Journal Tips From the American Institute of Physics: June 22, 2012

Newswise — The following are brief summaries of papers recently accepted for publication in journals of the American Institute of Physics (AIP): Applied Physics Letters and the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy.

1. Bandgap Engineering for High-efficiency Solar Cell Design 2. Sea Waves as Renewable Resource in New Energy Converter Design 3. Researchers Test Carbon Nanotube-based Ultra-low Voltage Integrated Circuits

Copies of papers are available to journalists upon request at [email protected].

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1. Bandgap Engineering for High-efficiency Solar Cell Design

ZnSnP2, an absorber material for solar cells, transitions from an ordered to a disordered structure at high temperatures. Researchers from University College London and the University of Bath have proposed taking advantage of this structural change to design high-efficiency solar absorbers. The team used theoretical calculations to investigate the electronic structure of both phases, and predicted a significant difference in the bandgap between the ordered and fully disordered materials. Experimental measurements of the bandgap of ZnSnP2 are consistent with predictions from partially disordered phases. In a paper accepted for publication in the American Institute of Physics’ journal Applied Physics Letters, the researchers propose that a family of ZnSnP2 materials with different structural phases could provide a graded solar cell system that absorbs light across a wide swath of the spectrum. TITLE: “Bandgap engineering of ZnSnP2 for high-efficiency solar cells”JOURNAL: Applied Physics LettersAUTHORS: David O. Scanlon (1) and Aron Walsh (2) (1) University College London, UK(2) University of Bath, UK

2. Sea Waves as Renewable Resource in New Energy Converter Design

Sea waves are a renewable and inexhaustible resource found in abundance across the planet. But efficiently converting sea wave motion into electrical energy has been challenging, in part due to the difficulty of compensating for the relatively low speeds and irregular movements of ocean waves. Researchers from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal have designed and simulated a new energy conversion device that addresses both these challenges (i.e., low speed and irregular movements).Their proposed device consists of a floating body attached to a new type of conversion generator, called an electric linear planar switched reluctance generator (LSRG), which can convert wave energy directly from the wave-induced, up-and-down motion of the device’s moving part. In a paper accepted to the American Institute of Physics’ Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, the authors claim the proposed generator has the advantages of high power density and robustness, as well as easy modeling and construction. TITLE: “Design of a new linear generator for wave energy conversion based on analytical and numerical analysis”JOURNAL: Journal of Renewable and Sustainable EnergyAUTHORS: M. do Rosário A. Calado (1), Paulo M. C. Godinho (1), and Sílvio P. Mariano (1) (1) University of Beira Interior

3. Researchers Test Carbon Nanotube-based Ultra-low Voltage Integrated Circuits

A team of researchers from Peking University in Beijing, China, and Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, has demonstrated that carbon nanotube-based integrated circuits can work under a supply voltage much lower than that used in conventional silicon integrated circuits. Low supply voltage circuits produce less heat, which is a key limiting factor for increased circuit density. Carbon-based electronics have attracted attention mostly because of their speed. The new research shows that carbon nanotube integrated circuits could also offer the promise of extending Moore’s Law by allowing even more transistors to fit onto a single chip without overheating. The results are reported in a paper accepted for publication in the American Institute of Physics’ journal Applied Physics Letters.

TITLE: “Carbon nanotube based ultra-low voltage integrated circuits: scaling down to 0.4 V”JOURNAL: Applied Physics LettersAUTHORS: Li Ding (1), Shibo Liang (1), Tian Pei (1), Zhiyong Zhang (1), Sheng Wang (1), Weiwei Zhou (2), Jie Liu (2), and Lian-Mao Peng (1)

(1) Key Laboratory for the Physics and Chemistry of Nanodevices and Department of Electronics, Peking University, China(2) Department of Chemistry, Duke University, North CarolinaAbout American Institute of PhysicsThe American Institute of Physics (AIP) is an organization of 10 physical science societies, representing more than 135,000 scientists, engineers, and educators. As one of the world's largest publishers of scientific information in physics, AIP employs innovative publishing technologies and offers publishing services for its Member Societies. AIP's suite of publications includes 15 journals, three of which are published in partnership with other organizations; magazines, including its flagship publication Physics Today; and the AIP Conference Proceedings series. Through its Physics Resources Center, AIP also delivers valuable services and expertise in education and student programs, science communications, government relations, career services for science and engineering professionals, statistical research, industrial outreach, and the history of physics and other sciences.