Category Physics

Breakthrough Measurement Elucidates Neutrino Interactions

A close-up view of a muon neutrino argon interaction within an event display at MicroBooNE, one out of 11,528 events used to extract energy-dependent muon neutrino argon interaction cross sections.

Physicists studying ghost-like particles called neutrinos from the international MicroBooNE collaboration have reported a first-of-its-kind measurement: a comprehensive set of the energy-dependent neutrino-argon interaction cross sections. This measurement marks an important step towards achieving the scientific goals of next-generation of neutrino experiments — namely, the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE).

Neutrinos are tiny subatomic particles that are both famously elusive and tremendously abundant...

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In Race to Build Quantum Computing Hardware, Silicon begins to Shine

Silicon-based device in development for use in quantum computers. Gate electrodes shown in blue, red, and green are used to define the quantum dot potentials while the micromagnet on top provides a magnetic field gradient. The image was taken using scanning electron microscopy and the colors were applied for clarity. Credit: Adam Mills, Princeton University

Research conducted by Princeton University physicists is paving the way for the use of silicon-based technologies in quantum computing, especially as quantum bits—the basic units of quantum computers. This research promises to accelerate the use of silicon technology as a viable alternative to other quantum computing technologies, such as superconductors or trapped ions.

In research published in the journal Science Advances, Pr...

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Solar Cell keeps working long after – Sun Sets

The device generates electricity at night from the temperature difference between the solar cell and its surroundings. CREDIT: Sid Assawaworrarit

Harvesting energy from the temperature difference between photovoltaic cell, surrounding air leads to a viable, renewable source of electricity at night.

About 750 million people in the world do not have access to electricity at night. Solar cells provide power during the day, but saving energy for later use requires substantial battery storage.

In Applied Physics Letters, by AIP Publishing, researchers from Stanford University constructed a photovoltaic cell that harvests energy from the environment during the day and night, avoiding the need for batteries altogether...

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Making a ‘Sandwich’ out of Magnets and Topological Insulators, Potential for Lossless Electronics

When two ferromagnets are placed on the top and bottom surfaces of a topological insulator, a gap is opened in the topological surface state, whilst the edge allows electrons to flow without resistance.

A Monash University-led research team has discovered that a structure comprising an ultra-thin topological insulator sandwiched between two 2D ferromagnetic insulators becomes a large-bandgap quantum anomalous Hall insulator.

Such a heterostructure provides an avenue towards viable ultralow energy future electronics, or even topological photovoltaics.

Topological Insulator: The Filling in the Sandwich

In the researchers’ new heterostructure, a ferromagnetic material forms the ‘bread’ of the sandwich, while a topological insulator (ie, a material displaying nontrivial topology) ...

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