Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Two-dimensional (2D) materials, composed of a single or a few layers of atoms, are at the forefront of material science, promising revolutionary advancements in technology. These ultra-thin materials exhibit unique and exotic properties, particularly when their layers are stacked and twisted in specific ways. This...
Unlocking the secrets of spin with high-harmonic probes
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Deep within every piece of magnetic material, electrons dance to the invisible tune of quantum mechanics. Their spins, akin to tiny atomic tops, dictate the magnetic behavior of the material they inhabit. This microscopic ballet is the cornerstone of magnetic phenomena, and it's these spins...
Atomic dance gives rise to a magnet
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Quantum materials hold the key to a future of lightning-speed, energy-efficient information systems. The problem with tapping their transformative potential is that, in solids, the vast number of atoms often drowns out the exotic quantum properties electrons carry. Rice University researchers in the lab of...
A bio-inspired twist on robotic handling
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The subtle adhesive forces that allow geckos to seemingly defy gravity, cling to walls and walk across ceilings have inspired a team of researchers in South Korea to build a robotic device that can pick up and release delicate materials without damage. The team, based...
A key to new materials for advanced technologies
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The way light interacts with naturally occurring materials is well-understood in physics and materials science. But in recent decades, researchers have fabricated metamaterials that interact with light in new ways that go beyond the physical limits imposed on naturally occurring materials. A metamaterial is composed...
Dynamics of skyrmion spin states confirmed in neutron-scattering experiments
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) RIKEN researchers have brought low-energy devices based on spintronics one step closer, by measuring the dynamics of tiny magnetic vortices (Nature Physics, "Asymmetric slow dynamics of the skyrmion lattice in MnSi"). Key Takeaways RIKEN researchers have advanced spintronics technology by studying the dynamics of magnetic...
Ultrafast lasers on ultra-tiny chips
Nov 10, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Lasers have become relatively commonplace in everyday life, but they have many uses outside of providing light shows at raves and scanning barcodes on groceries. Lasers are also of great importance in telecommunications and computing as well as biology, chemistry, and physics research. In those...
Researchers push the limits of gas sensing technology
Nov 09, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The world has become increasingly industrialized over the past few centuries, bringing all sorts of technology and conveniences to the masses. However, workers in industrial environments are often at the risk of exposure to many dangerous gases, such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Inhaling this gas...