Phys.org Physics

• Quantum nonlocality may be inherent in the very nature of identical particles

  At its deepest physical foundations, the world appears to be nonlocal: particles separated in space behave not as independent quantum systems, but as parts of a single one. Polish physicists have now shown that such nonlocality—arising from the simple fact that all particles of the same type are indistinguishable—can be observed experimentally for virtually all states of identical particles.

• Quantum 'pinball' state of matter in electrons allows both conducting and insulating properties, physicists discover

  Electricity powers our lives, including our cars, phones, computers, and more, through the movement of electrons within a circuit. While we can't see these electrons, electric currents moving through a conductor flow like water through a pipe to produce electricity.

• Breakthrough could connect quantum computers at 200X the distance

  Quantum computers are powerful, lightning-fast and notoriously difficult to connect to one another over long distances.

• Physicists observe key evidence of unconventional superconductivity in magic-angle graphene

  Superconductors are like the express trains in a metro system. Any electricity that "boards" a superconducting material can zip through it without stopping and losing energy along the way. As such, superconductors are extremely energy efficient, and are used today to power a variety of applications, from MRI machines to particle accelerators.

• How quantum computers can aid the search for room-temperature superconductors

  For the first time, a quantum computer has successfully measured pairing correlations (quantum signals that show electrons teaming up in pairs), which is essential to helping scientists find one of the holy grails of physics—superconductors that work at room temperature.

• New polariton technology could advance thin infrared detectors in various industries

  Researchers at the University of Turku, Finland, have developed an organic infrared photodiode that achieves record-level sensitivity in devices that are ultrathin and ready to be integrated into different applications. This infrared photodiode could pave the way for compact, low-power sensors for medical, environmental and wearable technologies.

• Compact laser system shows 80% efficiency for ultrashort light pulses is possible

  Lasers that emit extremely short light pulses are highly precise and are used in manufacturing, medical applications, and research. The problem: efficient short-pulse lasers require a lot of space and are expensive.

• Entanglement swapping using sum-frequency generation between single photons demonstrated for first time

  The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has successfully demonstrated entanglement swapping (one of the key quantum communication protocols) using sum-frequency generation (SFG) between single photons for the first time.

• Three nonlinear optical materials achieve sub-200-nm cutoff edges for advanced photonics

  Nonlinear optical (NLO) materials play a vital role in modern photonic technology, driving advancements in applications such as laser frequency conversion, ultrafast optical switching, and quantum information processing. Among NLO crystals, borate-based systems have long remained at the forefront of short-wavelength (

• A long, bumpy caterpillar-like wormhole may connect two black holes

  For obvious reasons, we do not know what the inside of a black hole looks like. But thanks to theoretical physics, we can ask what the inside should look like if Einstein's theory of gravity and the rules of quantum mechanics are both true. A new study published in the journal Physical Review Letters has done exactly this by concentrating on two black holes that are deeply entangled (linked together by quantum rules).

• Asymmetric stress engineering advances current-carrying performance of iron-based superconducting wires

  A collaborative research team led by Prof. Ma Yanwei from the Institute of Electrical Engineering (IEE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), has shattered records in the current-carrying performance of iron-based superconducting wires.

• Chasing and splashing molecules create resilient order from apparent chaos, study shows

  In nature, ordered structures are essential to maintain both stability and functionality in living systems, as observed in repeating structures or the formation of complex molecules. Yet, the creation of this order is based on universal physical principles which eventually allow the creation of living matter and organic structures.

• Plasma lens can focus attosecond pulses across different ranges of XUV light

  A team of researchers from the Max Born Institute (MBI) in Berlin and DESY in Hamburg has demonstrated a plasma lens capable of focusing attosecond pulses. This breakthrough substantially increases the attosecond power available for experiments, opening up new opportunities for studying ultrafast electron dynamics. The results have now been published in Nature Photonics.

