Compelling evidence of neutrino process opens physics possibilities The COHERENT particle physics experiment has firmly established the existence of a new kind of neutrino interaction. Because neutrinos are electrically neutral and interact only weakly with matter, th …
How complex oscillations in a quantum system simplify with time With a clever experiment, physicists have shown that in a one-dimensional quantum system, the initially complex distribution of vibrations or phonons can change over time into a simple Gaussian bell c …
What's in a name? A new class of superconductors A new theory that could explain how unconventional superconductivity arises in a diverse set of compounds might never have happened if a team of physicists had chosen a different name for their 2017 m …
Optimal information about the invisible Laser beams can be used to precisely measure an object's position or velocity. Normally, a clear, unobstructed view of this object is required. Irregular environments scatter the light beam – but …
Adding or subtracting single quanta of sound Researchers perform experiments that can add or subtract a single quantum of sound — with surprising results when applied to noisy sound fields.
Crystal structures in super slow motion Laser beams are used to change the properties of materials in an extremely precise way. However, the underlying processes generally take place at such unimaginably fast speeds and at such a small scal …
Single atoms as a catalyst: Surprising effects ensue Catalysts are getting smaller – 'single-atom' catalysts are the logical end point of this downsizing. However, individual atoms can no longer be described using the rules developed from larg …
Bringing atoms to a standstill: Miniaturizing laser cooling Scientists have miniaturized the optical components required to cool atoms down to a few thousandths of a degree above absolute zero, the first step in employing them on microchips to drive a new gene …
Innovations through hair-thin optical fibers Scientists have built hair-thin optical fiber filters in a very simple way. They are not only extremely compact and stable, but also color-tunable. This means they can be used in quantum technology an …
Electrons caught in the act Scientists create movies of the ultrafast motion of electrons traveling through an organic semiconductor with atomic-level resolution. This work may lead to more powerful and miniaturized smart device …
Alpha particles lurk at the surface of neutron-rich nuclei Scientists have found evidence of alpha particles at the surface of neutron-rich heavy nuclei, providing new insights into the structure of neutron stars, as well as the process of alpha decay.
How short circuits in lithium metal batteries can be prevented There are high hopes for the next generation of high energy-density lithium metal batteries, but before they can be used in our vehicles, there are crucial problems to solve. An international research …
Helium nuclei at the surface of heavy nuclei discovered Scientists are able to selectively knockout nucleons and preformed nuclear clusters from atomic nuclei using high-energy proton beams. In an experiment the existence of preformed helium nuclei at the …
New state of matter in one-dimensional quantum gas By adding some magnetic flair to an exotic quantum experiment, physicists produced an ultra-stable one-dimensional quantum gas with never-before-seen 'scar' states – a feature that could som …
Pivotal discovery in quantum and classical information processing Researchers have achieved, for the first time, electronically adjustable interactions between microwaves and a phenomenon in certain magnetic materials called spin waves. This could have application i …
Could we harness energy from black holes? Physicists have found a new way to extract energy from black holes by breaking and rejoining magnetic field lines near the event horizon.
Blue-light stride in perovskite-based LEDs Researchers have developed efficient blue light-emitting diodes based on halide perovskites. The new LEDs may open the way to cheap and energy-efficient illumination.
Limits of atomic nuclei predicted Novel calculations have enabled the study of nearly 700 isotopes between helium and iron, showing which nuclei can exist and which cannot. Scientists report how they simulated for the first time using …
Trapping light without back reflections Researchers demonstrate a new technique for suppressing back reflections of light, leading to better signal quality for sensing and information technology.
2D compound shows unique versatility A unique two-dimensional material shows distinct properties on each side, depending on polarization by an external electric field. The pairing of antimony and indium selenide could have applications i …
A charge-density-wave topological semimetal A novel material has been discovered that is characterised by the coupling of a charge density wave with the topology of the electronic structure.
Entangling electrons with heat Quantum entanglement is key for next-generation computing and communications technology, researchers can now produce it using temperature differences.
High-flux table-top source for femtosecond hard X-ray pulses Researchers have now accomplished a breakthrough in table-top generation of femtosecond X-ray pulses by demonstrating a stable pulse train at kilohertz repetition rate with a total flux of some 10^12 …
Fundamental study on the Kondo effect In 1998, spectroscopic studies on the Kondo effect using scanning tunnelling microscopy were published, which are considered ground-breaking and have triggered countless others of a similar kind. Many …
Physicists observe competition between magnetic orders Two-dimensional materials, consisting of a single layer of atoms, have been booming in research for years. They possess novel properties that can only be explained with the help of the laws of quantum …
Light-carrying chips advance machine learning Researchers found that so-called photonic processors, with which data is processed by means of light, can process information very much more rapidly and in parallel than electronic chips.
Machine learning improves particle accelerator diagnostics Operators of Jefferson Lab's primary particle accelerator are getting a new tool to help them quickly address issues that can prevent it from running smoothly. The machine learning system has pas …
Neither liquid nor solid Discovery of liquid glass sheds light on the old scientific problem of the glass transition: An interdisciplinary team of researchers has uncovered a new state of matter, liquid glass, with previously …
A high order for a low dimension Spintronics refers to a suite of physical systems which may one day replace many electronic systems. To realize this generational leap, material components that confine electrons in one dimension are …
Scrambled supersolids: Soft form of a solid discovered Supersolids are fluid and solid at the same time. Physicists have for the first time investigated what happens when such a state is brought out of balance. They discovered a soft form of a solid of hi …
Stretching diamond for next-generation microelectronics Diamond is the hardest material in nature. It also has great potential as an excellent electronic material. A research team has demonstrated for the first time the large, uniform tensile elastic strai …
Detective work in theoretical physics Physicists have published a review article on the so-called dynamical density functional theory (DDFT). This is a method for describing systems consisting of a large number of interacting particles su …
Important milestone in the creation of a quantum computer One of the obstacles for progress in the quest for a working quantum computer has been that the working devices that go into a quantum computer and perform the actual calculations, the qubits, have hi …
Perfect transmission through barrier using sound A research team has for the first time experimentally proved a century old quantum theory that relativistic particles can pass through a barrier with 100% transmission.
Theory describes quantum phenomenon in nanomaterials Theoretical physicists have developed mathematical formulas that describe a physical phenomenon happening within quantum dots and other nanosized materials. The formulas could be applied to further th …
Quantum wave in helium dimer filmed for the first time For the first time, an international team of scientists has succeeded in filming quantum physical effects on a helium dimer as it breaks apart. The film shows the superposition of matter waves from tw …
New imaging method views soil carbon at near-atomic scales The Earth's soils contain more than three times the amount of carbon than is found in the atmosphere, but the processes that bind carbon in the soil are still not well understood.
When light and atoms share a common vibe Scientists demonstrate a state of vibration that exists simultaneously at two different times. They evidence this quantum superposition by measuring the strongest class of quantum correlations between …