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With diverse polymorphisms and phase transitions that can be triggered using many methods, layered transition metal dichalcogenides are attractive materials for realizing novel topological states, as well as for a range of other applications.
Spins can act as mediators to interconvert electricity, light, sound, vibration and heat. This Progress article gives an overview of the recent advances associated with nanoscale spin conversion.
Over the past decade, remarkable progress has occurred in the physics of closed quantum systems away from equilibrium, culminating in the recent experimental realization of so-called time crystals. This Progress Article surveys these developments.
Direct dark matter searches are pushing the limits on the scattering of weakly interacting massive particles on normal matter so WIMPs are running out of places to hide.
Beyond the standard model, the weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP) hypothesis for dark matter is one of the most compelling, and the one being tested at the Large Hadron Collider.
Recent progress in engineering quantum gases of polar molecules brings closer their application in fundamental tests, ultracold chemistry and the study of new quantum phases of matter.
Reshaping network theory to describe the multilayered structures of the real world has formed a focus in complex networks research in recent years. Progress in our understanding of dynamical processes is but one of the fruits of this labour.
Using optical lattices to trap ultracold atoms provides a powerful platform for probing topological phases, analogues to those found in condensed matter. But as these systems are highly tunable, they could be used to engineer even more exotic phases.
A renaissance of interest in a numerical technique known as the conformal bootstrap is surveyed, and its implications for the determination of critical exponents in a range of spin models is discussed.
Ultracold-atom experiments enable more flexibility in the study of quantum transport phenomena that are otherwise difficult to probe in solid-state systems. A survey of recent advances highlights the challenges and opportunities of this approach.
The internal structure of cells is organized into compartments, many of which lack a confining membrane and instead resemble viscous liquid droplets. Evidence is mounting that these compartments form via spontaneous phase transitions.
The traditional approaches to quantum information processing using either discrete or continuous variables can be combined in hybrid protocols for tasks including quantum teleportation, computation, entanglement distillation or Bell tests.
Similar to orbital angular momentum-carrying optical beams, it is now possible to engineer structured electron beams that could find applications in imaging, nanofabrication and the study of fundamental phenomena.
Topological insulators are often considered to be one-band problems that are easy to solve. However, strongly correlated topological insulators cannot be described by band theory because the electrons fractionalize into other degrees of freedom.
Experiments probing non-equilibrium processes have so far been tailored largely to classical systems. The endeavour to extend our understanding into the quantum realm is finding traction in studies of electronic circuits at sub-kelvin temperatures.
Equilibrium physics is ill-equipped to explain all of life’s subtleties, largely because living systems are out of equilibrium. Attempts to overcome this problem have given rise to a lively field of research—and some surprising biological findings.
The on-line isotope separation technique for the production of accelerated beams of radioactive ions has led to important advances in our understanding of atomic nuclei. These are now reviewed, and further prospects are discussed.
Cold atoms trapped in dissipative optical lattices can behave in ways that cannot be described within the framework of Boltzmann–Gibbs statistical mechanics. Recent theoretical and experimental developments may lead to a better understanding of these processes.
Lithographically fabricated micrometre-scale superconducting circuits exhibit behaviour analogues to natural quantum entities, such as atom, ions and photons. Large-scale arrays of such circuits hold the promise of providing a unique route to quantum simulation. Recent progress in technology and methodology are reviewed here, and prospects and challenges discussed.
