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Quantum research paves the way toward efficient, ultra-high-density optical memory storage

As our digital world generates massive amounts of data—more than 2 quintillion bytes of new content each day—yesterday’s storage technologies are quickly reaching their limits. Optical memory devices, which use light to read and write data, offer the potential of durable, fast and energy-efficient storage.

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New materials and techniques show promise for microelectronics and quantum technologies

As phones and computers shrink in size, our need for data storage and transfer is growing. Electronic devices have been powered by semiconductors for decades, but as the push to miniaturize continues, there’s a limit to how small semiconductors can be made.

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Scientists develop a new model of electric double layer

A new model accounts for a wide range of ion-electrode interactions and predicts a device’s ability to store electric charge. The model’s theoretical predictions align with the experimental results. Data on the behavior of the electric double layer (EDL) can aid in the development of more efficient supercapacitors for portable electronics and electric vehicles. The […]

Only 5 women have won the Nobel Prize in physics—recent winners share advice for young women in the field

Out of 225 people awarded the Nobel Prize in physics, only five have been women. This is a very small number, and certainly smaller than 50%—the percent of women in the human population.

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Researchers observe hidden deformations in complex light fields

Everyday experience tells us that light reflected from a perfectly flat mirror will give us the correct image without any deformation. Interestingly, this is not the case when the light field itself is structured in a complex way. Tiny deformations appear.

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Scientists demonstrate advanced low-coherence BOCDR system using periodic pseudo-random modulation

Scientists have successfully demonstrated a low-coherence Brillouin optical correlation-domain reflectometry (BOCDR) system that overcomes longstanding challenges related to spatial resolution and measurement range in mapping strain and temperature distributions along optical fibers.

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Proof-of-concept design shrinks quantum rotation sensor to micron scale

Atom interferometers are quantum sensors that use the wave-like nature of atoms to measure gravity, acceleration and rotation with exceptional precision.

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Using antimatter to detect nuclear radiation: Byproducts of fission reactors provide insight into nuclear reactor use

Nuclear fission reactors act as a key power source for many parts of the world and worldwide power capacity is expected to nearly double by 2050. One issue, however, is the difficulty of discerning whether a nuclear reactor is being used to also create material for nuclear weapons.

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Researchers harness liquid crystal structures to design simple, yet versatile bifocal lenses

Researchers have developed a new type of bifocal lens that offers a simple way to achieve two foci (or spots) with intensities that can be adjusted by applying external voltage. The lenses, which use two layers of liquid crystal structures, could be useful for various applications such as optical interconnections, biological imaging, augmented/virtual reality devices […]

A modular neutrino detector years in the making

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory have joined collaborators from around the world to build a prototype neutrino detector that has now captured its first neutrino interactions at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab).

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First-ever teleportation of logical qubit using fault-tolerant methods

A team of engineers and physicists at quantum computing company Quantinuum has conducted the first-ever teleportation of a logical qubit using fault-tolerant methods. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes the setup and teleportation methods they used and the fidelity achieved by each.

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New insights into exotic nuclei creation using Langevin equation model

Researchers have introduced a model based on the Langevin equation that offers new insights into the formation of exotic nuclei. This development could enhance the ability to produce rare isotopes that are valuable for various applications in science and medicine.

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Headband-like device uses speckle contrast optical spectroscopy to predict stroke risk

A team of researchers from the Keck School of Medicine of USC and California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have developed a potential new way to measure a person’s stroke risk that is cost-effective and noninvasive, akin to a cardiac stress test. If validated through further tests, the device could transform stroke care, making early detection […]

A new apparatus for analyzing partial coherence in integrated photonic networks

Anyone familiar with optics labs is familiar with the extremes of light coherence: laser beams are highly coherent, producing clear interference patterns used for precise applications like atomic manipulation or precise sensing. In contrast, light from sources like flashlights is incoherent, typically unable to produce such patterns without considerable effort, or at the cost of […]

A new and unique fusion reactor comes together due to global research collaboration

Like atoms coming together to release their power, fusion researchers worldwide are joining forces to solve the world’s energy crisis. Harnessing the power of fusing plasma as a reliable energy source for the power grid is no easy task, requiring global contributions.

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