Physics and Matter News Archives Page 3

A novel X-ray source could be brightest in the world (6/22/2008)

Oscillator projected to increase current brightness by millions of times ...> Full Article

Trap and zap: Harnessing the power of light to pattern surfaces on the nanoscale (6/21/2008)

engineers have invented an affordable technique that uses lasers and plastic beads to create the ultrasmall features that are needed for new generations of microchips. ...> Full Article

Exciton-Based Circuits Eliminate a 'Speed Trap' Between Computing and Communication Signals, Physicists Discover (6/20/2008)

Particles called excitons that emit a flash of light as they decay could be used for a new form of computing better suited to fast communication ...> Full Article

Protons partner with neutrons more often than other protons (6/19/2008)

Fast-moving protons are much more likely to pair up with fast-moving neutrons than with other protons in the nuclei of atoms ...> Full Article

Physicists Produce Quantum-Entangled Images (6/16/2008)

Convenient, Versatile Technique Could Provide New Tool for Quantum Information, Better Optical Measurements ...> Full Article

Microwave Synthesis Connects With Quantum Dots (6/15/2008)

Materials researchers have developed a simplified, low-cost process for producing high-quality, water-soluble "quantum dots" for biological research ...> Full Article

Study finds new properties in non-magnetic materials (6/14/2008)

A team of researchers has shown for the first time that the entire class of non-magnetic materials, such as those used in some computer components, could have considerably more uses than scientists had thought ...> Full Article

Researchers untangle quantum quirk (6/13/2008)

Quantum computing has been hailed as the next leap forward for computers, promising to catapult memory capacity and processing speeds well beyond current limits. Several challenging problems need to be cracked, however, before the dream can be fully realized. ...> Full Article

Professor designs plasma-propelled flying saucer (6/12/2008)

Flying saucers may soon be more fact than mere science fiction ...> Full Article

Physicists Reveal Secrets of Newest Form of Carbon (6/11/2008)

Using one of the world's most powerful sources of man-made radiation, physicists have uncovered new secrets about the properties of graphene-a form of pure carbon that may one day replace the silicon in computers, televisions, mobile phones and other common electronic devices. ...> Full Article

Europe gets together to harness quantum physics (6/9/2008)

The long cherished goal of applying the strange properties of quantum mechanics to the macroscopic world we inhabit has been brought closer by a series of recent developments ...> Full Article

Surprising graphene (6/9/2008)

Honing in on graphene electronics with infrared synchrotron radiation ...> Full Article

A supra new kind of froth (6/8/2008)

To see the latest science of type-I superconductors, look no further than the froth on a morning cup of cappuccino. A team of U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory physicists and collaborating students have found that the bubble-like arrangement of magnetic domains in superconducting lead exhibits patterns that are very similar to everyday froths like soap foam or frothed milk on a fancy coffee. ...> Full Article

Novel 'Noise Thermometry' May Help Redefine International Unit of Temperature (6/8/2008)

After seven years of work, researchers have built a system that relies on the "noise" of jiggling electrons as a basis for measuring temperatures with extreme precision. The system is nearly precise enough now to help update some of the crucial underpinnings of science, including the 54-year-old definition of the Kelvin, the international unit of temperature. ...> Full Article

New superconductors present new mysteries, possibilities (6/7/2008)

Researchers have unlocked some of the secrets of newly discovered iron-based high-temperature superconductors, research that could result in the design of better superconductors for use in industry, medicine, transportation and energy generation. ...> Full Article

Finding out what the Big Bang and ink jets have in common (6/6/2008)

Workshop tackles the mathematics of singularities ...> Full Article

Scientists Find New 'Quasiparticles' (6/5/2008)

Physicists have demonstrated, for the first time, the existence of 'quasiparticles' with one quarter the charge of an electron ...> Full Article

Quantum Systems Could Flout Physics Law (6/3/2008)

Scientists have made a startling prediction: Simply 'taking the temperature' of certain quantum systems at frequent intervals might cause them to disobey a hard and fast rule of thermodynamics. ...> Full Article

The crack as a tool (6/2/2008)

Scientists using thermal cracking to 'cut' glass ...> Full Article

New metamaterial proves to be a 'perfect' absorber of light (6/2/2008)

Resonators couple individually to electric and magnetic fields to absorb all incident radiation ...> Full Article

Magnet Lab research suggests novel superconductor is in a powerful class all its own (6/1/2008)

Researchers have discovered unusual properties in a novel superconducting material that point to an entirely new kind of superconductor ...> Full Article

Design Enables More Cost Effective Quantum Key Distribution (6/1/2008)

Researchers have demonstrated a simpler and potentially lower-cost method for distributing strings of digits, or "keys," for use in quantum cryptography, the most secure method of transmitting data ...> Full Article

How to make microwaves on a chip to replace X-rays for medical imaging and security (6/1/2008)

technology could be used to detect skin cancer or image dental flaws beneath the enamel. It could also be a valuable tool for airport security, to detect objects hidden under clothing. ...> Full Article

Physicists don't flip spin but find possible electron switch (5/31/2008)

Unexpected results offer a potential tool for selectively manipulating electron spins in new technologies ...> Full Article

A Molecular 'Salve' to Sooth Surface Stresses (5/30/2008)

Researchers have shown for the first time that a single layer of molecular "salve" can significantly soothe the stresses affecting clean metal surfaces ...> Full Article

Protons pair up with neutrons (5/30/2008)

Research has found that protons are about 20 times more likely to pair up with neutrons than with other protons in the nucleus ...> Full Article

Researchers Uncover Information on New Superconductors (5/29/2008)

The world of physics is on fire about a new kind of superconductor ...> Full Article

New Iron-based Superconductors Reinforce Link to Magnetism (5/29/2008)

Researchers have discovered that a new class of iron-based superconductors discovered earlier this year shares similar unusual magnetic properties with previously known high-temperature superconductors based on copper-oxide materials ...> Full Article

New unifying theory of lasers advanced by physicists (5/28/2008)

Researchers at Yale and the Institute of Quantum Electronics have formulated a theory that, allows scientists to better understand and predict the properties of both conventional and non-conventional lasers ...> Full Article

MSU to pursue half-billion dollar federal nuclear science project (5/25/2008)

Michigan State University will compete for a half-billion dollar federally funded Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) in response to a Funding Opportunity Announcement issued by the U.S. Department of Energy. ...> Full Article