it could still function using the components that remain intact. “An effective way to keep faulty devices working when they are in hard-to-reach places, like space,” says Leo McGilly, the article’s lead author.
Underlying this promising technology are so-called ‘ferroelectric’ materials in which it is possible to create flexible conductive pathways. These pathways are generated by applying an electric field to the material. More specifically, when the electric current is applied, certain atoms moves either “up” or “down,” which is known as polarisation. In recent years, the academic world has observed that conductive pathways several atoms wide – called ‘walls’ – form between these polarized zones. The only problem is that, until now, it was impossible to control how these pathways form.
Read more: Electronic circuits with reconfigurable pathways closer to reality
The Latest on: Resilient circuits
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Resilient circuits” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Resilient circuits
- Kentucky Derby Pedigree Corner Presented By FanDuel Racing: Stronghold, Resilience, Society Man, Epic Ride, And Mugatuon May 2, 2024 at 5:03 am
Each day leading up to the Kentucky Derby, we’ll take a look at the pedigrees of some contenders, and how those pedigrees might factor into their ability to succeed at the 1 ¼-mile Derby ...
- Eaton Among Groups Supporting Microgrid Buildout in Puerto Ricoon May 1, 2024 at 3:10 am
Companies operating in Puerto Rico have paid particular attention to the reliability and resiliency of their power supply after a series of major hurricanes battered the island in recent years. Those ...
- Samar Province, DOT tout 3 new tourism circuitson May 1, 2024 at 2:57 am
Samar Province and the Department of Tourism introduced three new tourism circuits aimed at highlighting the province's rich treasures ...
- Winds of Change for St. Lucia’s Electric Gridon April 30, 2024 at 9:23 am
The Caribbean island prepares its grid for a more resilient future by starting with an effective operation and maintenance plan.
- Growth in Asia-Pacific expected to slow in 2024: IMFon April 29, 2024 at 8:18 pm
Economic growth in the Asia Pacific region is better than previously projected but is expected to slow from 5 per cent in 2023 to 4.5 per cent in 2024, accordin ...
- ON Semiconductor: Navigating Market Slowdown with Resilience and Growth Prospectson April 29, 2024 at 12:14 pm
Analyst Christopher Rolland from Susquehanna reiterated a Buy rating on ON Semiconductor (ON – Research Report) and decreased the price ...
- Crime victims remembered, honored at Victim Remembrance ceremonyon April 29, 2024 at 11:37 am
Whether the ceremony took place in Citrus County, or the others that make up the Fifth Judicial Circuit, each ceremony served as the opportunity to celebrate National Crime Victim’s Rights ...
- STMicroelectronics Powers up Intelligent Edge with Second-generation STM32 Microprocessors, Bringing Performance Boost and Industrial Resilienceon April 24, 2024 at 11:27 pm
These are ST’s first MPUs to contain a 64-bit central processing unit (CPU), the Arm Cortex-A35, which runs up to 1.5GHz to raise the main processing capability compared to the first-generation ...
- If you use these 3 phrases, you’re more resilient and secure than most, psychologists sayon April 21, 2024 at 5:31 am
Everyone experiences hardships. Resilient people often lean on their mental toughness to overcome those challenges. They don't act like their problems don't exist. Rather, they have self ...
- 12 Brilliant Quotes About Being Mentally Resilienton April 20, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Setbacks make us depressed, and frightening futures make us anxious. Many have spoken about the power of resilience and methods for developing this part of us. I dove into several books to extract ...
via Bing News