All articles tagged with #phase transitions
Using high-pressure experiments and advanced imaging, researchers observed ice XXI and ice XXII—the most complex ice phases yet—alongside metastable states that illustrate Ostwald’s step rule; simulations once predicted tens of thousands of possible ice forms, but only a subset emerge in reality, revealing new insights into water’s behavior under extreme conditions and potential relevance to icy worlds and drug stability.
New research applying shear strain to ultrathin crystals of strontium ruthenate (Sr₂RuO₄) found that its superconducting transition temperature remains almost unchanged, challenging previous theories and suggesting a simpler, one-component superconducting state. This study refines understanding of the material's hidden symmetry and opens new avenues for exploring unconventional superconductors.
Physicists have observed the "sudden death" of quantum fluctuations in a superconducting material, tungsten ditelluride, which challenges existing theories and requires a new explanation. This discovery could provide insight into superconductors and potentially lead to the development of room-temperature superconductors. The researchers observed unexpected behavior in quantum vortices at high temperatures and strong magnetic fields, leading to the need for a new theory to explain these phenomena.
Princeton physicists have observed an unexpected quantum behavior in a three-atom-thin insulator that can be switched into a superconductor, challenging current theories of superconductivity. The abrupt cessation of quantum fluctuations near the transition point exhibits unique properties that defy established theories. This discovery promises to advance our understanding of quantum physics in solids and open new directions for the study of quantum condensed matter physics and superconductivity.
Researchers at the University of Bonn and ETH Zurich have observed a unique effect in the quantum world where electrons slowly vanish during cooling. This phenomenon, known as critical slowing down, occurs during phase transitions and is typically observed in bosons. However, the researchers have now demonstrated that it can also occur in fermions, such as electrons. By studying the collapse of quasiparticles, which are a superposition of immobile and mobile electrons, the researchers gained new insights into the exotic world of quantum physics. The findings contribute to a better understanding of phase transitions and may have implications for quantum information technology.
Bar-Ilan University researchers have demonstrated the "network of networks" theory using a controlled system of interdependent superconducting networks, confirming that coupled networks exhibit abrupt transitions under varying temperatures. This groundbreaking research has significant implications across physics, materials science, and device applications, potentially leading to new developments in self-healing systems, sensitive sensors, and network metamaterials. The breakthrough study establishes the first physics laboratory benchmark for the manifestation of the theory of interdependent networks, enabling experimental studies to control and to further develop the multiscale phenomena of complex interdependent materials.