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Scientists unveil technique to build ultra-thin material stacks that promise quantum breakthrough

Researchers unveiled a technique to build ultra-clean 2D heterostructures using muscovite crystals, eliminating microscopic residues that disrupt electronic device performance. This method enables precise stacking of atomic layers, leading to new properties and potential breakthroughs in quantum computing and nanoelectronics.

SourceUniversity of Southampton·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 14, 2026

Overcoming stacking constraints in hexagonal boron nitride via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

Scientists at POSTECH and University of Montpellier successfully synthesized wafer-scale hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with an AA-stacking configuration using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). This achievement introduces a novel route for precise stacking control in van der Waals materials.

Sliding into novel materials: A new frontier in material science

Researchers at Tel Aviv University have developed a method to transform graphite into novel materials with controlled atomic layers, enabling the creation of tiny electronic memory units. This process, known as 'Slidetronics,' allows for precise manipulation of material properties, opening doors to innovative applications in electronic...

SourceTel-Aviv University·JournalNature Reviews Physics·DateFeb 5, 2025

X-ray data-enhanced computational method can determine crystal structures of multiphase materials

Researchers develop a computational method to determine the crystal structures of multiphase materials directly from powder X-ray diffraction patterns. This approach can analyze existing experimental data that was previously difficult to decipher, leading to potential discoveries of new material phases.

SourceSchool of Science, The University of Tokyo·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 5, 2024

Using the world’s fastest exascale computer, ACM Gordon Bell Prize-winning team presents record-breaking algorithm to advance understanding of chemistry and biology

A team of researchers developed a new technique combining methods to simulate molecules, achieving accuracy and efficiency on the Frontier exascale supercomputer. They broke records with simulations of over one million electrons and scaled their algorithm to an EFlop/s processing quintillion calculations per second.

Atoms on the edge

Researchers at MIT have directly observed edge states in a cloud of ultracold atoms, capturing images of atoms flowing along a boundary without resistance. This discovery could enable super-efficient energy transmission and data transfer in materials.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Physics·DateSep 6, 2024

A time crystal made of giant atoms

Scientists at Tsinghua University and TU Wien have created a time crystal made of giant Rydberg atoms, exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking and oscillating light absorption. This breakthrough deepens our understanding of the time crystal phenomenon, offering potential applications in sensors.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 9, 2024

Great strides in the development of high refractive index polymers for optoelectronics

A research team at Waseda University has discovered a family of poly(thiourea)s (PTUs) with exceptional optical properties, including transparency over 92% and a refractive index of 1.81. The polymers can be easily degraded into simpler molecules, making them suitable for sustainable optoelectronic applications.

SourceWaseda University·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 30, 2024

Atomic dance gives rise to a magnet

Researchers at Rice University have discovered a way to transform a rare-earth crystal into a magnet by using chirality in phonons. Chirality, or the twisting of atoms' motion, breaks time-reversal symmetry and aligns electron spins, creating a magnetic effect.

SourceRice University·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2023

Seeing electron orbital signatures

Researchers have directly observed the signatures of electron orbitals in two different transition-metal atoms, iron and cobalt, using atomic force microscopy. The study validated that the observed experimental differences primarily stem from the different electronic configurations in 3d electrons near the Fermi level.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 15, 2023

Revealing the mysteries of the universe under the skin of an atomic nucleus

A breakthrough computer model from Chalmers University of Technology reveals the properties of an atomic nucleus, providing insights into the strong force that governs neutron star behavior. The model predicts a surprisingly thin neutron skin, which could lead to increased understanding of heavy element creation in neutron stars.

SourceChalmers University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateOct 12, 2022

A molecule of light and matter

Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have measured the binding state of light and matter for the first time, creating an attractive force between ultracold atoms. This effect can be used to control and manipulate extreme temperatures and may also play a role in the formation of molecules in space.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review X·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 1, 2022

Increasing the accuracy of atomic force calculations with the space-warp coordinate transformation

Researchers developed a space-warp coordinate transformation (SWCT) method to accurately calculate atomic forces for elements with high atomic numbers. The study used quantum Monte Carlo simulations and found that the SWCT method reduces computational costs, resulting in more accurate calculations.

