Singles become pairs: New insights into the light scattering of atoms

Researchers at the Humboldt University of Berlin, partners of the DAALI project, have demonstrated a surprising effect present in the fluorescent light of a single atom

01-Nov-2023 - Researchers headed by Jürgen Volz and Arno Rauschenbeutel from the Department of Physics at the Humboldt University of Berlin, partners of the DAALI project, have gained new insights into the scattering of light by a fluorescent atom, which could also be useful for quantum communication. The ...

New X-ray imaging technique to study the transient phases of quantum materials

An international team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time the use of a new lensless ultrafast X-Ray method to image phase transitions

27-Dec-2022 - The use of light to produce transient phases in quantum materials is fast becoming a novel way to engineer new properties in them, such as the generation of superconductivity or nanoscale topological defects. However, visualizing the growth of a new phase in a solid is not easy, due in-part to ...

Twisted bilayer graphene dances with light

How light and electrons move in concert in the material when illuminated with infrared light

02-Nov-2021 - When two layers of graphene are placed one on top of the other, and twisted among them by a very small angle, a “moiré pattern” is formed and the physical properties of the system have proven to change dramatically. In particular, near the ‘magic’ angle of 1 degree, the electrons slow down ...

Determining the structure of a molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction

11-Mar-2021 - Light microscopes have revolutionized our understanding of the microcosmos, but their resolution is limited to about 100 nanometers. To see how molecules bond, break, or change their structure, we need at least 1000 times better resolution. Laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) is a technique ...

Graphene gives a tremendous boost to future terahertz cameras

17-Apr-2019 - Detecting terahertz (THz) light is extremely useful for two main reasons: Firstly, THz technology is becoming a key element in applications regarding security (such as airport scanners), wireless data communication, and quality control, to mention just a few. However, current THz detectors have ...

Disorder plays a key role in phase transitions of materials

06-Nov-2018 - Phase transitions are common occurrences that dramatically change the properties of a material, the most familiar being the solid-liquid-gas transition in water. Each phase corresponds to a new arrangement of the atoms within the material, which dictate the properties of the substance. While ...

The photoexcited graphene puzzle solved

14-May-2018 - Light detection and control lies at the heart of many modern device applications, such as the camera you have in your phone. Using graphene as a light-sensitive material for light detectors can offer significant improvements with respect to materials being used nowadays. For example, graphene can ...

An ultradilute quantum liquid made from ultra-cold atoms

18-Dec-2017 - Liquids and gases are two different phases of matter that are part of our everyday life. While gases are dilute, compressible and take the size of their container, liquids are dense, have a fixed volume and in small quantities form droplets. These are ensembles of particles that remain bound by ...

Ultra-compact phase modulators based on graphene plasmons

29-Jun-2017 - Modulating the amplitude and phase of light is a key ingredient for many of applications such as wavefront shaping, transformation optics, phased arrays, modulators and sensors. Performing this task with high efficiency and small footprint is a major challenge for the development of ...

Quantum nanoscope

Seeing electrons surfing the waves of light on graphene

09-Jun-2017 - Researchers have studied how light can be used to “see” the quantum nature of an electronic material. They managed to do that by capturing light in a net of carbon atoms and slowing down light it down so that it moves almost as slow as the electrons in the graphene. Then something special ...