Wouldn't you like to know? - p505

doi:10.1038/nphys1012

A wealth of information is available online, in useful encyclopaedic form. But how much of it is to be trusted?

Full Text - Wouldn't you like to know? | PDF (132 KB) - Wouldn't you like to know?

The law of accelerating returns - p507

Mark Buchanan

doi:10.1038/nphys1010

Full Text - The law of accelerating returns | PDF (124 KB) - The law of accelerating returns

Populist quantum theory - pp509 - 510

Dave Bacon reviews Quantum Computer Science: An Introduction by N. David Mermin

doi:10.1038/nphys1009

Full Text - Populist quantum theory | PDF (411 KB) - Populist quantum theory

Into the trees - p510

Andreas Trabesinger

doi:10.1038/nphys1011

Full Text - Into the trees | PDF (335 KB) - Into the trees

Cosmic bubbles and demonic exercise - p511

doi:10.1038/nphys1015

Full Text - Cosmic bubbles and demonic exercise | PDF (208 KB) - Cosmic bubbles and demonic exercise

Optomechanics: Push towards the quantum limit - pp513 - 514

Florian Marquardt

doi:10.1038/nphys1006

Optomechanical set-ups use radiation pressure to manipulate macroscopic mechanical objects. Two experiments transfer this concept to the fields of superconducting microwave circuits and cold-atom physics.

Full Text - OptomechanicsPush towards the quantum limit | PDF (437 KB) - OptomechanicsPush towards the quantum limit

Subject Categories: Quantum physics | Techniques and instrumentation | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Atomic and molecular physics | Nanotechnology

Kavli Prize: Science on all scales - p514

May Chiao

doi:10.1038/nphys1003

Full Text - Kavli PrizeScience on all scales | PDF (370 KB) - Kavli PrizeScience on all scales

Subject Categories: Astrophysics | Other physics

Attoscience: An attosecond stopwatch - pp515 - 516

Matthias Kling & Ferenc Krausz

doi:10.1038/nphys1005

The motion of electrons inside, around and between atoms can be captured with attosecond time resolution. A technique has now been demonstrated that can reveal electron dynamics even without attosecond light flashes.

Full Text - AttoscienceAn attosecond stopwatch | PDF (150 KB) - AttoscienceAn attosecond stopwatch

Subject Categories: Optical physics | Atomic and molecular physics | Techniques and instrumentation

Quantum dots: Time to get the nukes out - pp516 - 518

Michael D. Schroer & Jason R. Petta

doi:10.1038/nphys1007

The ability to electrically control spin dynamics in quantum dots makes them one of the most promising platforms for solid-state quantum-information processing. Minimizing the influence of the nuclear spin environment is an important step towards realizing such promise.

Full Text - Quantum dotsTime to get the nukes out | PDF (266 KB) - Quantum dotsTime to get the nukes out

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Nanotechnology

Willis Lamb: Shift to quantum electrodynamics - p518

Alison Wright

doi:10.1038/nphys1004

Full Text - Willis lambShift to quantum electrodynamics | PDF (172 KB) - Willis lambShift to quantum electrodynamics

Subject Categories: Particle physics | Quantum physics

Universal emission intermittency in quantum dots, nanorods and nanowires - pp519 - 522

Pavel Frantsuzov, Masaru Kuno, Boldizsár Jankó & Rudolph A. Marcus

doi:10.1038/nphys1001

Fluorophores are quantum objects that blink intermittently and whose dark states exist practically 'forever'—on quantum-mechanical scales, that is. Although there is no accepted theory, there has been plenty of theoretical progress.

