Conservation tillage practices, such as no-till and reduced till, are critical for sustainable agriculture, and they are gradually becoming popular with farmers across the Midwest. Monitoring tillage usage can provide insights into soil health, water levels, and nutrient loss, as well as guide management and policy decisions. A University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign research team has developed a dynamic framework that uses satellite imagery and machine learning to detect tillage practices over large areas and long time periods. The team discusses their methodology and findings in a new paper.

Researchers have uncovered the fundamental mechanism behind persistent dark current in Te-Se alloy-based infrared photodiodes, identifying interface metallization as the culprit. High interface stress between Te_0.6Se_0.4 and ZnO causes Se atoms to diffuse, forming a detrimental Te_0.75Se_0.25 metallic phase that hinders carrier transport. By introducing an innovative TeO₂ modification layer, scientists successfully mitigated interface stress, prevented metallization, and dramatically improved device performance with significantly reduced dark current and enhanced quantum efficiency. This breakthrough in interface engineering opens new possibilities for high-performance infrared detection technologies in applications ranging from autonomous driving to medical imaging and space exploration.