Here we go... - p581

doi:10.1038/nphys1040

After almost three decades of preparation, CERN's Large Hadron Collider is turning on.

Full Text - Here we go... | PDF (259 KB) - Here we go...

Let there be light? - p583

Mark Buchanan

doi:10.1038/nphys1042

Full Text - Let there be light? | PDF (127 KB) - Let there be light?

How to tip the scale - p585

Christoph Bergemann reviews Guesstimation: Solving the World's Problems on the Back of a Cocktail Napkin by Lawrence Weinstein & John A. Adam

doi:10.1038/nphys1037

Full Text - How to tip the scale | PDF (164 KB) - How to tip the scale

Relatively interesting news - p586

doi:10.1038/nphys1043

Full Text - Relatively interesting news | PDF (246 KB) - Relatively interesting news

Spin ratchets: A one-way street for spin current - pp587 - 588

Michael E. Flatté

doi:10.1038/nphys1047

A way to generate and control spin currents without magnetic fields or magnetic materials may be possible using dissipative quantum ratchets in the presence of spin–orbit coupling.

Full Text - Spin ratchetsA one-way street for spin current | PDF (186 KB) - Spin ratchetsA one-way street for spin current

Subject Categories: Statistical physics, thermodynamics and nonlinear dynamics | Electronics, photonics and device physics | Condensed-matter physics

58th annual Lindau meeting of Nobel laureates: Words of advice to young people - p588

Ed Gerstner

doi:10.1038/nphys1048

Full Text - 58th annual Lindau meeting of Nobel laureatesWords of advice to young people | PDF (138 KB) - 58th annual Lindau meeting of Nobel laureatesWords of advice to young people

Subject Category: Other physics

Superconducting qubits: Atomic physics with a circuit - pp589 - 590

Franco Nori

doi:10.1038/nphys1044

Inspired by ideas and techniques for cooling atomic gases, an experiment demonstrates how the temperature of micrometre-scale electronic devices can be lowered using solid-state quantum circuits.

Full Text - Superconducting qubitsAtomic physics with a circuit | PDF (180 KB) - Superconducting qubitsAtomic physics with a circuit

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

Quantum electronics: Hybrid electron control - pp590 - 591

Belita Koiller

doi:10.1038/nphys1045

The ability to change the degree of hybridization of a donor electron between the coulombic potential of its donor atom and that of a nearby quantum well in a silicon transistor has now been achieved. This is a promising step in the development of atomic-scale quantum control.

Full Text - Quantum electronicsHybrid electron control | PDF (195 KB) - Quantum electronicsHybrid electron control

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

Bose–Hubbard optical lattice: Peak on a peak - pp592 - 593

Allan Griffin

doi:10.1038/nphys1046

When is a condensate really a condensate? Calculations reveal that a 'peak on a peak' structure should be considered the true signature of the emergence of a Bose condensate in a Bose–Hubbard optical lattice.

Full Text - Bose–Hubbard optical latticePeak on a peak | PDF (187 KB) - Bose–Hubbard optical latticePeak on a peak

Subject Category: Condensed-matter physics

Space exploration: Boldly gone - p593

Dan Csontos

doi:10.1038/nphys1038

Full Text - Space explorationBoldly gone | PDF (168 KB) - Space explorationBoldly gone

Subject Category: Astrophysics

Taming molecular beams - pp595 - 602

Sebastiaan Y. T. van de Meerakker, Hendrick L. Bethlem & Gerard Meijer

doi:10.1038/nphys1031

The ability to control the velocity of molecules using time-varying electrical and magnetic fields has led to a renewed interest in molecular beams. This article reviews the technology of these decelerators and discusses applications.

Abstract - | Full Text - Taming molecular beams | PDF (628 KB) - Taming molecular beams

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

Superconductivity and quantum criticality in the heavy-fermion system -YbAlB₄ - pp603 - 607

S. Nakatsuji, K. Kuga, Y. Machida, T. Tayama, T. Sakakibara, Y. Karaki, H. Ishimoto, S. Yonezawa, Y. Maeno, E. Pearson, G. G. Lonzarich, L. Balicas, H. Lee & Z. Fisk

doi:10.1038/nphys1002

A long-sought ytterbium-based heavy-fermion superconductor—a hole analogue of the cerium-based systems—has been found. Moreover, there is evidence for a quantum critical point at ambient conditions and without chemical doping.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Superconductivity and quantum criticality in the heavy-fermion system -YbAlB4 | PDF (2,198 KB) - Superconductivity and quantum criticality in the heavy-fermion system -YbAlB4

