 |
|
Pitt researchers create new form of matter
May 21, 2007New substance combines characteristics of superconductors with those of a laser
PITTSBURGH -- Physicists at the University of Pittsburgh have demonstrated a new form of matter that melds the characteristics of lasers with those of the world's best electrical conductors. The work introduces a new method of moving energy from one point to another as well as a low-energy means of producing a light beam like that from a laser. The Pitt researchers and their collaborators at the Bell Labs of Alcatel-Lucent in New Jersey detail the process in the May 18 issue of the journal Science.
The new state is a solid filled with a collection of energy particles known as polaritons that have been trapped and slowed, explained lead investigator David Snoke, an associate professor in the physics and astronomy department in Pitt's School of Arts and Sciences. Snoke worked with Pitt graduate students Ryan Balili and Vincent Hartwell on the project.
Using specially designed optical structures with nanometer-thick layers-which allow polaritons to move freely inside the solid-Snoke and his colleagues captured the polaritons in the form of a superfluid. In superfluids and in their solid counterparts, superconductors, matter consolidates to act as a single energy wave rather than as individual particles. In superconductors, this allows for the perfect flow of electricity. In the new state of matter demonstrated at Pitt-which can be called a polariton superfluid-the wave behavior leads to a pure light beam similar to that from a laser but is much more energy efficient.
Traditional superfluids and superconductors require extremely low temperatures, approximately negative 280 and negative 450 degrees Fahrenheit for a superconductor and superfluid, respectively. The polariton superfluid is more stable at higher temperatures, and may be capable of being demonstrated at room temperature in the near future.
The Pitt research builds on current efforts in physics laboratories around the world to create materials, which mix the characteristics of superconductors and lasers. Snoke's work provides a new method to trap and manipulate the energy particles. Applied to technology, this technique could provide new ways of controlled transfer of optical signals through solid matter.
Snoke's polariton trap was devised with a technique similar to that used for superfluids made of atoms in a gaseous state known as the Bose-Einstein condensate. Three scientists shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for producing the condensate.
University of Pittsburgh
Using specially designed optical structures with nanometer-thick layers-which allow polaritons to move freely inside the solid-Snoke and his colleagues captured the polaritons in the form of a superfluid. In superfluids and in their solid counterparts, superconductors, matter consolidates to act as a single energy wave rather than as individual particles. In superconductors, this allows for the perfect flow of electricity. In the new state of matter demonstrated at Pitt-which can be called a polariton superfluid-the wave behavior leads to a pure light beam similar to that from a laser but is much more energy efficient.
Traditional superfluids and superconductors require extremely low temperatures, approximately negative 280 and negative 450 degrees Fahrenheit for a superconductor and superfluid, respectively. The polariton superfluid is more stable at higher temperatures, and may be capable of being demonstrated at room temperature in the near future.
The Pitt research builds on current efforts in physics laboratories around the world to create materials, which mix the characteristics of superconductors and lasers. Snoke's work provides a new method to trap and manipulate the energy particles. Applied to technology, this technique could provide new ways of controlled transfer of optical signals through solid matter.
Snoke's polariton trap was devised with a technique similar to that used for superfluids made of atoms in a gaseous state known as the Bose-Einstein condensate. Three scientists shared the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for producing the condensate.
University of Pittsburgh
Matter Current Events and Matter News RSSClimate change could boost incidence of civil war in Africa
Climate change could increase the likelihood of civil war in sub-Saharan Africa by over 50 percent within the next two decades.
Visual assistance for cosmic blind spots
A bit of imagination on the part of a measuring instrument wouldn't be a bad thing. It could help to add data from areas where the instrument is unable to measure.
Fish food fight: Fish don't eat trees after all, says new study
What constitutes fish food is a matter of debate. A high-profile study a few years ago suggested that fish get almost 50 percent of their carbon from trees and leaves, evidence for a very close link between the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Is global warming unstoppable?
In a provocative new study, a University of Utah scientist argues that rising carbon dioxide emissions - the major cause of global warming - cannot be stabilized unless the world's economy collapses or society builds the equivalent of one new nuclear power plant each day.
Gene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants
A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.
ORNL, Los Alamos pioneer new approach to assist scientists, farmers
Sustainable farming, initially adopted to preserve soil quality for future generations, may also play a role in maintaining a healthy climate, according to researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge and Los Alamos national laboratories.
Dispensing prescription drugs in 3-month supplies reduces drug costs by a third
Purchasing prescription drugs in a three-month supply rather than a one-month supply has long been regarded as a way to reduce the cost of drugs for patients and third-party payers. New research from the University of Chicago quantifies the savings for the first time.
Oceans' uptake of manmade carbon may be slowing
The oceans play a key role in regulating climate, absorbing more than a quarter of the carbon dioxide that humans put into the air.
Scientists find molecular trigger that helps prevent aging and disease
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine set out to address a question that has been challenging scientists for years: How do dietary restriction-and the reverse, overconsumption-produce protective effects against aging and disease?
