NEWSROOM

Electronic order in quantum materials often emerges not uniformly, but through subtle and complex patterns that vary from place to place. One prominent example is the charge density wave (CDW), an ordered state in which electrons arrange themselves into periodic patterns at low temperatures. Although CDWs have been studied for decades, how their strength and spatial coherence evolve across a phase transition has remained largely inaccessible experimentally. Now, a team led by

ORNL scientists design a magnetic material as a stepping stone toward revealing new quantum phenomena.

This study addresses a longstanding challenge in flexible OLED technology, namely, the durability of its luminescence after repeated mechanical flexion. While the advances creating flexible light-emitting diodes have been substantial, progress has leveled off in the last decade due to limitations introduced by the transparent conductor layer, limiting their stretchability.

Researchers at Kumamoto University have discovered that a purely inorganic crystal grown from water solution can emit circularly polarized light, a special form of light whose “handedness” distinguishes left from right. The finding opens a new pathway toward robust optical materials for security printing, advanced displays, and photonic technologies, using simple inorganic chemistry rather than complex organic molecules.

An atomic force microscope tip writes data in stable ferroelectric structures, enabling reliable multistate storage at extremely small scales in this illustration. @ Morgan Manning/ORNL, U.S. Dept. of Energy Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory used specialized tools to study materials at the atomic scale and analyze defects at the materials’ surface. Results of their research help to better understand these materials used for advanced electronics, enabling innovative

Whether they’re tickling your nose, hugging your eyelashes or melting on your tongue, few winter wonders are as fascinating as snowflakes. The freezing-cold crystals are known for their one-of-a-kind appearances, which can be attributed to the multiple scientific processes that converge during their growth. Water molecules solidify and stick together in the glacial air. As they collect, they craft complex hexagonal formations often too small for the naked eye. No two snowflak