Tag: Zhejiang University

  • Photonics Breakthrough Enhances Smartphone Power, Size, and Efficiency

    Photonics Breakthrough Enhances Smartphone Power, Size, and Efficiency

    Key Takeaways

    1. Researchers at Zhejiang University have made significant advancements in integrating high-performance lasers onto silicon chips for faster computing.
    2. Perovskites are a promising low-cost alternative for lasers but faced challenges with Auger recombination, which drains energy.
    3. The team developed a new method using a chemical additive during manufacturing to enhance perovskite’s crystal structure and reduce Auger recombination.
    4. This innovation has led to a record-setting perovskite laser with a lasing threshold of 17.3 microjoules per square centimeter.
    5. The breakthrough may pave the way for advanced photonic chips, resulting in more powerful processors for electronic devices.

    A significant advancement by scientists at Zhejiang University may lead to swifter and more efficient computers and smartphones by simplifying the integration of high-performance lasers onto silicon chips.

    The Challenge of Laser Integration

    Engineers have been exploring the use of light for communications on chips to build faster computing devices. However, the materials that are suitable for lasers have been tough and expensive to integrate with regular silicon technology. Perovskites have emerged as a promising low-cost alternative, but they faced a major issue known as Auger recombination. This problem drains energy and has made it hard for these materials to function in continuous or near-continuous modes, which are essential for computing tasks.

    A New Solution

    The research group at Zhejiang University has found a way to tackle this challenge by utilizing an additive. Their findings, shared in the journal Advanced Photonics, detail an innovative method that incorporates a chemical additive during the manufacturing phase. This additive improves the perovskite’s crystal structure, which in turn reduces the Auger recombination effect. As a result, the perovskite can convert heat to light more effectively.

    Impressive Results

    Using this newly developed material, the researchers constructed a laser that they claim has set a record for the highest performance of a perovskite laser operating in a near-continuous mode. They achieved a lasing threshold of 17.3 microjoules per square centimeter and a quality factor of 3850 under quasi-continuous nanosecond pumping. This impressive breakthrough could lead to the creation of advanced photonic chips, ultimately resulting in more powerful processors for electronic gadgets.

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  • China’s First Spinal Implant Helps Paraplegics Walk in 2 Weeks

    China’s First Spinal Implant Helps Paraplegics Walk in 2 Weeks

    Key Takeaways

    1. A surgical team in Hangzhou successfully implanted a closed-loop spinal cord neural interface in a paraplegic man, enabling him to stand and walk independently.
    2. The patient, Mr. Jin, had lost movement and sensation below the chest due to a spinal injury and showed no improvement after traditional rehabilitation.
    3. The procedure involved placing a 16-contact stimulation electrode in the lumbar spinal cord, paired with a wireless pulse generator, all developed in China.
    4. Remarkable recovery was observed, with Mr. Jin regaining leg movement, standing, and walking within weeks, along with improvements in sensory perception and bladder control.
    5. The innovative adaptive interface used in the procedure allows for more natural walking patterns, and researchers plan to conduct larger trials to improve treatment for spinal cord injuries.

    A surgical group in Hangzhou has successfully completed the first implantation in China of a closed-loop spinal cord neural interface, which has enabled a 61-year-old paraplegic man to stand and walk on his own. This groundbreaking operation took place at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, supported by Zhejiang University’s Nanhu Brain-Computer Interface Institute and several other collaborators. This milestone marks a significant advancement in restoring motor and sensory abilities following serious spinal cord injuries.

    Background of the Patient

    Mr. Jin experienced a total loss of voluntary movement and most of his sensations below the chest due to a thoracic 3/4 fracture sustained from a fall in October 2024. After undergoing four months of traditional rehabilitation, he showed no meaningful improvement in motor function. Clinicians deemed his chances of walking independently to be extremely slim.

    Details of the Procedure

    In March 2025, neurosurgeons placed a 16-contact stimulation electrode into Mr. Jin’s lumbar spinal cord, along with a small, wireless, rechargeable pulse generator located in his abdomen. All the equipment utilized during this procedure was developed in China and holds domestic intellectual property rights. The closed-loop system links real-time electromyography feedback with customized patterns of multi-site stimulation, designed to enhance remaining spinal circuits instead of drowning them in constant pulses.

    Remarkable Recovery Progress

    Recovery came swiftly. By the third day after the surgery, Jin was able to voluntarily flex and extend his legs. By the fifteenth day, he could stand and walk without assistance. One month later, he was able to navigate turns, inclines, and varying speeds using a walker. Alongside this physical recovery, sensory perception in his lower limbs improved, and he regained bladder and bowel control, indicating a possible repair of the afferent pathways.

    The research team highlights that conventional stimulators with fixed parameters rarely restore complex, self-initiated walking. Their adaptive interface merges precise selection of contacts with dynamic adjustments in frequency and amplitude, facilitating a more natural walking pattern. Considering that around 3.7 million individuals in China are living with spinal cord injuries, researchers aim to conduct larger trials to fine-tune the parameters, assess durability, and investigate new methods for repairing neural injuries, including studies on various types of paralysis.

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