High Energy Physics and Computational Science

Researchers at the University of Chicago have developed a new method for enhancing quantum information systems by integrating trapped atom arrays with photonic devices. This innovation allows for scalable quantum computing and networking by overcoming previous technological incompatibilities. The design features a semi-open chip that minimizes interference and enhances atom connectivity, promising significant advances in computational speed and interconnectivity for larger quantum systems. Merging Technologies for Enhanced Quantum Computing Quantum information systems promise faster, more powerful computing capabilities than traditional computers, offering potential solutions to some of the world’s most complex challenges. However, achieving this potential requires building larger, more interconnected quantum computers something scientists have yet to fully realize. Scaling these systems to larger sizes and linking multiple quantum systems together remains a significant challenge. Res...

Astronomers still struggle to understand phenomena that contradict our current understanding of gravity and the distribution of matter in the Universe. The most popular explanation for these observations is dark matter but since it has not been directly observed, some scientists favor alternative explanations, including the possibility that our widely accepted laws of physics are wrong or incomplete. Recent observations from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument provided a perfect testbed to make progress in solving the puzzle. Modern astronomy has an unsavory secret:  Astronomers don’t understand how the Universe works. Galaxies spin faster than can be explained by the observed matter and well-established laws of physics. Individual galaxies within vast clusters of galaxies move so fast that those clusters shouldn’t exist. And when researchers look at very distant galaxies, they are distorted as space acts like a giant lens. This distortion is more than Einstein’s theory of re...

Researchers reveal a way to use antiferromagnets to create data-storage devices without moving parts. Scientists have transformed memory device technology by utilizing antiferromagnetic materials and magnetic octupoles, achieving high speeds and low power consumption, paving the way for smaller, more efficient devices. Advanced Magnetic Memory Physicists at RIKEN have shown a groundbreaking method to create ultrafast, energy-efficient memory devices by replacing traditional magnetic materials with innovative alternatives. In standard hard disk drives, data is accessed by physically moving the magnetic disk . This mechanical movement not only slows down the process but also makes the system prone to wear and failure. Advantages of Domain-Wall Devices A more efficient solution involves using electrical currents to shift the boundaries between magnetic domains tiny regions in a material where magnetic moments are consistently aligned. These “domain-wall devices” hold great potential fo...

In a chilling Italian lab, scientists utilize extreme cold and ancient materials to challenge existing physics laws. Their research, aiming to detect phenomena like neutrino less double beta decay, could redefine understanding of matter and antimatter in the universe, involving students in groundbreaking experiments. Exploring the Universe’s Mysteries: The Italian Lab In a subterranean laboratory nestled beneath the Apennine Mountains in Italy, where the coldest temperatures in the known universe have been achieved, teams of international scientists are working to unravel one of particle physics’ greatest mysteries. Among the more than 150 leading researchers contributing to this groundbreaking work is Cal Poly physics professor Thomas Gutierrez. As the principal investigator of a $340,000, three-year grant funded by the National Science Foundation , Gutierrez plays a key role in the project. The Quest for Forbidden Nuclear Decay The research takes place at the Gran Sasso National Labo...

A recent study introduces a captivating notion: what if time isn’t a fundamental dimension of the universe, but rather an illusion born from quantum physics ? This idea could pave new ways to understand physics. Quantum entanglement, which mysteriously connects two particles, might hold the key to comprehending how we perceive time. The Time Conundrum in Physics Time is a topic that has long intrigued physicists. The two dominant theories, quantum mechanics and general relativity, seem to clash in their descriptions of time. In quantum mechanics, which deals with particle behavior at microscopic scales, time is often seen as a fixed element that flows linearly from past to present. However, it is not inherently connected to the particles themselves. Instead, it is measured by external events, such as the movement of clock hands . General relativity, developed by Einstein, paints a drastically different picture. Here, time is a fundamental dimension, deeply linked to space itself. Thi...

An abstract illustration of shining light. Whether light is a particle or a wave was a question that has vexed scientists for centuries. From the most distant stars in the sky to the screen in front of your face, light is everywhere. But the exact nature of light, and how it travels, has long puzzled scientists. One question in particular has vexed thinkers from Issac Newton to Albert Einstein : Is light a particle or a wave? "Whether light is a particle or a wave is a very old question," Riccardo Sapienza, a physicist at Imperial College London, told Live Science. As a species, we seem driven to understand the fundamental nature of the world around us, and this particular puzzle kept 19th-century scientists busy. Today, there's no doubt about the answer: Light is both a particle and a wave. But how did scientists reach this mind-bending conclusion? The starting point was to scientifically distinguish between waves and particles. "You would describe an object as a p...

Researchers from Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) and the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle have developed a groundbreaking method to analyze magnetic nanostructures with exceptional precision. This technique achieves a resolution of approximately 70 nanometers, far surpassing the 500-nanometer limit of conventional light microscopes . The advancement holds significant potential for developing new energy-efficient storage technologies based on spin electronics. The team’s findings are detailed in the latest issue of ACS Nano. Breakthrough in Nanoscale Imaging Conventional optical microscopes are limited by the wavelength of light, making it impossible to resolve details smaller than approximately 500 nanometers. A new method has overcome this barrier by harnessing the anomalous Nernst effect (ANE) and a metallic nanoscale tip. ANE generates an electrical voltage in a magnetic metal that is perpendicular to both its magnetization and a temperature g...

Researchers have developed a method to enhance fusion energy efficiency by optimizing fuel mixtures and employing spin polarization. This approach could significantly reduce tritium usage, leading to smaller and more manageable fusion reactors with lower operational costs and enhanced safety features. Enhanced Fusion Fuels for Practical Energy A new study published in the journal Nuclear Fusion suggests that modifying fusion fuels could address key challenges in making fusion a more practical energy source. The approach builds on the established use of deuterium and tritium , the most promising fuels for fusion energy, but enhances their quantum properties through a technique called spin polarization. This method involves aligning the quantum spins of about half the fuel atoms for improved performance. Additionally, the proportion of deuterium in the fuel mix would be increased from the typical 60% or more, further optimizing efficiency. Models developed by researchers at the U.S. Dep...

DGIST and UNIST researchers have discovered a new quantum state, the exciton-Floquet synthesis state, enabling real-time quantum information control in two-dimensional semiconductors. A research team led by Professor Jaedong Lee from the Department of Chemical Physics at DGIST (President Kunwoo Lee) has unveiled a groundbreaking quantum state and an innovative mechanism for extracting and manipulating quantum information through exciton and Floquet states. Collaborating with Professor Noejung Park from UNIST’s Department of Physics (President Chongrae Park), the team has, for the first time, demonstrated the formation and synthesis process of exciton and Floquet states, which arise from light-matter interactions in two-dimensional semiconductors . This study captures quantum information in real-time as it unfolds through entanglement, offering valuable insights into the exciton formation process in these materials, thereby advancing quantum information technology. Advantages of Two-D...

Scientists employ high-energy heavy ion collisions as a powerful tool to uncover intricate details of nuclear structure, offering insights with broad implications across various fields of physics. Scientists have developed a novel technique using high-energy particle collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science user facility for nuclear physics research located at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory. Detailed in a newly published paper in Nature, this method complements lower-energy approaches for studying nuclear structure. It offers deeper insights into the shapes of atomic nuclei, enhancing our understanding of the building blocks of visible matter. “In this new measurement, we not only quantify the overall shape of the nucleus whether it’s elongated like a football or squashed down like a tangerine but also the subtle triaxiality, the relative differences among its three principle axes that characterize a shape in b...