Crystal phenomena as a research area investigates the physical behaviors and properties that arise from the ordered atomic or molecular arrangements in crystalline solids, including symmetry-governed effects and defect-related responses. It encompasses studies of phase transitions, lattice dynamics, crystallographic defects (dislocations, vacancies, interfaces), anisotropic mechanical, thermal, and electronic behavior, as well as optical and dielectric responses governed by crystal symmetry and band structure. The field integrates experimental techniques such as X-ray and neutron diffraction, electron microscopy, and spectroscopies with theoretical and computational methods to elucidate structure–property relationships, enabling the design and control of functional materials in electronics, photonics, mechanics, and quantum technologies.
A supercrystal formation previously unobserved in a metal-insulating material was discovered by a Cornell-led research team, potentially unlocking new ways to engineer materials and devices with tunable electronic properties.
Condensed Matter
Jul 23, 2024
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94
A dissipative time crystal is a phase of matter characterized by periodic oscillations over time, while a system is dissipating energy. In contrast with conventional time crystals, which can also occur in closed systems with ...
For a long time, scientists associated crystal structures with an ordered arrangement of atoms in a repeating lattice-like pattern, believing it to be the most stable configuration. However, by the 1960s, advancements in ...
Nanophysics
Jul 11, 2024
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104
A crystal is an arrangement of atoms that repeats itself in space, in regular intervals: At every point, the crystal looks exactly the same. In 2012, Nobel Prize winner Frank Wilczek raised the question: Could there also ...
Quantum Physics
Jul 9, 2024
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310
A group of physicists specialized in solid-state physics from the University of Cologne and international collaborators have examined crystals made from the material BaCO2V2O8 in the Cologne laboratory.
Quantum Physics
Jun 27, 2024
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118
A research group led by Prof. Cao Liang from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, together with collaborators, has introduced an additional translational degree of freedom in layered ...
Nanophysics
Jun 17, 2024
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113
Recently, a research group developed a giant magneto-superelasticity of 5% in a Ni34Co8Cu8Mn36Ga14 single crystal. This was achieved by introducing arrays of ordered dislocations to form preferentially oriented martensitic ...
Condensed Matter
May 30, 2024
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122
Crystal symmetry is a fundamental concept in materials science, playing a crucial role in determining structure-property relationships. Typically, a crystal is a solid composed of structural units that periodically repeat ...
Nanophysics
May 28, 2024
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72
Researchers at European XFEL in Schenefeld near Hamburg have taken a closer look at the formation of the first crystallization of nuclei in supercooled liquids. They found that the formation starts much later than previously ...
Condensed Matter
May 27, 2024
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99
Point defects (e.g. missing, extra or swapped atoms) in crystalline materials often determine the actual electronic and optical response of a given material. For example, controlled substitutions in semiconductors like silicon ...
Condensed Matter
May 23, 2024
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80