SourceJapan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·DateFeb 6, 2022

Towards high-performance organic optoelectronics with better crystallinity at semiconductor interface

Researchers from Tokyo University of Science developed a high-quality crystalline interface using quasi-homo-epitaxial growth, which eliminated mobility issues and enabled spontaneous electron transfer. This breakthrough could lead to highly efficient flexible solar cells and wearable electronic devices.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 13, 2022

The tetra-neutron – experiment finds evidence for a long-sought particle comprising four neutrons

Physicists at Technical University of Munich discover potential existence of tetra-neutron, a bound state of four neutrons, which could significantly alter our understanding of nuclear forces. The experiment's results suggest a half-life of 450 seconds and stability comparable to the neutron.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalPhysics Letters B·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 10, 2021

Groundbreaking technique yields important new details on silicon, subatomic particles and possible ‘fifth force’

NIST scientists use a novel technique to measure the properties of silicon crystals, revealing new insights into subatomic particles and the strength of a possible fifth force. The results provide improved precision and complementary information for both X-ray and neutron scattering.

SourceNational Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 9, 2021

Predicting forces between oddly shaped nanoparticles

Researchers at Duke University have developed a simplified method to calculate the attractive forces between nanoparticles, allowing for faster simulations and potentially leading to breakthroughs in fields like solar energy and catalysis. The new approach has been shown to be accurate within 8% of the actual results.

SourceDuke University·JournalNanoscale Horizons·DateNov 19, 2020

Fundamental discoveries for future nanotools: Chemists distinguish multiple weak forces

Chemists at the University of Tokyo have made groundbreaking discoveries about how molecules bind together, using a tiny cube structure to study dispersion forces. The team has found that polarizable atoms can create stronger dispersion forces, leading to increased stability in complex structures and potential applications in drug design.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalCommunications Chemistry·DateDec 12, 2019

Hot bodies are attractive

Researchers at UC Berkeley found that blackbody radiation from a warm object can attract cesium atoms, with an effect 20 times stronger than gravity. This discovery has implications for precise measurements of fundamental constants and tests of general relativity.

SourceUniversity of California - Berkeley·JournalNature Physics·DateDec 8, 2017

Cool calculations for cold atoms

Researchers at Joint Quantum Institute develop universal theory for Efimov states, enabling prediction of chemical processes involving three or more atoms. The new theory successfully incorporates short-distance regime and van der Waals force, predicting a series of Efimov states with varying binding energies.

SourceJoint Quantum Institute·JournalNature Physics·DateSep 2, 2014

Boosting the force of empty space

A team of researchers from Weizmann Institute and Vienna University of Technology proposed a method to amplify vacuum fluctuations by several orders of magnitude using a transmission line. This could lead to enhanced understanding of Casimir- and Van der Waals forces, with potential applications in quantum information processing.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 22, 2014

Binding together repelling atoms

Theoretical predictions show that controlled noise from an environment can bind repelling atoms together, creating a bound state with exotic properties. This novel mechanism could lead to improved cooling of atomic quantum gases.

SourceHarvard University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 31, 2013

Angling for gold

A new model provides an alternative description of atomic-level gold bonding, taking into account bond directionality. The Tersoff potential model allows for reliable covalent bonds between gold atoms and other materials.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateSep 19, 2012

First photo of shadow of single atom

A Griffith University research team has successfully photographed the shadow of a single atom for the first time. The achievement is made possible by a super high-resolution microscope that allows the creation of a darker image, enabling its capture. This technology has far-reaching implications for quantum computing and biomicroscopy.

SourceGriffith University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 3, 2012

Atomtronics: A new phase

Researchers discover several new phases of atomtronic matter, including a 'bond-order solid' with strong long-range dipole interactions. These phases are associated with the controlled movement of ultracold atoms in an optical lattice and have potential applications for data encoding and quantum computing.

SourceJoint Quantum Institute·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 18, 2012

Physicists take new look at the atom

Researchers at the University of Arizona have created a sophisticated experimental setup to measure the interactions between single atoms and surfaces. The technique refines our understanding of the van-der-Waals force, which is crucial for chemistry, biology, and physics.

SourceUniversity of Arizona·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 25, 2011

Rudimentary Atom Laser Created At MIT

MIT researchers verify coherence property in atomic beam, a key attribute of optical lasers, and extract controlled fraction of atoms from Bose-Einstein condensate to produce directional stream. This breakthrough may lead to significant innovations in nanotechnology and precision measurements at the quantum level.