OnPoint Abrasives’ Post

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University, Stanford University, Rice University, and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Berkeley Lab, Argonne National Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have described how a type of #quasiparticle, called a #polaron, behaves in #tellurene, a #nanomaterial made up of tiny chains of #tellurium atoms. A polaron forms when charge-carrying particles such as #electrons interact with #vibrations in the atomic or molecular #lattice of a material. The researchers had hypothesized that as tellurene transitions from bulk to #nanometer thickness, polarons change from large, spread-out electron-vibration interactions to smaller, localized interactions. Computations and experimental measurements backed up this scenario. https://lnkd.in/eJSt49pG (Work funded by the United States Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the National Science Foundation (NSF)) Shengxi Huang Kunyan Zhang

"As our digital world generates massive amounts of data—more than 2 quintillion bytes of new content each day—yesterday's storage technologies are quickly reaching their limits. Optical memory devices, which use light to read and write data, offer the potential of durable, fast and energy-efficient storage. Now, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering (PME) have proposed a new type of memory, in which optical data is transferred from a rare earth element embedded within a solid material to a nearby quantum defect. Their analysis of how such a technology could work is published in Physical Review Research." #opticalmemorystorage

Scientists from Washington State University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Berkeley Lab have discovered a way to make #ions move more than ten times faster in mixed organic ion-electronic #conductors. These conductors combine the advantages of the ion signaling used by many biological systems with the #electron signaling used by computers. The new development speeds up ion movement in these conductors by using molecules that attract and concentrate ions into a separate nanochannel creating a type of tiny “ion superhighway.” These types of conductors hold a lot of potential because they allow movement of both ions and electrons at once, which is critical for #battery charging and #EnergyStorage. https://lnkd.in/g4kVEwnb (Work funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)) Brian Collins

Scientists are inching closer to room-temperature superconductivity, a breakthrough that could transform energy use, computing, and technology. This research area, long considered the "holy grail" of physics, seeks a material that allows electrical currents to flow with zero resistance, eliminating energy loss. This achievement would revolutionize power grids, medical imaging, maglev trains, and, notably, neuromorphic AI computing, dramatically reducing the power required for data centers. In January 2024, researchers across Europe and South America, led by Valerii Vinokur from Terra Quantum AG, claimed they observed room-temperature superconductivity in pyrolytic graphite, a graphite form with line defects enhanced through Scotch-tape techniques. Though the claim is met with skepticism, particularly from experts like Alan M. Kadin, a consultant and former professor at the University of Rochester, the study has sparked significant interest in the scientific community. Modern superconductors are already key in MRI machines and maglev trains but still require extreme cooling. Since 1911, when Heike Kamerlingh Onnes discovered superconductivity in mercury at near-zero temperatures, scientists have been searching for practical room-temperature solutions. The 1986 discovery of high-temperature superconductors in ceramic materials by Georg Bednorz and Karl Muller, and subsequent advancements, have advanced the field, but significant challenges remain. The recent research on pyrolytic graphite, conducted by Vinokur and Maria Cristina Diamantini, a physicist at the University of Perugia, aims to understand the role of material defects in promoting electron pairing, a crucial factor in achieving superconductivity. By creating specific material strains, they hope to develop wires and components that maintain superconducting properties in real-world applications. While some scientists, including Kadin, remain unconvinced until results are reproducible in other labs, the potential implications are profound. If achieved, room-temperature superconductivity could significantly lower energy consumption in data centers, enhance battery technologies, and introduce new computing forms. Thomas Conté of Georgia Institute of Technology envisions quantum charge pulses enhancing neuromorphic computing, reducing power use, and speeding computations. The scientific community is hopeful that ongoing material research, coupled with AI-driven experimentation, could soon lead to practical applications that transform energy and technology. Original author: Samuel Greengard Summary produced with help from ChatGPT https://lnkd.in/gfrB_c6Y

This article discusses a study leveraging the Summit supercomputer to unravel the complex mechanisms of copper-based superconductors, focusing on their behavior at relatively high temperatures. These superconductors allow electricity to flow without resistance, offering transformative potential for energy-efficient electronics. Researchers modeled interactions between electrons and phonons (vibrational energy units in materials) to understand their unique properties, performing one of the largest computational analyses in this domain. The findings shed light on the "self-energy" of electrons, paving the way for developing more efficient superconductors that could revolutionize electronic and energy systems. The study highlights the role of advanced computational resources in solving fundamental physics challenges. For more details, please continue reading the full article under the following link: https://lnkd.in/eahNxMAE -------------------------------------------------------- In general, if you enjoy reading this kind of scientific news articles, I would also be keen to connect with fellow researchers based on common research interests, including the possibility to discuss about any potential interest in the Materials Square cloud-based online platform ( www.matsq.com ), designed for streamlining the execution of materials and molecular atomistic simulations! Best regards, Dr. Gabriele Mogni Technical Consultant and EU Representative Virtual Lab Inc., the parent company of the Materials Square platform Website: https://lnkd.in/eMezw8tQ Email: gabriele@simulation.re.kr #materials #materialsscience #materialsengineering #computationalchemistry #modelling #chemistry #researchanddevelopment #research #MaterialsSquare #ComputationalChemistry #Tutorial #DFT #simulationsoftware #simulation

