Crystalline systems are physical systems in which constituent particles (atoms, ions, or molecules) are arranged in a periodic lattice that exhibits long-range translational order. They are characterized by discrete symmetry operations described by space groups, with unit cells repeating periodically in one, two, or three dimensions. This periodicity gives rise to well-defined Brillouin zones, phonon dispersion relations, and electronic band structures, which critically determine mechanical, optical, thermal, and electronic properties. Crystalline systems serve as fundamental models in condensed matter physics for studying phase transitions, defects (dislocations, vacancies), and emergent phenomena such as superconductivity and ferroelectricity.
The use of artificial intelligence has enabled researchers at the National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) to gain a greater understanding of two-dimensional (2D) materials that can be useful for energy storage, water purification, ...
Nanomaterials
17 hours ago
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When looking to the future of information technology, researchers have pinpointed a once-theoretical particle-like structure: the skyrmion. Magnetic skyrmions are very stable structures found on micromagnetic materials that ...
Nanophysics
23 hours ago
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A key factor for the performance of sensors is the speed at which the system returns to its initial state after a disturbance or measurement, similar to the taring of a balance. In the quantum sensor under investigation, ...
Condensed Matter
Apr 13, 2026
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The electrons that power our society flow left and right through the circuitry in our electronics, back and forth along the transmission lines that make up our power grid, and up and down to light up every floor of every ...
Condensed Matter
Apr 6, 2026
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While traditional printer pigments fade and most structural color can't be printed, Kobe University material engineer Sugimoto Hiroshi has been working on nothing short of a revolution in the way color is produced.
Nanomaterials
Apr 6, 2026
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The interiors of ice giant planets like Uranus and Neptune could be home to a previously unknown state of matter, according to new computational simulations by Carnegie's Cong Liu and Ronald Cohen. Their work, published in ...
Planetary Sciences
Apr 3, 2026
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207
Monash University researchers have captured the exact atomic movements that write data to next-generation memory devices, which could pave the way for smaller, faster and more energy-efficient electronics. Published in Nature ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 31, 2026
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47
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are porous structures composed of metal ions (or clusters) and organic linker molecules—much like a molecular scaffold. Thanks to their high porosity and large surface area, MOFs can store ...
Nanomaterials
Mar 26, 2026
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8
You may not be able to hear it, but all solid materials make a sound. In fact, atoms—bound in lattices of chemical bonds—are never silent nor still: Under the placid surface of each and every object in our surroundings, a ...
Condensed Matter
Mar 24, 2026
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51
Some materials behave unexpectedly. They crack differently than expected, or react in ways that are hard to explain. The answer often lies in their atomic structure. Is it neatly arranged, as in a crystal, or disordered, ...
Nanomaterials
Mar 23, 2026
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