Silicon

Silicon-based microfluidic devices that make use of a stepwise junction can deliver droplets of various sizes

Silicon-based photonic circuits achieve data transmission capabilities sufficient for next-generation devices

A single laser pulse is sufficient to fabricate nanostructures suitable for microelectronic devices

Micro-electromechanical systems accurately align optical components on a silicon microchip

Growing ‘forests’ of nanostructures on thin silicon films boosts their light-harvesting properties

Modeling of nanowire transistors shows that quantum effects must be taken into account in their design

Understanding stress changes in a silicon substrate as it is thinned aids semiconductor device manufacture

A nanowire-based device may set the stage for the realization of next-generation ultrasmall memories

High-performance transistors based on silicon–germanium nanowires can be made using an approach compatible with existing mass-production techniques

A laser-patterned template could enable self-cleaning surfaces to be grown over large areas at low cost