UCLA study shows brain's ability to reorganize
Visually impaired people appear to be fearless, navigating busy sidewalks and crosswalks, safely finding their way using nothing more than a cane as a guide.
More Matter Current Events and Matter News Articles
 |
Matter by Iain M. Banks (Author) In a world renowned even within a galaxy full of wonders, a crime within a war. For one man it means a desperate flight, and a search for the one - maybe two - people who could clear his name. For his brother it means a life lived under constant threat of treachery and murder. And for their sister, even without knowing the full truth, it means returning to a place she'd thought abandoned forever. Only the sister is not what she once was; Djan Seriy Anaplian has changed almost beyond recognition to become an agent of the Culture's Special Circumstances section, charged with high-level interference in civilizations throughout the greater galaxy. Concealing her new identity - and her particular set of abilities - might be a dangerous strategy, however. In the world to which... |
 |
What's the Matter in Mr. Whiskers' Room? by Michael Elsohn Ross (Author), Paul Meisel (Illustrator) "Oh, to be a kid in Mr. Whiskers’ primary science classes! The next best thing is doing hands-on explorations at school or at home with this guide." — KIRKUS REVIEWS Mr. Whiskers, the teacher, has that wild look in his eyes again. That’s the look that means, Get ready for hands-on science! This time the subject matter is . . . matter. Using seven science stations, Mr. Whiskers encourages his kids to use all their senses to make observations and draw conclusions. Everyone’s a scientist in Mr. Whiskers’ class, where hands-on mini-experiments lead to Big Ideas — and promote an ongoing passion for independent, open-ended discovery. |
 |
What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2) by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (Author), Paul Meisel (Author) Did you ever walk through a wall? Drink a glass of blocks? Have you ever played with a lemonade doll, or put on milk for socks? This latest addition to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces the youngest readers to an important science concept: the differences between solids, liquids, and gases. Any child who wants to know why he can't walk through a wall will enjoy Kathleen Zoehfeld's simple text and Paul Meisel's playful illustrations. |
 |
Basher Physics: Why Matter Matters! by Dan Green (Author), Simon Basher (Illustrator) Imagine physics as a community full of wacky characters--the building blocks of the universe each with a unique personality. This book throws open the doors and welcomes you into their amazing world. From gravity to the theory of relativity, this unique book provides visual interpretations of complex concepts, designed to make learning physics easier and a whole lot more fun! |
 |
What Is Matter? (Rookie Read-About Science) by Don L. Curry (Author) From friendly dolphins to giant pandas, from icebergs and glaciers to energy from the sun, from magnets to solids, liquids, and gases, Rookie Read-About Science is a natural addition to the primary-grade classroom with books that cover every part of the science curricula. Includes: animals, nature, scientific principles, the environment, weather, and much more! |
 |
Matter: See It, Touch It, Taste It, Smell It (Amazing Science) by Stille (Author), Darlene R. (Author), Boyd (Illustrator), Sheree (Illustrator) Dusty or wet, stretchy or soft, matter is all around you. Even air is made of matter! See how solids, liquids, and gases change form in this matter of fact book. |
 |
Eyewitness: Matter by Chris Cooper (Author) Explore the amazing world of matter-from the earliest ideas about the four elements to the discoveries about the atom. DK gives a new look to the series that forever changed the nonfiction genre and set the standard for highly informative visual guides. This volume, and those to follow in future seasons, forms part of an indispensable library for the whole family. Focusing on contemporary and historical developments in the study of matter, this book features clear, expertly written text, color and black-and-white photos, charts, graphics, and 3-D models -- all of which combine to make complex scientific concepts easy to understand. |
 |
States of Matter: A Question and Answer Book (Questions and Answers: Physical Science) by Bayrock (Author), Fiona (Author), McMullen (Illustrator), Anne (Illustrator), Williams (Illustrator), Ted (Illustrator) Provides an introduction to the composition of matter, its changing states, and the effects of changing between states. |
 |
Solids, Liquids, And Gases (Rookie Read-About Science) by Ginger Garrett (Author) From friendly dolphins to giant pandas, from icebergs and glaciers to energy from the sun, from magnets to solids, liquids, and gases, Rookie Read-About Science is a natural addition to the primary-grade classroom with books that cover every part of the science curricula. Includes: animals, nature, scientific principles, the environment, weather, and much more! |
 |
Touch It!: Materials, Matter and You (Primary Physical Science) by Adrienne Mason (Author), Claudia Davila (Illustrator) Developed with the cooperation of a science consultant, these books are a tool to teach the physical sciences to young children. Move It! and Touch It! follow science curricula in the largest American states. Each book is loaded with surprising facts and hands-on activities designed to hold young readers' interest and tap into their fascination with the everyday world. Touch It! explores materials -- their color, shape, texture, size, mass, magnetism and more. |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |