Physics News & Research Discoveries - SciTechDaily

How Sonic Technology Is Advancing Wind Detection on Mars

American Institute of Physics — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 07:21:06 +0000

Mars’s hostile environment presents significant challenges for measuring wind speeds, but new advancements are making it possible to collect more accurate data. Researchers have developed a novel sonic anemometric system using piezoelectric transducers, enabling faster and more precise measurements of Martian winds. This technology, which could measure up to 100 wind speeds per second, represents [...]

Breaking Barriers in Optics: The Power of Coherence Entropy

SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 19:12:51 +0000

Scientists have made a groundbreaking advancement in understanding light propagation through complex media, potentially revolutionizing fields like optical communication and medical imaging. By introducing the concept of coherence entropy, a new metric for evaluating light behavior, they have provided a reliable tool for managing light fields in challenging environments. This research could significantly enhance the [...]

Two Mile Long X-Ray Laser Opens New Windows Into a Mysterious State of Matter

Tue, 13 Aug 2024 13:51:01 +0000

Physicists have made significant strides in understanding warm dense matter using the European XFEL, observing its transformation under intense X-ray pulses. The properties of warm dense matter have until recently been little known. Now, thanks to the use of X-ray lasers, physicists are gaining more and more information about this important but still mysterious state [...]

Breaking Barriers: First-Ever Quantum Memory for X-Rays Achieved

Shana K. Hutchins, Texas A&M University — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 16:42:00 +0000

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking quantum memory for X-rays, allowing extended memory times and paving the way for advanced quantum optics applications, including photon entanglement at X-ray energies. Light serves as an exceptional carrier of information, playing a crucial role not only in traditional communication technologies but also in emerging quantum applications like quantum networking [...]

Shattering Big Bang Myths: Surprising Insights Into the Origins of Matter in the Early Universe

U.S. Department of Energy — Sun, 11 Aug 2024 09:46:54 +0000

Scientists have recreated the extreme conditions of the early universe in particle accelerators, revealing surprising insights about the formation of matter. New calculations show that up to 70% of certain particles may originate from later reactions rather than the initial quark-gluon soup formed just after the Big Bang. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the [...]

Physicists Develop Next-Gen Optical Fibers for Future Quantum Data Transfer

University of Bath — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 19:21:02 +0000

Physicists at the University of Bath in the UK have developed a new generation of specialty optical fibers designed to address future data transfer challenges anticipated with the rise of quantum computing. Physicists at the University of Bath in the UK have developed a new generation of specialty optical fibers designed to meet the anticipated [...]

A Simpler Path to Fusion: The Promise of Spherical Tokamak Technology

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 11:39:38 +0000

Carving a new path forward for compact fusion vessels. Some experts believe that the future of fusion in the U.S. may be found in compact, spherical fusion vessels. A smaller tokamak is seen as a potentially more economical solution for fusion energy. The challenge lies in fitting all necessary components into a limited space. Recent [...]

From Chaos to Choreography: Revealing the Hidden Laws of Collective Motion

Sissa Medialab — Thu, 08 Aug 2024 12:00:07 +0000

Physical and biological systems are different. But are they? A new study on JSTAT observes that similarities might be greater than we think. A collaborative study reveals that collective movements in biology, like flocks of birds, are governed by principles similar to those observed in particle physics. The findings highlight the underlying similarities in transition [...]

Electron Dynamics Redefined Through Super-Bloch Oscillations

SPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 22:32:31 +0000

Researchers achieve advances in periodic oscillations and transportation for optical pulses, with potential for next-gen optical communications and signal processing. Researchers have achieved significant advances in wave physics by conducting experiments on Super-Bloch Oscillations (SBOs), which demonstrate the potential for manipulating optical pulses. By applying both DC and nearly detuned AC electric fields, they not [...]

Matter vs. Antimatter: New CERN Experiment Challenges Conventional Physics

Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 08:24:35 +0000

The BASE team at CERN has enhanced antiproton cooling techniques, allowing quicker and more precise measurements that challenge existing theories of matter-antimatter symmetry, potentially reshaping our understanding of the universe’s composition. Why does the universe contain matter and virtually no antimatter? The BASE international research collaboration at the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) in [...]

Harnessing the Power of Micro-Bunching: A New Frontier in Synchrotron Radiation

Kai Dürfeld, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin for Materials and Energy — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 12:06:03 +0000

A new technique shortens electron bunches in storage rings to produce more powerful, coherent synchrotron radiation, akin to high-power lasers. This method has been successfully tested, marking progress toward a novel type of radiation source that could have significant impacts on materials research. An international team presents the functional principle of a new source of [...]

Unlocking Future Technologies With Magnetic Control of Rare Earth Elements

Helmholtz Center for Materials and Energy, HZB — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 15:21:49 +0000

Laser pulses have been shown to adjust the magnetic properties of rare earths by affecting 4f electrons, opening avenues for quicker and more energy-efficient data storage devices. The special properties of rare earth magnetic materials are due to the electrons in the 4f shell. Until now, the magnetic properties of 4f electrons were considered almost [...]

