News from the NNI Community - Research Advances Funded by Agencies Participating in the NNI

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health)

Researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have created synthetic proteins that form honeycomb-like structures on the atomic surface of mica. This work could enable the design of new biomimetic materials with customized colors, chemical reactivity or mechanical properties, or to serve as scaffolds for nanoscale filters, solar cells, or electronic circuits.

(Funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy)

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles Samueli School of Engineering have developed an ultra-sensitive light-detecting system that could enable astronomers to view galaxies, stars and planetary systems in superb detail. The system works at room temperature—an improvement over similar technology that only works in temperatures nearing 270 degrees below zero Celsius, or minus 454 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Funded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Office of Naval Research, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Energy)

Researchers at the University of California Los Angeles Samueli School of Engineering have developed an ultra-sensitive light-detecting system that could enable astronomers to view galaxies, stars and planetary systems in superb detail. The system works at room temperature—an improvement over similar technology that only works in temperatures nearing 270 degrees below zero Celsius, or minus 454 degrees Fahrenheit.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation)

In work that could lead to new applications for a new class of nanomaterials known as MXenes, researchers from Texas A&M University have discovered a simple and inexpensive way to prevent the materials' rapid degradation.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation)

In work that could lead to new applications for a new class of nanomaterials known as MXenes, researchers from Texas A&M University have discovered a simple and inexpensive way to prevent the materials' rapid degradation.

(Funded by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency)

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have developed a new technique that could enable future advancements in quantum technology. The technique squeezes quantum dots, tiny particles made of thousands of atoms, to emit single photons (individual particles of light) with precisely the same color and with positions that can be less than a millionth of a meter apart.

(Funded by the Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency)

Researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory have developed a new technique that could enable future advancements in quantum technology. The technique squeezes quantum dots, tiny particles made of thousands of atoms, to emit single photons (individual particles of light) with precisely the same color and with positions that can be less than a millionth of a meter apart.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research)

Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a highly compact, portable camera that can image polarization in a single shot. The miniature camera — about the size of a thumb — could find a place in the vision systems of autonomous vehicles, onboard planes or satellites to study atmospheric chemistry, or be used to detect camouflaged objects.

(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research)

Researchers at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences have developed a highly compact, portable camera that can image polarization in a single shot. The miniature camera — about the size of a thumb — could find a place in the vision systems of autonomous vehicles, onboard planes or satellites to study atmospheric chemistry, or be used to detect camouflaged objects.

(Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Office of Naval Research)

Scientists from the Center for Functional Nanomaterials – a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at Brookhaven National Laboratory – have come up with a technique for optimizing the activity of zinc oxide nanowires. Their technique involves chemically treating the surface of the nanowires in such a way that they can be uniformly coated with an ultrathin film of titanium dioxide, which acts as both a catalyst and protective layer.