Abstract - | Full Text - Universal emission intermittency in quantum dots, nanorods and nanowires | PDF (385 KB) - Universal emission intermittency in quantum dots, nanorods and nanowires

Subject Categories: Optical physics | Atomic and molecular physics

Process tomography of quantum memory in a Josephson-phase qubit coupled to a two-level state - pp523 - 526

Matthew Neeley, M. Ansmann, Radoslaw C. Bialczak, M. Hofheinz, N. Katz, Erik Lucero, A. O'Connell, H. Wang, A. N. Cleland & John M. Martinis

doi:10.1038/nphys972

Defects in Josephson junctions are considered a nuisance when it comes to using superconducting circuits as building blocks for a quantum-information processor. But if the interaction between the circuit and defects is accurately controlled—as has been demonstrated now—the imperfections might be useful, serving as memory elements.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Process tomography of quantum memory in a Josephson-phase qubit coupled to a two-level state | PDF (547 KB) - Process tomography of quantum memory in a Josephson-phase qubit coupled to a two-level state

Subject Categories: Quantum physics | Condensed-matter physics | Atomic and molecular physics

In situ doping control of the surface of high-temperature superconductors - pp527 - 531

M. A. Hossain, J. D. F. Mottershead, D. Fournier, A. Bostwick, J. L. McChesney, E. Rotenberg, R. Liang, W. N. Hardy, G. A. Sawatzky, I. S. Elfimov, D. A. Bonn & A. Damascelli

doi:10.1038/nphys998

In copper-oxide superconductors, charge carriers must be added to the insulating 'parent' compound before superconductivity appears. Exactly how the dopants affect the crystalline surface and evolving Fermi surface is now clear.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - In situ doping control of the surface of high-temperature superconductors | PDF (930 KB) - In situ doping control of the surface of high-temperature superconductors | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Materials physics | Condensed-matter physics

Dirac charge dynamics in graphene by infrared spectroscopy - pp532 - 535

Z. Q. Li, E. A. Henriksen, Z. Jiang, Z. Hao, M. C. Martin, P. Kim, H. L. Stormer & D. N. Basov

doi:10.1038/nphys989

Infrared spectra of graphene deposited on a silicon oxide substrate suggest that many-body effects have a more significant role in determining its electronic behaviour than in free-standing graphene

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Dirac charge dynamics in graphene by infrared spectroscopy | PDF (908 KB) - Dirac charge dynamics in graphene by infrared spectroscopy | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Nanotechnology | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Condensed-matter physics

Singlet–triplet physics and shell filling in carbon nanotube double quantum dots - pp536 - 539

H. Ingerslev Jørgensen, K. Grove-Rasmussen, K.-Y. Wang, A. M. Blackburn, K. Flensberg, P. E. Lindelof & D. A. Williams

doi:10.1038/nphys987

Carbon nanotube double quantum dots, whose shell-like electronic structure is reminiscent of that of a simple molecule, provide a useful system to study the interaction of just a few electrons at a time.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Singlet–triplet physics and shell filling in carbon nanotube double quantum dots | PDF (463 KB) - Singlet–triplet physics and shell filling in carbon nanotube double quantum dots | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Nanotechnology

See also: News and Views by Schroer & Petta

Spin blockade and lifetime-enhanced transport in a few-electron Si/SiGe double quantum dot - pp540 - 544

Nakul Shaji, C. B. Simmons, Madhu Thalakulam, Levente J. Klein, Hua Qin, H. Luo, D. E. Savage, M. G. Lagally, A. J. Rimberg, R. Joynt, M. Friesen, R. H. Blick, S. N. Coppersmith & M. A. Eriksson

doi:10.1038/nphys988

The observation of spin blockade and lifetime-enhanced transport effects in Si/SiGe double quantum dots represents a promising step in the development of silicon-based quantum devices.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Spin blockade and lifetime-enhanced transport in a few-electron Si/SiGe double quantum dot | PDF (426 KB) - Spin blockade and lifetime-enhanced transport in a few-electron Si/SiGe double quantum dot | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Nanotechnology

