Quantum Server Newsletter on the latest news in Materials Science research

Published on Quantum Server Networks Imagine watching a 3D holographic projection directly from your smartphone—no bulky headsets, no special glasses. Thanks to new research in optoelectronics from the University of St Andrews , this futuristic vision may soon become reality. Scientists have combined organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with holographic metasurfaces (HMs) to create the basic building blocks of a holographic display, opening the door to holograms in everyday consumer devices. As reported by Phys.org and published in Light: Science & Applications , this innovation could transform how we interact with digital technology, with applications spanning communications, gaming, entertainment, and augmented/virtual reality. From Lasers to OLEDs: A New Approach Traditionally, creating holograms has required lasers and complex optical setups, making them impractical for mass-market devices. The St Andrews team overcame thi...

Published on Quantum Server Networks Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are at the forefront of next-generation photovoltaic research. Known for their low-cost fabrication potential and high efficiency, PSCs could one day replace or complement traditional silicon-based solar panels in powering the global clean energy transition. However, their development has faced a persistent challenge: improving efficiency often reduces stability, while enhancing stability tends to compromise efficiency. A team of researchers at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore , has now reported a breakthrough strategy that addresses this trade-off head-on. As described in a recent TechXplore report and published in Nature Energy , their novel growth method introduces chemically-inert low-dimensional (CI LD) halogenometallate interfaces into perovskite devices, dramatically enhancing both performance and durability. The Promise and Challenge of Perovskit...

Published on Quantum Server Networks High-temperature superconductivity has remained one of the great puzzles of condensed matter physics for decades. Since the discovery of copper-oxide (cuprate) superconductors in the 1980s, researchers have sought to explain why certain materials can carry electricity with zero resistance at temperatures far higher than conventional superconductors. Now, a new study sheds light on the inner workings of these complex materials, focusing on the structural and electronic secrets of the highest-performing cuprates. A recent breakthrough by a Japanese-led research team, reported in Phys.org and published in Physical Review Letters , reveals key insights into why the mercury-based cuprate Hg1223 exhibits the highest known superconducting critical temperature among cuprates at ambient pressure. By employing advanced spectroscopic methods, the researchers found that the superconducting performance of t...

Published on Quantum Server Networks A team of researchers at the Institute of Solid State Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, led by Prof. Shao Dingfu, has introduced a groundbreaking approach to spintronic technology. Their work, published in Newton and reported by Phys.org , demonstrates how interface-controlled antiferromagnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs) can serve as a foundation for faster, denser, and more energy-efficient electronics. Why Spintronics Matters Traditional electronics rely solely on the electron’s charge, but spintronics leverages both charge and spin , enabling devices that promise higher speed, lower energy consumption, and increased data density. Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), the cornerstone of spintronic devices, are already used in memory storage technologies. However, MTJs typically employ ferromagnetic components, which introduce unwanted magnetic fields an...

Perovskite solar cells have emerged over the last decade as one of the most promising alternatives to silicon-based photovoltaics. Their potential for higher efficiencies, lower production costs, and flexible designs has made them a focal point in clean energy research. Now, scientists at University College London (UCL) have demonstrated that something as simple as a salt additive could help push this technology to the next level. The Role of Guanidinium Thiocyanate The UCL team discovered that adding guanidinium thiocyanate , a simple salt, to mixed tin-lead perovskites can significantly enhance both efficiency and stability. The salt slows down and regulates how perovskite crystals grow during fabrication, resulting in smoother, more uniform films with fewer defects. These improvements translate directly into longer-lasting and higher-performing solar devices. In their experiments, the researchers achieved an efficiency of 22.3% for these modified perovskite cel...

Plastic pollution remains one of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time, with more than 10 billion tonnes of plastics produced globally to date, much of it destined for landfills or oceans. Scientists from a collaboration between Northwest National Laboratory, Columbia University, the Technical University of Munich, and East China Normal University (ECNU) have unveiled a breakthrough process that could transform how we think about waste plastics: a single-step method that directly converts plastic waste into petrol and valuable industrial chemicals . One-Step Conversion with High Efficiency Unlike traditional recycling or incineration, which require multiple energy-intensive steps, this new method combines plastic waste with refinery byproducts (light isoalkanes) to generate hydrocarbons in the gasoline range. Remarkably, the process also co-produces hydrochloric acid , which is widely used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food production, and met...

A new milestone in materials science has been reached: physicists at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science in Japan have created the first thin films that combine the exotic surface conduction of topological insulators with the switchable dipole behavior of ferroelectrics . This fusion of two distinct material properties opens a new frontier for engineering ultra-efficient, controllable electronics , and could reshape how we design the next generation of quantum and spintronic devices. Image Credit: RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science The Significance of Band Structures Electrons in solids behave as waves, and their energies and momenta are described by band structures . When bands cross, unusual quantum phenomena can emerge, such as effective “fictitious” magnetic fields that dwarf conventional magnetic fields. Harnessing such emergent effects offers tantalizing opportunities for developing materials with novel and powerful functionalities. What Makes...

