https://phys.org/nanotech-news/nano-physics/ en-us The latest science news on nanophysics, nanotechnology, nanotech and nanoscience. Researchers from the Department of Physical Chemistry at the Fritz Haber Institute and Freie Universität Berlin have revealed the arrangement of water molecules at the interface between liquid water and air. Their findings help to better understand interfacial chemistry, which is largely determined by the specific arrangement of the water molecules. Published in Science Advances, the study shows that one parameter in particular—one that has been neglected until now—is of fundamental importance: the water twist. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-reveals-hidden-molecular-layers-air.html Nanophysics Thu, 30 Apr 2026 19:40:04 EDT news696778381 Rocks can bind carbon dioxide—and much faster than previously thought. For a long time, it was assumed that the transformation of CO2 into carbonate rock depends on very slow, time-consuming processes. According to that view, the binding of CO2 injected industrially into the ground would take centuries. However, practical observations and theoretical calculations suggested that there may also be a much faster route from CO2 to carbonate, mediated by water acting somewhat like a catalyst. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-faster-driven-pathway-term-carbon.html Nanophysics Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:20:08 EDT news696685659 Antiferromagnetic materials, with antiparallel atomic spins and zero net magnetization, are fast and resistant to external magnetic interference, making them ideal for high-speed, high-density spintronic devices. However, their zero net magnetization makes conventional imaging difficult, as neutron- or synchrotron-based methods have limited resolution and cannot easily probe microscopic regions or interfaces. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-atomic-column-imaging-uncovers-hidden.html Nanophysics Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:50:01 EDT news696694742 Researchers at the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), Japan, and The University of Tokyo, Japan, in collaboration with Kyushu University, Japan, have developed a new class of biocompatible molecular quantum nanosensors (MoQNs) that operate inside living cells. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-molecular-quantum-nanosensors-reveal-temperature.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 29 Apr 2026 14:00:03 EDT news696682742 Ferromagnets, such as iron, cobalt, and nickel, are materials with a strong, spontaneous, and permanent magnetic field. Over 150 years ago, the physicist and mathematician James Clerk Maxwell speculated that under specific conditions, non-spinning ferromagnets or electromagnets would behave as gyroscopes, objects that maintain their orientation, typically due to the angular momentum arising from spinning. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-levitated-nano-ferromagnet-year-physical.html Nanophysics Wed, 29 Apr 2026 08:40:05 EDT news696602124 Under a microscope, a bouquet of lollipop-like structures, each smaller than a grain of sand, waves gently in a Petri dish of liquid. Suddenly, they snap together, like the jaws of a Venus flytrap, as a scientist waves a small magnet over the dish. What was previously an assemblage of tiny passive structures has transformed instantly into an active robotic gripper. The lollipop gripper is one demonstration of a new type of soft magnetic hydrogel developed by engineers at MIT and their collaborators at EPFL and the University of Cincinnati. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-swipe-magnet-microscopic-magno-bots.html Nanophysics Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:03 EDT news696587647 Researchers in the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have discovered a powerful new way to control the electronic behavior of a metal—by manipulating the atomic properties of materials where they meet. The study, published in Nature Communications, demonstrates that interfacial polarization can tune the surface work function of metallic ruthenium dioxide (RuO2) by more than 1 electron volt (eV)—a tiny amount of energy—simply by adjusting film thickness at the nanometer scale. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-nanometers-thick-metal-physicists.html Nanophysics Mon, 27 Apr 2026 16:40:04 EDT news696512341 For the first time, researchers have mapped how the boundaries of magnetic nanostructures behave on extremely short timescales. The work of physicist Johan Mentink of Radboud University shows that these boundaries are much more stable than previously thought. This insight will aid the development of future ultra-fast and compact data storage. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-extreme-stability-ultrafast-nanomagnetism-aids.html Nanophysics Sun, 26 Apr 2026 12:00:01 EDT news695910300 Many important objects in the world can be divided into two categories based on their chirality or handedness, including molecules important for life such as amino acids. Such chiral objects (formally defined as objects which are not identical to their mirror images) are often characterized by a structure which twists in a given direction. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-surface-ultra-thin-optical-fibers.html Nanophysics Fri, 24 Apr 2026 17:40:01 EDT news696254821 Excitons are being explored in materials science and information technology as a means of storing light. These luminous quasiparticles move through individual layers of quantum materials and can absorb and emit light with high efficiency. They form when a laser pulse excites an electron, leaving behind a positively charged "hole." The electron and hole attract each other and behave together like a new, independent particle. When the quasiparticle recombines, it emits light and can be detected in high-tech laboratories. