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Beta-decay half-life measurements reveal evolution of nuclear shell structure

An international team of researchers has systematically measured the β-decay half-lives of 40 nuclei near calcium-54, providing key experimental data for understanding the structure of extremely neutron-rich nuclei.

The study, published in Physical Review Letters, was led by researchers from the Institute of Modern Physics (IMP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with institutions including RIKEN in Japan and Peking University.

Atomic nuclei exhibit exceptional stability when the proton (Z) or neutron (N) number reaches certain “magic numbers,” such as 2, 8, 20, 28, 50, 82, or 126. The shell model successfully explained these magic numbers by introducing spin-orbit coupling, a contribution for which M. Mayer and J. Jensen were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1963.

Observing the positronium beam as a quantum matter wave for the first time

One of the discoveries that fundamentally distinguished the emerging field of quantum physics from classical physics was the observation that matter behaves differently at the smallest scales. A key finding was wave-particle duality, the revelation that particles can exhibit wave-like properties.

This duality was famously demonstrated in the double-slit experiment. When electrons were fired through two slits, they created an interference pattern of light and dark fringes on a detector. This pattern showed that each electron behaved like a wave, with its quantum wave-function passing through both slits and interfering with itself. The same phenomenon was later confirmed for neutrons, helium atoms, and even large molecules, making matter-wave diffraction a cornerstone of quantum mechanics.

Stealth quantum sensors unlock possibilities anywhere GPS doesn’t work

As commercial interest in quantum technologies accelerates, entrepreneurial minds at the University of Waterloo are not waiting for opportunities—they are creating them.

Among them is Alex Maierean (MMath ‘24), CEO of Phantom Photonics and part-time Ph.D. student at the Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC). Her startup is developing ultra-sensitive quantum sensors that can filter out background noise and detect the faintest signals, even down to a single photon—the smallest unit of light. This offers new levels of precision and stealth for industries operating in extreme environments, from the depths of the ocean to outer space.

Launched in 2023, the Velocity startup emerged from fundamental research at an IQC lab led by Dr. Thomas Jennewein, IQC affiliate and adjunct faculty in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. Today, the startup is based at Velocity where it has established a dedicated lab space to continue to develop its quantum sensor technology and build its core team.

Bioinspired phototransistor achieves high-sensitivity detection of low-contrast targets

Drawing inspiration from the remarkable adaptability of the human eye, researchers from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a novel phototransistor with tunable sensitivity.

This breakthrough provides an efficient solution for detecting low-contrast targets in complex visual environments, which is a critical challenge for advanced machine vision systems in applications such as precision guidance and smart surveillance.

The results are published in Light: Science & Applications.

Mystery Solved? Fast Radio Bursts Linked to Orbiting Stellar Companions

Astronomers have found compelling evidence that at least some fast radio bursts originate from stars in binary systems rather than from isolated objects. An international group of astronomers, including a researcher from the Department of Physics at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has identifi

Scientists Say a Major Quantum Computing Breakthrough Was Not What It Seemed

Replication is a cornerstone of science, yet even in the natural sciences, attempts to reproduce results do not always succeed. Quantum computing promises machines that can solve certain problems far beyond today’s computers, but it faces a stubborn obstacle: quantum information is extremely frag

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