Category Technology/Electronics

Rendering of the electronic device in which Majorana particles were observed. The device is made up of a superconductor (blue bar) and a magnetic topological insulator (gray strip). The Majorana particles result in transport channels (shown in red, pink, blue and yellow) in the electronic device. Credit: Courtesy UCLA

U.S. Army-funded researchers at ULCA have found a proverbial smoking gun signature of the long sought-after Majorana particle, and the find, they say, could block intruders on sensitive communication networks...

Conceptual picture of the new exotic quantum states that have been generated in Innsbruck. The generation of quantum entanglement in a string of 20 single atoms is shown. Entanglement between neighboring atom pairs (blue), atom triplets (pink), atom quadruplets (red) and quintuplets (yellow) was observed, before the system became too complex to characterize with existing techniques. Credit: IQOQI Innsbruck/Harald Ritsch

Largest entangled quantum register of individually controllable systems to date. A research team is now presenting the largest entangled quantum register of individually controllable systems to date, consisting of a total of 20 quantum bits. The physicists are pushing experimental and theoretical methods to the limits of what is currently possible.

Some of the new quantum t...

Mathew Boban, Graduate Student Research Assistant, Materials Science and Engineering, pours hexadecane oil onto a glass slide with a superomniphobic coating. The petroleum based, highly viscous lubricant slide easily off the slide, opening up applications like self-cleaning windows, ink jet printers and microfluidic devices. Image credit: Robert Coelius, Michigan Engineering

In an advance that could grime-proof phone screens, countertops, camera lenses and countless other everyday items, a materials science researcher at the University of Michigan has demonstrated a smooth, durable, clear coating that swiftly sheds water, oils, alcohols and, yes, peanut butter.

Called “omniphobic” in materials science parlance, the new coating repels just about every known liquid...

This is a sample of the 3-D printed acoustic metamaterial. Credit: Qiming Wang

Researchers develop 3D printed acoustic metamaterials that can be switched on and off remotely using a magnetic field. Researchers have been pushing the capabilities of materials by carefully designing precise structures that exhibit abnormal properties that can control acoustic or optical waves. However, these metamaterials are constructed in fixed geometries, meaning their unique abilities are always fixed. Now, new 3D printed metamaterial developed by a team led by University of Southern California researchers can be remotely switched between active control and passive states.

USC Viterbi School of Engineering Assistant Professor Qiming Wang and Ph.D...