Category Physics

Physicists at Penn State University have for the 1st time proposed a way to test a little-understood form of quantum mechanics called nonassociative quantum mechanics. So far, all other tests of quantum mechanics have dealt with the associative form. “Nonassociative quantum mechanics has been of mathematical interest for some time (and has recently shown up in certain models of String Theory), but it has been impossible to obtain a physical understanding,” said Martin Bojowald. “We have developed methods which allow us to do just that, and found a first application with a characteristic and instructive result. One of the features that makes this setting interesting is that much of the usual mathematical toolkit of quantum mechanics is inapplicable.”

Standard quantum mechanics is cons...

By evaporating indium gallium arsenide onto a gallium arsenide substrate TUM physicists created nanometer-scale hills, so-called quantum dots. An electron trapped in one of these quantum dots can be used to store information. Hitherto unknown memory loss mechanisms could be switched off by applying a magnetic field. Credit: Fabian Flassig / TUM

Magnetic field helps qubit electrons store information longer. Physicists have tracked down semiconductor nanostructure mechanisms that can result in the loss of stored information – and halted the amnesia using an external magnetic field. The new nanostructures comprise common semiconductor materials compatible with standard manufacturing processes.

In principle, there are various possibilities of implementing qubits: photons are an option equally ...

A schematic of the new energy-storing thread. Credit: Image courtesy of Brunel University

Industrial design researchers have solved two of the major challenges which prevent everyday items of clothing being turned into power sources for smartphones, tablets and other personal tech. Technology to produce supercapacitor thread capable of being made into cloth has been around for some time. But until now scientists have been unable to make it provide sufficient voltage for most devices or devise a method to produce it economically outside the lab.

Now patented breakthroughs made by colleagues Professors David Harrison and John Fyson, Dr Yanmeng Xu, Dr Fulian Qiu and Ruirong Zhang of Brunel’s Department of Design mean thread capable of storing and supplying enough power for common devices and ...

Clockwise from top left: A tumor (blue arrows) is heated with ultrasound (red dashed line); heat map of tumor during treatment; PET scan shows nanoparticles in surviving tumor margin; bright contrast agent shows area damaged by heat. Credit: Andrew Wong/UC Davis

Thermal ablation with magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a noninvasive technique for treating fibroids and cancer. New research from UC Davis shows that combining the technique with chemotherapy can allow complete destruction of tumors in mice. MRgFUS combines an ultrasound beam that heats and destroys tissue with a magnetic resonance imaging to guide the beam and monitor the effects of treatment...