Taiwan Archives

Mastering liquid crystal phase technologies for terahertz communication

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Dr Oh-e has found a way to control liquid crystal behaviour not with visible light but with terahertz radiation.

Terahertz radiation is very useful in a number of fields, including communications and biological imaging, but it has historically been difficult to control for such applications. Dr Masahito Oh-e at the National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan has been exploring how liquid crystal-based technologies might be used to make new devices to harness the power of terahertz radiation. In recent […]

The plasma physics of grapes in the microwave

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The arc between two grapes when heated in a microwave oven.

Ever wondered why sparks fly when you microwave two closely spaced grapes? While this simple way of generating a spectacular plasma has intrigued the general public, there has also been a long-running debate about exactly what physics is involved in the process. Dr Kwo Ray Chu and his team at National Taiwan University have recently unraveled the physics behind it. […]

Multifunctional roles of water in the ozonolysis of limonene aerosols

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Limonene, a monoterpene found in citrus peel oils and many household products, readily undergoes ozonolysis to form secondary organic aerosols. Researchers investigate the role of water in the process and the environmental implications.

Aerosols are suspensions of tiny solid particles or liquid droplets, which significantly impact Earth’s atmosphere by influencing the planet’s energy balance, global climate, and public health. Secondary organic aerosols can be formed due to various physicochemical processes involving natural and human-made aerosols, or their gas-phase precursors. Limonene, a type of monoterpene, often found in citrus peel oils and many household and […]

Knee pain: ‘The hidden lesions’ and novel treatments

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Knee pain and osteoarthritis (knee OA) impact hugely on quality of life. Drawing from clinical experience and research studies, Professor Shaw-Ruey Lyu and colleagues at the School of Medicine, Tzu-Chi University, Taiwan, describe ‘the hidden lesions’ of knee OA and propose the concept of Knee Health Promotion Option (KHPO) for effective treatment. The team highlight the role of medial abrasion […]

Monitoring toxic pollutants for better air quality

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Industrial combustion releases flue gas into the air.

Air quality is imperative for our and the environment’s health. Research around air quality has been focusing on the monitoring, testing, and investigation of toxic pollutants, such as heavy metals, polychlorinated and polycyclic aromatic compounds, or particulate matter (PM2.5). Professor Guo-Ping Chang-Chien, director of the Super Micro Mass Research and Technology Center at Cheng Shiu University of Science and Technology […]

Investigating gravity waves and infrasound in the ionosphere

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The Earth’s ionosphere provides a crucial barrier between the lower atmosphere and outer space – yet relatively little is known about how the complex dynamics of this layer are influenced by low-frequency atmospheric waves, generated close to Earth’s surface. In his research, Dr Jaroslav Chum at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Prague uses advanced observation techniques to investigate the […]

Unravelling the Mysteries of Deep-Blue Luminescence

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Some molecules glow as brilliantly as fireflies through a process known as luminescence. Different molecules can emit different colours of light, including red, green, and blue. However, not all colours are as easy to generate as others. Dr Masahito Oh-e at National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, together with his collaborator Dr Akira Nagasawa, Professor Emeritus of Saitama University in Japan, […]

Improving children’s attention with focus training and meditation

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A group of school children are taught focus training

The widespread use of increasingly sophisticated electronic devices and the vast amount of information accessible through these devices has been linked to a decline in people’s ability to pay attention to a single task or stimulus for prolonged periods of time. This might be particularly true for children who grew up in the digital era, as a growing number of […]

Social context shapes age-crime distributions

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Professors Steffensmeier, Lu and Na present evidence from diverse societies with vastly different sociocultural practices and beliefs, which show clear differences in age-crime relationships. These differences are discussed with reference to the social contexts which appear to protect adolescents from becoming involved in crime. These researchers put forward a research agenda for better understanding nations where crime is most heavily […]

Physics of degradation: the difference between reliability engineering and reliability science

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Prof Tan conducted research into LEDs and semiconductors.

Quality and reliability are key factors for a product’s commercial success. Reliability testing usually occurs at the final product, using destructive methods. This implies that there might be added costs and delays if reliability tests fail. Looking at reliability sciences from the physics of degradation and the identification of degradation mechanisms, Prof Cher Ming Tan from the Research Center on […]