Jan 19, 2026 How a small molecule offers a new window into atomic-scale magnetism. (Nanowerk News) A Czech and Spanish-led research team has demonstrated the ability to distinguish subtle differences between magnetic ground states using a new form of scanning probe microscopy. In the last few years, a magnetic characterisation...
Quantum ‘alchemy’ made feasible with excitons
Jan 19, 2026 Researchers demonstrate a powerful new approach to Floquet engineering, which for decades has sought to imbue 'trivial' materials with exotic quantum properties. (Nanowerk News) What if you could create new materials just by shining a light at them? To most, this sounds like science fiction or alchemy,...
First observation of positronium matter-wave diffraction with a graphene grating
Jan 19, 2026 First experimental observation of matter-wave diffraction in a short-lived electron-positron atom using a graphene-based diffraction grating. (Nanowerk News) One of the discoveries that fundamentally distinguished the emerging field of quantum physics from classical physics was the observation that matter behaves differently at the smallest scales. A key...
Atomistic simulation software CP2K enables AI models
Jan 19, 2026 CP2K is a widely used open-source package for atomic and molecular simulations, including AI training data. A new overview outlines its methods and scope. (Nanowerk News) The paper, published in The Journal of Physical Chemistry B ("The CP2K Program Package Made Simple"), focuses on the practical application...
Ultrafast spectroscopy allows new insights into energy flow in semiconductors
Jan 19, 2026 New measurements in germanium reveal how excited electrons drive lattice vibrations that govern energy flow and heating in semiconductors. (Nanowerk News) Whether in a smartphone or laptop, semiconductors form the basis of modern electronics and accompany us constantly in everyday life. The processes taking place inside these...
Atomic-scale channels destroy water pollutants that treatment plants cannot touch
Jan 18, 2026 Copper atoms trapped in MXene nanochannels remove 94.9% of Bisphenol A in 5 minutes by concentrating reactants and lowering the energy needed for breakdown. (Nanowerk Spotlight) The water flowing from your tap has likely passed through a treatment plant designed decades ago to handle threats that no...
Team develops a better method to create 2D superlattices with a twist
Jan 17, 2026 A scalable method creates ultraclean twisted 2D superlattices, enabling high resolution X-ray imaging of backfolded bands linked to exotic quantum effects. (Nanowerk News) Exciting electronic characteristics emerge when scientists stack 2D materials on top of each other and give the top layer a little twist. The twist...
Voltage pulses can flip, create, and erase magnetic bimerons in two-dimensional ferroelectrics
Jan 17, 2026 Flipping ferroelectric polarization reverses bimeron topology in a two-dimensional magnet, allowing voltage pulses alone to write, erase, and invert nanoscale spin structures without current flow. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Magnetic skyrmions captured the imagination of physicists when researchers first observed them in bulk crystals and thin films a little...
Direct imaging shows chiral nanowires actively reorient electron spins
Jan 16, 2026 Real-space measurements reveal chiral nanowires actively rotate electron spins, challenging the idea that they merely filter spin states. (Nanowerk News) The phenomenon where electron spins align in a specific direction after passing through chiral materials is a cornerstone for future spin-based electronics. Yet, the precise process behind...
How to get an elephant inside a single cell
Jan 16, 2026 Custom polymer structures can now be 3D printed inside living cells using laser-based fabrication, opening paths to intracellular sensors, cell tracking tags, and embedded microlasers. (Nanowerk Spotlight) A human cell is roughly 20 micrometers across, about one-fifth the width of a human hair. Into this space are...