See also: News and Views by Schroer & Petta

Coherent control of attosecond emission from aligned molecules - pp545 - 549

W. Boutu, S. Haessler, H. Merdji, P. Breger, G. Waters, M. Stankiewicz, L. J. Frasinski, R. Taieb, J. Caillat, A. Maquet, P. Monchicourt, B. Carre & P. Salieres

doi:10.1038/nphys964

Accurate measurement of the phase of the high harmonics emitted from aligned CO₂ molecules in a strong laser field represent an important step in the generation of shaped attosecond pulses and the coherent control of matter.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Coherent control of attosecond emission from aligned molecules | PDF (428 KB) - Coherent control of attosecond emission from aligned molecules

Subject Categories: Optical physics | Atomic and molecular physics | Techniques and instrumentation

Unexpected drop of dynamical heterogeneities in colloidal suspensions approaching the jamming transition - pp550 - 554

Pierre Ballesta, Agnès Duri & Luca Cipelletti

doi:10.1038/nphys1000

In dense colloidal suspensions, the spatial and temporal fluctuations in the dynamics of the constituent particles are closely related. But very close to the jamming transition—where the suspension becomes rigid—they are found to follow different trends.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Unexpected drop of dynamical heterogeneities in colloidal suspensions approaching the jamming transition | PDF (329 KB) - Unexpected drop of dynamical heterogeneities in colloidal suspensions approaching the jamming transition

Subject Categories: Statistical physics, thermodynamics and nonlinear dynamics | Condensed-matter physics | Materials physics

Measuring nanomechanical motion with a microwave cavity interferometer - pp555 - 560

C. A. Regal, J. D. Teufel & K. W. Lehnert

doi:10.1038/nphys974

Measurements of the position of a nanoscale beam using a microwave cavity detector represents a promising step towards being able to measure displacements at the quantum limit.

Abstract - | Full Text - Measuring nanomechanical motion with a microwave cavity interferometer | PDF (497 KB) - Measuring nanomechanical motion with a microwave cavity interferometer

Subject Categories: Electronics, photonics and device physics | Nanotechnology | Quantum physics | Techniques and instrumentation

See also: News and Views by Marquardt

Observation of quantum-measurement backaction with an ultracold atomic gas - pp561 - 564

Kater W. Murch, Kevin L. Moore, Subhadeep Gupta & Dan M. Stamper-Kurn

doi:10.1038/nphys965

Nanoscale beams are one platform for exploring quantum-mechanical phenomena in ever-larger systems. The collective motion of a macroscopic ensemble of ultracold atoms confined in an optical cavity is established as an alternative approach.

Abstract - | Full Text - Observation of quantum-measurement backaction with an ultracold atomic gas | PDF (315 KB) - Observation of quantum-measurement backaction with an ultracold atomic gas | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Atomic and molecular physics | Quantum physics

See also: News and Views by Marquardt

Attosecond angular streaking - pp565 - 570

Petrissa Eckle, Mathias Smolarski, Philip Schlup, Jens Biegert, André Staudte, Markus Schöffler, Harm G. Muller, Reinhard Dörner & Ursula Keller

doi:10.1038/nphys982

A technique that uses the rotating electric-field vector of a circularly polarized laser pulse as a 'clock' provides a fresh approach to measuring electron dynamics with attosecond time resolution.

Abstract - | Full Text - Attosecond angular streaking | PDF (456 KB) - Attosecond angular streaking | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Optical physics | Atomic and molecular physics | Techniques and instrumentation

See also: News and Views by Kling & Krausz

Discovery of an excited pair state in superfluid ³He - pp571 - 575

J. P. Davis, J. Pollanen, H. Choi, J. A. Sauls & W. P. Halperin

doi:10.1038/nphys969

Superfluid ³He is a quantum condensate in which the He atoms are paired in an unconventional way. Yet despite extensive research on the collective modes of superfluid ³He, one mode has remained undiscovered, until now.

Abstract - | Full Text - Discovery of an excited pair state in superfluid 3He | PDF (471 KB) - Discovery of an excited pair state in superfluid 3He | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Quantum physics

Calibration - p580

Kenneth Schneyer

doi:10.1038/nphys1013

Conflicting messages.

Full Text - Calibration | PDF (136 KB) - Calibration