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A new material developed by Tohoku University records and stores stress history in structures through a luminescent effect, offering an innovative solution to monitor aging infrastructure without needing power or complex equipment.

Identifying deteriorating infrastructure can be as challenging as fixing it. However, researchers at Tohoku University have made this process easier with the development of an innovative new material.

The material responds to mechanical stimuli by recording stress history through a luminescent effect called an afterglow. This information is stored for a long time, and by applying the material to the surfaces of structures, researchers can observe changes in the afterglow to determine the amount of stress the material has experienced.

A team of researchers has developed a novel computational imaging system designed to address the challenges of real-time monitoring in ultrafast laser material processing. The new system, known as Dual-Path Snapshot Compressive Microscopy (DP-SCM), represents a significant advancement in the field, offering unprecedented capabilities for high-speed, high-resolution imaging. The team was led by Yuan Xin from Westlake University and Shi Liping from Xidian University.

Materials that exhibit superconducting properties at high temperatures, known as high-temperature superconductors, have been the focus of numerous recent studies, as they can be used to develop new technologies that perform well at higher temperatures. Although high-temperature superconductivity has been widely investigated, its underlying physics is not yet fully understood.

In recent years, advances in photonics and materials science have led to remarkable developments in sensor technology, pushing the boundaries of what can be detected and measured. Among these innovations, non-Hermitian physics has emerged as a crucial area of research, offering new ways to manipulate light and enhance sensor sensitivity.

A research team has introduced a novel method for selectively tuning electronic bands in graphene. Their findings, published in Physical Review Letters, showcase the potential of artificial superlattice fields for manipulating different types of band dispersions in graphene.

Topological materials are materials that have unusual properties that arise because their wavefunction—the physical law guiding the electrons—is knotted or twisted. Where the topological material meets the surrounding space, the wavefunction must unwind. To accommodate this abrupt change, the electrons at the edge of the material must behave differently than they do in the main bulk of the material.

Kagome metals exhibit superconductivity through a unique wave-like distribution of electron pairs, a discovery that overturns previous assumptions and may lead to the development of novel superconducting components.

This groundbreaking research, driven by theoretical insights and enhanced by cutting-edge experimental techniques, marks a significant step towards realizing efficient quantum devices.

For about fifteen years, Kagome materials with their star-shaped structure reminiscent of a Japanese basketry pattern have captivated global research. Only staring from 2018 scientists have been able to synthesize metallic compounds featuring this structure in the lab. Thanks to their unique crystal geometry, Kagome metals combine distinctive electronic, magnetic, and superconducting properties, making them promising for future quantum technologies.

A team of scientists led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) recently made an unprecedented observation of how promethium, a rare element, forms chemical bonds in aqueous solutions.

This groundbreaking discovery was made using the Beamline for Materials Measurement (BMM), a beamline funded and operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, at the National Synchrotron Light Source II, a DOE Office of Science user facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory.

José M. de Albornoz-Caratozzolo and Felipe Cervantes-Sodi

Universidad Iberoamericana, Physics and Mathematics Department, Prol. Paseo de la Reforma 880, Lomas de Santa Fe, Ciudad de México, Mexico. E-mail: felipe.cervantes@ibero.mx; Tel: +52 55 59504275.

Received 5th May 2023, Accepted 30th September 2023.