Skip to comments.Physicists find patterns in new state of matter
Posted on 03/29/2012 4:45:02 PM PDT by U-238
In a paper published in the March 29 issue of the journal Nature, the scientists describe the emergence of spontaneous coherence, spin textures and phase singularities when excitonsthe bound pairs of electrons and holes that determine the optical properties of semiconductors and enable them to function as novel optoelectronic devicesare cooled to near absolute zero. This cooling leads to the spontaneous production of a new coherent state of matter which the physicists were finally able to measure in great detail in their basement laboratory at UC San Diego at a temperature of only one-tenth of a degree above absolute zero.
The discovery of the phenomena that underlie the formation of spontaneous coherence of excitons is certain to produce a better scientific understanding of this new state of matter. It will also add new insights into the quirky quantum properties of matter and, in time, lead to the development of novel computing devices and other commercial applications in the field of optoelectronics where understanding of basic properties of light and matter is needed.
The research team was headed by Leonid Butov, a professor of physics at UC San Diego who in 2002 discovered that excitons, when made sufficiently cold, tend to self-organize into an ordered array of microscopic droplets, like a miniature pearl necklace.
(Excerpt) Read more at physorg.com ...
Maybe they like to huddle together when it gets real cold.
OK ! “UC boffins chuffed as ninepence to describe the emergence of spontaneous coherence”
An exciton is extremely hard to detect but can be detected by other means.
a little riffing in multiculturality.
Gawd the Brits do have THE sense of humor.
Isn't the presence of excitons directly proportional to that of bosons?
From what I understand,excitons are often treated as elementary bosons.As the density increases, the relative proportion of photon to exciton increases
I will stick to rudimentary”How Stuff Works” physics.
I love how they admit that they are intentionally put Christianity LAST and then they almost forget about it....
That had to make a few people at the BBC cringe to realize they were calling them out on it.
Notice the presence of bosons — I tell you, there’s a connection!
whatever you do, just don't call it a "design".
If I only had a dollar for every time I've said that.
Thanks SC. In the past, it was the Buddhas that described this kind of phenomena. Now of course, it’s our leading scientists. I think we’re getting somewhere!