Category archives: Quantum physics

Plasmons galore for myriad applications

Plasmons galore for myriad applications

ChemistryCondensed matterMaterialsNanotechnologyPhysicsQuantum physics

By DIPC

Worldwide research efforts on plasmons and metamaterials have been growing exponentially for the past ten years. Now, Antonio I. Fernández-Domínguez (IFIMAC), Francisco J. García-Vidal (IFIMAC & DIPC), and Luis Martín-Moreno (ICMA) discuss new directions for the future, such as the use of 2D materials and strong coupling phenomena, which are likely to shape the field […]

How to study magnetic Weyl fermions experimentally

How to study magnetic Weyl fermions experimentally

ChemistryCondensed matterQuantum physicsTheoretical physics

By DIPC

Imagine there exist a material in which an electron could be split into two quasiparticles. These two quasiparticles both would carry electric charge, move in opposite directions but could not move backwards. Furthermore these quasiparticles would be massless. And we can give them a fancy name, Weyl fermions. This seems to be at odds with […]

Quantifying the screening of electrons in graphene heterostructures

Quantifying the screening of electrons in graphene heterostructures

Condensed matterMaterialsPhysicsQuantum physics

By DIPC

Beginning in 1928, Felix Bloch, an assistant to Werner Heisenberg in Leipzig, began to make some realistic assumptions in an attempt to formulate a more complete quantum mechanics of electrical conductivity. First, because he wanted to assign a definite momentum and energy to each of the electrons, but not a definite position or a time […]

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (6): The Vienna Experiment (and now, what?)

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (6): The Vienna Experiment (and now, what?)

Quantum physics

By Daniel Manzano

Unfortunately, this interesting story is coming to an end. In the previous post we already disscussed the first loophole-free Bell experiment, but if this experiment was conclusive the story is closed. Why are we still discussing it? It happens sometimes in History that people look to solve a problem for decades and suddenly two different […]

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (5): The Delft experiment

The loophole-free quantum entanglement experiment (5): The Delft experiment

Philosophy of sciencePhysicsQuantum physics

By Daniel Manzano

In previous posts, we have reviewed the different loopholes of Bell experiments. To make a long story short, entanglement experiments are based on measuring some magnitudes in two quantum systems, calculating a value based on the outcomes of these measurements, and if this value goes beyond a certain threshold we can say that the universe […]

Penta-graphene: to be or not to be

Penta-graphene: to be or not to be

ChemistryCondensed matterMaterialsPhysicsQuantum physics

By Francisco R. Villatoro

Graphene is a two-dimensional allotrope of carbon made of hexagons. In February 2015, penta-graphene, only made of pentagons, was theoretically proposed as another two-dimensional allotrope of carbon . Apparently, it is dynamically, thermally, and mechanically stable, exhibiting a large band gap (graphene is gapless). However, an exhaustive experimental search has been inconclusive, resulting in doubts […]