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Category: particle physics

Quantum radio antenna uses Rydberg states for sensitive, all-optical signal detection

A team from the Faculty of Physics and the Center for Quantum Optical Technologies at the University of Warsaw has developed a new type of all-optical radio receiver based on the fundamental properties of Rydberg atoms. The new type of receiver is not only extremely sensitive, but also provides internal calibration, and the antenna itself is powered only by laser light.

The results of the work, in which Sebastian Borówka, Mateusz Mazelanik, Wojciech Wasilewski and Michał Parniak participated, were published in Nature Communications. They open a new chapter in the technological implementation of quantum sensors.

In today’s society, huge amounts of digital information are transmitted around us every second. Much of it is transmitted by radio, i.e. using . For a very long time, amplitude modulation has been used to encode information, sending stronger and weaker waves.

Old-school material could power quantum computing and cut data center energy use

A new twist on a classic material could advance quantum computing and make modern data centers more energy efficient, according to a team led by researchers at Penn State.

Barium titanate, first discovered in 1941, is known for its powerful electro-optic properties in bulk, or three-dimensional, crystals. Electro-optic materials like act as bridges between electricity and light, converting signals carried by electrons into signals carried by photons, or particles of light.

However, despite its promise, barium titanate never became the industry standard for electro-optic devices, such as modulators, switches and sensors. Instead, lithium niobate—which is more stable and easier to fabricate, even if its properties don’t quite measure up with those of barium titanate—filled that role instead. But by reshaping barium titanate into ultrathin strained thin films, this could change, according to Venkat Gopalan, Penn State professor of materials science and engineering and co-author of the study published in Advanced Materials.

Triplets born from proton collisions found to be correlated with each other

For the first time, by studying quantum correlations between triplets of secondary particles created during high-energy collisions in the LHC accelerator, it has been possible to observe their coherent production. This achievement confirms the validity of the core-halo model, currently used to describe one of the most important physical processes: hadronization, during which individual quarks combine to form the main components of matter in the universe.

Quarks and the gluons that bind them are the most numerous prisoners in today’s universe, locked inside protons, neutrons and mesons. However, at sufficiently high energies—such as those that existed shortly after the Big Bang or those that occur today in in the LHC accelerator—quarks and gluons are released, forming an exotic “soup”: . Under normal conditions, this plasma is not stable, and as soon as it cools down sufficiently, the quarks and gluons bind together again, producing in a process called hadronization.

New details of this fascinating phenomenon, obtained through the analysis of so-called three-body quantum correlations, have been reported by physicists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Krakow, working as part of the LHCb experiment conducted by the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) in Geneva.

Time crystals could power future quantum computers

A glittering hunk of crystal gets its iridescence from a highly regular atomic structure. Frank Wilczek, the 2012 Nobel Laureate in Physics, proposed quantum systems––like groups of particles––could construct themselves in the same way, but in time instead of space. He dubbed such systems time crystals, defining them by their lowest possible energy state, which perpetually repeats movements without external energy input. Time crystals were experimentally proved to exist in 2016.

Ultrasensitive sensor maps magnetization textures in rhombohedral graphene

Graphene, which is comprised of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, is a widely used material known for its advantageous electrical and mechanical properties. When graphene is stacked in a so-called rhombohedral (i.e., ABC) pattern, new electronic features are known to emerge, including a tunable band structure and a non-trivial topology.

Due to these emerging properties, electrons in rhombohedral can behave as if they are being influenced by “hidden” magnetic fields, even if no is applied to them. While this interesting effect is well-documented, closely studying how electrons organize themselves in the material, with their spins and valley states pointing in different directions, has so far proved challenging.

Researchers at Weizmann Institute of Science recently set out to further examine the local magnetization textures in rhombohedral graphene, using a nanoscale superconducting quantum interference device (nano-SQUID). Their paper, published in Nature Physics, offers new insight into the physical processes governing the correlated states previously observed in the material.

Curved nanosheets in anode help prevent battery capacity loss during fast charging

As electric vehicles (EVs) and smartphones increasingly demand rapid charging, concerns over shortened battery lifespan have grown. Addressing this challenge, a team of Korean researchers has developed a novel anode material that maintains high performance even with frequent fast charging.

A collaborative effort by Professor Seok Ju Kang in the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at UNIST, Professor Sang Kyu Kwak of Korea University, and Dr. Seokhoon Ahn of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) has resulted in a hybrid anode composed of graphite and organic nanomaterials. This innovative material effectively prevents capacity loss during repeated fast-charging cycles, promising longer-lasting batteries for various applications. The findings are published in Advanced Functional Materials.

During battery charging, lithium ions (Li-ions) move into the , storing energy as Li atoms. Under rapid charging conditions, excess Li can form so-called “dead lithium” deposits on the surface, which cannot be reused. This buildup reduces capacity and accelerates battery degradation.

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