Brown and University of Michigan scientists stabilized a long-predicted intermediate phase between FCC and BCC crystal structures, capturing a state that had previously existed only in theory.
Silver nanoparticles shaped as 14-sided “mecons” and coated with flexible molecular chains self-assembled into superlattices that locked in the normally unstable transition structures predicted by the Nishiyama-Wassermann model.
Room-temperature tests showed deep-strong light-matter coupling in the new superlattices, with electron oscillations in the silver particles becoming quantum mechanically entangled with light.
The Science study gives researchers a new way to probe metal phase transitions and could help design custom nanomaterials for quantum computing, sensing and other quantum information technologies.
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Scientists Stabilize Elusive Intermediate Phase of Matter, Unlocking Room-Temperature Quantum Optical Effects
Overview
Researchers from Brown University and the University of Michigan have achieved a major breakthrough by capturing and stabilizing a previously elusive phase of matter. This hidden phase, which exists between the face-centered cubic (FCC) and body-centered cubic (BCC) structures in metals, was long sought after because it holds the key to understanding how materials transform at the atomic level. Until now, studying this intermediate state was nearly impossible due to its instability and fleeting nature. By overcoming these challenges, the team has opened new possibilities for precisely engineering nanomaterials and gaining deeper insights into material properties.