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Persistent photoconductivity discovery continues to make headlines around the world

News of a potential four hundred-fold conductivity increase in strontium titanate crystals by WSU researchers was reported in newspapers, on blogs, in academic circles and over the airwaves from Seattle to Toronto to Europe to the Philippines. (See original post on 11/14/2013.)

Read the published research paper

Listen to the KPLU-FM story

Other sources:

United Press International
ProEdgeWire
Science Blog
La Colmena
Ubergizmo
Gadgets & Tech
French Tribune
DotGizmo
Gizmodo
Moscow-Pullman Daily News
Tech Today
AllVoices
Energy and the Environment
GMA News Online
Yahoo Philippines News
Spokesman-Review.com
Geek.com
The EDGE
LunaticOutPost
Innovation Toronto
Digital Journal

Light exposure improves conductivity

Marianne Tarun
Marianne Tarun

Quite by accident, Washington State University researchers have achieved a 400-fold increase in the electrical conductivity of a crystal simply by exposing it to light. The effect, which lasted for days after the light was turned off, could dramatically improve the performance of devices like computer chips.

WSU doctoral student Marianne Tarun chanced upon the discovery when she noticed that the conductivity of some strontium titanate shot up after it was left out one day. At first, she and her fellow researchers thought the sample was contaminated, but a series of experiments showed the effect was from light.

Read more and watch the video at WSU News

Other sources:
Nanowerk
Nanotechnology News
VRForums
innovations-report
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ScienceNewsline
Machines Like Us
ZME Science

WSU planetarium previews 3D science learning – free Oct. 1

Planetarium WSU
The latest digital technology for viewing the universe at the WSU planetarium will be previewed in a free, public demonstration at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 1, in Sloan Hall 231. A demo for WSU organizations, departments, clubs, units, students, staff and faculty will be at 2 p.m. Seating is first come, first served.

The demo of the SciDome 3D projector by maker SPITZ, Inc. will include teaching visuals, lessons from the extensive SciDome curriculum,  the Layered Earth software for earth science teaching and previews of full-dome shows featuring astronomy and space science, biology, chemistry, earth science, mathematics and the arts.

In addition to using the planetarium for WSU classes, the Department of Physics and Astronomy welcomes hundreds of school children from the region each year to the facility.


Continue planetarium preview

WSU observatory holds star party

WSU's Jewett Observatory
WSU’s Jewett Observatory

Jazz and Barbecue Star Party

Enjoy live music, BBQ dinner, dessert, and good company at the Jewett Observatory! Sponsored by the Department of Physics and Astronomy and the Palouse Astronomical Society, the event is free but a $7 donation is suggested.

When: Saturday, September 7, 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Where: You’ll find the observatory on Olympia Avenue, up the hill from Grimes Way

Read the article in the Tribune