Astonishing Nuclear Breakthrough Could Rewrite the Fundamental Constants of Nature

University of California - Los Angeles — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 03:28:43 +0000

The findings may lead to the creation of the most precise clock ever, facilitating advancements in deep space navigation and communication. Using a laser to raise the energy state of an atom’s nucleus, known as excitation, can lead to the development of the most precise atomic clocks. This process has been challenging because the electrons [...]

Innovative Quantum Dot Monitoring: Real-Time Insights Into Nanoparticle Growth

São Paulo Research Foundation — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 23:25:07 +0000

Researchers monitored the diameter of semiconductor quantum dots in real time by observing the wavelength of the emitted light. Luminescence is the outcome of a process where an object absorbs light at one wavelength and re-emits it at a different wavelength. During this process, electrons in the material’s ground state absorb light and become excited [...]

45-Year-Old Theory Confirmed: Physicists Shed New Light on the “Invisible” Energy States of Molecules

University of Bath — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 22:02:08 +0000

A team of scientists at the University of Bath in the UK has discovered a method to use light particles to uncover the hidden energy states of molecules. An international team of scientists, led by physicists from the University of Bath, has demonstrated a new optical phenomenon that could significantly impact various fields, including pharmaceutical [...]

Weaving Light: Unraveling the Quantum Lattice of Kagome Metals

Amy Walden, Florida State University — Fri, 02 Aug 2024 04:26:13 +0000

A study focused on cesium vanadium antimonide, a Kagome metal, has shown its potential in enhancing nano-optics by generating unique plasmon polaritons. These findings could advance optical communication and sensing technologies. In traditional Japanese basket-weaving, the ancient “Kagome” design, notable for its symmetrical arrangement of interlaced triangles with shared corners, graces many handcrafted items. Similarly, [...]

Quantum Computers Need a Quantum Internet: Here’s Why

University of California - Santa Barbara — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 17:09:18 +0000

When and why does a photon emitter fail to emit? Research at UC Santa Barbara sheds light on this question. Research on quantum internet technology highlights the challenge of producing stable photons at telecom wavelengths, with recent studies focusing on material improvements and advanced emission techniques to enhance quantum network efficiency. Computers benefit greatly from [...]

Mind-Bending Discovery: Neutrons Defy Classical Physics in Astonishing Experiment

Vienna University of Technology — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 08:22:08 +0000

Is nature really as strange as quantum theory says — or are there simpler explanations? Neutron measurements prove: It doesn’t work without the strange properties of quantum theory. Quantum theory allows particles to exist in superposition states, defying classical realism. The Leggett-Garg inequality tests this by comparing quantum behavior against classical expectations. Recent neutron beam [...]

Magnetic Qubits: Scientists Develop New Way To Manipulate Quantum States

Oliver Morsch, ETH Zurich — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 16:09:12 +0000

ETH Zurich researchers have shown how spin-polarized currents can precisely control quantum states in electron spins, offering a new method for manipulating quantum bits in advanced computing. Electrons possess an intrinsic angular momentum known as spin, allowing them to align with a magnetic field, similar to how a compass needle works. Besides their electric charge, [...]

Atomic ‘GPS’: Quantum Material Transitions Captured in First-Ever Atomic Movies

Brookhaven National Laboratory — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 00:24:53 +0000

Scientists developed a technique to create atomic movies that show the transition of a quantum material from insulator to metal, discovering a new material phase and advancing the understanding of material properties with significant implications for material design. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have created the first-ever atomic movies [...]

Breaking Classical Limits: Caltech’s New Method To Measure Quantum Errors

California Institute of Technology — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 15:04:33 +0000

A new method employs classical computers to verify the accuracy of complex quantum systems. Quantum computers hold the promise of surpassing classical computers in solving complex problems across various domains such as computer science, medicine, business, chemistry, and physics. However, these advanced machines have yet to reach their full potential, as they currently struggle with [...]

Faster Than a Speeding Photon: How Tachyons Challenge Modern Physics

University of Warsaw — Tue, 30 Jul 2024 08:20:31 +0000

Recent advancements in tachyon theory have addressed past inconsistencies by incorporating both past and future states into the boundary conditions, leading to a new quantum entanglement theory and suggesting a critical role for tachyons in matter formation. Tachyons are hypothetical particles that travel at speeds greater than the speed of light. These superluminal particles, are [...]

Defying Damage: New Theory Unlocks Secrets of Fracture Resistance

Politecnico di Milano — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 17:10:02 +0000

New research has uncovered the fracture mechanisms in soft materials, leading to potential advancements in creating durable, defect-free materials with wide-reaching benefits across various industries and positive environmental impacts. A groundbreaking theory has unveiled the physical mechanisms behind fractures in soft materials. This revolutionary discovery promises the development of defect-free materials with enhanced resistance and [...]

Nonreciprocal Interactions Go Nonlinear: How Nanoparticles Are Changing the Rules of Physics

University of Vienna — Sun, 28 Jul 2024 14:31:33 +0000

Predator-Prey Analogy: Novel Interaction Between Particles Enabled Using two optically trapped glass nanoparticles, researchers observed a novel collective Non-Hermitian and nonlinear dynamic driven by nonreciprocal interactions. This contribution expands traditional optical levitation with tweezer arrays by incorporating the so-called non-conservative interactions. Their findings, supported by an analytical model developed by collaborators from Ulm University and [...]