Quantum spin liquids are unusual states of matter where the spins stay actively in motion even at extremely low temperatures. These spins show a fascinating behavior called fractionalization, where particles seem to break into smaller parts. Purdue University researchers seek spin excitation modes, which are key in finding fractionalization using optical tools.

SandboxAQ today announced it was selected by NATO to participate in the 2025 Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) cohort – one of approximately 70 innovative companies chosen from more than 2,600 submissions across 32 NATO countries. NATO DIANA unites companies worldwide to leverage dual-use technologies that address critical solutions in energy and power, sensing and surveillance, secure information sharing, human health and performance, and critical infrastructure and logistics.

Physicists have built a new type of digital-analogue quantum simulator in Google’s laboratory, which can be used to study physical processes with unprecedented precision and flexibility. Two physicists from PSI’s Center for Scientific Computing, Theory and Data, played a key role in this achievement.

Quantum spin liquids are fascinating states of matter where magnetic spins stay disordered, defying the usual rules of magnetism. Professor Yasuyuki Ishii and his team have made an exciting discovery about one such material, β’-EtMe₃Sb[Pd(dmit)₂]₂. Instead of acting like a 2D system as expected, it behaves like a 1D system. This breakthrough changes how we understand these mysterious materials, offering new insights into magnetism and opening doors to advances in quantum materials and technology.

The results now published pinpoint the spiral magnetic structure of these materials, finally establishing the common origin of its promising magnetic and electric properties up to room temperatures. The experiments were fully conducted at the ILL, using five instruments out of a state-of-the-art suite of over 40, and taking advantage of advanced sample environment technologies.

Scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have created a new thermometer using atoms boosted to such high energy levels that they are a thousand times larger than normal. By monitoring how these giant “Rydberg” atoms interact with heat in their environment, researchers can measure temperature with remarkable accuracy. The thermometer’s sensitivity could improve temperature measurements in fields ranging from quantum research to industrial manufacturing.

To promote the use of quantum sensors in industry, Fraunhofer IAF has developed a virtual application laboratory for quantum sensing. This innovative information platform provides comprehensive technical knowledge about quantum magnetometers, applications, and measurement scenarios. It also allows interested parties from industry and research to interactively perform sample measurements and assess the potential of this groundbreaking technology for their needs.

MIT physicists have created a new ultrathin, two-dimensional material with unusual magnetic properties that initially surprised the researchers before they went on to solve the complicated puzzle behind those properties’ emergence. As a result, the work introduces a new platform for studying how materials behave at the most fundamental level — the world of quantum physics.

The future of tin-based qubits is brighter thanks to breakthrough work by Stanford University researchers supported through a quantum research center led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory.

To promote the sustainability of electromobility and enhance resource efficiency, upcycling of lithium-ion batteries is gaining increasing importance. Efforts are focused on slowing down material cycles by repurposing used batteries from electric vehicles for new applications instead of transferring them directly to recycling processes. Despite its real significant potential to conserve resources, upcycling has yet caught on due to technical and economic challenges. However, a team of researchers has developed a practical method that combines a high-speed measurement method and artificial intelligence (AI) to overcome these barriers.