Recently, Professor Lu Zhengang's team at Harbin Institute of Technology proposed a non-microscope objective lithography method that utilizes the spherical convex lens aberration, enabling laser beams converged layer-by-layer axially. This technique can modulate collimated hollow beams into finer annular spots, directly generating annular patterns on curved substrates through a single laser pulse. The lithography device based on this method demonstrates superior performance. It achieves significantly finer line width and broader diameter adjustment ranges comparing to conventional annular lithography techniques. Moreover, compared to traditional laser direct-writing methods, it offers an extended depth of field and working distance and reduces hardware requirements while providing greater spatial redundancy for substrate positioning. This approach combines cost-effectiveness, high efficiency, and high performance. It is not only applicable to manufacturing ring-shaped metal mesh gratings and metasurface unit cells on curved substrates but also holds promise for providing viable solutions in various laser processing applications.

The research, titled “Ultra-Long Focal Depth Annular Lithography for Fabricating Micro Ring-Shaped Metasurface Unit Cells on Highly Curved Substrates”, was published in the top-tier optical journal Light: Advanced Manufacturing.

This review introduces an innovative and integrative perspective on nanoemulsion technology by linking formulation parameters directly to cosmetic performance outcomes—a relationship that has been largely overlooked in previous studies. Unlike earlier reviews that provided only general overviews, this paper critically synthesizes experimental findings to establish how specific formulation choices, such as surfactant selection, oil phase composition, and preparation method, affect stability, penetration depth, and active ingredient release in cosmetic products.

The review also highlights emerging strategies for achieving safer, more sustainable nanoemulsions through the use of natural surfactants, biodegradable oils, and environmentally responsible production methods. By combining insights from material science, dermatology, and cosmetic engineering, it provides a scientific framework for optimizing nanoemulsion design and guiding future product development.

Ultimately, this work not only consolidates the current understanding of nanoemulsions in cosmetics but also sets the foundation for the next generation of high-performance, biocompatible, and eco-friendly skincare formulations—bridging the gap between scientific innovation and consumer demand.

Researchers from The University of Osaka fabricated a nanopore surrounded by a gate as a cooling system with enhanced efficiency for semiconductor chips. Applying a voltage to the gate induces the flow of ions through the nanopore. Creating a salt gradient makes the ion flow unidirectional. Heat is dragged along with the ions, resulting in heat transfer. Changing the applied voltage from negative to positive switches the system from cooling to heating.

Researchers from The University of Osaka and Daikin Industries, Ltd. have discovered a key metric, "electrolyte lithium-ion chemical potential," that governs lithium-ion battery performance. This quantitative indicator shows that efficient charging occurs when lithium ions are sufficiently “unstable” in the electrolyte. This breakthrough replaces trial-and-error methods with a rational design approach, enabling faster development of safer, higher-performance batteries for applications like EVs and renewable energy storage.

Kyoto, Japan -- Magnetostriction and spin dynamics are fundamental properties of magnetic materials.  Despite having been studied for decades, finding a decisive link between the two in bulk single crystals had remained elusive. That is until a research team from several institutions, including Kyoto University, sought to examine these properties in the compound CoFe₂O₄, a spinel oxide (chemical formula AB₂O₄) widely used in numerous medical and industrial applications.

Spin dynamics describe how the tiny magnetic moments of atoms in a magnetic material interact and change orientation with time, while magnetostriction describes how a material changes shape or dimensions in response to a change in magnetization. These properties are central to the operation of sensors and actuators that employ magnetoelastic materials that change their magnetization under mechanical stress.

Rare-earth compounds often exhibit large magnetoelastic effects, explaining their desirability, but they also face constraints in resources, cost, and operating temperature. The spinel oxide CoFe₂O₄ combines non‑rare‑earth chemistry with strong room‑temperature magnetostriction, and has a high Curie temperature, at which materials start to lose their magnetism, which is essential to many devices that operate at or above ambient temperature.

Milestone results released by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory (LHAASO) on November 16 have solved a decades-old mystery about the cosmic ray energy spectrum—which shows a sharp decrease in cosmic rays above 3 PeV, giving it an unusual knee-like shape.