Blog
- Seven exotic quantum phases predicted in ultracold magnetic atoms, including topological superconductivity 14/07/2026 Strongly interacting quantum particles are key to some of the most fascinating phenomena in modern physics—from magnetism and superconductivity to topological states. Yet the complexity of such systems makes many of their properties difficult to understand even today. A research team from Innsbruck and Turin has now proposed a new theoretical framework for generating and studying these exotic states of matter in ultracold magnetic atoms in a one-dimensional lattice.
- Geometric anti-spring works near absolute zero, suppressing vibrations below 0.185 hertz 09/07/2026 Physicists and instrument makers in Leiden have succeeded in optimizing a spring that almost completely filters out vibrations at temperatures near absolute zero. This breakthrough opens the door to a new generation of highly sensitive experiments. The research is published in the journal Measurement Science and Technology.
- Topological suppression of quantum tunnelling in a lanthanide single-ion molecular magnet 07/07/2026 Quantum coherence can be preserved by exploiting topology, encoding information in global geometric properties that resist local perturbations. These properties depend on the trajectory of quantum operations and curvature in parameter space, offering a topology-based route to fault-tolerant quantum computation. While geometric phase interference (Berry phase) is widely studied to probe a system’s topology, its direct detection in 4f-based molecular magnets—promising qudit platforms—has remained elusive. We present a magneto-spectroscopic μSQUID-EPR approach to resolve tunnel splittings in the Gd-based molecular magnet [160GdPcâ‚‚]â» (Pc = phthalocyanine). By irradiating single crystals with microwaves under transverse magnetic fields, we map the spin (S = 7/2) manifold and observe pronounced oscillations in tunnel splitting—a hallmark of quantum phase interference. These oscillations reveal topological quenching and higher-order anisotropy, underscoring the role of topology in 4f systems and opening pathways toward holonomic quantum computation.
- IBM Debuts World’s First Sub-1 Nanometer Chip Technology 30/06/2026 Built with revolutionary “nanostack” 3D chip architecture, IBM’s sub-1 nm chip to propel semiconductor industry forward for the next decade
- Ultrathin nanotubes reach 1 nanometer, opening path to smaller electronics 10/06/2026 Researchers in Japan have created some of the world's smallest semiconducting nanotubes, structures 100,000 times thinner than a human hair. By growing molybdenum disulfide inside protective tubes of boron nitride, the researchers, including those from the University of Tokyo, produced highly uniform tubes just 1 nanometer wide, a scale at which it's difficult to make stable nanotube structures. The work confirms decades-old theoretical predictions about how these ultrafine materials behave and could also provide a new route toward miniaturized electronic devices.
- Quantum Design Completes Second Acquisition of 2026 09/06/2026 Quantum Design closes acquisition of Qnami, expanding its portfolio serving the quantum technology space.
- Nickelate superconductors share a common electronic fingerprint 09/06/2026 Superconductors, materials that conduct electricity with zero electrical resistance at specific temperature ranges, have proved very promising for the development of quantum computers and other cutting-edge technologies. While most of these materials become superconducting at very low temperatures, others exhibit superconductivity at higher temperatures.
- Metamaterials enable control of heat transfer at nanoscale, potentially transforming energy and electronics 04/06/2026 Heat behaves in predictable ways: a hot cup of coffee cools, a laptop warms your hands, the sun heats Earth. But at scales thousands of times smaller than a human hair, those rules begin to break down, and scientists are learning how to take advantage of that.
- Graphene plasmon cavities enable advanced and scalable terahertz photodetectors 02/06/2026 How could we noninvasively distinguish between healthy and cancerous tissue? And how could we increase the speed of wireless communications? These two seemingly unrelated questions may share the same answer: terahertz (THz) light. Spanning frequencies between 0.3 and 20 THz, THz light interacts with matter without causing damage and allows for faster data transfer than radio waves. It is thus ideal for advancing many applications in biomedicine and telecommunications, for which simple yet sensitive and fast detectors are needed.
- Silver nanoparticles enable assembly of a theorized, previously unobserved crystal metallic structure 02/06/2026 Using finely tuned nanoscale building blocks, researchers from Brown University and the University of Michigan College of Engineering have stabilized a fleeting structural phase of matter that had been predicted theoretically but never before stabilized in a physical material.
- When order gives way to chaos—the turbulent birth of magnetic nanovortices 28/05/2026 Magnetic switching processes are considered a prime example of controllable physics at the nanometer scale: in certain thin-film systems, a short electrical current pulse is sufficient to reverse the magnetization in a targeted way. The underlying effect is the so-called spin–orbit torque: the current exerts a force on the magnetic moments in the material and can thus flip them in a controlled manner. This effect is expected to enable new data storage and computing architectures in the future.