Category Physics

In a PZT layer without zinc oxide (ZnO) there are basically two memorystates. Adding a nano layer of ZnO, every state in between is possible as well.

Our brain does not work like a typical computer memory storing just 1s and 0s: thanks to a much larger variation in memory states, it can calculate faster consuming less energy. Scientists of the MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology of the University of Twente (The Netherlands) now developed a ferro-electric material with a memory function resembling synapses and neurons in the brain, resulting in a multistate memory.

The material that could be the basic building block for ‘brain-inspired computing’ is lead-zirconium-titanate (PZT): a sandwich of materials with several attractive properties...

A tetraquark is a particle with four quarks, which are the fundamental constituents of matter. Credit: Image courtesy of Syracuse University

Researchers confirm existence of rare ‘exotic’ particle, find evidence of 3 others. Physicists have made science history by confirming the existence of a rare 4-quark particle and discovering evidence of 3 other “exotic” siblings. Their findings are based on data from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) particle accelerator, CERN, Geneva, Switzerland. The tetraquark candidate is X(4140). The other 3 have higher masses, called X(4274), X(4500) and X(4700).

A tetraquark is a particle made of 4 quarks: 2 quarks and 2 antiquarks...

Illustration of the processes that take place during the logic gate operation: The photons (blue) successively impinge from the right onto the partially transparent mirror of a resonator which contains a single rubidium atom (symbolised by a red sphere with yellow electron orbitals). The atom in the resonator plays the role of a mediator which imparts a deterministic interaction between the two photons. The diagram in the background represents the entire gate protocol. Credit: Graphic: Stephan Welte, MPQ, Quantum Dynamics Division

Scientists have realized a photon-photon logic gate via a deterministic interaction with a strongly coupled atom-resonator system...

Microscopy of self-oscillation of the crystalline assembly. A crystalline assembly of azobenzene derivative and oleate showed oscillatory bending-unbending motion under continuous 435-nm light irradiation. The frequency of oscillation increased with increasing light intensity. Credit: Copyright Ikegami T. et. al., Angewandte Chemie International Edition, May 19, 2016

Scientists have developed light-powered molecular motors that repetitively bend and unbend, bringing us closer to molecular robots. Researchers are working on mimicking cellular systems to develop molecular motors that can move or even deliver drugs to target tissues. Engineering such motors may ultimately lead to molecular robots that can execute more complex tasks...