A new way to shape a material’s atomic structure with ultrafast laser light
X-ray laser experiments show that intense light distorts the structure of a thermoelectric material in a unique way, opening a new avenue for controlling the properties of materials.
Study raises new possibilities for triggering room-temperature superconductivity with light
Scientists discover that triggering superconductivity with a flash of light involves the same fundamental physics that are at work in the more stable states needed for devices, opening a new path toward producing room-temperature superconductivity.
SLAC and Stanford researchers reveal the fourth signature of the superconducting transition in cuprates
The results cap 15 years of detective work aimed at understanding how these materials transition into a superconducting state where they can conduct electricity with no loss.
Analysis of the rock record rules out atmospheric oxygen before the Great Oxygenation Event
New research questions ‘whiff of oxygen’ in Earth’s early history.
Room-temperature crystallography aids new study of photosynthetic bacteria
Recently developed methods now in use at SLAC’s X-ray synchrotron helped a team of chemists better understand how certain bacteria turn light into chemical energy.
Bucket brigades and proton gates: Researchers shed new light on water’s role in photosynthesis
A better understanding of this process could inform the next generation of artificial photosynthetic systems that produce clean and renewable energy.
Researchers probe secrets of natural antibiotic assembly lines
In two new papers, researchers used X-ray crystallography and cryogenic electron microscopy to reveal new details of the structure and function of molecular assembly lines that produce common antibiotics.
SSRL and LCLS Host 2021 Users’ Meeting
Scientists who perform experiments at SLAC’s lightsources gathered online for research talks, workshops and discussions.
SLAC’s Riti Sarangi wins 2021 Farrel W. Lytle Award
The award recognizes her research and service at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource.
After 20 years of trying, scientists succeed in doping a 1D chain of cuprates
The chemically controlled chains reveal an ultrastrong attraction between electrons that may help cuprate superconductors carry electrical current with no loss at relatively high temperatures.
Stanford graduate student Aisulu Aitbekova wins 2021 Melvin P. Klein Award
The award recognizes Aitbekova's work on catalysts, including a new catalyst that may revolutionize car emission controls.
Soap study shows the value of global connections during the pandemic
Researchers at the University of Leeds deepened their understanding of a synthetic detergent without ever setting foot in the lab where their experiments took place.
A new approach creates an exceptional single-atom catalyst for water splitting
Anchoring individual iridium atoms on the surface of a catalytic particle boosted its performance in carrying out a reaction that’s been a bottleneck for sustainable energy production.
Closing the gate on manganese could open doors to new drugs to treat pneumonia
Drawing on SLAC facilities, Australian researchers have revealed how Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria obtain manganese from our bodies, which could lead to better therapies to target the pathogen.
How extreme cold can crack lithium-ion battery materials, degrading performance
Storing the rechargeable batteries at sub-freezing temperatures can crack the battery cathode and separate it from other parts of the battery, a new study shows.
Scientists show a single catalyst can perform the first step of turning CO2 into fuel in two very different ways
Their work aims to bridge two approaches to driving the reaction – one powered by heat, the other by electricity – with the goal of discovering more efficient and sustainable ways to convert carbon dioxide into useful products.
Ilya Belopolski wins 2021 Spicer Young Investigator Award for work on exotic quantum materials
Belopolski has made key discoveries about Weyl semimetals and topological magnets, systems in which quantum effects produce new emergent particles with exotic electronic and magnetic properties.
AI learns physics to optimize particle accelerator performance
Teaching machine learning the basics of accelerator physics is particularly useful in situations where actual data don’t exist.
A detailed study of nickelate’s magnetism finds a strong kinship with cuprate superconductors
Nickelate materials give scientists an exciting new window into how unconventional superconductors carry electric current with no loss at relatively high temperatures.
Solving a long-standing mystery about the desert’s rock art canvas
Petroglyphs are carved in a material called rock varnish, the origins of which have been debated for years. Now, scientists argue it’s the result of bacteria and an adaptation that protects them from the desert sun’s harsh rays.
