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Revealing new states in 2D materials

Researchers from the University of Würzburg have discovered new states in 2D materials by exploring their interactions with phonons. This breakthrough enables the creation of hybridized exciton-photon-phonon states, which could lead to room-temperature Bose-Einstein condensation and polariton lasing.

SourceUniversity of Würzburg·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 24, 2022

Origin of supermassive black hole flares identified: largest-ever simulations suggest flickering powered by magnetic ‘reconnection’

A new simulation suggests that energy released near a black hole's event horizon during magnetic field line reconnection powers the intense flares. The process involves interactions between the magnetic field and material falling into the black hole, releasing hot plasma particles that radiate away as photons.

SourceSimons Foundation·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateFeb 3, 2022

2D materials under the microscope

Researchers review current research on 2D materials, highlighting their potential for quantum light sources and integrated circuits. The scientists also discuss recent advances in hybrid devices and scalable quantum photonic technologies.

SourceUniversität Paderborn·JournalNature Reviews Physics·DateJan 31, 2022

Swinging on the quantum level

Researchers from Münster, Bayreuth, and Berlin have proposed a new way of preparing quantum systems to generate single photon states. The proposed method uses a swing-up process in the quantum system to separate generated photons from exciting laser pulses, which is promising for applications.

SourceUniversity of Münster·JournalPRX Quantum·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 21, 2021

Towards quantum states of sound

A team of researchers at Imperial College London has generated and observed non-Gaussian states of high-frequency sound waves comprising over a trillion atoms. This breakthrough makes important strides towards generating macroscopic quantum states that will enable future quantum internet components to be developed.

SourceImperial College London·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateDec 9, 2021

A simpler design for quantum computers

Researchers at Stanford University have proposed a new design for photonic quantum computers that can operate at room temperature and require fewer components. The proposed design uses a laser to manipulate an atom, which then modifies the state of photons via quantum teleportation, enabling the creation of complex calculations.

SourceStanford University·JournalOptica·DateNov 29, 2021

Doing photon upconversion a solid—Crystals that convert light to more useful wavelengths

Scientists discover a promising approach to creating solid materials for photon upconversion, which can transform wasted long-wavelength light into more useful shorter wavelength light. The new van der Waals crystal solution exhibits outstanding performance and efficiency, enabling the development of novel photonic technologies.

SourceTokyo Institute of Technology·JournalMaterials Horizons·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 25, 2021

New device modulates visible light—without dimming it—with the smallest footprint and lowest power consumption

Researchers at Columbia University have developed a compact and power-efficient phase modulator that can control the phase of visible light waves. This breakthrough enables large-scale integration of devices for applications such as chip-scale LIDAR, AR/VR goggles, and quantum information processing chips.

Adding sound to quantum simulations

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new device that brings sound to quantum science experiments, opening up new possibilities for studying solids and phases of matter. The device uses a precise cavity to hold an optical lattice of atoms, which vibrates at around 1 kHz, producing phonons - the building blocks of sound.

SourceStanford University·JournalNature·DateNov 10, 2021

The optical Stern-Gerlach Deflection and Young’s experiment in the reciprocal space

Researchers demonstrated Young's experiment for photons in reciprocal space, creating an interference pattern of light polarization with circular polarized stripes. The observation coincided with the 100th anniversary of spin discovery and showed a classic entanglement of two degrees of freedom - direction and polarization of light.

SourceUniversity of Warsaw, Faculty of Physics·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 9, 2021

A superconducting silicon-photonic chip for quantum communication

Researchers have developed a superconducting silicon-photonic chip for quantum communication, enabling optimal Bell-state measurement of time-bin encoded qubits. This breakthrough enhances the key rate of secure quantum communication and removes detector side-channel attacks, significantly increasing security.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalAdvanced Photonics·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 1, 2021

Optically generated quantum fluids of light reveal exotic matter-wave states in condensed matter physics

Scientists from Skoltech and the University of Southampton created an all-optical lattice that houses polaritons, quasiparticles with half-light and half-matter properties. They demonstrated breakthrough results for condensed matter physics and flatband engineering.

SourceSkolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech)·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 30, 2021

Photonic chip is key to nurturing quantum computers

A team of researchers at Bristol's Quantum Engineering and Technology Labs has developed a silicon photonic chip that can protect quantum bits from errors using photons. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of more powerful quantum computers by reducing the fragility of qubits.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalNature Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateSep 29, 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

Superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors: Next big thing in blood flow measurement

Researchers developed a novel detector system using superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors to measure cerebral blood flow. The SNSPD-DCS system showed significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio compared to conventional SPAD-based DCS, allowing for clearer detection of arterial pulses.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalNeurophotonics·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 19, 2021

The Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology study examines thin film surface symmetries

Researchers at GIST develop a non-contact, nondestructive approach to characterize crystal structures in thin films, shedding light on surface symmetries in SrRuO3. The technique offers a platform for structural characterization of surfaces and interfaces using optical techniques.

SourceGIST (Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology)·JournalApplied Surface Science·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 11, 2021