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Category: particle physics – Page 99

Physicists pioneer entanglement microscopy algorithm for quantum many-body systems

Quantum entanglement—a phenomenon where particles are mysteriously linked no matter how far apart they are—presents a long-standing challenge in the physical world, particularly in understanding its behavior within complex quantum systems.

A research team from the Department of Physics at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and their collaborators have recently developed a novel algorithm in quantum physics known as ‘entanglement microscopy’ that enables visualization and mapping of this extraordinary phenomenon at a microscopic scale.

By zooming in on the intricate interactions of entangled particles, one can uncover the hidden structures of quantum matter, revealing insights that could transform technology and deepen the understanding of the universe.

Time might not exist, according to physicists and philosophers — but that’s okay

The Search for Quantum Gravity

Physics faces a profound crisis as it struggles to unify two foundational theories: general relativity and quantum mechanics. While general relativity explains gravity and large-scale phenomena, quantum mechanics governs the microscopic world of particles. Despite their individual successes, these theories conflict, prompting the need for a unified framework known as quantum gravity.

One promising approach is string theory, which posits that particles are actually vibrating strings in up to 11 dimensions. However, its lack of testable predictions has spurred alternative ideas, such as loop quantum gravity. This theory envisions space and time as a network of minuscule loops, challenging the notion of time as a fundamental construct. Remarkably, loop quantum gravity suggests time might not exist at all.

New research uncovers exotic electron crystal in graphene

Researchers from the University of British Columbia, the University of Washington, and Johns Hopkins University have identified a new class of quantum states in a custom-engineered graphene structure.

Published in Nature, the study reports the discovery of topological electronic crystals in twisted bilayer–trilayer graphene, a system created by introducing a precise rotational twist between stacked two-dimensional materials.

“The starting point for this work is two flakes of graphene, which are made up of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb structure. The way electrons hop between the carbon atoms determines the electrical properties of the graphene, which ends up being superficially similar to more common conductors like copper,” said Prof. Joshua Folk, a member of UBC’s Physics and Astronomy Department and the Blusson Quantum Matter Institute (UBC Blusson QMI).

Quark Stars and Strangelets

The story of collapsing stars is often said to go from neutron stars directly to black holes, but there could be a number of intermediate steps where the structure of matter becomes one of quark soup. In this talk we take a look at the theory and the possibly evidence for such Quark stars — and compare them with the most dangerousmaterial thought possible — the strangelet.

Antimony’s bonding characteristics offer insights into phase change materials

A new study that provides unprecedented insights into the chemical bonding of antimony could have a profound impact on materials research. The collaboration between scientists from Leipzig University, RWTH Aachen University and the DESY synchrotron in Hamburg combined experimental measurements with theoretical calculations.

The findings will help scientists to better understand phase change materials and, in particular, improve their application in and thermoelectrics. The research has now been published in Advanced Materials.

The study combined experimental measurements with , with the aim of analyzing the nature and strength of the chemical bonding in antimony. “The strength of a bond depends directly on the distance between the atoms,” says Professor Claudia S. Schnohr of the Felix Bloch Institute for Solid State Physics at Leipzig University, adding that comparisons with other materials such as metals and semiconductors show that this distance dependence is characteristic of the type of chemical bond.

From Spooky Action to Real-World Tech: Columbia’s Quantum Entanglement Breakthrough

A team of researchers has developed a miniature, energy-efficient device capable of creating photon.

A photon is a particle of light. It is the basic unit of light and other electromagnetic radiation, and is responsible for the electromagnetic force, one of the four fundamental forces of nature. Photons have no mass, but they do have energy and momentum. They travel at the speed of light in a vacuum, and can have different wavelengths, which correspond to different colors of light. Photons can also have different energies, which correspond to different frequencies of light.

Monster Shocks Could Explain Radio Bursts

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are short blasts of radio waves whose origins remain a mystery. A new theoretical study explores a possible source in the atmospheres around highly magnetized neutron stars called magnetars [1]. Using numerical simulations, the researchers show that magnetar atmospheres can host powerful shock waves—or “monster shocks”—that produce gigahertz-frequency emissions, consistent with FRB observations.

The first reported observation of an FRB was in 2007, and since then astronomers have collected over a thousand bursts from across the sky. They seem to be connected to compact objects—such as neutron stars or black holes—located at large distances from Earth. “We know that they are cosmological, but their origin and production mechanism remain elusive,” says Arno Vanthieghem from Sorbonne University and the Paris Observatory. He and Amir Levinson from Tel Aviv University, Israel, have explored a possible connection between FRBs and magnetically driven shocks around magnetars.

Previous work has looked at FRB-producing mechanisms around magnetars, but Vanthieghem and Levinson are the first to explore shock-induced radio emission in the inner magnetosphere—the strong-magnetic-field region surrounding a magnetar. The researchers showed that a disturbance, such as a starquake occurring on the magnetar surface, can cause a magnetic-field wave to travel outward through the charged particles in the magnetosphere. They found that this wave can be amplified into a monster shock in which charged particles reach highly relativistic speeds. These particles emit a burst of radio waves that could be seen as an FRB by a distant observer. Vanthieghem says that future observations might be able to provide evidence for this mechanism by pinpointing the location of FRB emission within a magnetar’s environment.

Topological Order Intrinsic to Mixed Quantum States

Three theoretical studies have uncovered novel types of topological order inherent in open quantum systems, enriching our understanding of quantum phases of matter.

Nature showcases an extraordinary diversity of phases of matter, including many that can be understood only through the principles of quantum mechanics. Such quantum phases can exhibit topological order, characterized by long-range quantum correlations and exotic quasiparticle excitations. Despite extensive theoretical and experimental exploration over the past few decades, our knowledge of topological order has been largely restricted to closed quantum systems. However, real-world quantum systems are inevitably influenced by dissipation and decoherence, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding of open quantum systems—those that exchange energy, particles, or information with their surroundings. Now three research teams have identified new forms of topological order intrinsic to open quantum systems, expanding the spectrum of possible quantum phases and paving the way for advances in quantum information science [1– 3].

Conventionally, different phases of matter are classified based on symmetry. For example, ferromagnets break rotational symmetry since their magnetic moments align in a specific direction, even though the underlying physical laws remain invariant under spatial rotation. While this concept of spontaneous symmetry breaking has proven valuable, the past few decades have seen a new paradigm: topological phases of matter. Representative examples of these phases, such as fractional quantum Hall fluids and quantum spin liquids, display topological order [4]. This property does not arise from spontaneous symmetry breaking but from an intricate pattern of entanglement—nonlocal correlations central to quantum physics.

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