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-quantum-quasiparticles-reveal-magneto-optical.html Nanophysics Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:10:06 EDT news696177481 Just as wave-like patterns can appear on a computer screen when pixels do not align, new research led by Flinders University is investigating atomic-scale "moiré patterns" in the promising field of ferroelectricity. The new study, with experts at Monash University and Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, seeks inroads into electrical and optical science by exploring these complex "superlattice" patterns in various ways to create new energy and material capabilities. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-swirly-pattern-moir-potential-power.html Nanophysics Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:40:01 EDT news696162932 A compass always points north—or does it? Magnets normally maintain a stable direction of magnetization, pointing from south to north (S→N). However, this direction can change under strong magnetic fields or heat. For example, a compass placed near a strong magnet may no longer point in the right direction. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-nanomagnet-slower-assumed.html Nanophysics Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:00:03 EDT news696077461 A team of scientists has identified a new physical mechanism that could help explain one of the most persistent mysteries in science: why life consistently uses one "handed" version of its molecules and not the other. In a new study led by Prof. Yossi Paltiel of the Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Hebrew University and Prof. Ron Naaman of the Weizmann Institute, researchers show that electron spin, a fundamental quantum property, can cause mirror-image molecules to behave differently during dynamic processes, even though they are otherwise identical. The work appears in Science Advances. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-life-electron.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 22 Apr 2026 14:00:02 EDT news696010742 Perovskite quantum dots are considered promising materials for LEDs, photocatalysis, and future quantum light sources. Researchers at LMU Munich have managed to master two major hurdles in working with these quantum dots: their stability in solution and precise control of their growth. The results could open new avenues for the processing and application of the materials. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-perovskite-quantum-dots-big-barriers.html Nanophysics Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:20:03 EDT news695986321 Diamond is among the hardest naturally occurring substances on Earth, but if you shrink it down to the nanoscale, it is surprisingly elastic. And that could be useful for a host of applications such as quantum computing. In a paper published in the journal Physical Review X, Chongxin Shan at Zhengzhou University in China and colleagues studied diamonds as small as four nanometers across to see how they respond to pressure. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-nanodiamond-intense-pressure-flexible.html Nanophysics Tue, 21 Apr 2026 12:20:01 EDT news695992166 Spintronics are devices that operate leveraging the spin, an intrinsic form of angular momentum, of electrons. The ability to switch magnetic states is central to the functioning of these devices, as it ultimately allows them to represent binary digits (i.e., "0" and "1") when processing or storing information. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-laser-flip-nanoscale-magnetic-vortices.html Nanophysics Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:10:01 EDT news695898368 Heat is a ubiquitous form of energy that, unlike others, is notoriously difficult to store due to its natural tendency to dissipate. While this property is essential for phenomena like solar energy reaching Earth, it also poses a significant technological challenge. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-prototype-thermal-memory-states-tiny.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:10:01 EDT news695914261 In biological systems, especially for protein molecules, the formation of nanotubular structures is often guided by molecular folding. The folding process organizes interaction sites and enables the formation of complex architectures with high structural precision. However, translating that principle to synthetic small-molecule systems has remained challenging. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-luminophores-reveal-principle-efficient-energy.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 13:20:02 EDT news695902921 2D materials are widely seen as a promising path toward better computer chips. Researchers at TU Wien have now shown that some of these materials are unsuitable due to an underestimated effect. But there are alternatives. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-mind-gap-semiconductor-industry-wrong.html Nanophysics Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:01 EDT news695893685 How do organic solar cells work on the inside? The answer lies in structures far too small to see—and difficult to access even with advanced techniques. So far, researchers have relied mainly on X-ray methods to understand how molecules are arranged within these materials and how this order can be optimized for high efficiency. While powerful, X-rays provide only a spatially averaged picture. Electrons, in contrast, offer a local view at the nanoscale, revealing both structure and chemical composition. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-electrons-solar-cells-exposing-hidden.html Nanophysics Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:50:01 EDT news695490421 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 have a vortex-like spin. Because they can be moved with minimal electrical current, these structures could help develop memory to power the next generation of computing without consuming a lot of power. