Conventional polyimides (PIs) exhibit excellent thermal stability and mechanical performance, yet their dielectric properties (dielectric constant (D_k) > 3.2, dissipation factor (D_f) > 0.005 @ 10 GHz). In previous reports, the introduction of trifluoromethyl reduced the dielectric constant and dissipation factor, but it increased chain rigidity, weakened hydrogen bonds interaction, and reduced free volume, which definitely reduced mechanical performance (such as poor toughness leading to crack risks in advanced packaging). Therefore, it is necessary to design PI materials with high toughness and low dielectric properties to meet the demands of advanced packaging technologies evolving towards millimeter-wave frequencies and heterogeneous integration. A research team has developed a novel fluorinated polyimide that reduces the material's dielectric constant and dissipation factor while enhancing its mechanical properties. Their work is published in the journal Industrial Chemistry & Materials on 03 Jun 2025.

A team at Harvard and Technical University of Vienna have invented a new tunable laser that uses a series of rings to smoothly emit many light wavelengths from a single chip. The laser could replace many of today’s products that face tradeoffs in accuracy, range, and cost.

Haozhe “Harry” Wang, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) at Duke University and an expert in developing new methods for manufacturing materials, continues to push the boundaries in MXene research. MXenes (pronounced max-eens) are a novel 2D class of metallic materials boasting high electrical conductivity and strong photothermal capabilities, meaning they can convert light to heat. That heat makes water evaporate, which allows the MXene to shrink, curl, bend or twist when exposed to light. 

One challenge with the manufacturing of MXenes is that they are only a few atoms thick, and defects are amplified on that scale. Using a technique called plasma-enabled atomic layer etching (plasma-ALE), Wang and members of his lab, including postdoctoral associate Xingjian Hu, can remove or replace individual surface functional groups – akin to atomic surgery.

New quantitative analysis from the Wang lab published in Matter found that the plasma-ALE process improves MXene conductivity by 80 percent and bends up to 165 degrees, which outperforms similar 2D materials.

The Wang lab’s goal is to develop MXene materials to enable more flexible, programmable and resilient soft robotics, all controlled with nothing but light.

How molten carbon crystallizes into either graphite or diamond is relevant to planetary science, materials manufacturing and nuclear fusion research. A new study uses computer simulations to study how molten carbon crystallizes into either graphite or diamond at temperatures and pressures similar to Earth’s interior, challenging the conventional understanding of diamond formation.