Quantum dots form ordered material

Quantum dots are clusters of some 1,000 atoms which act as one large "super-atom." It is possible to accurately design the electronic properties of these dots just by changing their size. However, to create functional devices, ...

Insects contribute to atmospheric electricity

By measuring the electrical fields near swarming honeybees, researchers have discovered that insects can produce as much atmospheric electric charge as a thunderstorm cloud. This type of electricity helps shape weather events, ...

Topological materials become switchable

A donut is not a breakfast roll. Those are two very clearly distinguishable objects: One has a hole, the other does not. In mathematics, the two shapes are said to be topologically different—you cannot transform one into ...

Stabilizing polarons opens up new physics

Physicists at EPFL have developed a formulation to solve the longstanding problem of electron self-interaction when studying polarons—quasiparticles produced by electron-phonon interactions in materials. The work can lead ...

80-year-old mystery in static electricity finally solved

Historically, contact electrification (CE) was humanity's first and only source of electricity up until around the 18th century, yet its true nature is still elusive. Today it is considered a core component of technologies ...

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