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-theoretical-skyrmion-supercomputing-memory.html Nanophysics Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:00:05 EDT news695377131 Light, as we usually conceive of it, is defined by the astonishing velocity at which it moves from one point to another. For example, in just one second, light can travel most of the distance between Earth and the moon. This property is what makes light useful for communication, which we expect to happen at lightning speed in the modern age. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-gold-nanorod-struck-center-electron.html Nanophysics Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:40:01 EDT news695289305 An international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of California, Irvine, has demonstrated a fundamentally new way to make silicon emit light—overcoming one of the most persistent limitations in modern electronics and photonics. In their work appearing in Nano Letters, the scientists show that silicon, long considered an inefficient light emitter due to its indirect bandgap, can be transformed into a bright, broadband source. The researchers produced emissions from silicon in its conventional bulk form, without modification to its composition or structure. Instead, the breakthrough comes from modifying the properties of light itself. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-momentum-photonic-states-bulk-silicon.html Nanophysics Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:30:01 EDT news694886582 The hair cells lining the inner ear are among the most sophisticated structures in the human body: capable of detecting sounds as faint as a whisper, while helping to maintain our sense of balance. Through new models detailed in PRX Life, a team led by Roman Belousov at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory has revealed for the first time how oscillating bundles attached to these cells operate in different thermodynamic regimes—offering a new framework for understanding how our hearing works at a fundamental level. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-hair-bundles-ears-tiny-thermodynamic.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 08 Apr 2026 10:40:03 EDT news694860355 When created at the nanoscale, materials can resemble shapes like stars, rods or even pyramids. These particle shapes, also known as the morphologies of a solid, make for more than just interesting images under a microscope—they can determine how the material behaves, sometimes in dramatic ways. University at Buffalo researchers have demonstrated this phenomenon by creating the first-ever star-shaped vanadyl hydroxide (VOOH) and shown that this shape can fundamentally alter how the material stores energy. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-pretty-picture-star-nanomaterial-energy.html Nanophysics Tue, 07 Apr 2026 12:40:04 EDT news694776061 Just as embroiderers, with needle and thread, can transform plain fabric into an intricate pattern, engineers can use lasers and polymers to create flexible, complex structures that could transform life-saving sensing technology. An interdisciplinary team at the University of Pittsburgh's Swanson School of Engineering has developed a new manufacturing strategy that reveals where and how laser-induced graphene (LIG) forms on polymers. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-precise-patterns-lasers.html Nanophysics Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:10:01 EDT news694710842 Solar-power photocatalysis—turning sunlight into energy—holds promise for sustainable and cost-efficient energy and chemical production. Advancing the technology, though, has been hindered by a lack of understanding of exactly how the process works. To that end, a team of Yale researchers has developed a technique that allows them to observe the sunlight-to-fuel conversion in real time, right down to the nanoscale. Specifically, they can see how the light-driven catalyst splits water into hydrogen and oxygen, and how electrons and holes move through the material. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-real-nanoscale-reduction-oxidation-solar.html Nanophysics Fri, 03 Apr 2026 09:40:02 EDT news694427521 Polarization has always been a core property of light that is essential for a broad range of everyday applications, including displays (LED, LCD, 3D Cinematics), photography, as well as satellite and antenna technologies. The ability to tune light polarization empowers us with enhanced communication signals, improved image quality, and access to hidden image details and non-conventional imaging modes (e.g. 3D imaging). https://phys.org/news/2026-04-2d-material-capability-ultrathin-waveplates.html Nanophysics Thu, 02 Apr 2026 18:00:01 EDT news694342108 Control of heat transport in nanostructures is of central importance for numerous modern technologies—from high-performance computer chips that need to be cooled to energy converters—and is a highly active area of research. While great progress has been made in recent years in understanding how heat transport can be influenced by nanostructuring, it was previously unclear whether the replacement of a single atom in a molecule could measurably alter phonon transport—i.e. heat transport through lattice vibrations. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-atom-substitution-successfully-tunes-molecular.html Nanophysics Thu, 02 Apr 2026 17:20:01 EDT news694360621 In a first for the field, materials scientists from The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have interfaced two materials to artificially generate a highly conductive ferroelectric charged domain wall. Led by associate professor of materials science and engineering Arend van der Zande and graduate student Shahriar Muhammad Nahid (now a postdoc at Stanford) and published in Advanced Materials, their approach highlights the versatility of charged domain walls in 2D materials and may be used in the future development of neuromorphic devices and reconfigurable electronics. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-synthetic-domain-wall-2d-material.html Nanophysics Tue, 31 Mar 2026 18:20:06 EDT news694186377