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Integrated photonic circuits could help close the 'terahertz gap'

Researchers at EPFL have developed a new thin-film circuit that produces finely tailorable terahertz-frequency waves, enabling precise control over frequency, wavelength, amplitude, and phase. This breakthrough has significant implications for future electronics, telecommunications, spectroscopy, and quantum applications.

SourceEcole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 12, 2023

Physicists develop a new method that strengthens electron-triggered light emission with flat bands Shedding light to produce new sources of light and build quantum-based computational and communications systems

Researchers at The University of Hong Kong and MIT have developed a new method to produce stronger interactions between photons and electrons, enabling hundredfold increases in light emission. This breakthrough has potential ramifications for commercial applications and fundamental scientific research.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 4, 2023

Scientists develop low-cost system to measure space weather without leaving the ground

Researchers created a magneto-impedance sensor magnetometer that measures Earth's geomagnetic field fluctuations, enabling real-time monitoring of space weather and advancement of space research. The device is lightweight, power-efficient, and low-cost, making it suitable for constructing multi-point observation networks.

SourceNagoya University·JournalJournal of Geophysical Research Space Physics·DateDec 16, 2022

A novel, space-time coding antenna developed at CityU promotes 6G and secure wireless communications

A new space-time coding antenna developed at City University of Hong Kong enables manipulation of beam direction, frequency, and amplitude for improved user flexibility in 6G wireless communications. The antenna relies on software control and combines research advances in leaky-wave antennas and space-time coding techniques.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 7, 2022

New, highly tunable composite materials—with a twist

Researchers at the University of Utah designed composite materials using moiré patterns, resulting in abrupt transitions between electrical conductor and insulator properties. The study's findings have broad potential technological applications and demonstrate a new geometry-driven localization transition.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 14, 2022

Teaching physics to AI makes the student a master

Researchers at Duke University have developed a machine learning algorithm that incorporates known physics into neural networks, allowing for new insights into material properties and more efficient predictions. The approach helps the algorithm attain transparency and accuracy, even with limited training data.

SourceDuke University·JournalAdvanced Optical Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 17, 2022

Tiny antenna enables portable biomedical, food-analysis, and other gadgets driven by integrated nano- and terahertz technologies

Researchers have designed a tiny and flat antenna for receiving and transmitting terahertz signals, enabling the miniaturization of THz devices. The new design integrates the antenna with the system, eliminating the need for bulky silicon lenses and reducing optical power required.

Mechanical control of a reconfigurable intelligent surface

A mechanical RIS has been developed with high reconfiguration degree of freedom, low power consumption, and real-time dynamic control capabilities. It uses a robust control method to determine the rotation angle of each meta-atom and offers a new energy-saving and environmentally friendly alternative for wireless communications systems.

Nuclear radiation used to transmit digital data wirelessly

Researchers at Lancaster University successfully transferred digitally encoded information wirelessly using nuclear radiation, achieving 100% successful transmission tests. This novel approach uses fast neutrons, which can penetrate materials like metals, making it ideal for safety-critical scenarios and emergency rescue operations.

SourceLancaster University·JournalNuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A Accelerators Spectrometers Detectors and Associated Equipment·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 10, 2021

Ultra-broadband sound absorber

Researchers create ultra-broadband sound absorber with an average absorption coefficient of 0.93, surpassing previous limitations. The metamaterial's design utilizes near-field non-locality to suppress excessive response and achieve efficient impedance matching.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateOct 29, 2021

Broadband spintronic-metasurface terahertz emitters with tunable chirality

Researchers developed a novel spintronic-metasurface terahertz emitter that generates broadband, circularly polarized, and coherent terahertz waves. The design offers flexible manipulation of the polarization state and helicity with magnetic fields, enabling efficient generation and control of chiral terahertz waves.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalAdvanced Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 26, 2021

Russian physicists mix classical light with half a photon on a qubit

A Russian-U.K. research team has proposed a theoretical description for the new effect of quantum wave mixing involving classical and nonclassical states of microwave radiation. The study builds on earlier experiments on artificial atoms, which serve as qubits for quantum computers and probes fundamental laws of nature.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalPhysical Review A·TypeMeta-analysis·DateAug 31, 2021

Teaching sound topological tricks

The study presents a phononic crystal that enables robust topological states at three dimensions, allowing for diverse wave steering applications. The researchers demonstrated the ability to engineer negative refraction of sound waves and utilize topological hinge states as transport channels.

SourceScience China Press·JournalScience Bulletin·DateJul 12, 2021

Physicists report definitive evidence how auroras are created

Researchers have identified Alfven waves as the primary cause of the most brilliant auroras. These waves accelerate electrons toward Earth, producing atmospheric light show, through a process known as Landau damping. The study, conducted at the Large Plasma Device, confirms decades-long quest to demonstrate experimentally the physical ...

SourceUniversity of Iowa·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 7, 2021

'Surfing' particles: Physicists solve a mystery surrounding aurora borealis

A team of scientists from UCLA and other institutions has confirmed the interaction between electrons and Alfvén waves, shedding light on the origin of the aurora borealis. The experiment replicated conditions in Earth's auroral magnetosphere, revealing that electrons undergo resonant acceleration by the Alfvén wave's electric field.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles·JournalNature Communications·DateJun 7, 2021

Space weather and solar blobs

Researchers at DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory receive $2 million in funding to investigate magnetic reconnection and plasma blobs that can disrupt communications satellites. They aim to recreate conditions in the magnetosphere using a device resembling an enormous silvery barrel tipped on its side.

Measuring space-time 'entanglement' of electromagnetic waves

Scientists quantify space-time nonseparability of electromagnetic pulses using quantum state tomography and calculate fidelity, concurrence, and entanglement. They propose novel concepts for measuring space-time entanglement in structured light, opening new avenues for ultrahigh-capacity communication and high-security encryption.