Neutrons make structural changes in molecular brushes visible They look like microscopic bottle brushes: Polymers with a backbone and tufts of side arms. This molecular design gives them unusual abilities: For example, they can bind active agents and release the …
Weak equivalence principle violated in gravitational waves New research proves theoretically that the Weak Equivalence Principle can be violated by quantum particles in gravitational waves – the ripples in spacetime caused by colossal events such as merging b …
Odds are good for unique 2D compound Engineers make 2D materials for valleytronics, a platform for information processing and storage that relies on the manipulation of electrons' positions in energetic 'valleys.'
Extreme events in quantum cascade lasers Based on a quantum cascade laser (QCL) emitting mid-infrared light, the researchers developed a basic optical neuron system operating 10,000× faster than biological neurons.
Simplified method to modify disease signaling with light Cellular optogenetics is a technique that allows researchers to use light to precisely control cell signaling and function in space and time enabling the investigation of mechanisms involved in diseas …
Reviewing multiferroics for future, low-energy data storage Big data and exponential demands for computations are driving an unsustainable rise in global ICT energy use. A new study reviews the use of the 'multiferroic' material bismuth-ferrite, whic …
Optical wiring for large quantum computers Researchers have demonstrated a new technique for carrying out sensitive quantum operations on atoms. In this technique, the control laser light is delivered directly inside a chip. This should make i …
Hidden states of the COVID-19 spike protein Computer modeling of the COVID-19 virus on supercomputers showed that the spike protein visits an intermediate state before it can dock to the receptor protein on the host cell membrane. This intermed …
Kitchen temperature supercurrents from stacked 2D materials A 'stack' of 2D materials could allow for supercurrents at ground-breakingly warm temperatures, easily achievable in the household kitchen. An international study opens a new route to high-t …
Quantum engines with entanglement as fuel? It's still more science fiction than science fact, but perfect energy efficiency may be one step closer due to new research by physicists.
Creating perfect edges in 2D-materials Ultrathin materials such as graphene promise a revolution in nanoscience and technology. Researchers have now made an important advance within the field. In a recent article they present a method for …
Zeptoseconds: New world record in short time measurement In the global race to measure ever shorter time spans, physicists have now measured a process that lies within the realm of zeptoseconds for the first time: the propagation of light within a molecule. …
What laser color do you like? Researchers have developed a microchip technology that can convert invisible near-infrared laser light into any one of a panoply of visible laser colors, including red, orange, yellow and green. Their …
Physicists observe room-temperature superconductivity Physicists have made a breakthrough in the long sought-after quest for a room-temperature superconductor, what they call the 'holy grail' of energy efficiency.
Temperature evolution of impurities in a quantum gas A new theoretical study advances our understanding of the role of thermodynamics in the 'quantum impurity' problem, which studies the behavior of deliberately introduced atoms (ie, 'imp …
Researchers synthesize room temperature superconducting material Compressing simple molecular solids with hydrogen at extremely high pressures, scientists have, for the first time, created material that is superconducting at room temperature. They combined hydrogen …
Bringing a power tool from math into quantum computing The Fourier transform is a mathematical operation essential to virtually all fields of physics and engineering. Although there already exists an algorithm that computes the Fourier transform in quantu …
Ultrafast fiber laser produces record high power Researchers have developed an ultrafast fiber laser that delivers an average power more than ten times what is available from today's high-power lasers. The technology is poised to improve indust …
Finding the right color to control magnets with laser pulses Scientists have discovered a new way to manipulate magnets with laser light pulses shorter than a trillionth of a second. The international team of researchers also identified the light wavelength or …
Nanoscale machines convert light into work Researchers have developed a tiny new machine that converts laser light into work. These optically powered machines self-assemble and could be used for nanoscale manipulation of tiny cargo for applica …
Diamonds are a quantum scientist's best friend New research details the phenomenon of what is called 'triplet superconductivity' in diamond. Triplet superconductivity occurs when electrons move in a composite spin state rather than as a …
Intelligent nanomaterials for photonics 2D materials – combined with optical fibers – can enable novel applications in the areas of sensors, non-linear optics, and quantum technologies. However, combining these two components has so far bee …
Teaching an old spectroscope new tricks Researchers have improved a method for probing semiconducting crystals with light to detect defects and impurities. The details of their 'omnidirectional photoluminescence (ODPL) spectroscopy …
Could megatesla magnetic fields be realized on Earth? Researchers have discovered a novel mechanism called a 'microtube implosion,' demonstrating the generation of megatesla-order magnetic fields, which is three orders of magnitude higher than …
Turning diamond into metal Researchers have discovered a way to tweak tiny needles of diamond in a controlled way to transform their electronic properties, dialing them from insulating, through semiconducting, all the way to hi …
New algorithm could unleash the power of quantum computers A new algorithm that fast forwards simulations could bring greater use ability to current and near-term quantum computers, opening the way for applications to run past strict time limits that hamper m …
Tunable free-electron X-ray radiation from van der Waals materials The suggested apparatus produces controlled radiation with a narrow spectrum that can be tuned with high resolution, at a relatively low energy investment. The findings are likely to lead to breakthro …
Record-breaking, floating laser resonator A new optical resonator has unprecedented in resonance enhancement. A resonator is a device that traps waves and enhances or echoes them by reflecting them from wall to wall in a process called resona …
Validating the physics behind the new fusion experiment SPARC is planned to be the first experimental device ever to achieve a 'burning plasma' — a self-sustaining fusion reaction in which different isotopes of the element hydrogen fuse together …
Microcomb-injected pulsed lasers as variable microwave gears Optical frequency combs can link frequencies in the microwave domain to high-purity laser emissions, yielding unprecedented precision in time-keeping and metrology. Now scientists have generated varia …
Why disordered light-harvesting systems produce ordered outcomes Scientists typically prefer to work with ordered systems. However, a diverse team of physicists and biophysicists found that individual light-harvesting nanotubes with disordered molecular structures …