Atomic and molecular processes in external fields is a research area that investigates how atoms and molecules respond to applied electromagnetic, static electric, magnetic, or intense laser fields, with emphasis on modifications of their electronic structure, energy levels, transition probabilities, and reaction dynamics. It encompasses phenomena such as Stark and Zeeman effects, field-induced ionization and dissociation, alignment and orientation of molecules, and coherence and control of quantum states. The field integrates quantum mechanics, scattering theory, and time-dependent many-body methods to model interactions and is central to high-field physics, ultrafast spectroscopy, quantum control, and precision measurements in atomic, molecular, and optical science.
Quantum mechanics is extremely successful at describing the behavior of matter at the atomic level. This success forces one to accept that certain aspects of physical reality go far beyond our intuition. Among these, none ...
Quantum Physics
Apr 2, 2026
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Most laser sources produce Gaussian beams that diverge as they propagate. This natural spreading limits their effectiveness in applications that require light to remain concentrated over long distances. To overcome this challenge, ...
Optics & Photonics
Apr 2, 2026
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Over the past decades, quantum scientists have introduced various technologies that operate leveraging quantum mechanical effects, including quantum sensors, computers and memory devices. Most of these technologies leverage ...
Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime produced by violent cosmic events, such as the merging of black holes. So far, direct detections have relied on measuring tiny distance changes over kilometer-scale instruments. ...
Astronomy
Mar 19, 2026
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Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have succeeded in detecting laser-assisted electron scattering (LAES) using circularly polarized light for the first time. The use of circularly polarized light promises valuable ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 16, 2026
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Fleeting electron-hole pairs are giving scientists a new window into optimizing light-emitting devices (LEDs). Using quantum magnetic resonance, Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have discovered how shifting internal ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 13, 2026
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To unlock materials of the future, including better photocatalysts or light-switchable superconductors, researchers need to understand how the valence electrons within materials respond to light at the atomic scale. Materials ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 11, 2026
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Researchers from the Department of Physics and the University Institute of Materials at the University of Alicante (UA) and the Low Temperature and High Magnetic Field Laboratory at the Autonomous University of Madrid (UAM) ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 10, 2026
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361
Researchers from Germany, Japan and India, led by scientists from DESY and the Universities of Kiel and Hamburg, have found a way to collectively make molecules on a flat surface rotate by exposing them to light using ultrafast ...
Optics & Photonics
Mar 9, 2026
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New research from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with The Ohio State University and Amphenol Corporation, challenges conventional understanding about controlling heat flow in solid ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 5, 2026
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