High Energy Physics and Computational Science

A breakthrough in spintronics reveals that material defects can be harnessed to boost device efficiency, overturning decades of assumptions. Scientists have discovered a way to transform what was once considered a major problem in electronics, material defects, into a powerful quantum-based advantage. This breakthrough could open the door to a new generation of spintronic devices that operate with extremely low power demands. Spintronics, short for “spin electronics,” is an area of research that seeks to move beyond the boundaries of traditional electronic technology. Standard devices depend solely on the electrical charge of electrons to process and store data. In contrast, spintronics taps into two additional quantum features: spin angular momentum, which can be pictured as an inherent “up” or “down” orientation of each electron, and orbital angular momentum, which describes the paths electrons follow as they circle atomic nuclei. By using these added dimensions, spintronic systems...

Physicists have, for the first time, shown that even a single photon obeys one of nature’s strictest rules: conservation of angular momentum. Achieved only once in a billion attempts, this needle-in-a-haystack success not only proves a cornerstone law of physics at the smallest scale but also opens a pathway to advanced quantum technologies , from entangled states to secure communication. Quantum-Level Confirmation of Angular Momentum Conservation Researchers at Tampere University, working with colleagues in Germany and India, have demonstrated for the first time that angular momentum remains conserved when a single photon splits into two. This result confirms a core principle of physics at the quantum scale and marks a milestone that could help in creating advanced quantum states for use in computing, communication, and sensing technologies. Conservation laws are central to science because they determine which processes are possible and which are not. A familiar example is seen in bi...

A discarded mathematical oddity has become the key to unlocking universal quantum computing. By combining Ising anyons with a newly recognized particle, the neglecton, researchers showed that complex computations could be done with braiding alone. This breakthrough could make once-impossible quantum operations a reality. Fragile Qubits and the Quantum Challenge Quantum computers could one day tackle problems that even the most advanced supercomputers cannot approach. Yet the machines available today are extremely delicate. Their basic units of information, called quantum bits or “qubits,” are highly sensitive to their surroundings, which causes frequent disruptions and rapidly accumulating errors. A leading strategy for overcoming this weakness is topological quantum computing. Instead of relying on fragile qubits, this method seeks to safeguard quantum information by embedding it within the geometric properties of unusual particles known as anyons. Predicted to exist in certain two-di...

By controlling this state, researchers can enable the development of smarter, reconfigurable, and energy-efficient devices that function like the brain. Researchers at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) have successfully created a new form of magnetic state known as a magneto-ionic vortex, or “vortion.” Their findings, published in Nature Communications, demonstrate an unprecedented ability to control magnetic properties at the nanoscale under normal room temperature conditions. This achievement could pave the way for next-generation magnetic technologies . As the growth of Big Data continues, the energy needs of information technologies have risen sharply. In most systems, data is stored using electric currents, but this process generates excess heat and wastes energy. A more efficient approach is to control magnetic memory through voltage rather than current. Magneto-ionic materials make this possible by enabling their magnetic properties to be adjusted when ions are insert...

A rare mineral found in a centuries-old meteorite and even on Mars has stunned scientists with its bizarre heat behavior. Neither fully crystal nor fully glass, this hybrid material conducts heat in a way unlike anything else known: it stays constant across temperatures instead of rising or falling. Why Heat-Conduction Matters in Modern Technology Crystals and glasses handle heat in completely different ways, a property that plays an important role in many modern technologies . These include everything from making electronics smaller and more efficient, to recovering wasted heat for energy, to extending the life of thermal shields used in aerospace. Improving the performance and durability of the materials behind these technologies depends on understanding how their chemistry and atomic arrangement (for example, crystalline, glassy, or nanostructured) affects the way they carry heat. Michele Simoncelli, an assistant professor of applied physics and applied mathematics at Columbia Engi...

Collapsing stars might act as cosmic laboratories for discovering hidden neutrino interactions. Neutrinos are among the most puzzling particles in the universe. Nearly massless and incredibly elusive, they rarely interact with anything, yet they play a deadly role in the life cycle of stars far larger than our sun. These subatomic particles exist in three known types electron, muon, and tau and despite decades of study, many of their behaviors remain poorly understood. Because neutrinos interact so weakly, it is nearly impossible to make them collide under laboratory conditions. As a result, scientists still do not know whether they follow the interaction rules laid out by the standard model of particle physics or if they engage in theorized “secret” interactions exclusive to neutrinos. In a new study, researchers with the Network for Neutrinos, Nuclear Astrophysics , and Symmetries (N3AS), including members from UC San Diego, have used theoretical models to demonstrate that massive s...

Physicists are harnessing thorium-229’s unusual nuclear properties to develop an ultra-precise “nuclear clock” capable of detecting forces 10 trillion times weaker than gravity. Such sensitivity could make it the ultimate tool for spotting the elusive influence of dark matter, which subtly distorts the properties of ordinary matter. The Long Quest for Dark Matter For nearly 100 years, researchers worldwide have been attempting to uncover the nature of dark matter , an invisible substance believed to comprise roughly 80 percent of the universe’s total mass. This mysterious substance is essential for explaining many observed cosmic phenomena, yet it remains undetected in any direct experiment. Scientists have explored a wide range of approaches to find it, from attempting to create dark matter particles in high-energy particle accelerators to searching for faint cosmic radiation it might emit. Despite these efforts, its core characteristics are still largely unknown. While it does not in...