• Paradox of rotating turbulence finally tamed with 'hurricane-in-a-lab'

  From stirring milk in your coffee to fearsome typhoon gales, rotating turbulent flows are everywhere. Yet, these spinning currents are as scientifically complex as they are banal. Describing, modeling, and predicting turbulent flows have important implications across many fields, from weather forecasting to studying the formation of planets in the accretion disk of nascent stars.

• Two independent quantum networks successfully fused into one

  Many quantum researchers are working toward building technologies that allow for the existence of a global quantum internet, in which any two users on Earth would be able to conduct large-scale quantum computing and communicate securely with the help of quantum entanglement. Although this requires many more technological advancements, a team of researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China have managed to merge two independent networks, bringing the world a bit closer to realizing a quantum internet.

• Scientists reveal it is feasible to send quantum signals from Earth to a satellite

  Quantum satellites currently beam entangled particles of light from space down to different ground stations for ultra-secure communications. New research shows it is also possible to send these signals upward, from Earth to a satellite; something once thought unfeasible.

• Superconducting qubit that lasts for over 1 millisecond is primed for industrial scaling

  In a major step toward practical quantum computers, Princeton engineers have built a superconducting qubit that lasts three times longer than today's best versions.

• Golf's cruelest moment: The physics behind the 'lip out' phenomenon

  Picture this: It's the 18th hole and the game's on the line. You line up your putt, take a breath, and roll the ball toward the hole. The pace is firm, the line looks good—until the ball dips in, then cruelly pops back out onto the green. New research led by the University of Bristol has looked at the physics of what's known as the golf lip out.

• Photoinduced non-reciprocal magnetism effectively violates Newton's third law

  A theoretical framework predicts the emergence of non-reciprocal interactions that effectively violate Newton's third law in solids using light, report researchers from Japan. They demonstrate that by irradiating light of a carefully tuned frequency onto a magnetic metal, one can induce a torque that drives two magnetic layers into a spontaneous, persistent "chase-and-run" rotation. This work opens a new frontier in non-equilibrium materials science and suggests novel applications in light-controlled quantum materials.

• Optimizing avalanche photodiode design for photodetection in the ultraviolet wavelength

  Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (GM-APDs) are highly sensitive light detectors, capable of detecting single photons. Photons of certain wavelengths, when absorbed by photodiodes, generate electron-hole pairs in a process called impact ionization which can result in a multiplication of charges when occurring in an electric field.

• Infrared sensors gain sensitivity with ultra-thin lens for fire and threat monitoring

  Researchers have developed a highly sensitive method for detecting hotspots in the environment, such as bushfires or military threats, by harnessing the focusing power of meta-optical systems.

• Physicists achieve high precision in measuring strontium atoms using rubidium neighbor

  Having good neighbors can be very valuable—even in the atomic world. A team of Amsterdam physicists was able to determine an important property of strontium atoms, a highly useful element for modern applications in atomic clocks and quantum computers, to unprecedented precision. To achieve this, they made clever use of a nearby cloud of rubidium atoms. The results were published in the journal Physical Review Letters this week.

• Calculating the spreading of fluids in porous materials to understand saltwater in soil

  A solution to a tricky groundwater riddle from Australia: Researchers at TU Wien have developed numerical models to simulate the movement of fluids in porous materials.

• Thin-film strontium titanate sets electro-optic performance record at cryogenic temperatures

  At 4 degrees Kelvin, most electro-optic materials falter. Nanoelectronics R&D center imec has now successfully engineered thin-film strontium titanate (SrTiO₃) that delivers record electro-optic performance with low optical loss, pointing to shorter, faster building blocks for quantum devices.

• Startup provides a nontechnical gateway to coding on quantum computers

  Quantum computers have the potential to model new molecules and weather patterns better than any computer today. They may also one day accelerate artificial intelligence algorithms at a much lower energy footprint. But anyone interested in using quantum computers faces a steep learning curve that starts with getting access to quantum devices and then figuring out one of the many quantum software programs on the market.