Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineering is a multifaceted discipline that underpins modern society by designing, analysing and optimising systems that convert, control and communicate electrical energy. Its scope ranges from the micro‐scale electronics of integrated circuits to the macro‐scale dynamics of power grids, and it continuously evolves by integrating classical physical principles with modern computational techniques. Advances in semiconductor technologies, power electronics and control strategies are driving the development of more efficient, miniaturised and increasingly intelligent systems that meet contemporary challenges such as renewable integration, thermal management in batteries, and robust communication networks.

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One notable recent development is a “hot-emitter transistor” that harnesses stimulated emission of heated carriers to achieve ultra-low-power switching and pronounced negative differential resistance, potentially revolutionising post-Moore era computing [1]. This device employs double mixed-dimensional graphene/germanium Schottky junctions, demonstrating subthreshold swings below 1 millivolt per decade and stable negative differential resistance at room temperature. Such progress may spur a new class of multifunctional transistors suitable for next-generation logic circuits.

In parallel, battery research continues to evolve rapidly. Recent efforts showcase chloride-ion cells with a specially engineered solid polycationic electrolyte, achieving improved safety and ionic conductivity to realise durable aluminium-based anodes [2]. Complementing these cell-level breakthroughs, researchers have also investigated repurposing electric vehicle batteries for grid storage, suggesting that the global EV fleet could theoretically supply short-term storage needs as early as 2030 [3]. This emphasises the pivotal role of electrical engineering in paving sustainable pathways for mobility and power security.

Advancements in photovoltaics further demonstrate the interconnections among materials science, semiconductor physics, and circuit design. A 9.2%-efficient antimony selenide (Sb₂Se₃) solar cell, featuring core–shell nanorod arrays, exemplifies how targeted doping and structural engineering can significantly boost carrier collection [4]. These findings underscore the interdisciplinary nature of modern electrical engineering, where insights into semiconductors, energy conversion, and circuit architectures synergise to advance efficient renewable power solutions.

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Technical terms

Negative differential resistance: A phenomenon in which increasing voltage leads to reduced current, enabling novel electronics and multifunctional logic devices.

Hot-emitter transistor: A transistor exploiting high-energy “hot” carriers to achieve ultra-low power switching and negative differential resistance.

Polycationic electrolyte: An electrolyte material featuring multiple positively charged sites, improving ionic transport in certain battery chemistries.

Short-term grid storage: Energy storage solutions – including repurposed EV batteries – that balance supply and demand fluctuations over intervals from minutes to hours.

References

1. A hot-emitter transistor based on stimulated emission of heated carriers. Nature (2024).
2. Design of Solid Polycationic Electrolyte to Enable Durable Chloride‐Ion Batteries. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2024).
3. Electric vehicle batteries alone could satisfy short-term grid storage demand by as early as 2030. Nature Communications (2023).
4. 9.2%-efficient core-shell structured antimony selenide nanorod array solar cells. Nature Communications (2019).

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