Phys.org March 30, 2021 One of the biggest challenges in terahertz technology is that commonly accepted ‘intense terahertz source’ is faint and bulky. To overcome these limitations researchers in the UK developed terahertz sources from extremely thin materials (about 25 atomic layers). By illuminating an electronic-grade semiconductor with two different types of lasers light, each oscillating at different frequency they were able to elicit the emission of short bursts of Terahertz radiation. The emission region of their new development, a semiconductor source of terahertz, is 10 times thinner than previously achieved, with comparable or even better performances. They are able […]
Tag Archives: S&T UK
Scientists develop new approach to predict how liquids freeze
Phys.org March 18, 2021 Denser phases and the complexity of the freezing liquids into solids are a challenge for computational modelling. Researchers in the UK developed novel computational approaches to study wax which has multiple frozen arrangements. Using their method, they were able to predict its melting point within 2°C of the experimental value. Like waxes, oils such as diesel fuel can also freeze at many stages and exhibit different solid properties. Therefore, methods to predict the molecular and atomic intricacies of liquid transitions to different types of ‘solid’ oils could have several potential real-world applications, from helping better predict […]
New quantum theory heats up thermodynamic research
Phys.org March 5, 2021 The classical Gibbs paradox concerns the entropy change upon mixing two gases. Whether an observer assigns an entropy increase to the process depends on their ability to distinguish the gases. Moving the thought experiment into the quantum realm researchers in the UK have shown that the ignorant observer can extract work from mixing different gases, even if the gases cannot be directly distinguished. In the macroscopic limit, the quantum case diverges from the classical ideal gas: as much work can be extracted as if the gases were fully distinguishable. They showed that the ignorant observer assigns […]
Experts ‘scan horizon’ to help prepare governments for next major biosecurity threat
EurekAlert February 3, 2021 A group of 41 academics and figures from industry and government from across the globe submitted 450 questions which were then debated, voted on and ranked to define the 80 most urgent key questions facing the UK government when it comes to biological security. They were subdivided into six categories: bioengineering; communication and behaviour; disease threats (including pandemics); governance and policy; invasive alien species; and securing biological materials and securing against misuse. The questions offer a research agenda for biological security in the UK that can assist the targeting of research resources and inform the implementation […]
Solar material can ‘self-heal’ imperfections, new research shows
Phys.org January 27, 2021 Broken bonds introduced at extended defects in covalently bonded semiconductors generally introduce deep electronic states within the gap, negatively impacting performance for applications in electronics, photochemistry, and optoelectronics. Researchers in the UK found that Sb2Se3 and Sb2S3, which show exceptional promise for photovoltaic and photoelectrochemical applications, exhibit a remarkable ability to self‐heal broken bonds through structural reconstructions, thereby eliminating the associated deep electronic states. These materials appear intrinsically resilient to the formation of dangling bonds at extended defects, which should be advantageous for a wide range of applications. They could reduce costs and improve scalability of […]
Research develops new theoretical approach to manipulate light
EurekAlert December 8, 2020 Researchers in the UK re-examined the refractive index and found a general way to calculate the direction-dependent refractive index and the condition for zero index in a given direction. By analogy with linear versus circular polarization, they showed that when the zero-index direction is complex-valued, a material supports waves that can propagate in only one sense, for example, clockwise. They showed that there is an infinite family of both time-reversible and time-irreversible homogeneous electromagnetic media that support unidirectional propagation for a particular polarization. The work extends the concept of the refractive index, shedding new light on […]
Quantum nanodiamonds may help detect disease earlier
Science Daily November 25, 2020 Researchers in the UK investigated fluorescent nanodiamonds as an ultrasensitive label for in vitro diagnostics, using a microwave field to modulate emission intensity and frequency-domain analysis to separate the signal from background autofluorescence, which typically limits sensitivity. Focusing on the widely used, low-cost lateral flow format as an exemplar, they achieved a detection limit of 8.2 × 10−19 molar for a biotin–avidin model, 105 times more sensitive than that obtained using gold nanoparticles. Single-copy detection of HIV-1 RNA can be achieved with the addition of a 10-minute isothermal amplification step. This ultrasensitive quantum diagnostics platform […]
Machine learning to automated daydreaming: academics map future of AI
Imperial College of London September 29, 2020 Researchers in the UK designed the Automated Futures Map to show how the existing brain-computer interface technologies could one day prove to be a stepping-stone towards shared dreaming, the recording of our internal monologues, or cyborg rights. While some of the technologies on the map might seem fantastical, it is designed to demonstrate the breadth of work taking place within AI and robotics, show the links between different technologies, and explore what the future of the field might look like…read more.
Faint orbital debris that threatens satellites not being monitored closely enough, warn astronomers
Phys.org September 24, 2020 Despite previous optical surveys probing to around 10–20 cm in size, regular monitoring of faint sources at GEO is challenging, thus our knowledge remains sparse. Researchers in the UK present photometric results from a survey of the GEO region carried out in Canary Islands. They uncovered 129 orbital tracks with GEO-like motion across the eight nights of dark-grey time comprising the survey. The faint end of the brightness distribution continues to rise until the sensitivity limit of the sensor is reached, suggesting that the modal brightness could be even fainter. They uncover several faint, uncatalogued objects […]
A new strategy to implement a high-fidelity mixed-species entangling gate
Phys.org September 22, 2020 One of the greatest challenges in the development of trapped ion quantum computers is scalability because adding new qubits to a quantum computing system often results in a rapid decrease in performance, as it introduces new errors and makes it harder to interact with a single qubit without affecting some of the others. Researchers in the UK used modularization and optical networking to have ions in separate ion traps and vacuum systems, which are only connected through optical fibers. This approach limits crosstalk between qubits, retaining only interactions that are desirable and can be controlled by […]