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Category: particle physics – Page 16

Plasmon effects in neutron star magnetospheres could pose new limits on the detection of axions

Dark matter is an elusive type of matter that does not emit, reflect or absorb light, yet is predicted to account for most of the universe’s mass. As it cannot be detected and studied using conventional experimental techniques, the nature and composition of dark matter have not yet been uncovered.

One of the most promising candidates (i.e., hypothetical particles that dark matter could be made of) are axions. Theory suggests that axions could convert into light particles (i.e., photons) under specific conditions, which could in turn generate signals that can be picked up by sophisticated equipment.

In , such as those surrounding neutron stars with large magnetic fields (i.e., magnetars), the conversion of axions into photons has been predicted to generate weak radio signals that could be detected using powerful Earth-based or space-based radio telescopes.

New method for making graphene turns defects into improvements

Recent research has found a new way to make graphene that adds structural defects to improve the performance of the material that could have benefits across a range of applications—from sensors and batteries, to electronics.

Scientists from the University of Nottingham’s School of Chemistry, University of Warwick and Diamond Light Source developed a single-step process to grow -like films using a molecule, Azupyrene, whose shape mimics that of the desired defect. The research has been published today in Chemical Science.

David Duncan, Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham and one of the study’s lead authors, explains, “Our study explores a new way to make graphene, this super-thin, super-strong material is made of carbon atoms, and while perfect graphene is remarkable, it is sometimes too perfect. It interacts weakly with other materials and lacks crucial electronic properties required in the semiconductor industry.”

Researchers are first to image directional atomic vibrations

Researchers at the University of California, Irvine, together with international collaborators, have developed a new electron microscopy method that has enabled the first-ever imaging of vibrations, or phonons, in specific directions at the atomic scale.

In many crystallized materials, atoms vibrate differently along varying directions, a property known as vibrational anisotropy, which strongly influences their dielectric, thermal and even superconducting behavior. Gaining a deeper understanding of this anisotropy allows engineers to tailor materials for use in electronics, semiconductors, optics and quantum computing.

In a paper published in Nature, the UC Irvine-led team details the workings of its momentum-selective electron energy-loss spectroscopy technique and its power to unveil the fundamental lattice dynamics of functional materials.

Neutron detector mobilizes muons for nuclear, quantum material

In a collaboration showing the power of innovation and teamwork, physicists and engineers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed a mobile muon detector that promises to enhance monitoring for spent nuclear fuel and help address a critical challenge for quantum computing.

Similar to neutrons, scientists use muons, fundamental subatomic particles that travel at nearly the speed of light, to allow scientists to peer deep inside matter at the atomic scale without damaging samples. However, unlike neutrons, which decay in about 10 minutes, muons decay within a couple of microseconds, posing challenges for using them to better understand the world around us.

The new detector achieves an important step toward ensuring the safety and accountability of nuclear materials and supports the development of advanced nuclear reactors that will help address the challenges of waste management. It also acts as a key step toward developing algorithms and methods to manage errors caused by cosmic radiation in qubits, the basic units of information in quantum computing. The development of the muon detector at ORNL reflects the lab’s strengths in discovery science enabled by multidisciplinary teams and powerful research tools to address national priorities.

Controlling electron interference in time with chirped laser pulses

In quantum mechanics, particles such as electrons act like waves and can even interfere with themselves—a striking and counterintuitive feature that defies our classical view of reality. We know this kind of interference happens in space, where different paths can overlap and combine, but what if we could take it further? What if we could control quantum interference in time, where electrons created at different moments interfere?

In a new study published in Physical Review Letters, a team of researchers developed a novel technique—chirped laser-assisted dynamic interference—to manipulate temporal during photoionization.

By using extreme-ultraviolet pulses with time-varying central frequency, in combination with intense infrared laser fields, they guided electron motion with unprecedented precision.

The Solar Wind Is Hiding Strange Particles That Could Rewrite Space Weather

Data may challenge and reshape current models of solar wind evolution.

A recent study led by Dr. Michael Starkey of the Southwest Research Institute has delivered the first observational evidence from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) Mission of pickup ions (PUIs) and their related wave activity in the solar wind near Earth. NASA launched the MMS mission in 2015, deploying four spacecraft to study Earth’s magnetosphere, the magnetic field that protects the planet from harmful solar and cosmic radiation.

Formation and behavior of PUIs.

Measuring the quantum W state

Kyoto, Japan — The concept of quantum entanglement is emblematic of the gap between classical and quantum physics. Referring to a situation in which it is impossible to describe the physics of each photon separately, this key characteristic of quantum mechanics defies the classical expectation that each particle should have a reality of its own, which gravely concerned Einstein. Understanding the potential of this concept is essential for the realization of powerful new quantum technologies.

Primordial black hole’s final burst may solve neutrino mystery

The last gasp of a primordial black hole may be the source of the highest-energy “ghost particle” detected to date, a new MIT study proposes.

In a paper appearing today in Physical Review Letters, MIT physicists put forth a strong theoretical case that a recently observed, highly energetic neutrino may have been the product of a primordial black hole exploding outside our solar system.

Neutrinos are sometimes referred to as ghost particles, for their invisible yet pervasive nature: They are the most abundant particle type in the universe, yet they leave barely a trace. Scientists recently identified signs of a neutrino with the highest energy ever recorded, but the source of such an unusually powerful particle has yet to be confirmed.

Novel catalyst design could make green hydrogen production more efficient and durable

A new type of catalyst—a material that speeds up chemical reactions—that could make the production of clean hydrogen fuel more efficient and long-lasting has been developed by a team led by City University of Hong Kong, including researchers from Hong Kong, mainland China, and Japan.

This breakthrough uses high-density single atoms of iridium (a rare metal) to greatly improve the process of splitting water into and , which is key to like hydrogen fuel cells and large-scale energy storage.

The researchers created a highly stable and active by placing single iridium atoms on ultra-thin sheets made of cobalt and cerium compounds. Called CoCe–O–IrSA, the final product performs exceptionally well in the water-splitting process. It requires very little extra energy (just 187 mV of overpotential at 100 mA cm-2) to drive the oxygen evolution reaction at a high rate, and it stays stable for more than 1,000 hours under demanding conditions.

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