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

Pairing fluctuations in the pseudogap state of copper-oxide superconductors probed by the Josephson effect - pp608 - 611

N. Bergeal, J. Lesueur, M. Aprili, G. Faini, J. P. Contour & B. Leridon

doi:10.1038/nphys1017

The pseudogap state in the high-temperature superconductors may be either a precursor state to superconductivity or a competing state. A direct probe of the Cooper pairs can address this conundrum.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Pairing fluctuations in the pseudogap state of copper-oxide superconductors probed by the Josephson effect | PDF (365 KB) - Pairing fluctuations in the pseudogap state of copper-oxide superconductors probed by the Josephson effect

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

Sisyphus cooling and amplification by a superconducting qubit - pp612 - 616

M. Grajcar, S. H. W. van der Ploeg, A. Izmalkov, E. Il'ichev, H.-G. Meyer, A. Fedorov, A. Shnirman & Gerd Schön

doi:10.1038/nphys1019

A superconducting qubit—a mesoscopic structure that behaves like a quantum two-level system—has been used to change the temperature of a resonant circuit, in close analogy to the so-called Sisyphus cooling and amplification protocols used in laser cooling of atoms.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Sisyphus cooling and amplification by a superconducting qubit | PDF (2,825 KB) - Sisyphus cooling and amplification by a superconducting qubit

Subject Categories: Quantum physics | Techniques and instrumentation | Condensed-matter physics

See also: News and Views by Nori

Sharp peaks in the momentum distribution of bosons in optical lattices in the normal state - pp617 - 621

Yasuyuki Kato, Qi Zhou, Naoki Kawashima & Nandini Trivedi

doi:10.1038/nphys983

Recognizing a superfluid when we see one may be more difficult than we originally thought. Simulations suggest that the sharp peaks associated with superfluidity in ultracold atoms do not provide a unique signature after all.

First Paragraph - Sharp peaks in the momentum distribution of bosons in optical lattices in the normal state | Full Text - Sharp peaks in the momentum distribution of bosons in optical lattices in the normal state | PDF (975 KB) - Sharp peaks in the momentum distribution of bosons in optical lattices in the normal state

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

See also: News and Views by Griffin

Efficient state transfer in an ultracold dense gas of heteronuclear molecules - pp622 - 626

S. Ospelkaus, A. Pe'er, K.-K. Ni, J. J. Zirbel, B. Neyenhuis, S. Kotochigova, P. S. Julienne, J. Ye & D. S. Jin

doi:10.1038/nphys997

A rich internal structure and long-range interactions between them make molecules with non-vanishing dipole moments interesting for many applications. An experiment demonstrating the efficient transfer of loosely bound heteronuclear molecules into more deeply bound energy levels indicates a route towards producing dense ensembles of cold polar molecules.

First Paragraph - Efficient state transfer in an ultracold dense gas of heteronuclear molecules | Full Text - Efficient state transfer in an ultracold dense gas of heteronuclear molecules | PDF (313 KB) - Efficient state transfer in an ultracold dense gas of heteronuclear molecules

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

Giant phonon-induced conductance in scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of gate-tunable graphene - pp627 - 630

Yuanbo Zhang, Victor W. Brar, Feng Wang, Caglar Girit, Yossi Yayon, Melissa Panlasigui, Alex Zettl & Michael F. Crommie

doi:10.1038/nphys1022

Scanning tunnelling spectra of a graphene field-effect transistor reveal an unexpected tenfold increase in conductance as a result of phonon-mediated inelastic tunnelling.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Giant phonon-induced conductance in scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of gate-tunable graphene | PDF (616 KB) - Giant phonon-induced conductance in scanning tunnelling spectroscopy of gate-tunable graphene | Supplementary information

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

Coherent dynamics of plasma mirrors - pp631 - 634

C. Thaury, H. George, F. Quéré, R. Loch, J.-P. Geindre, P. Monot & Ph. Martin

doi:10.1038/nphys986

Emission coherence is crucial to the potential of future X-ray sources based on high-order harmonic generation from laser-driven plasmas. Contrary to expectations, coherent emission is possible, but only if the pulses driving it are temporally sharp.

