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Category: quantum physics – Page 12

Amid the many mysteries of quantum physics, subatomic particles don’t always follow the rules of the physical world. They can exist in two places at once, pass through solid barriers and even communicate across vast distances instantaneously. These behaviors may seem impossible, but in the quantum realm, scientists are exploring an array of properties once thought impossible.

In a new study, physicists at Brown University have now observed a novel class of quantum particles called fractional excitons, which behave in unexpected ways and could significantly expand scientists’ understanding of the .

“Our findings point toward an entirely new class of quantum particles that carry no overall charge but follow unique quantum statistics,” said Jia Li, an associate professor of physics at Brown.

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A research team led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has achieved a groundbreaking quantum simulation of the non-Hermitian skin effect in two dimensions using ultracold fermions, marking a significant advance in quantum physics research.

Quantum mechanics, which typically considers a well-isolated system from its environment, describes ubiquitous phenomena ranging from electron behavior in solids to information processing in quantum devices. This description typically requires a real-valued observable—specifically, a Hermitian model (Hamiltonian).

The hermiticity of the model, which guarantees conserved energy with real eigenvalues, breaks down when a quantum system exchanges particles and energy with its environment. Such an open quantum system can be effectively described by a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, providing crucial insights into , curved space, non-trivial topological phases, and even black holes. Nevertheless, many questions about non-Hermitian quantum dynamics remain unanswered, especially in higher dimensions.

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Ferroelectrics are special materials with polarized positive and negative charges—like a magnet has north and south poles—that can be reversed when external electricity is applied. The materials will remain in these reversed states until more power is applied, making them useful for data storage and wireless communication applications.

Now, turning a non-ferroelectric material into one may be possible simply by stacking it with another ferroelectric material, according to a team led by scientists from Penn State who demonstrated the phenomenon, called proximity ferroelectricity.

The discovery offers a new way to make without modifying their chemical formulation, which commonly degrades several useful properties. This has implications for next-generation processors, optoelectronics and quantum computing, the scientists said. The researchers published their findings in the journal Nature.

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We systematically investigated the detection performance of Al nanostrips for single photons at various wavelengths. The Al films were deposited using magnetron sputtering, and the sophisticated nanostructures and morphology of the deposited films were revealed through high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The fabricated Al meander nanostrips, with a thickness of 4.2 nm and a width of 178 nm, exhibited a superconducting transition temperature of 2.4 K and a critical current of approximately 5 μA at 0.85 K. While the Al nanostrips demonstrated a saturated internal quantum efficiency for 405-nm photons, the internal detection efficiency exhibited an exponential dependence on bias current without any saturation tendency for 1550-nm photons. This behavior can be attributed to the relatively large diffusion coefficient and coherence length of the Al films.

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The intricate relationship between quantum mechanics and classical physics has long puzzled scientists. Quantum mechanics operates in a bizarre world where particles can exist in multiple states simultaneously, a concept known as superposition. However, this principle appears to break down in the macroscopic realm.

Planets, stars, and even the universe itself don’t exhibit such superpositions, creating a significant challenge in understanding how the universe transitions from quantum to classical behavior.

At the heart of this enigma is the question: how does the universe, if fundamentally quantum, adhere to classical laws like general relativity? This puzzle has led to groundbreaking work by researchers such as Matteo Carlesso and his colleagues at the University of Trieste.

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Beyond fermions and bosons: unveiling new particle behaviors in mechanics.

In the world, particles traditionally fall into two categories: fermions (like electrons) and bosons (like photons), each obeying distinct exchange rules. These “exchange statistics” shape the behaviors of particles, from the structure of atoms to the glow of lasers. In two dimensions, a peculiar third type, called anyons, has been theorized and observed, adding a twist to this framework. But could there be even more possibilities?

This study ventures into uncharted territory by revisiting “parastatistics,” an idea from theory that goes beyond fermions and bosons. Previously dismissed as merely theoretical and equivalent to the known particle types, parastatistics now emerges in a new light. The researchers reveal that particles obeying non-trivial parastatistics can exist in real physical systems and behave in fundamentally different ways. These “paraparticles” follow unique rules of exclusion, resulting in strange and exotic thermodynamic behaviors unlike any seen in fermions or bosons.

To bring this concept to life, the team developed a mathematical framework for paraparticles, showing how they naturally fit within the broader universe. They designed solvable models where paraparticles arise as quasiparticles—tiny, particle-like excitations in materials—observable through their distinct exchange behavior. Remarkably, these models work in both one and two dimensions, demonstrating the tangible potential of paraparticles in real-world systems.

The findings hint at exciting possibilities: a new class of quasiparticles in condensed matter physics and, perhaps more provocatively, the existence of elementary particles governed by entirely novel statistics. This discovery could expand our understanding of the world and open the door to unimagined phenomena in both theory and experiment.

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Scientists at Brown University have discovered a new class of quantum particles known as fractional excitons, which exhibit both fermion and boson characteristics.

This groundbreaking finding could pave the way for new phases of matter and enhance quantum computing by providing unique ways to manipulate quantum states.

Novel Quantum Particles Discovered

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A century ago, a scientist named Alexander Gurwitsch introduced a groundbreaking concept: living cells emit a faint ultraviolet light, invisible to the naked eye, which they use to communicate with each other and stimulate internal processes. At the time, his theory was dismissed due to lack of solid evidence. Today, thanks to advances in quantum physics, Gurwitsch’s ideas are resurfacing, providing a fascinating new perspective on cellular biology.

In the 1920s, Gurwitsch, a Russian biologist, conducted experiments that challenged the scientific thinking of his time. He observed a peculiar phenomenon when placing the tip of an onion root close to another root.

In detail, the researcher noticed that more cell divisions occurred on the side of the root that was exposed to the tip. This phenomenon seemed to suggest a form of communication between cells, stimulated by a specific type of light. However, this light was not visible like the everyday light we are used to. It was a very faint ultraviolet light, which could travel through air and certain materials like quartz, but was blocked by others, such as glass.

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