In our everyday experience, matter exists as either a gas, liquid, or solid. But at the frontiers of quantum mechanics , matter can defy these simple categories. One of the most striking examples is the phenomenon of supersolidity , where a material simultaneously exhibits both fluid and solid properties. A recent breakthrough by researchers at Heidelberg University demonstrates this paradoxical state with unprecedented clarity, advancing our understanding of ultracold quantum systems (Phys.org) . Image Credit: Nature Physics / Heidelberg University What is Supersolidity? At ultralow temperatures, atoms can condense into a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), a state where they behave like a single quantum wave. This gives rise to a superfluid , a frictionless liquid capable of flowing indefinitely without losing energy. In rare conditions, however, this same system can develop periodic density modulations —essentially, the fluid "crystallizes" into a structure...

Nuclear energy remains one of the most promising pathways for delivering large-scale, carbon-free electricity and powering naval propulsion systems. Yet one of its biggest challenges has always been the durability of reactor materials . Over time, radiation, heat, and corrosive environments compromise the structural integrity of reactor components. Now, researchers at MIT have pioneered a new technique that could revolutionize how engineers understand—and ultimately prevent—material failure inside nuclear reactors. Image Credit: MIT News A New Window into Material Failure Traditionally, scientists have only been able to study nuclear reactor materials after the fact —removing components from their environments and then examining them with high-resolution imaging. This delayed approach makes it difficult to capture how failure mechanisms actually unfold. The new MIT technique, however, enables real-time, 3D monitoring of corrosion and cracking as it happens, offering...

In the realm of modern chemistry, where light is increasingly being used as a clean and precise energy source, a breakthrough from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is redefining what’s possible. Researchers have developed a novel manganese-based complex that not only offers record-breaking photochemical properties but also presents a sustainable, affordable, and scalable alternative to rare and costly noble metals like ruthenium, osmium, and iridium. Image Credit: Katja Heinze / Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Why Photochemistry Needs a Sustainable Revolution Traditionally, photochemical reactions—where light is used to drive chemical transformations—have depended on noble metals. These metals, while effective, are both expensive and environmentally problematic due to mining impacts. With industries increasingly focused on green energy, sustainable catalysis, and renewable hydrogen production , researchers have sought cheaper and more abundant alternati...

By Quantum Server Networks – August 2025 For decades, engineers have dreamed of building computers that function more like the human brain . Brain-inspired, or neuromorphic , computing aims to mimic neurons—cells that transmit signals using electrical pulses—offering faster, more energy-efficient ways to process information. Now, researchers at Stanford University, Sandia National Laboratories, and Purdue University have unveiled a striking development: electro-optical Mott neurons made of niobium dioxide (NbO₂) . These devices not only mimic neuron-like switching but also emit synchronized visible light, creating an entirely new way to combine electronic and optical computing. From Unexpected Glow to Scientific Discovery The breakthrough began with a surprising observation. While monitoring NbO₂ devices for electrical breakdown, the team noticed a bright visible glow during resistance switching—a phenomenon never reported before. This light e...

By Quantum Server Networks – August 2025 Imagine a laboratory that never sleeps, tirelessly running thousands of experiments each day to uncover the next breakthrough in quantum materials. That vision is now a reality with Rainbow , a pioneering multi-robot, AI-driven self-driving lab unveiled by researchers at North Carolina State University . Rainbow is designed to autonomously discover new, high-performance quantum dots —semiconductor nanocrystals essential for cutting-edge displays, solar cells, LEDs, and quantum technologies. Reinventing Materials Discovery with Automation Rainbow integrates robotics and artificial intelligence into a seamless platform that can perform and analyze up to 1,000 experiments per day without human intervention. Using multiple coordinated robots, the system prepares chemical precursors, mixes them, and executes up to 96 reactions simultaneously. A characterization robot then analyzes the resulting products, fee...

By Quantum Server Networks – August 2025 The global challenge of plastic waste—particularly “forever chemicals” like PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly known as Teflon)—has sparked mounting concern among scientists, policymakers, and industries. These substances are renowned for their durability, but their persistence in the environment creates long-term ecological and health risks. Now, Japanese researchers have unveiled a groundbreaking method that uses electron beam technology to decompose PTFE efficiently and sustainably, opening a new frontier in recycling innovation. Understanding the Breakthrough PTFE belongs to the family of PFAS compounds, chemicals notorious for their resistance to breakdown. Traditional disposal and recycling methods, such as pyrolysis , are energy-intensive and environmentally costly. The new electron beam method leverages controlled irradiation with moderate heat to weaken the strong carbon-fluorine bonds tha...

By Quantum Server Networks – August 2025 The future of quantum technologies depends on our ability to precisely arrange atoms into highly ordered structures. These arrangements, known as atom arrays , form the foundation for quantum simulators and computers that could one day outperform classical supercomputers. Yet until now, one of the field’s most persistent challenges has been how to assemble large-scale arrays without defects —that is, arrays with no missing atoms. A team of researchers from the University of Science and Technology of China and the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has unveiled a new AI-enhanced protocol that successfully assembles defect-free arrays of thousands of atoms in record time. Their method, recently published in Physical Review Letters , combines advanced artificial intelligence algorithms with holographic optical tweezers to create arrays that are both large and flawless. The Breakthrough: AI Me...