https://phys.org/physics-news/ en-us The latest news in physics, materials science, quantum physics, optics and photonics, superconductivity science and technology. Updated Daily. Quantum materials are a class of exotic materials with special properties that are governed by quantum mechanics rather than classical physics. Those properties—like superconductivity, entanglement and unusual forms of magnetism—often originate in the tiny repeating patterns of atoms inside crystals, but through clever engineering, they can be observed and controlled at a more human scale. Quantum materials are helping to power the quickly growing field of quantum computing and could find their way into future generations of energy-efficient electronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-ai-reveal-large-scale-quantum.html Condensed Matter Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:00:06 EDT news700320241 Modern fluorescence microscopy can generate images of living cells as stunning to look at as they are informative to study. For techniques like fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), those images provide a window into cell metabolism, helping scientists study cancer treatment, autoimmune disease and more. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-source-flim-playground-analysis-complex.html Optics & Photonics Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:30:02 EDT news700325582 A massive underground detector aimed at understanding the mysterious ghost particles in our universe released its first major results on Wednesday. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-underground-detector-china-unveils-major.html General Physics Wed, 10 Jun 2026 13:02:15 EDT news700314805 Quantum computers—systems that process information and perform computations by leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics—could solve some tasks faster and more effectively than classical computers. While some studies have demonstrated the advantages of these computers for specific tasks, ensuring their reliable operation in real-world settings has proved challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-majorana-modes-disorder-atomic-chains.html Condensed Matter Wed, 10 Jun 2026 07:00:03 EDT news700136437 Physicists at University College Cork have developed a new approach in the search for a quantum spin liquid, a long-sought state of quantum matter resembling a magnetic liquid whose quantum properties mean it never freezes. The work is a key step in the search for quantum silicon, a mineral that could be used to create quantum computers, just as silicon is used in traditional computers. The resulting paper appears in Nature Physics. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-quantum-witness-technique-reveals-spinons.html Condensed Matter Wed, 10 Jun 2026 05:00:11 EDT news700237801 A study in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics explores how a machine-learning strategy known as transfer learning could dramatically reduce the computational cost of searching for new physics beyond the standard cosmological model—while also revealing an unexpected risk: Sometimes AI systems can become too reliant on what they already know. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physics-ai-unlearn.html General Physics Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:01 EDT news700213321 Researchers at University College Dublin and international collaborators have just published a detailed and accessible guide that aims to translate theoretical ideas into practical devices for quantum enhanced sensing technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physicists-harness-potential-quantum-phase.html Quantum Physics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 21:20:03 EDT news700239721 How are heavy elements formed in the universe? Extremely neutron-rich atomic nuclei and their beta-decay rates play an important role in this process. Until now, it has been very difficult to determine these rates experimentally. Researchers at TU Darmstadt have developed theoretical predictions for such processes and successfully compared them with experimental data, where they exist. The results were published in Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-neutron-rich-nuclei-yield-beta.html General Physics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 20:00:03 EDT news700236603 An international team of researchers has reported a major advance in understanding quantum dynamics in semiconductor materials. They directly observed how excitons and phonons evolve together in perovskite nanocrystals, revealing a fully coherent quantum dance between light-induced electronic excitations and crystal lattice vibrations. They published their findings in Nature Communications. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physicists-synchronized-quantum-excitons-phonons.html Condensed Matter Tue, 09 Jun 2026 19:40:01 EDT news700242962 Nature is filled with remarkable visual phenomena created by microscopic surface structures that interact with light in fascinating ways. The iridescent wings of butterflies, the shimmering feathers of birds and the glossy surfaces of flower petals are all examples of how living organisms control the reflection, absorption and scattering of light. These optical effects are not only visually striking but also serve important biological functions, including attracting pollinators, communication, camouflage and protection from environmental stress. Understanding these naturally occurring photonic structures has become an important area of research, as they provide inspiration for the development of advanced biomimetic materials and optical technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-hardy-ice-optical-possibilities.html Optics & Photonics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:30:01 EDT news700243562 How do you take measurements using one of the most sensitive scales in the world? Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated how the measurement process affects not only the object being measured but also the scale itself, and where the absolute limits of precision lie. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-precision-impact.html General Physics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 17:20:05 EDT news700235581 Researchers at Kanazawa University, in collaboration with Diamond and Carbon Applications (Germany), have developed a buried-growth process for nitrogen–vacancy (NV) centers in diamond using microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). By employing nitrogen-radical selective etching, which simultaneously enhances metal-mask durability through nitridation, the team enabled a continuous etching–growth sequence within a single MPCVD process. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-growth-enables-2d-arrays-position.html Plasma Physics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:40:09 EDT news700228921 Quantum memories, systems that store and retrieve information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, can outperform classical storage systems on some existing tasks. Yet these promising memories could also complete operations that are very difficult or impossible for classical systems, including the storage and retrieval of so-called isometry channels. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-quantum-memory-surpasses-classical-limits.html Quantum Physics Tue, 09 Jun 2026 07:40:02 EDT news700135120 When baseball fans watch a batter strike out with runners in scoring position, the reaction is often immediate: Shorten the swing. Put the ball in play. Stop swinging for the fences, they lament. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-mlb-tracking-baseball-debated-approach.html General Physics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 22:40:01 EDT news700151881 Researchers from the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore have developed a practical, comprehensive noise-modeling framework for a popular class of superconducting quantum processors. Their work, published in the journal PRX Quantum, offers a sevenfold improvement in predictive accuracy over existing approaches. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cloud-quantum-noise-superconducting-qubit.html Superconductivity Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:00:02 EDT news700147742 Researchers from the University of Cambridge and GlitterinTech, a startup founded by the same research group, have unveiled a fundamentally new type of optical spectrometer that delivers laboratory-grade precision in a device small enough to be embedded in portable and wearable technologies. By rethinking how spectra are measured and processed, the team has demonstrated a spectrometer costing only around $10, operating at a centimeter scale, and capable of applications ranging from industrial quality control to real-time health care monitoring. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-spectrometer-chip-real-chemical-wearables.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:40:04 EDT news700146465 Researchers from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Centre for Advanced Semiconductors and Integrated Circuits (CASIC) have achieved a major breakthrough in cryogenic electronics. The team has developed a programmable neuromorphic hardware platform that operates near absolute zero, providing a potential solution for scaling up quantum computers and enabling deep-space exploration. The discovery was published in Nature Communications in an article titled "Cryogenic neuromorphic circuits using gate-controlled negative differential resistance in silicon carbide." https://phys.org/news/2026-06-cryogenic-silicon-carbide-hardware-quantum.html Condensed Matter Mon, 08 Jun 2026 17:10:06 EDT news700156081 Florida State University physicists are part of a team that has discovered unusual superconducting states in parts of graphene, with the potential to drive unexpected quantum technologies. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-uncovers-electronic-properties-quantum-material.html Superconductivity Mon, 08 Jun 2026 15:00:02 EDT news700148352 Quantum mechanics, unlike classical physics, allows objects to exist in more than one state at the same time. This idea is often illustrated by Schrödinger's cat, imagined as being both alive and dead until it is observed. In the laboratory, physicists can create less dramatic but very real versions of this effect by placing atoms, light or motion into two distinct quantum states at once. Creating and controlling these superpositions is essential for applications ranging from quantum computing to precision timekeeping. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physicists-family-schrdinger-cat-states.html General Physics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:40:06 EDT news700140301 Assistant Professor Haocun Yu is something of a scientific diplomat. In a recent Physical Review Letters publication, she and her colleagues show how a tabletop experiment can bring together two bedrock physics theories that have never been fully reconciled. