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Magnetism fosters unusual electronic order in quantum material

Physicists at Rice University have found that magnetism subtly modifies the landscape of electron energy states in iron-germanium crystals, promoting and preparing for the formation of a charge density wave. This is one of the few known examples of a kagome material where magnetism forms first, leading to charges lining up.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 13, 2023

Theory can sort order from chaos in complex quantum systems

A new mathematical theory developed by scientists at Rice University and Oxford University can predict the nature of motions in complex quantum systems. The theory applies to any sufficiently complex quantum system and may give insights into building better quantum computers, designing solar cells, or improving battery performance.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 23, 2023

Researchers shed (laser) light on emerging water treatment technique

A team of researchers from the University of Rhode Island has discovered new details about the chemical reaction that occurs when ferrate is exposed to visible and ultraviolet light. The findings could help optimize the use of ferrate in water treatment applications, making it a promising option for smaller systems.

SourceUniversity of Rhode Island·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 9, 2022

A radical new approach in synthetic chemistry

Researchers use pulse radiolysis experiments to measure how unpaired electrons can drive chemical reactivity on a molecule's opposite side, enabling the creation of novel synthetic methodologies. The study demonstrates the potential for free radicals to influence reactivity beyond their site of origin.

SourceDOE/Brookhaven National Laboratory·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 23, 2022

Topological materials become switchable

Researchers have successfully switched on and off topological states in a material, exploiting the interaction of electrons to manipulate their behavior. The discovery opens up new possibilities for technical applications, including quantum computers and sensor technology.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 11, 2022

Artificial intelligence reduces a 100,000-equation quantum physics problem to only four equations

Physicists used machine learning to compress a complex quantum problem into four equations, capturing the physics of electrons on a lattice with high accuracy. The approach could revolutionize how scientists investigate systems containing many interacting electrons and potentially aid in designing materials with sought-after properties.

SourceSimons Foundation·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 26, 2022

Physicists demo method for designing topological metals

Researchers from Rice University and partners identified three promising candidate materials using a new framework that cross-references information in a database of known materials with theoretical calculations. The method could help explore strongly correlated topological matter, a large and largely uninvestigated landscape.

SourceRice University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 15, 2022

Interwoven: Charge and magnetism intertwine in kagome material

Researchers at Rice University have discovered a unique arrangement of atoms in iron-germanium crystals that leads to a collective dance of electrons. The phenomenon, known as a charge density wave, occurs when the material is cooled to a critically low temperature and exhibits standing waves of fluid electrons.

SourceRice University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 14, 2022

Researchers devise tunable conducting edge

Scientists have developed a magnetized state in monolayer tungsten ditelluride, allowing for controlled electron flow and potential applications in non-volatile memory chips. The discovery enables the creation of smaller, more energy-efficient devices that consume less power and dissipate less energy.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 6, 2022

Neural networks and ‘ghost’ electrons accurately reconstruct behavior of quantum systems

Physicists have created a way to simulate quantum entanglement between interacting particles using neural networks and fictitious 'ghost' electrons. This approach enables accurate predictions of molecule behavior, which could lead to breakthroughs in pharmaceutical development and material design.

SourceSimons Foundation·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 3, 2022

Rensselaer researchers learn to control electron spin at room temperature to make devices more efficient and faster

Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have successfully controlled electron spin at room temperature, a crucial step towards developing more efficient and faster devices. The discovery uses a unique ferroelectric van der Waals layered perovskite crystal to harness the Rashba or Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling effect.

SourceRensselaer Polytechnic Institute·JournalNature Photonics·DateJul 14, 2022

Chemists design chemical probe for detecting minute temperature shifts in the body

Researchers at Colorado State University have developed a cobalt-based molecule that can detect extremely subtle temperature shifts inside the body, opening up new possibilities for medical imaging and therapy. The noninvasive probe uses radiofrequency waves to read out temperature signals from the body.

SourceColorado State University·JournalJournal of the American Chemical Society·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 6, 2022

Spintronics: How an atom-thin insulator helps transport spins

Researchers have discovered a way to mitigate significant losses in spin current transport by integrating an atom-thin insulator between materials. This innovation has important implications for energy-efficient and ultra-fast storage technologies, as well as applications in terahertz emitters and other spintronic devices.

SourceMartin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 10, 2022

The quest for an ideal quantum bit

A team of scientists at Argonne National Laboratory has developed a new qubit platform formed by freezing neon gas into a solid and trapping an electron there. The platform shows great promise in achieving ideal building blocks for future quantum computers, with promising coherence times competitive with state-of-the-art qubits.

CityU chemists develop a strategy for highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells

A research team from City University of Hong Kong and Imperial College London developed a new strategy for highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells using ferrocene molecules. The breakthrough invention can achieve efficiency of up to 25% while maintaining stability, making it a promising alternative to silicon solar cells.

SourceCity University of Hong Kong·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2022

MARATHON measures mirror nuclei

The MARATHON experiment has accessed new details about the particles that build our universe by comparing mirror nuclei helium-3 and tritium. The results provided a precise determination of the ratio of proton/neutron structure function ratios, offering new insights into the internal structures of protons and neutrons.

SourceDOE/Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 31, 2022

Quantum physics sets a speed limit to electronics

Researchers investigated the shortest possible time scale of optoelectronic phenomena and found that it cannot be increased beyond one petahertz. The experiments used ultra-short laser pulses to create free charge carriers in materials, which were then moved by a second pulse to generate an electric current.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 25, 2022

New insight into unconventional superconductivity

Researchers at PSI's Laboratory for Muon Spin Spectroscopy have discovered strong evidence of exotic charge order and orbital currents in a correlated kagome superconductor. The findings provide a new insight into unconventional superconductivity and its relationship with the quantum anomalous Hall effect.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 9, 2022

New super-conductors could take data beyond zeroes and ones

Researchers have developed conducting systems that control electron spin and transmit a spin current over long distances without ultra-cold temperatures. This breakthrough enables the creation of new technologies for encoding and transmitting information at room temperature.

SourceDuke University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 1, 2022

Physicist solves century old problem of radiation reaction

A physicist at Lancaster University has suggested an alternative approach to calculate radiation reaction, which has sparked controversy. The proposed method considers the effects of many charged particles on each other's fields, rather than self-interaction, leading to new insights into energy and momentum conservation.

SourceLancaster University·JournalJournal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 25, 2022

Getting quantum dots to stop blinking

A team of chemists at MIT has developed a method to control the blinking phenomenon in quantum dots using mid-infrared laser light, eliminating intermittency for precise applications. This technique may also be applicable to other materials, enabling new uses in biological research and quantum information science.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateNov 22, 2021