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Quantum liquids at equilibrium follow Fermi liquid theory, but less is known about non-equilibrium conditions. Carbon nanotubes, which exhibit universal scaling behaviour, provide a testbed for many-body physics beyond equilibrium.
Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the non-equilibrium nature of protein dynamics. Together with spectroscopy data, evidence for self-similar, fractal time behaviour spans 13 decades—the entire range over which proteins function biologically.
Topologically non-trivial states usually emerge from systems with strong spin–orbit coupling, but evidence for such states in the Kondo insulator samarium hexaboride suggests that they can also be driven by strong electron correlations.
Fluctuations in the profile of the ocean floor can lead to large variations in tsunami wave height. A theory linking this behaviour to the branched flow characteristics of electron waves through semiconductors may provide a framework for prediction.
Sunspots are transient cool regions on the Sun’s photosphere where concentrated magnetic field lines suppress convection. It turns out that sunspot oscillations can map the coronal magnetic field strength with high resolution.
Simulated pipe flow is interpreted using an ecological model in which predatory zonal flow preys on turbulence, and laminar flows emulate nutrients — establishing a link between turbulence and the directed percolation universality class.
The strong confinement of plasmons in graphene makes them interesting for practical applications, but also difficult to excite. An all-optical technique can excite plasmons in graphene over a range of frequencies.
Bilayer graphene can host topological currents that are robust against defects and are associated with the electron valleys. It is now shown that electric fields can tune this topological valley transport over long distances at room temperature.
When laser light is focused onto graphene devices in a magnetic field a long-range photo-Nernst effect causes photocurrents to be generated along the free edges.
The superconducting properties of NbSe2 as it approaches the monolayer limit are investigated by means of magnetotransport measurements, uncovering evidence of spin–momentum locking.
Using large magnetic fields to drive domain walls in nanowires causes precessional motion, which reduces the velocity. The Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction is shown to circumvent this problem by inducing soliton-like magnetic domain wall motion.
Sliding friction involves the rupturing of interfacial bonds. Measurements of the balance between the dissipation and release of energy when ruptures take place now show that sliding frictional motion can be described by means of fracture mechanics.
Experiments show that electron waves can be confined to and guided along the edges of monolayer and bilayer graphene sheets, analogous to the guiding of light waves in optical fibres.
Using an artificial three-level lambda system realized in a superconducting transmon qubit in a microwave cavity one can observe coherent population trapping, electromagnetically induced transparency and superluminal pulse propagation.