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-tabletop-fundamental-physics.html General Physics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:20:01 EDT news700146503 Researchers in China recently uncovered a quantum-inspired rule governing how sound is scattered by certain physical properties of a material. Their research, published in Physical Review Letters, may lead to the ability to design materials with optimal, broadband sound blocking. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-newfound-bulky-effective-soundproofing.html General Physics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:30:01 EDT news700143119 Raman optical activity, long thought to require chiral molecules or magnetic order, has been demonstrated in an achiral, nonmagnetic crystal by researchers at the Institute of Science Tokyo. The effect arises through ferroaxial order, a coordinated rotation of atoms within the lattice, and is detected using circularly polarized Raman spectroscopy. The findings show that optically inactive materials can also display chirality-like optical responses and expand the scope of optical techniques for discovering new materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-achiral-crystal-reveals-raman-optical.html Optics & Photonics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 13:20:04 EDT news700138441 Building useful quantum technologies—from sensors to computers—requires generating highly complex entangled states, in which the properties of particles are deeply intertwined. Producing such states has traditionally required complex tools and carefully engineered setups with many parts. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-craft-simple-recipe-highly-entangled.html Quantum Physics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 12:40:01 EDT news700134992 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. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-nickelate-superconductors-common-electronic-fingerprint.html Condensed Matter Mon, 08 Jun 2026 06:20:01 EDT news699873254 For millions of people, chatbots powered by large language models (LLMs) are now a key feature of everyday life. These AI systems are growing at a rapid pace, but scaling them up is becoming increasingly costly and resource-intensive. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-quantum-circuits-ai-memory-limitations.html General Physics Sun, 07 Jun 2026 09:00:01 EDT news699613558 Quantum computers, systems that process information leveraging quantum mechanical effects, have the potential of outperforming classical computers on some tasks. Despite their potential, the use of these systems remains very limited, due to their high cost and other challenges that have so far prevented their large-scale fabrication. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-surrogates-quantum-overhead.html Quantum Physics Sat, 06 Jun 2026 13:20:01 EDT news699875533 A spin qubit, in which quantum information is encoded in the spin state of an electron, is one of the most promising platforms for quantum computing. Spin qubits exhibit long coherence times and are compatible with advanced semiconductor manufacturing technologies. The leading implementation of spin qubits involves confined electrons inside quantum dots, a nanoscale semiconductor architecture that behaves like a controllable artificial atom. Recent advances have enabled high-fidelity operation of single- and two-qubit gates, exceeding the threshold required for certain surface code quantum error correction techniques. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-scientists-noise-qubit-quantum-processors.html Quantum Physics Sat, 06 Jun 2026 09:00:03 EDT news699874934 Inside cells, certain functions are carried out by locally adjusting molecular composition. This condensation of material results in the formation of dense droplets that can dynamically rearrange. Because of this, interactions between such dense regions determine the shaping of condensates. Scientists from the Department of Living Matter Physics at MPI-DS recently developed a model that can describe such phase separation dynamics based solely on attraction. The work is published in the journal Physical Review Letters. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-physicists-molecular-condensates.html General Physics Fri, 05 Jun 2026 18:00:01 EDT news699875073 Waves of light and sound interact to drive electronic and structural changes in a perovskite crystal. At the atomic scale, nothing is ever truly still. Materials that appear perfectly rigid and motionless to the naked eye are in fact swarms of vibrating atoms. This motion is generally random and uncoordinated, but with the right input, the atoms in certain materials will start to move together, vibrating in sync. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-pulses-uncover-higgs-mode-reshapes.html Condensed Matter Fri, 05 Jun 2026 16:00:01 EDT news699875875 University of Tennessee, Knoxville physicists and their colleagues have made critical measurements of the lifetime and decay energy of tellurium-104 (Te-104), an important step in answering a century-old question and understanding how hundreds of nuclei decay. The results are published in Nature. https://phys.org/news/2026-06-critical-te-decay-century-alpha.html General Physics Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:20:04 EDT news699883451