Category Physics

Physicists discover a Novel Quantum State in an Elemental Solid

Blue and purple concentric circles
A representation of data visualization of quantum states of electrons on the surface and edge of grey arsenic crystal obtained using a scanning tunneling microscope at Princeton’s physics department. Credit: Image based on STM data simulations prepared by Shafayat Hossain and the Zahid Hasan group at the Laboratory for Topological Quantum Matter at Princeton University.

Physicists have observed a novel quantum effect termed “hybrid topology” in a crystalline material. This finding opens up a new range of possibilities for development of efficient materials and technologies for next-generation quantum science and engineering.

The finding, published in Nature, came when Princeton scientists discovered that an elemental solid crystal made of arsenic (As) atoms hosts a never-before-ob...

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ATLAS provides First Measurement of the W-Boson Width at the LHC

The discovery of the Higgs boson in 2012 slotted in the final missing piece of the Standard Model puzzle. Yet, it left lingering questions. What lies beyond this framework? Where are the new phenomena that would solve the universe’s remaining mysteries, such as the nature of dark matter and the origin of matter-antimatter asymmetry?

One parameter that may hold clues about new physics phenomena is the “width” of the W boson, the electrically charged carrier of the weak force. A particle’s width is directly related to its lifetime and describes how it decays to other particles. If the W boson decays in unexpected ways, such as into yet-to-be-discovered new particles, these will influence the measured width.

As the Standard Model precisely predicts its value based on the strength o...

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Quantum Breakthrough when Light makes Materials Magnetic

The laser light is circularly polarized. Image created by AI
The laser light is circularly polarized, i.e. the light has the shape of a “corkscrew”. When laser light with this type of polarization enters a material, it transfers its circular polarization to the atoms in it, by making them rotate and generate atomic currents. If the frequency of the light matches the frequency of vibration of the atoms, the effect is enhanced and a relatively large magnetism is generated. (AI generated image by Alexander Balatsky)

The potential of quantum technology is huge but is today largely limited to the extremely cold environments of laboratories...

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Could New Technique for ‘Curving’ Light be the Secret to Improved Wireless Communication?

A study that could help revolutionize wireless communication introduces a novel method to curve terahertz signals around an obstacle. Illustration provided by the Mittleman Group

A study that could help revolutionize wireless communication introduces a novel method to curve terahertz signals around an obstacle.

While cellular networks and Wi-Fi systems are more advanced than ever, they are also quickly reaching their bandwidth limits. Scientists know that in the near future they’ll need to transition to much higher communication frequencies than what current systems rely on, but before that can happen there are a number of — quite literal — obstacles standing in the way.

Researchers from Brown University and Rice University say they’ve advanced one step closer to getting around t...

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