A Copenhagen team has unlocked a clever “backdoor” into studying rare quantum states once thought beyond reach. Scientists at the Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, have discovered a new approach for investigating rare quantum states that occur within superconducting vortices . These states were first proposed in the 1960s, but confirming their existence has proven extremely challenging because they occur at energy levels too small for most experiments to detect directly. This breakthrough was achieved through a mix of creative problem-solving and the advanced development of custom-made materials in the Niels Bohr Institute’s laboratories. The research findings have been published in Physical Review Letters. Synthetic superconducting vortices – finding a “backdoor.” Instead of trying to observe the elusive states in their original setting, the researchers, led by a professor at the Niels Bohr Institute, Saulius Vaitiekėnas, built a completely new material system that mimic...

Fast, precise, and ready for use in the field: a quantum-level optical frequency comb system capable of measuring 0.34 nanometers in just 25 microseconds. The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science has developed a cutting-edge system for measuring length with a level of precision that comes remarkably close to the fundamental quantum limit. This new system delivers exceptional measurement accuracy and is built to be both compact and durable, making it well-suited for use outside of laboratory settings. Its performance positions it as a promising candidate for establishing the next standard in advanced length metrology. At present, the highest-precision tools for measuring length are known as national length measurement standards, which define the meter. These instruments, managed by top metrology organizations such as KRISS, rely on interferometers that use single-wavelength lasers to achieve nanometer-scale precision. The problem with single-wavelength lasers Single-wavele...

In a first, scientists have recreated the formation of the first ever molecules in the universe to learn more about early star formation. For the first time, researchers have recreated the universe's first ever molecules by mimicking the conditions of the early universe. The findings shake up our understanding of the origin of stars in the early universe and "calls for a reassessment of the helium chemistry in the early universe," the researchers wrote in the new study, published July 24 in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics . The first stars in the universe Just after the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago, the universe was subject to extremely high temperatures. A few seconds later, though, temperatures decreased enough for hydrogen and helium to form as the first ever elements. Hundreds of thousands of years after those elements formed, temperatures became cool enough for their atoms to combine with electrons in a variety of different configurations, forging molecules...

A peer-reviewed study reports the development of ultrafast modulation technology in nanoelectronics. Physicists from Bielefeld University and the Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW Dresden) have introduced a new technique that uses ultrashort light pulses to manipulate atomically thin semiconductors . Their research, published in Nature Communications, could lead to the development of optoelectronic components that operate at extremely high speeds using light as the control mechanism, opening the door to next-generation technologies. The team achieved this by designing nanoscale antennas that transform terahertz light into vertical electric fields within atomically thin materials such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂). Terahertz radiation falls in the electromagnetic spectrum between infrared and microwave frequencies. Thanks to the novel antenna design, the resulting electric fields can reach strengths of several megavolts per centimeter. “Traditionall...

Scientists propose a groundbreaking experiment using quantum computers and atomic clocks to test whether gravity alters the fundamental rules of quantum theory. A recent study featured in the journal PRX Quantum reveals how a network of quantum computers equipped with optical clocks can be used to investigate how gravity influences quantum systems. The researchers found that placing three quantum computers at different elevations, even with just a 1-kilometer difference in height, allows Earth’s curved gravitational field to measurably affect the quantum states shared among them. Their work outlines how this setup could offer the first direct evidence that conventional quantum theory may need to be revised to incorporate the principles of general relativity. “There is an extensive body of theoretical work suggesting that what we currently accept as quantum theory needs to be modified to account for general relativity, and we have devised an experiment to explore one aspect of this devi...

In a major advance for quantum technology, researchers have discovered a surprisingly simple method to preserve atomic spin coherence using just a single laser beam. Scientists have developed a surprisingly effective technique to preserve atomic information, addressing a major obstacle in the advancement of quantum technologies . The approach involves directing a single, finely tuned laser at a gas of atoms, which helps synchronize their internal spins and significantly slows the loss of information. In many quantum devices such as sensors and memory systems, atoms can lose their magnetic alignment (known as spin) through collisions with each other or with the container walls. This process, called spin relaxation, undermines the reliability and accuracy of these technologies. Past solutions typically relied on operating in ultra-low magnetic fields and using cumbersome magnetic shielding equipment. The newly introduced method avoids those limitations. Rather than shielding the system, ...

Collapsing stars might act as cosmic laboratories for discovering hidden neutrino interactions. Neutrinos are among the most puzzling particles in the universe. Nearly massless and incredibly elusive, they rarely interact with anything, yet they play a deadly role in the life cycle of stars far larger than our sun. These subatomic particles exist in three known types electron, muon, and tau and despite decades of study, many of their behaviors remain poorly understood. Because neutrinos interact so weakly, it is nearly impossible to make them collide under laboratory conditions. As a result, scientists still do not know whether they follow the interaction rules laid out by the standard model of particle physics or if they engage in theorized “secret” interactions exclusive to neutrinos. In a new study, researchers with the Network for Neutrinos, Nuclear Astrophysics , and Symmetries (N3AS), including members from UC San Diego, have used theoretical models to demonstrate that massive s...