EurekAlert April 1, 2021 The current single-shot readout of the nitrogen-vacancy electron spin relies on resonance fluorescence method at cryogenic temperature. However, the spin-flip process interrupts the optical cycling transition, therefore, limits the readout fidelity. Researchers in China have introduced a spin-to-charge conversion method assisted by near-infrared light to suppress the spin-flip error which leverages high spin-selectivity of cryogenic resonance excitation and flexibility of photoionization. They achieved an overall fidelity > 95% for the single-shot readout of an NV center electron spin in the presence of high strain and fast spin-flip process. With further improvements, this technique has the potential to achieve […]
Translation software enables efficient DNA data storage
Nanowerk April 2, 2021 In support of the IARPA Molecular Information Storage (MIST) program researchers at the Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a software called the Adaptive DNA Storage Codec (ADS Codex), that translates data files from what a computer understands into what biology understands. The short-term goal of MIST is to write 1 terabyte—a trillion bytes—and read 10 terabytes within 24 hours for $1,000. ADS Codex addresses two big obstacles to creating DNA data files: Figured out new strategies for error correction as the error rates while writing to molecular storage; Added additional information called error detection codes […]
Top 10 Science and Technology Inventions for the Week of April 2, 2021
01. A robot that senses hidden objects 02. Detecting hidden signals 03. Scientists develop ultra-thin terahertz source 04. Study shows promise of quantum computing using factory-made silicon chips 05. Discovery of a mechanism for making superconductors more resistant to magnetic fields 06. Fast-acting, color-changing molecular probe senses when a material is about to fail 07. First steps towards revolutionary ULTRARAM™ memory chips 08. A new spin on energy-efficient electronics 09. Special heat treatment improves novel magnetic material 10. Researchers first to link silicon atoms on surfaces And others…
Carbon-neutral ‘biofuel’ from lakes
Science Daily March 31, 2021 Although the greenhouse gas methane is less well known and much rarer in the atmosphere, its global warming potential is 80 to 100 times greater per unit. Methane from lakes and water reservoirs makes up about 20% of global natural methane missions. Researchers in Switzerland outline the potential and theoretical possibilities for using methane from lakes and other freshwater bodies for sustainable energy production. The feasibility of up-scaled adsorption-driven technologies to capture and refine aqueous Biogenic CH4 is mostly generated from biomass produced through atmospheric CO2 uptake. Its exploitation in freshwaters can thus secure large […]
Comprehensive report on pandemic response solutions developed by 180 leading experts
MIT News March 30, 2021 When WHO declared COVID -19 outbreak a pandemic the MIT Center for Collective Intelligence, MIT Media Lab’s Community Biotechnology Initiative, and MilliporeSigma together convened more than 180 thought leaders from around the globe to collaborate asynchronously and rapidly identify solutions. The effort resulted in a comprehensive report that synthesizes data-driven insights from this expert group, known as the “Pandemic Response Supermind,” outlining the most promising solutions for pandemic response. They identified gaps and innovative solutions across five key technical areas of pandemic response, including: transmission control; diagnostics and monitoring; access to therapies and vaccines; sharing […]
Detecting hidden signals
EurekAlert March 25, 2021 The field of quantum sensing has shown a lot of potential for detecting very small signals. However, the ability to truly optimize these sensors has been thwarted by the complexity of control schemes. A team of researchers in the US (Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland) applied filter functions and optimal quantum control theories to a use case of qubit sensors that mirror a classic problem in signal detection theory: optimal detection of a known signal from background noise with a controllable quantum sensor. They obtained analytical insight into the optimal control protocol when the background […]
Discovery of a mechanism for making superconductors more resistant to magnetic fields
Phys.org March 30, 2021 Researchers in Japan discovered that when the crystalline films of indium is thinned to a two-dimensional atomic layer, the spin, and the momentum of the electrons in the layer are coupled, causing the electron spins to frequently rotate. This offsets the effect of the changes in electronic energy induced by the magnetic field and thus preserves superconductivity. This mechanism can enhance the critical magnetic field up to 16-20 Tesla, which is approximately triple the generally accepted theoretical value. It is expected to have a wide range of applications as it was observed for an ordinary superconducting […]
Fast-acting, color-changing molecular probe senses when a material is about to fail
Science Daily March 25, 2021 A team of researchers at the University of Illinois have improved their previously developed mechanophores (force-sensitive molecules) where the molecules were slow to react and return to their original state. The new mechanophores, they developed produced reversible, rapid, and vibrant color change when a force was applied. The color change is the result of stress applied to the bonds that connect the mechanophores to a polymer chain. In the current work they are bonding the mechanophores to polymer chains using a different arrangement scheme, called an oxazine structure. The new structure allows for an instantaneous […]
First steps towards revolutionary ULTRARAM™ memory chips
Science Daily March 29, 2021 Researchers in the UK have implemented ULTRARAM which is a III-V compound semiconductor memory concept that exploits quantum resonant tunneling to achieve nonvolatility at extremely low switching energy per unit area. They exploited resonant tunneling that allows a barrier to switch from opaque to transparent by applying a small voltage. ULTRARAM™, is a working implementation of the so-called ‘universal memory’, with all the advantages of DRAM and flash, with none of the drawbacks. They integrated ULTRARAM™ devices into small (4-bit) arrays which allowed them to experimentally verify the memory architecture that would form the basis […]
A new spin on energy-efficient electronics
Phys.org March 30, 2021 An international team of researchers (USA – University of Wisconsin, University of Nebraska, Cornell University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Argonne National Laboratory, South Korea, UK, Norway, Ireland) designed a new structure based on antiperovskites to manipulate the flow of spin information without moving the electrons’ charges through the material. Through X-ray diffraction they figured out at what point the structure of the material changed, indicating the emergence of the necessary arrangement of electronic spins. The material develops a magnetic order a little above room temperature. According to the researchers the ability to manipulate the arrangement of […]