IMAKS Lab

• Physicists demonstrate Hong–Ou–Mandel interference with more than 10 atoms
  In a new study published in Nature Physics, researchers have demonstrated the Hong–Ou–Mandel (HOM) effect with up to 12 indistinguishable neutral atoms—an effect that has been predominantly observed in photonic systems.
• First-of-a-kind laser spring opens up new avenues for plasma control
  When a high-intensity laser interacts with plasma, the charged particles typically oscillate back and forth like waves on the ocean. But what if the laser itself could twist like a whirlpool? Researchers have now demonstrated a rotating, spring-shaped laser pulse, opening new possibilities for fusion energy, particle acceleration, astrophysics and beyond.

• Simple water trick slashes diesel engine pollution by over 60%
• Physicists create a strange new quantum state called a fractional fermi sea
• A rare supernova peeled back a star’s layers and revealed a hidden secret
• New solid-state material converts sunlight into higher-energy UV light
• A tiny diamond defect could reveal a mysterious new kind of magnetism

• Physicists create a strange new quantum state called a fractional fermi sea
  June 29, 2026
  Researchers have shown that ultracold atoms can be driven into a strange new quantum state called a fractional Fermi sea, where particles organize themselves in unexpected ways. The discovery points to a new phase of matter that goes beyond established quantum theories and could expand the possibilities of quantum simulation.

Remember this annoying color change when you look at your screen at different angles? Professor So group at NCSU Materials Science and Engineering department offers a solution. The article is published in The Journal of the Society for Information Display (https://doi.org/10.1002/jsid.792)

The power has been restored. All IMAKS instruments are up and running. Good luck with your experiments.

All power will be down on NCSU Centennial campus starting at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday, June 2 . The crews will connect power lines to newly constructed buildings. As a result, all instruments have to be powered down and unplugged from wall outlets.

The facilities were planning to do work on secondary power lines (emergency lights, signs, and such). Accidentally, this morning they switched off the HVAC system and lab hoods. As a result, the lab got hot beyond the operating range of ultrafast lasers. facilities have been contacted. The temperature is getting to normal now. We anticipate we can start running experiments around 11 a.m.

to Chris Papa, Anh Thy Bui, and Phil Castellano on their article published in Nature Communications (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10260-7)