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Imagine owning a camera so powerful it can take freeze-frame photographs of a moving electron – an object traveling so fast it could circle the Earth many times in a second. Researchers at the University of Arizona have developed the world’s fastest electron microscope that can do just that.

They believe their work will lead to groundbreaking advancements in physics, chemistry, bioengineering, materials sciences and more.

“When you get the latest version of a smartphone, it comes with a better camera,” said Mohammed Hassan, associate professor of physics and optical sciences. “This transmission electron microscope is like a very powerful camera in the latest version of smartphones; it allows us to take pictures of things we were not able to see before – like electrons. With this microscope, we hope the scientific community can understand the quantum physics behind how an electron behaves and how an electron moves.”

Researchers have developed a new “sandwich” structure material that exhibits the quantum anomalous Hall effect, enabling electrons to travel with almost no resistance at higher temperatures.

This breakthrough could significantly enhance computing power while dramatically reducing energy consumption. The structure is based on a layered approach with bismuth telluride and manganese bismuth telluride, promising faster and more efficient future electronic devices.

Quantum Material Innovations

Scientists have developed simulations to investigate the rapid processes of quantum theory, revealing insights into quantum entanglement and its formation.

These findings, which detail how entanglement can be quantified and observed within attoseconds, demonstrate significant advances in understanding the temporal dynamics of quantum events.

Quantum theory and time: unraveling instantaneous effects.