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Categories: Energy: Nuclear, Engineering: Graphene

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A new precision measurement of the proton's electric polarizability has confirmed an unexplained bump in the data. The proton's electric polarizability shows how susceptible the proton is to deformation, or stretching, in an electric field. Like size or charge, the electric polarizability is a fundamental property of proton structure. The data bump was widely thought to be a fluke when seen in earlier measurements, so this new, more precise measurement confirms the presence of the anomaly and signals that an unknown facet of the strong force may be at work.

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A team of scientists believe our brains could use quantum computation, after adapting an idea developed to prove the existence of quantum gravity to explore the human brain and its workings. The brain functions measured were also correlated to short-term memory performance and conscious awareness, suggesting quantum processes are also part of cognitive and conscious brain functions. Quantum brain processes could explain why we can still outperform supercomputers when it comes to unforeseen circumstances, decision making, or learning something new, while the discovery may also shed light on consciousness, the workings of which remain scientifically difficult to understand and explain.

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Researchers have long studied the color-changing properties of the natural mineral hackmanite upon exposure to UV radiation or X-rays. Now, the research group studied the reactions of synthetic hackmanite to nuclear radiation. The researchers discovered a one-of-a-kind and novel intelligent quality, gamma exposure memory, which allows the use of hackmanite as e.g. radiation detector.

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Researchers have demonstrated how a nanoscale layer of superconducting niobium nitride (NbNx) can be grown directly onto aluminum nitride (AIN). The arrangement of atoms, nitrogen content, and electrical conductivity were found to depend on growth conditions, particularly temperature, and the spacing of atoms in the two materials was sufficiently compatible to produce flat layers. The structural similarity between NbNx and AIN will facilitate the integration of superconductors into semiconductor optoelectronic devices.

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The carrier concentration and conductivity in p-type monovalent copper semiconductors can be significantly enhanced by adding alkali metal impurities. Doping with isovalent and larger-sized alkali metal ions effectively increased the free charge carrier concentration, and the mechanism was unraveled by their theoretical calculations. Their carrier doping technology enables high carrier concentration and high mobility p-type thin films to be prepared from the solution process, with photovoltaic device applications.

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Researchers have gained new insights into the chemical properties of the superheavy element flerovium -- element 114 -- at the accelerator facilities of the GSI Helmholtzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung in Darmstadt. The measurements show that flerovium is the most volatile metal in the periodic table.

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Researchers demonstrated a topological insulator device that opens the way towards observing the quantum anomalous Hall effect. Because the currents generated are resistant to scattering, but very sensitive to applied magnetic fields, they may be used for reducing power consumption in computing applications.

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Physicists have demonstrated a new magnetized state in a monolayer of tungsten ditelluride. This material of one-atom thickness has an insulating interior but a conducting edge, which has important implications for controlling electron flow in nanodevices.

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Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is an analytical tool with a wide range of applications, including the magnetic resonance imaging that is used for diagnostic purposes in medicine. However, NMR often requires powerful magnetic fields to be generated, which limits the scope of its use. Researchers have now discovered potential new ways to reduce the size of the corresponding devices and also the possible associated risk by eliminating the need for strong magnetic fields. This is achieved by combining so-called zero- to ultralow-field NMR with a special hyperpolarization technique.

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The protons and neutrons that build the nucleus of the atom frequently pair up. Now, a new high-precision experiment has found that these particles may pick different partners depending on how packed the nucleus is. The data also reveal new details about short-distance interactions between protons and neutrons in nuclei and may impact results from experiments seeking to tease out further details of nuclear structure.

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Scientists at have conducted research showing that a powder dropper can successfully drop boron powder into high-temperature plasma within tokamaks that have parts made of a heat-resistant material known as tungsten.

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How do different materials react to the impact of ions? This is a question that plays an important role in many areas of research -- for example in nuclear fusion research, when the walls of the fusion reactor are bombarded by high-energy ions. However, it is difficult to understand the temporal sequence of such processes. A research group has now succeeded in analyzing on a time scale of one femtosecond what happens to the individual particles involved when an ion penetrates materials such as graphene or molybdenum disulphide.

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Researchers have used an atomically thin material to build a device that can change the color of laser beams. Their microscopic device -- a fraction of the size of conventional color converters -- may yield new kinds of ultra-small optical circuit chips and advance quantum optics.

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Superconductors are the key to lossless current flow. However, the realization of superconducting diodes has only recently become an important topic of fundamental research. An international research team has now succeeded in reaching a milestone: the demonstration of an extremely strong superconducting diode effect in a single two-dimensional superconductor.

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By using photons and electron spin qubits to control nuclear spins in a two-dimensional material, researchers have opened a new frontier in quantum science and technology, enabling applications like atomic-scale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and to read and write quantum information with nuclear spins in 2D materials.

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An international research team has detected novel quantum effects in high-precision studies of natural double-layer graphene. This research provides new insights into the interaction of the charge carriers and the different phases, and contributes to the understanding of the processes involved.

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Researchers determine the structure and dynamics of proteins using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) spectroscopy. Until now, however, much higher concentrations were necessary for in-vitro measurements of the biomolecules in solution than found in our body's cells. An NMR method enhanced by a very powerful amplifier, in combination with molecular dynamics simulation, now enables their detection and accurate characterization at physiological concentrations.

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Researchers find much of the damage inside nuclear reactors is so small that it has eluded previous tests. Their new tool provides a way to directly measure this damage, potentially opening a path for the safe operation of nuclear power plants far beyond their present licensed lifetimes.

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Researchers have found that soil decontamination efforts following the Fukushima nuclear accident resulted in constant, high levels of suspended river sediment downstream, but a rapid decrease in the amount of particulate radiocesium. Additionally, the rapid recovery of vegetation reduced the duration of unsustainable sediment effects. Future remediation projects should assess the natural restoration ability of local landscapes, and include appropriate revegetation measures to reduce the effects on downstream environments.

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A team of researchers has developed a water-activated disposable paper battery. The researchers suggest that it could be used to power a wide range of low-power, single-use disposable electronics -- such as smart labels for tracking objects, environmental sensors and medical diagnostic devices -- and minimize their environmental impact.