Magnetism meets topology on a superconductor's surface

Electrons in a solid occupy distinct energy bands separated by gaps. Energy band gaps are an electronic "no man's land," an energy range where no electrons are allowed. Now, scientists studying a compound containing iron, ...

Plant-based magnetic nanoparticles with antifungal properties

A team of researchers from Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University obtained magnetic nanoparticles using sweet flag (Acorus calamus). Both the roots and the leaves of this plant have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and insecticide ...

Surfaces help quantum switches

The quantum dynamics of hydrogen are central to many problems in nature, being strongly influenced by the environment in which a reaction takes place. In their contribution to PRL, members of the Lise Meitner Group at the ...

Molecular swarm rearranges surface structures atom by atom

The surface of metals plays a key role in many technologically relevant areas, such as catalysis, sensor technology and battery research. For example, the large-scale production of many chemical compounds takes place on metal ...

Why we should leave old oil rigs in the sea, and why we don't

Decommissioning the UK's offshore oil and gas infrastructure will cost the taxpayer £24 billion, according to estimates from HMRC. So why can't we leave man-made structures in the sea and thereby save the cost of removal ...

Physicists use oscillations of atoms to control a phase transition

The goal of 'femtochemistry' is to film and control chemical reactions with short flashes of light. Using consecutive laser pulses, atomic bonds can be excited precisely and broken as desired. So far, this has been demonstrated ...

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