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Tiny droplets that bounce for minutes without bursting might be able to do so indefinitely

EPFL researchers have discovered that a droplet of liquid can bounce for several minutes—and perhaps indefinitely—over a vibrating solid surface. The seemingly simple observation has big implications for physics and chemistry.

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Diamond probe measures ultrafast electric fields with femtosecond precision

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have successfully measured electric fields near the surfaces of two-dimensional layered materials with femtosecond temporal and nanometer spatial resolution. They employed a diamond containing a nitrogen-vacancy center—a lattice defect—as a probe within an atomic force microscope, enabling atomic-scale spatial precision.

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Laser method can detect chemical weapons and bacteria in seconds

Researchers at Umeå University and the Swedish Defense Research Agency, FOI, have developed new laser methods that can quickly detect chemical weapons and harmful bacteria directly on site—without the need to send samples to a laboratory.

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The quantum door mystery: Electrons that can’t find the exit

What happens when electrons leave a solid material? This seemingly simple phenomenon has, until now, eluded accurate theoretical description. In a new study, researchers have found the missing piece of the puzzle.

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Hybrid metasurface modulates light at low voltages for energy-efficient optics

Metasurfaces are two-dimensional (2D), nanoengineered surfaces that interact strongly with electromagnetic waves and can control light with remarkable precision. These ultra-thin layers can be used to develop a wide range of advanced technologies, including optical photonic, sensing and communication systems.

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2D devices have hidden cavities that can modify electronic behavior

In the right combinations and conditions, two-dimensional materials can host intriguing and potentially valuable quantum phases, like superconductivity and unique forms of magnetism. Why they occur, and how they can be controlled, is of considerable interest among physicists and engineers. Research published in Nature Physics reveals a previously hidden feature that could explain how and […]

Milky Way shows gamma ray excess due to dark matter annihilation, study suggests

New research shows that dark matter has a different distribution in our galaxy than previously thought, and that advances dark matter’s status as a potential source of the observed gamma ray excess in the Milky Way’s center. High-resolution simulations reveal that the dark matter distribution in the inner galaxy is not spherical, but flattened and […]

Simplified Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model simulated on trapped-ion quantum computer

The simulation of strongly interacting many-body systems is a key objective of quantum physics research, as it can help to test the predictions of physics theories and yield new valuable insight. Researchers at Quantinuum, a quantum computing company, recently simulated a simplified version of a well-known theoretical model, the so-called Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) model, using a […]

Vortices in ultralight dark matter halos could reveal new clues to cosmic structure

The nature of dark matter remains one of the greatest mysteries in cosmology. Within the standard framework of non-collisional cold dark matter (CDM), various models are considered: WIMPs (Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, with masses of around 100 GeV/c2), primordial black holes, and ultralight axion-like particles (mass of 10-22 to 1 eV/c2). In the latter case, […]

Taking the shock out of predicting shock wave behavior with precise computational modeling

Shock waves should not be shocking—engineers across scientific fields need to be able to precisely predict how the instant and strong pressure changes initiate and dissipate to prevent damage. Now, thanks to a team from Yokohama National University, those predictions are even better understood.

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Algorithm precisely quantifies flow of information in complex networks

Networks are systems comprised of two or more connected devices, biological organisms or other components, which typically share information with each other. Understanding how information moves between these connected components, also known as nodes, could help to advance research focusing on numerous topics, ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) to neuroscience.

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Quantum networks bring new precision to dark matter searches

Detecting dark matter—the mysterious substance that holds galaxies together—is one of the greatest unsolved problems in physics. Although it cannot be seen or touched directly, scientists believe dark matter leaves weak signals that could be captured by highly sensitive quantum devices.

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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.

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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 […]

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 […]