The most interesting parts of nature are often the imperfections. That's especially true in quantum physics, the atomic-level world where tiny flaws can make a big difference in the ways particles behave and interact.
As reported in a paper in Nature Communications, Chong Zu, an assistant professor of physics in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, and his team are finding new ways to harness the quantum power of defects in otherwise flawless crystals.
The work is supported in part by the Center for Quantum Leaps, a signature initiative of the Arts & Sciences strategic plan that aims to apply quantum insights and technologies to physics, biomedical and life sciences, drug discovery and other far-reaching fields.
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