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Insulators turn up the heat on quantum bits

Researchers at the University of Innsbruck develop new method to assess influence of dielectric materials on charged particles in ion traps, enabling more accurate design and minimization of noise in quantum computers. The breakthrough improves understanding of sources of error in ion trap quantum computing.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJun 14, 2021

Is the past (and future) there when nobody looks?

Researchers investigate the limits of quantum theory in describing an observer's experience, leading to a 'no-go theorem' for the persistent reality of Wigner's friend perception. The study challenges traditional assumptions about the nature of reality and raises questions about the reliability of an observer's predictions.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalCommunications Physics·DateMay 14, 2021

Physicists cast doubt on neutrino theory

Researchers from University of Cincinnati and Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory failed to detect sterile neutrinos in twin experiments, increasing doubts about their existence. The study's findings suggest that sterile neutrinos might not be responsible for previously observed anomalies.

SourceUniversity of Cincinnati·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 11, 2020

Rock 'n' control

Researchers at University of Göttingen use femtochemistry to film and control chemical reactions on solid surfaces. They successfully transfer principle from molecules to a solid, controlling its crystal structure with high efficiency.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalNature·DateJul 8, 2020

Research team builds better rock models

A new method for creating digital replicas of rock samples is being developed by geoscience researchers at the University of Texas at Austin. This technique allows scientists to learn about rock samples without touching them and can be used to calculate important rock properties such as permeability and electrical conductivity.

Atomic vacancy as quantum bit

Researchers from JMU have successfully demonstrated the existence of spin centers in boron nitride crystals, exhibiting magnetic dipole moments and optical properties. This discovery paves the way for developing artificial two-dimensional crystals with tailored properties.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalNature Materials·DateMar 2, 2020

Physics shows that imperfections make perfect

For the first time, physicists have experimentally demonstrated that certain systems with interacting entities can synchronize only if the entities within the system are different from one another. Researchers found that identical entities naturally behave identically until they start interacting and then identified scenarios in which ...

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalNature Physics·DateJan 20, 2020

Mathematics reveals new insights into Marangoni flows

Researchers found that impurities swept away in deeper water decrease in size with surface elasticity, while counterflows cancel out fluid movement. In shallow water, the boundary becomes blurred, revealing new processes in well-studied physics experiments.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateOct 28, 2019

Iridium 'loses its identity' when interfaced with nickel

Researchers at Rutgers University have discovered a new kind of magnetic state in ultra-thin iridium-nickel interfaces, challenging theories on quantum materials. The findings could lead to greater manipulation of quantum materials and deeper understanding of the quantum state for novel electronics.

SourceRutgers University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 24, 2019

Environment turns molecule into a switch

Physicists from the University of Würzburg have successfully manipulated a molecule into two stable states by controlling its environment using an electrical field. This breakthrough could enable the creation of molecular switches for spintronics applications, a promising technology for future data processing.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·Journalnpj Quantum Materials·DateNov 26, 2018

Searching for errors in the quantum world

A thought experiment by Renato Renner and Daniela Frauchiger reveals a paradoxical situation where indirect observation of a quantum mechanical object yields the opposite result of direct observation. The calculation shows that precisely this is not the case, creating a conundrum. While colleagues have proposed various solutions, none ...

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·DateSep 18, 2018

'Frogs' and 'mushrooms' bubble up in quantum fluids

Researchers used a supercomputer to simulate the mixing of two magnetically polarized Bose-Einstein condensates, producing exotic shapes that resemble ink blot tests. The study offers clues to phenomena seen in actual experiments and may have implications for ultra-fast computing and classical-quantum fluid connections.

SourceOhio State University·JournalPhysical Review A·DateApr 4, 2018

Artificial agent designs quantum experiments

Researchers from Innsbruck and Vienna teams used artificial intelligence to design new quantum experiments, leveraging a projective simulation model and reinforcement learning. The AI-agent performed tens of thousands of experiments, discovering novel structures that could be tested in the lab.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 19, 2018

Towards data storage at the single molecule level

A research team from Kiel University has successfully placed a new class of spin-crossover molecules onto a surface and improved their storage capacity. The result could theoretically increase the storage density of conventional hard drives by more than one hundred fold, enabling data carriers to be made significantly smaller.

SourceKiel University·JournalNano Letters·DateDec 6, 2017

Physicists read Maxwell's Demon's mind

An international research team has successfully brought Maxwell's Demon to life using superconducting circuits. The team observed the demon gain useful energy from a thermodynamic system, bypassing the second law of thermodynamics, and tracked how information is stored in its memory.

SourceUniversity of Exeter·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJul 5, 2017

Quantum particles form droplets

Researchers have demonstrated a new type of quantum liquid or quantum droplet state where atoms preserve their form in absence of external confinement due to quantum effects. The discovery opens up a new research area in ultracold quantum gases and may contribute to increasing our knowledge of superfluidity.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalPhysical Review X·DateNov 24, 2016

Measuring forces with oscillations

Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed a new principle to measure external forces using parametric oscillation. The discovery has advantages for small sensors, enabling the creation of extremely precise force meters.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalPhysical Review E·DateOct 6, 2016

Particle zoo in a quantum computer

Researchers at University of Innsbruck successfully simulated lattice gauge theories and particle-antiparticle pairs using a quantum computer. This breakthrough paves the way for studying complex aspects of the Standard Model, complementing high-energy physics experiments.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalNature·DateJun 22, 2016

Celestial bodies born like cracking paint

A Duke University theorist proposes that the universe's varied body sizes are a result of internal tension release through hierarchical formation. This concept is rooted in Bejan's constructal law, which states that flowing systems will tend towards easier architecture by releasing tension through smaller, more numerous bodies.

SourceDuke University·JournalJournal of Applied Physics·DateMar 1, 2016

Recipe for muon pair creation, in theory

A Japanese physicist has developed new ways to create muonium atoms through particle collisions, offering advancements in detection and applications in proton size measurements. The second method using a positively charged muon colliding with a muonic hydrogen atom shows the most promise for future experiments.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal D·DateJan 18, 2016