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Chou Fig. 1
A technique invented in the lab of Princeton engineer Stephen Chou allows for the easy correction of defects and refinement of shapes in nanostructures. The "open" method involves using a laser to briefly melt defects, which self-correct before cooling. The "capped" method prevents the technique from rounding off the structures. The "guided" version causes the structures to grow toward a nearby plate, causing them to become not only smoother, but taller and thinner, which are all desirable traits for creating smaller, more powerful computer chips.
Image: Stephen Chou/Nature Nanotechnology
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