Discovering and controlling exotic physical states is key in condensed matter physics and materials science. It has the potential to drive advancements in quantum computing and spintronics.
While studying a ferrimagnet model, scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory uncovered a new phase of matter called “half-ice, half-fire.” This state is a twin to the “half-fire, half-ice” phase discovered in 2016.
A key objective of ongoing research rooted in molecular physics is to understand and precisely control chemical reactions at very low temperatures. At low temperatures, the chemical reactions between charged particles (i.e., ions) and molecules unfold with highly rotational-state-specific rate coefficients, meaning that the speed at which they proceed strongly depends on the rotational states of the involved molecules.
Researchers at ETH Zürich have recently introduced a new approach to control chemical reactions between ions and molecules at low temperatures, employing microwaves (i.e., electromagnetic waves with frequencies ranging from 300 MHz to 300 GHz). Their proposed scheme, outlined in a paper published in Physical Review Letters, entails the use of microwave pulses to manipulate molecular rotational-state populations.
“Over the past 10 years, we have developed a method with which ion-molecule reactions can be studied at very low temperatures, below 10 K, corresponding to the conditions in giant molecular clouds in the interstellar medium, where these types of reactions play a key role,” Valentina Zhelyazkova, corresponding author of the paper, told Phys.org.
Did you know that the camera sensor in your smartphone could help unlock the secrets of antimatter? The AEgIS collaboration, led by Professor Christoph Hugenschmidt’s team from the research neutron source FRM II at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), has developed a detector using modified mobile camera sensors to image, in real time, the points where antimatter annihilates with matter.
This new device, described in a paper published in Science Advances, can pinpoint antiproton annihilations with a resolution of about 0.6 micrometers, a 35-fold improvement over previous real-time methods.
AEgIS and other experiments at CERN’s Antimatter Factory, such as ALPHA and GBAR, are on a mission to measure the free-fall of antihydrogen within Earth’s gravitational field with high precision, each using a different technique. AEgIS’s approach involves producing a horizontal beam of antihydrogen and measuring its vertical displacement using a device called a moiré deflectometer that reveals tiny deviations in motion and a detector that records the antihydrogen annihilation points.
Posted in computing, particle physics, quantum physics | Leave a Comment on Scientists unveil new way to electrically control spin for ultra-compact devices using altermagnetic quantum materials
Spintronics, an emerging field of technology, exploits the spin of electrons rather than their charge to process and store information. Spintronics could lead to faster, more power-efficient computers and memory devices. However, most spintronic systems require magnetic fields to control spin, which is challenging in ultracompact device integration due to unwanted interference between components. This new research provides a way to overcome this limitation.
As published in Materials Horizons, a research team led by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has introduced a novel method to control electron spin using only an electric field. This could pave the way for the future development of ultra-compact, energy-efficient spintronic devices.
Their findings demonstrate how an emerging type of magnetic material, an altermagnetic bilayer, can host a novel mechanism called layer-spin locking, thus enabling all-electrical manipulation of spin currents at room temperature.
A team of researchers from University of Toronto Engineering has discovered hidden multi-dimensional side channels in existing quantum communication protocols.
The new side channels arise in quantum sources, which are the devices that generate the quantum particles —typically photons—used to send secure messages. The finding could have important implications for quantum security.
“What makes quantum communication more secure than classical communication is that it makes use of a property of quantum mechanics known as conjugate states,” says Ph.D. student Amita Gnanapandithan, lead author on a paper published in Physical Review Letters.
Scientists have developed a more stable platform for Majorana zero modes, exotic particles that could revolutionize quantum computing. Using a carefully engineered three-site Kitaev chain composed of quantum dots and superconducting links, the team achieved greater separation of MZMs, boosting th
New experiments on thallium decay have helped determine the Sun formed over 10–20 million years, improving stellar nucleosynthesis models. Have you ever wondered how long it took our Sun to form in the stellar nursery where it was born? An international team of scientists has just brought us clos
These limits have kept solar tech stuck on rooftops and in fields. But a new type of cell, almost invisible to the eye, may soon change that. Transparent solar cells could turn windows, cars, and even skin into energy-harvesting surfaces.
Unlike the old models, these next-gen cells don’t clash with their surroundings. They blend in while still capturing sunlight. Some are so clear they reach up to 79% transparency. On average, most hover above 70%, allowing them to function without being noticed.
A major reason for this leap forward lies in materials only a few atoms thick. Known as 2D materials, they’re helping reshape what solar panels can do. One group, called transition metal dichalcogenides, absorbs light well and has band gaps that can be tuned.
Qudit-based quantum computers simulate 2D quantum electrodynamics, revealing magnetic fields and particle interactions in new detail.
Europe’s CERN laboratory said on Monday that a detailed analysis revealed no technical obstacles to building the world’s biggest particle collider, even as critics took issue with the “pharaonic” $17-billion project.
The Future Circular Collider (FCC) project is essential for ensuring that Europe maintains its global leadership in fundamental physics, CERN chief Fabiola Gianotti told AFP.
“There is real competition” from China in particular, she cautioned, hailing that the giant FCC “project is absolutely on the good track” and urging states to release the funding needed to move forward.
