Configurable topological beam splitting via antichiral gyromagnetic photonic crystal
Topological insulators, whose bulky states are prohibited while surface/edge states are conductive and topologically protected. Recent advances in topologically protected edge states have drawn growing attention in the optics and photonics community......»»
New 3D reconstruction method aids analysis of property-defining defects
An international research collaboration, including a group from Cornell Engineering, has applied a new X-ray-based reconstruction technique to observe, for the first time, topological defects in a nanoscale self-assembly-based cubic network structure.....»»
New tractor beam technology could one day minimize biopsy trauma
Researchers at TMOS, the ARC Center of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems, have taken an important first step in the development of metasurface-enabled tractor beams—rays of light that can pull particles toward it, a concept that fi.....»»
The Race for Space-Based Solar Power
Once a sci-fi staple, the ability to beam solar power from space now seems closer than ever—but a lot of work remains......»»
Defect engineering leads to designer catalyst for production of green hydrogen
Efficient technology for splitting the hydrogen–oxygen bond in water could be the key to producing low-cost, green hydrogen for energy storage at an industrial scale. Green hydrogen is expected to play a significant role in achieving the U.S. Depar.....»»
Grain boundaries weaken in planetary interiors, research suggests
Mantle convection and associated plate tectonics of planets like the Earth are governed by the deformation of mantle rocks. This deformation occurs through the motion of defects in the crystal lattices of minerals. Thus, the physical properties of th.....»»
Nano-confinement may be key to improving hydrogen production
Researchers at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have discovered a new mechanism that can boost the efficiency of hydrogen production through water splitting......»»
Observation of 3D acoustic quantum Hall states
The quantum Hall effect (QHE) is one of the most notable discoveries in condensed matter physics, opening the door to topological physics. Extending QHE into three dimensions is an inspiring but challenging endeavor. This difficulty arises because th.....»»
Hexagonal metallic-mean approximants help bridge gap between quasicrystals and modulated structures
For a long time, scientists associated crystal structures with an ordered arrangement of atoms in a repeating lattice-like pattern, believing it to be the most stable configuration. However, by the 1960s, advancements in crystallography revealed mate.....»»
Latest iOS 18 beta refines the new flashlight controls
Following its overhaul of the flashlight on iPhone in the first beta of iOS 18, Apple has now revisited and improved it.It's faint, but there is now a curved line that's single brightness and beam width control for the flashlightThe iPhone flashlight.....»»
Visualizing the boundary modes of the charge density wave in a topological material
Charge density waves are quantum phenomena occurring in some materials, which involve a static modulation of conduction electrons and the periodic distortion of the lattice. These waves have been observed in numerous condensed matter materials, inclu.....»»
Unlocking the potential of anti-perovskites through a convenient one-step synthesis route
Although perovskites have attracted a lot of attention lately, anti-perovskites hold just as much potential as functional materials. Bearing a similar crystal structure to perovskites but with an inverted electrical configuration, anti-perovskites ex.....»»
Researchers realize time reversal through input-output indefiniteness
A research team has constructed a coherent superposition of quantum evolution with two opposite directions in a photonic system and confirmed its advantage in characterizing input-output indefiniteness. The study was published in Physical Review Lett.....»»
New probe reveals water-ice microstructures
Ice is believed to have played a crucial role in the emergence of life. One reason is that organic molecules can be excluded into the gaps between the crystal lattice by orderly arranged water molecules, leading to the concentration of organic compou.....»»
A concentrated beam of particles and photons could push us to Proxima Centauri
Getting to Proxima Centauri b will take a lot of new technologies, but there are increasingly exciting reasons to do so. Both public and private efforts have started seriously looking at ways to make it happen, but so far, there has been one signific.....»»
New possibilities for reservoir computing with topological magnetic and ferroelectric systems
Speech recognition, weather forecasts, smart home applications: Artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are enhancing our everyday lives. Systems based on reservoir computing are a very promising new field......»»
New photonic crystal approach can enable sensitive and affordable detection of biomarkers
Biomarkers are small molecules of interest to researchers, because they can indicate underlying diseases, often even before symptoms even appear. However, detecting these markers can be challenging as they are often present in very low quantities, es.....»»
Novel material shows potential to produce green hydrogen
An article published in the journal Polymer describes the production of a material with the potential to be used to obtain hydrogen (H2) by solar-driven water splitting (photoelectrocatalysis) instead of the conventional electricity-driven process......»»
Researchers successfully fabricate NiS ultrafine nanorods with separated symmetry along two directions
Crystal symmetry is a fundamental concept in materials science, playing a crucial role in determining structure-property relationships. Typically, a crystal is a solid composed of structural units that periodically repeat in three-dimensional space,.....»»
First topological quantum simulator device in strong light-matter interaction regime to operate at room temperatures
Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have fabricated a device no wider than a human hair that will help physicists investigate the fundamental nature of matter and light. Their findings, published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, coul.....»»
Researchers develop framework for databasing properties of crystal defects
Point defects (e.g. missing, extra or swapped atoms) in crystalline materials often determine the actual electronic and optical response of a given material. For example, controlled substitutions in semiconductors like silicon are the backbone of mod.....»»