First Paragraph - Coherent dynamics of plasma mirrors | Full Text - Coherent dynamics of plasma mirrors | PDF (594 KB) - Coherent dynamics of plasma mirrors | Supplementary information

Subject Category: Plasma physics

An off-board quantum point contact as a sensitive detector of cantilever motion - pp635 - 638

M. Poggio, M. P. Jura, C. L. Degen, M. A. Topinka, H. J. Mamin, D. Goldhaber-Gordon & D. Rugar

doi:10.1038/nphys992

The use of a quantum point contact to detect the thermal motion of a nearby microcantilever demonstrates a potentially useful tool in the quest to push the sensitivity of displacement sensors to the ultimate quantum limit.

First Paragraph - An off-board quantum point contact as a sensitive detector of cantilever motion | Full Text - An off-board quantum point contact as a sensitive detector of cantilever motion | PDF (1,738 KB) - An off-board quantum point contact as a sensitive detector of cantilever motion | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Electronics, photonics and device physics | Nanotechnology

Dislocations and vortices in pair-density-wave superconductors - pp639 - 642

D. F. Agterberg & H. Tsunetsugu

doi:10.1038/nphys999

Unconventional superconductors often host two or more competing states at low temperatures. Line defects seemingly have a role in the relative stability of coexisting density waves that oscillate in space.

Abstract - Dislocations and vortices in pair-density-wave superconductors | Full Text - Dislocations and vortices in pair-density-wave superconductors | PDF (316 KB) - Dislocations and vortices in pair-density-wave superconductors

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Materials physics

Heavy electrons and the symplectic symmetry of spin - pp643 - 648

Rebecca Flint, M. Dzero & P. Coleman

doi:10.1038/nphys1024

The Kondo problem—dealing with localized magnetic impurities embedded in a sea of conduction electrons—can be treated on an equal footing with superconductivity for a large system of interacting electrons.

Abstract - | Full Text - Heavy electrons and the symplectic symmetry of spin | PDF (459 KB) - Heavy electrons and the symplectic symmetry of spin | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Condensed-matter physics | Materials physics

Localization and loss of coherence in molecular double-slit experiments - pp649 - 655

Björn Zimmermann, Daniel Rolles, Burkhard Langer, Rainer Hentges, Markus Braune, Slobodan Cvejanovic, Oliver Gener, Franz Heiser, Sanja Korica, Toralf Lischke, Axel Reinköster, Jens Viefhaus, Reinhard Dörner, Vincent McKoy & Uwe Becker

doi:10.1038/nphys993

Similar to electrons passed through a double-slit apparatus, photoelectrons emitted coherently from both atoms of a diatomic molecule can exhibit interference patterns. But when coherence between the two atoms is lost, effects are shown to come into play that are unique to the ‘molecular double-slit’ experiment.

Abstract - Localization and loss of coherence in molecular double-slit experiments | Full Text - Localization and loss of coherence in molecular double-slit experiments | PDF (1,281 KB) - Localization and loss of coherence in molecular double-slit experiments | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Atomic and molecular physics | Quantum physics

Gate-induced quantum-confinement transition of a single dopant atom in a silicon FinFET - pp656 - 661

G. P. Lansbergen, R. Rahman, C. J. Wellard, I. Woo, J. Caro, N. Collaert, S. Biesemans, G. Klimeck, L. C. L. Hollenberg & S. Rogge

doi:10.1038/nphys994

The ability to change the degree of hybridization of a donor electron state between the coulombic potential of its donor atom and that of a nearby quantum well in a silicon transistor has now been achieved. This is a promising step in the development of atomic-scale quantum control.

Abstract - Gate-induced quantum-confinement transition of a single dopant atom in a silicon FinFET | Full Text - Gate-induced quantum-confinement transition of a single dopant atom in a silicon FinFET | PDF (633 KB) - Gate-induced quantum-confinement transition of a single dopant atom in a silicon FinFET | Supplementary information

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

See also: News and Views by Koiller

Beating the channel capacity limit for linear photonic superdense coding - p662

Julio T. Barreiro, Tzu-Chieh Wei & Paul G. Kwiat

doi:10.1038/nphys1039

Full Text - Beating the channel capacity limit for linear photonic superdense coding | PDF (176 KB) - Beating the channel capacity limit for linear photonic superdense coding

Message found in a gravity wave - p664

Rudy Rucker

doi:10.1038/nphys1049

A blast from the past.

Full Text - Message found in a gravity wave | PDF (181 KB) - Message found in a gravity wave