Model system for distribution of more accurate time signals Physicists have demonstrated the first next-generation 'time scale' — a system that incorporates data from multiple atomic clocks to produce a single highly accurate timekeeping signal for …
Researchers watch quantum knots untie A quantum gas can be tied into knots using magnetic fields. The same researchers who were the first to produce these knots have now studied how the knots behave over time. The surprising result is tha …
Magneto-inertial fusion experiment nears completion The Plasma Liner Experiment will soon test the potential for a novel plasma fusion concept, while offering insights into the physics of colliding plasma jets.
A star is born: Using lasers to study how star stuff is made On a typical day at the world's biggest laser you can find scientists casually making star-like conditions using 192 high-powered lasers. Stars in the universe are formed through a process called …
New insights could help tame speedy ions in fusion plasmas To create a practical fusion energy reactor, researchers need to control particles known as fast ions. These speedy ions, which are electrically charged hydrogen atoms, provide much of the self-heatin …
Taking a new tangent to control pesky waves in fusion plasmas Fusion combines light elements in the form of plasma — the hot, charged state of matter composed of free electrons and atomic nuclei — to generate massive amounts of energy. One of the ways that sci …
Remarkable story of shock wave physics in post-World War II America Physicists predicted the Hubble Space Telescope would see a rising vapor plume as the Shoemaker-Levy 9 comet crashed into the far side of Jupiter in 1994. And sure enough, the plume produced by the im …
Energy flow in the nano range It is crucial for photovoltaics and other technical applications, how efficiently energy spreads in a small volume. With new methods, the path of energy in the nanometer range can now be followed prec …
Blanket of light may give better quantum computers Researchers describe how — by simple means — they have created a 'carpet' of thousands of quantum-mechanically entangled light pulses. The discovery has the potential to pave the way for m …
Weaving quantum processors out of laser light Researchers open a new avenue to quantum computing with a breakthrough experiment: a large-scale quantum processor made entirely of light.
Double layer of graphene helps to control spin currents In order to make transistors that operate using the spin of electrons, rather than their charge, it is necessary to find a way of switching spin currents on and off. Furthermore, the lifetime of the s …
Creating and trapping trions at room temperature A team chemically engineered carbon nanotubes to synthesize and trap trions at room temperature. Trions are quasi particles that can potentially carry more information than electrons in applications f …
Solving the mystery of quantum light in thin layers Tungsten diselenide emits light with very special properties. Nobody could tell why — but now, scientists have solved the riddle: a combination of atomic defects in the material and microscopic disto …
Overlap allows nanoparticles to enhance light-based detection Scientists use the plasmonic properties of gold nanoparticles to amplify light from molecules triggered by electrochemiluminescence. The work could help researchers analyze the active surfaces of cata …
Empty spaces, how do they make a protein unstable? Partial unfolding of proteins can be a major challenge in the industry, as it may affect the stability of products. So how does an empty space or cavity in its hydrophobic core destabilize a protein? …
How to control friction in topological insulators Topological insulators are innovative materials that conduct electricity on the surface, but act as insulators on the inside. Physicists have begun investigating how they react to friction. Their expe …
The nano-guitar string that plays itself Scientists have created a nano-electronic circuit which vibrates without any external force. Just as a guitar string vibrates when plucked, the wire — 100,000 times thinner than a guitar string — vi …
Nanoscale manipulation of light leads to exciting new advancement Controlling the interactions between light and matter has been a long-standing ambition for scientists seeking to develop and advance numerous technologies that are fundamental to society. With the bo …
Controlling superconducting regions within an exotic metal Researchers have created a metallic microdevice in which they can define and tune patterns of superconductivity. Their discovery holds great promise for quantum technologies of the future.
New material could someday power quantum computer Quantum computers with the ability to perform complex calculations, encrypt data more securely and more quickly predict the spread of viruses, may be within closer reach thanks to a new discovery.
Physics researchers explore unknown energy regions Physicists are using photon-proton collisions to capture particles in an unexplored energy region, yielding new insights into the matter that binds parts of the nucleus together.
Watching energy transport through biomimetic nanotubes Scientists have investigated a simple biomimetic light-harvesting system using advanced spectroscopy combined with a microfluidic platform. The double-walled nanotubes work very efficiently at low lig …
Modelling ion beam therapy A group of physicists have used Monte Carlo modelling to produce a consistent theoretical interpretation of accurate experimental measurements of ion beams in liquid water, which is the most relevant …
Physicists couple key components of quantum technologies Researchers are engaged in intensive work on the components of quantum technologies – these include circuits processing information using single photons instead of electricity, as well as light source …
Forward or backward? New pathways for protons in water or methanol A collaborative ultrafast spectroscopy and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations study shows that proton vacancies in the form of hydroxide/methoxide ions are as relevant for proton transfer betwee …
Novel, high-performance diodes and transistors Today's computer processors are increasingly pushed to their limits due to their physical properties. Novel materials could be the solution. Physicists have investigated if and how these material …
Axion particle spotted in solid-state crystal Scientists have spotted a famously elusive particle: The axion – first predicted 42 years ago as an elementary particle in extensions of the standard model of particle physics.
Picoscience and a plethora of new materials The revolutionary tech discoveries of the next few decades may come from new materials so small they make nanomaterials look like lumpy behemoths. These materials will be designed and refined at the p …