Applying an electric field to some materials causes their atoms to "switch" their electric polarisation from one direction to another, making one side of the material positive and the other negative. This switching property of "ferroelectric" materials allows them to be used in a wide range of applications. For example, ferroelectric capacitors are used to store binary bits of data in memory devices.

Scientists at Hokkaido University have developed light-powered molecular motors that repetitively bend and unbend, bringing us closer to molecular robots. Researchers are working on mimicking cellular systems to develop molecular motors that can move or even deliver drugs to target tissues. Engineering such motors may ultimately lead to molecular robots that can execute more complex tasks.

Hokkaido University scientists are testing the development of solar cells made of solid materials to improve their ability to function under harsh environmental conditions. Scientists at Hokkaido University in Japan are making leeway in the fabrication of all-solid-state solar cells that are highly durable and can efficiently convert sunlight into energy. The team employed a method called "atomic layer deposition", which allows scientists to cont...

A team of scientists from Hokkaido University and TDK in Japan has developed a method to improve the insulating properties of the oxynitride perovskite SrTaO2N for potential use as a ceramic capacitor. Ceramic capacitors are used in a wide variety of electronics, ranging from computers and mobile phones to telecommunications transmitter stations and high voltage laser power supplies.