Quantum Server Newsletter on the latest news in Materials Science research

Published on Quantum Server Networks Graphene , the wonder material made of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb lattice, has long fascinated researchers for its strength, flexibility, and conductivity . While it holds the record for the highest electron mobility at room temperature, its performance at cryogenic conditions has lagged behind traditional semiconductors such as gallium arsenide (GaAs). Now, in a historic advance, two independent teams—one from the National University of Singapore (NUS) and another from The University of Manchester —have developed methods that finally push graphene’s electronic quality beyond GaAs. The results, published in Nature Communications and Nature , set new records in both transport and quantum mobility, enabling the observation of quantum effects at ultra-low magnetic fields. The Challenge: Disorder in Graphene Devices A major obstacle in harnessin...

Published on Quantum Server Networks In a breakthrough that could reshape the semiconductor and materials industries, scientists at Tohoku University in Japan have developed a revolutionary crystal growth technology capable of producing oxide single crystals at temperatures exceeding 2,200°C . This advance overcomes long-standing limitations posed by conventional crucible materials such as platinum and iridium, which melt at lower temperatures. The work, led by Associate Professor Yuui Yokota and Professor Akira Yoshikawa , marks the first successful use of a tungsten crucible system that prevents contamination and suppresses unwanted reactions—challenges that had long hindered the application of tungsten in crystal growth. The team’s results, published in Scientific Reports , open the door to manufacturing entirely new classes of semiconductors, scintillators, optical materials, and piezoelectric crystals . Why ...

Published on Quantum Server Networks What if one of humanity’s oldest crafts—basketweaving—could help shape the future of robotics, wearable exoskeletons, and advanced materials? That’s exactly the question researchers at the University of Michigan asked when they began experimenting with woven structural systems. Their findings, recently published in Physical Review Research , reveal that weaving does more than create pleasing geometric patterns. It provides powerful mechanical advantages : stiffness, resilience, and the ability to recover from heavy loads without permanent deformation. Ancient Inspiration Meets Modern Engineering The inspiration came from prehistoric basketry, with some examples dating back to around 7500 BCE. Lead author Guowei Wayne Tu and his team discovered that woven Mylar structures could withstand compression and twisting forces far better than continuous sheets of the same material. Unlike the...

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...