This article discusses a study leveraging the Summit supercomputer to unravel the complex mechanisms of copper-based superconductors, focusing on their behavior at relatively high temperatures. These superconductors allow electricity to flow without resistance, offering transformative potential for energy-efficient electronics. Researchers modeled interactions between electrons and phonons (vibrational energy units in materials) to understand their unique properties, performing one of the largest computational analyses in this domain. The findings shed light on the "self-energy" of electrons, paving the way for developing more efficient superconductors that could revolutionize electronic and energy systems. The study highlights the role of advanced computational resources in solving fundamental physics challenges. For more details, please continue reading the full article under the following link: https://lnkd.in/eahNxMAE -------------------------------------------------------- In general, if you enjoy reading this kind of scientific news articles, I would also be keen to connect with fellow researchers based on common research interests, including the possibility to discuss about any potential interest in the Materials Square cloud-based online platform ( www.matsq.com ), designed for streamlining the execution of materials and molecular atomistic simulations! Best regards, Dr. Gabriele Mogni Technical Consultant and EU Representative Virtual Lab Inc., the parent company of the Materials Square platform Website: https://lnkd.in/eMezw8tQ Email: gabriele@simulation.re.kr #materials #materialsscience #materialsengineering #computationalchemistry #modelling #chemistry #researchanddevelopment #research #MaterialsSquare #ComputationalChemistry #Tutorial #DFT #simulationsoftware #simulation

Exploring the Future of Quantum Materials: Moiré Superconductors 🌌 In recent groundbreaking research, scientists have uncovered an exciting new class of superconductors—semiconductor moiré materials. One of the most fascinating discoveries involves tungsten diselenide (tWSe₂), a material once thought to be excluded from superconductivity. By twisting two layers of tWSe₂ by just 3.65 degrees, researchers have unlocked the material's ability to exhibit superconductivity, revealing a new frontier for quantum materials. Here’s why this is a game changer: 🔹 Moiré Materials: By stacking two layers of a material and applying a slight twist, scientists create a moiré pattern that alters the atomic arrangement. This modification leads to unique and often unexpected electronic properties. 🔹 Graphene & Superconductivity: While graphene-based materials were well known for their superconducting properties, the discovery of superconductivity in tWSe₂ challenges what we thought we knew and opens up new possibilities for quantum material research. 🔹 Cooper Pairs & Superconductivity: In tWSe₂’s flat energy bands, electrons interact to form Cooper pairs, which move without resistance—enabling superconductivity and lossless electricity flow. 🔹 Superconducting Transition Temperature: The superconducting state in tWSe₂ is observed at around –272.93°C, a temperature comparable to certain high-temperature superconductors, and the material can switch between conducting and insulating states. This discovery not only opens new doors for quantum computing and electronics, but also adds to our understanding of how manipulating 2D materials can lead to groundbreaking innovations. The future of superconductivity in semiconductor systems looks more promising than ever! 🚀 #QuantumComputing #Superconductivity #Graphene #Semiconductors #MoiréMaterials #Innovation #QuantumMaterials #TechResearch #FutureOfElectronics #MaterialsScience #GrapheneSuperconductivity #tWSe2 #EdTech #EducationTechnology #DigitalLearning #Elearning #OnlineEducation #FutureOfEducation #TechInEducation #EdTechInnovation #LearningTechnology #SmartEducation #EdTechTools #PersonalizedLearning #EdTechRevolution #TechForEducation #EducationMatters

New paper about magnetic topological insulators!

Researchers in Yang Lab at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering have made unexpected progress toward developing a new optical memory that can quickly and energy-efficiently store and access computational data. In a paper published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science - Science Advances, Shuolong Yang and colleagues showed how the electrons in MnBi2Te4 compete between two opposing states – a topological state useful for encoding quantum information and a light-sensitive state useful for optical storage. “This really underscores how fundamental science can enable new ways of thinking about engineering applications very directly,” said Yang, assistant professor of molecular engineering and senior author of the work. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gb8Wwryn #UChicagoPME #Quantum #Computing #Research I Science Magazine I Chicago Quantum Exchange

Researchers from the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Argonne National Laboratory have developed a groundbreaking technique to bond synthetic diamond to other materials, overcoming a significant obstacle in using diamond for quantum and conventional electronics. This innovation, detailed in Nature Communications, addresses the challenge of diamond’s homoepitaxial nature—it only grows on other diamonds—by enabling direct integration with materials commonly used in electronic devices. Diamond is prized for its unmatched material properties, including exceptional thermal conductivity, dielectric strength, and wide band gap for electronics, as well as its nitrogen vacancy centers, which are ideal for quantum sensing at room temperature. However, its incompatibility with other materials has limited its application in technologies such as quantum computers, sensors, and conventional electronics. According to Assistant Professor Alex High, while diamond excels as a material, its lack of integration options has been a major drawback. The new technique involves a surface treatment that prepares diamond for bonding with other materials, allowing its unique properties to be fully utilized in practical devices. This breakthrough not only reduces the need for expensive and bulky diamond components but also opens the door to integrating diamond with widely used materials in quantum and conventional systems. This capability could significantly expand the scope of applications for diamond-based technologies. This advance represents a major step forward in leveraging synthetic diamond for cutting-edge technologies. By enabling seamless integration, the technique enhances the potential for diamond to be used in quantum computing, advanced sensors, and high-performance electronics, unlocking its full potential while making its use more cost-effective and practical.