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For the first time, a purely dipolar quantum gas has been prepared experimentally. Different regimes have been explored; in some, the gas is stable, whereas in others it collapses due to the strong dipole–dipole interaction between the constituent atoms.
The propagation of charge carriers in graphene under an imposed periodic potential can become strongly anisotropic, suggesting a way of making electronic circuits with appropriately patterned surface electrodes without the need for cutting nanoscale structure into graphene.
Our tools for understanding phase transitions at thermal equilibrium do not usually apply to granular matter. However, a vibrating quasi-one-dimensional system displays dynamic behaviour common to classic phase transitions.
High-temperature superconductors are difficult to model because most conventional theories fail for the strong repulsive interactions between electrons. But what if the correlations are not as strong as believed? Perhaps the magnetic correlations are more essential.
Arrays of quantum dots can be useful for building ‘artificial molecules’, and potentially as elements of quantum information networks. But in practice, no two dots are the same. An optical technique provides the means for in situ characterization of individual dots, and their collective properties.
Mixing two different types of grains in a revolving tumbler produces several radial streaks as the grains segregate. Unexpectedly though, after hundreds of revolutions, only one streak remains.
We want to hear from physicists what kind of tools would help in managing the ever-growing tide of information from, and the exciting possibilities of, the internet.
Quantum entanglement is a vital resource in quantum information science. A theoretical framework now provides a better understanding of how these non-classical correlations decay in a real environment.
The relationship between high-temperature superconductivity and the pseudogap state is further probed by an atomic-scale study that shows that what was believed to be a signature of the superconducting state exists in both states.