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Ultra-cold lithium atoms shedding light on superfluid formation

A recent study resolves a long-standing debate about what happens at the microscopic level when matter transitions into a superconducting or superfluid state. Correlations between pairs of atoms in an ultra-cold gas were found to grow suddenly as the system was cooled below the superfluid transition temperature.

Quantum gas turns supersolid

Researchers have observed hallmarks of supersolidity in ultracold atomic gases, featuring a self-determined crystalline structure while sharing the same macroscopic wavefunction. The dysprosium quantum gas realization shows unprecedented stability, paving the way for probing its excitation spectrum and superfluid behavior.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalPhysical Review X·DateApr 23, 2019

Breakthrough in quantum physics

Researchers at Graz University of Technology have achieved a breakthrough in observing the reaction of a quantum fluid to photoexcitation of dissolved particles. By applying femtosecond spectroscopy, they were able to describe the processes in an approximately five-nanometer sized superfluid helium droplet after photoexcitation of an a...

SourceGraz University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 2, 2018

A stream of superfluid light

Scientists have observed room-temperature superfluidity in light, a phenomenon previously only seen at extremely low temperatures. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new photonic devices with reduced losses and enhanced performance.

SourcePolytechnique Montréal·JournalNature Physics·DateJun 5, 2017

New insight into superfluids reveals a storm at the surface

Mathematicians from Newcastle University discovered a new 'storm' layer in superfluid Helium that 'sticks' to surfaces like ordinary fluid. The layer is created by mini tornadoes tangling together, slowing the flow. This finding changes past assumptions about superfluids and their use as coolants and precision measurement devices.

SourceNewcastle University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 27, 2017

When helium behaves like a black hole

Scientists found that entangled quantum information shared between two regions of a container is determined by surface area, not volume, in superfluid helium. This discovery points to deeper understanding of reality and may be a step toward a long-sought quantum theory of gravity.

SourceUniversity of Vermont·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 21, 2017

Quantum physics on tap

Researchers at McGill University successfully tested the Tomonaga-Luttinger theory by creating a mini-faucet that slowed down superfluid helium flow as predicted. The experiment pushed the limits of nanoscale understanding, shedding light on cooperation among atoms in superfluid states.

SourceMcGill University·JournalScience Advances·DateMay 15, 2015

The mysterious 'action at a distance' between liquid containers

Researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences developed a theory describing the phenomenon of mysterious communication between fluid reservoirs. The new model suggests that the effect can occur in classical one-component fluids and mixtures, not requiring quantum physics.

Superconductivity could form at high temperatures in layered 2-D crystals

Scientists have designed a new material that could enable superconductivity at temperatures rivaling those seen in cuprates, potentially paving the way for more practical applications. The proposed design features layers of semiconductor compounds separated by insulator spacers, which would create indirect excitons that become superflu...

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 28, 2014

Hunt for an unidentified electron object

The new framework was used to understand the dynamics of quantized vortices and their interaction with electrons. The researchers discovered a novel mechanism of vortex multiplication, which explains why unidentified electron objects were found only at lower temperatures.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 24, 2014

JILA team finds new parallel between cold gases and 'hot' superconductors

JILA team finds similar behavior in ultracold atomic gases and high-temperature superconductors, supporting the idea that studying superfluidity in atomic gases can help understand complicated superconductors. The discovery lends support to the concept of a 'pseudo-gap region' where atom pairing occurs above critical temperature.