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Better math discriminates exotic from classical materials

The planar Hall effect is a tabletop diagnostic tool for special quantum properties useful in basic research and technological applications. Or so it was thought, because careful calculation by Kobe University researchers clarifies the conditions under which this effect may also appear in classical materials. This makes the diagnostic more meaningful and enables more purposeful design.

In the hunt for materials with properties that are useful for quantum computing or spintronics, researchers have used the “planar Hall effect” as a tabletop diagnostic tool: The researchers send a current through a thin, flat sample and observe whether an electric voltage is produced in response to a magnetic field in the same plane as the sample.

If it is, the pattern of how the voltage responds to rotating the magnetic field in the plane of the sample tells researchers about the properties of the material.

Fiber optic components enable high-performance 2-µm fiber lasers

Laser systems operating in the 2-micrometer wavelength range open diverse opportunities in medical technology, agriculture, and plastics processing. In the Eurostars project DECOMP, Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. (LZH) has developed novel fiber optic components that overcome previous technical barriers.

Thulium-doped fiber lasers operate at a wavelength of approximately 2 micrometers, making them particularly well-suited for applications where conventional lasers reach their limits. However, commercially available laser sources that simultaneously offer high beam quality, sufficient laser power, and the necessary reliability in quasi-continuous-wave operation at power levels around 1 kilowatt have been lacking.

In the project, LZH scientists developed novel fiber optic components based on triple-clad fibers that enable a reliable and low-maintenance laser architecture. For the implementation of the final laser system, LZH collaborated with Futonics Laser GmbH as well as South Korean partners COSET, inc. and the Korean Photonics Technology Institute.

Stanford’s Revolutionary New Microscope Reveals Living Cells in Stunning Detail

Stanford researchers have developed a microscope that can show how nanostructures interact inside living cells at the highest resolution achieved so far. The view into living cells just got better. Stanford researchers have merged two microscopy methods to build a unique instrument that can ca

Dutch Authorities Dismantle Botnet Linked to 17 Million Infected Devices

Dutch authorities have announced the takedown of a botnet that enslaved millions of infected devices, including computers, tablets, smartphones, and IoT devices, to carry out malicious attacks.

The bot network, per the Dutch Politie and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), consisted of at least 17 million infected devices. More than 200 servers located in the Netherlands acted as the platform’s backend infrastructure.

According to a statement issued by the NCSC, police officials seized a subset of these servers from a hosting provider that provided the infrastructure. The provider is said to have subsequently taken the botnet offline following its use for criminal purposes.

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