New X-ray imaging technique to study the transient phases of quantum materials

An international team of researchers has demonstrated for the first time the use of a new lensless ultrafast X-Ray method to image phase transitions

27-Dec-2022 - The use of light to produce transient phases in quantum materials is fast becoming a novel way to engineer new properties in them, such as the generation of superconductivity or nanoscale topological defects. However, visualizing the growth of a new phase in a solid is not easy, due in-part to ...

Light-based device uses a few drops of saliva to effectively test Covid-19 patients

23-Feb-2022 - The breakout of Covid-19 became a game changer in the medical field in 2020. Studies bloomed and steered into full motion to try and find solutions via different paths; on one hand, vaccinations to control the spread of the disease, and on the other hand, seeking for testing techniques that could ...

Twisted bilayer graphene dances with light

How light and electrons move in concert in the material when illuminated with infrared light

02-Nov-2021 - When two layers of graphene are placed one on top of the other, and twisted among them by a very small angle, a “moiré pattern” is formed and the physical properties of the system have proven to change dramatically. In particular, near the ‘magic’ angle of 1 degree, the electrons slow down ...

Determining the structure of a molecule with laser-induced electron diffraction

11-Mar-2021 - Light microscopes have revolutionized our understanding of the microcosmos, but their resolution is limited to about 100 nanometers. To see how molecules bond, break, or change their structure, we need at least 1000 times better resolution. Laser induced electron diffraction (LIED) is a technique ...

Quantum nanoscope

Seeing electrons surfing the waves of light on graphene

09-Jun-2017 - Researchers have studied how light can be used to “see” the quantum nature of an electronic material. They managed to do that by capturing light in a net of carbon atoms and slowing down light it down so that it moves almost as slow as the electrons in the graphene. Then something special ...

One small chip - one giant leap forward for early cancer detection

An ultra-sensitive nano-chip capable of detecting cancer at early stages

04-Jun-2014 - Today, the majority of cancers are detected on the macroscopic level, when the tumor is already composed of millions of cancer cells and the disease is starting to advance into a more mature phase. But what if we could diagnose cancer before it took hold- while it was still only affecting a few ...

Establishing guides for molecular counting using fluorescent proteins

08-Jan-2014 - To know how many proteins assemble together at the nanoscale is fundamental for understanding protein function. Sometimes, proteins must be in an "oligomeric" state to be functional, although "oligomerization" of certain proteins can also lead to diseases. The ability to determine protein ...