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Stable molecule trapped with deep ultraviolet light for the first time

Researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at the Fritz Haber Institute have demonstrated the first magneto-optical trap of a stable “closed-shell” molecule: aluminum monofluoride (AlF). They were able to cool AlF with lasers and selectively trap it in three different rotational quantum levels—breaking new ground in ultracold physics.

Their experiments open the door to advanced precision spectroscopy and quantum simulation with AlF. The work has been accepted for publication in Physical Review Letters and is currently available on the arXiv preprint server.

Cooling matter to temperatures near absolute zero (0 K, −273.15°C) acts like a microscope for quantum mechanical behavior, bringing physics that is normally blurred out into sharp focus. Classic historical examples include the 1911 discovery of superconductivity in mercury metal cooled near 4 K, and anomalous thermal behavior in due to its “ortho” and “para” spin states. These phenomena confounded classical physics theories of the time, driving both the evolution of quantum mechanics, as well as efforts to reach ever lower temperatures.

Harnessing intricate, self-organized plasma patterns to destroy PFAS

Increasing the surface area when plasma and water interact could help scale up a technology that destroys contaminants such as PFAS, detergents and microbial contaminants in drinking water, new research from the University of Michigan shows.

Under certain conditions, when comes in contact with water, it can self-organize, forming intricate patterns resembling stars, wagon wheels or gears that expand the . While the physics of plasma self organization remains elusive, a better understanding can help harness it for more efficient water decontamination.

The U-M research team captured the first images of the water surface below the self-organizing plasma, revealing that the plasma exerts an electrical force on the water that distorts the surface and also generates surface waves.

Could mass arise without the Higgs boson?

The geometry of space, where physical laws unfold, may also hold answers to some of the deepest questions in fundamental physics. The very structure of spacetime might underlie every interaction in nature.

A paper published in Nuclear Physics B, led by Richard Pincak, explores the idea that all and particle properties could emerge from the geometry of hidden .

According to the study, the universe may contain invisible dimensions folded into intricate seven-dimensional shapes known as G₂-manifolds. Traditionally, these structures have been studied as static. But Pincak and colleagues consider them as dynamic: evolving under a process called the G₂–Ricci flow, where the internal geometry changes with time.

Turning the faint quantum ‘glow’ of empty space into a measurable flash

Researchers from Stockholm University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Mohali have reported a practical way to spot one of physics’ strangest predictions: the Unruh effect, which says that an object speeding up (accelerating) would perceive empty space as faintly warm. But, trying to heat something up by accelerating it unimaginably fast is a nonstarter in the lab. The team has shown how to convert that tiny effect into a clear, timestamped flash of light.

Here’s the simple picture. Imagine a group of atoms between two parallel mirrors. The mirrors can either speed up or slow down light emission from the atoms. When these atoms cooperate, they can emit together like a choir—much louder than solo singers. This collective outburst is called superradiance.

The new study explains how the acceleration-induced warmth of empty space, if experienced by the atoms, quietly nudges them so that the choir’s burst happens earlier than it would for atoms sitting still. That earlier-than-expected flash becomes a clean, easy-to-spot signature of the Unruh effect. The work, co-authored with Kinjalk Lochan and Sandeep K. Goyal of IISER Mohali, is now published in Physical Review Letters.

New quantum sensing method measures three light properties at once with high precision

A new method for measuring three different properties of light, at the same time, has been developed using an interferometry-based quantum sensing scheme capable of simultaneously estimating multiple parameters of an optical network.

The approach could help advances in the fields of medicine and astronomy, for example, to improve the precision and scope of quantum measurements across applications ranging from biological imaging to gravitational wave detection.

To date, it has only been possible to measure each parameter individually. However, research published in The European Physical Journal Plus has demonstrated, for the first time, that three independent optical parameters can be measured in a single “view” with ultimate quantum precision, without the need to examine each one of them individually.

Developers and expert users benchmark three leading open-source thermal conductivity calculation packages

Mechanical Engineering Professor Alan McGaughey of Carnegie Mellon University recently coordinated the Phonon Olympics, bringing togetherAlthough there’s no medal at the end of the Phonon Olympics, for McGaughey, the collaboration required to evaluate the accuracy of three widely used open-source thermal conductivity packages was worth more than gold.

For the last decade, researchers seeking to understand the properties of new materials have turned to open-source packages to perform thermal conductivity calculations. These packages enable a broader community to study , but until now users had no way of knowing whether or not each package would produce consistent and accurate results.

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