Science Highlights | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

(1) Ferroelectrics: polarity switched by electric fields, (b) ferromagnetics: magnetism switched by magnetic fields, (3) ferroelastics: elasticity switched by applied stress, (4) ferrotoroidics (unconfirmed): magnetic domains switched by magnetic fields.

A New Twist in Data Storage? Magnetic Whirlpools in Energy Materials

Mapping a way to ferrotoroidicity: the long-sought fourth ferroic order with magnetic-electric properties that can enable new technologies.

The lattice arrangement in a magnetic iron-germanium metal frustrates the movement of electrons (blue and silver spheres). This gives rise to collective behavior such as charge density waves, which form at low temperatures in this material.

Uncovering and Controlling Electron Charge Waves in Quantum Materials

An unexpected electron behavior called charge density waves in an iron-germanium metal material presents a new paradigm in emergent quantum phenomena.

Drawing illustrates in 2-D how electrical conductivity (red) tends to form in the direction of greater mechanical strain (yellow arrows). This property could enable controlling a material’s thermoelectric capabilities via chemical or mechanical methods.

Hot on the Trail of a Thermoelectric Material with High-Conductivity but Slow Thermal Transfer

A “neutron camera” device reveals how a thermoelectric material maintains an overall crystalline structure despite local dynamic disorder

A new control technique creates an electron beam with a very dense core. Left: head-on view of the beam. Right: correlation between beam particle position and angle showing nonlinear distortions at the edges. The color scale shows the log of density.

Harnessing Distortions for Denser Particle Beams

The intra-beam repulsion that typically degrades electron beam quality can now be used to improve it

An artificial intelligence-driven approach established by advanced characterization (X-ray and thermal imaging) improves printed parts by monitoring 3D printing processes in real time to accurately detect keyhole pores, a typical printing defect.

Detecting 3D-Printing Defects in Real Time

Scientists develop a new approach for detecting defects in metal parts produced by additive manufacturing.

Schematic shows a lithium-air battery cell consisting of a lithium metal anode, air-based cathode, and solid ceramic polymer electrolyte (CPE). Upon discharge and charge, lithium ions (Li+) go from anode to cathode, then back.

Innovative Lithium-Air Battery Design Poised to Increase Energy Storage

A new rechargeable lithium-air battery potentially has four times greater energy density than a traditional lithium-ion battery.

The nuclear electron capture decay of highly localized beryllium-7 atoms inside a superconducting tunnel junction sensor provides direct access to quantum properties of the neutrino (e) via a precision measurement of the recoiling lithium-7 atom.

Rare Isotopes Shed Light on the Size of a Neutrino Wavepacket

Precise measurement of beryllium-7 nuclear decay recoils directly probes the quantum properties of the neutrino for the first time.

As the energy of nuclear collisions increases, more and more gluons (represented as yellow strings) are packed inside a proton. Eventually, they become so crowded that they reach a balanced, dense state called gluon saturation.

Physicists Find a Strong Link Between Gluon Saturation and Symmetry Principles

Theorists show gluon fields characterizing gluon saturation can describe a universal pattern of particle emissions—a manifestation of asymptotic symmetry.