News: Institute of Physics

The family of magnetic materials has been traditionally divided into the ferromagnetic branch known for several millennia and the antiferromagnetic branch known for nearly a century. Researchers from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences have recently made a discovery of a new branch of the magnetic family, termed altermagnetic. 

On Monday, December 2, 2024, it was exactly 50 years to the day since a single issue of Physical Review Letters (Volume 33, Number 23) published three articlesExperimental Observation of a Heavy Particle J Discovery of a Narrow Resonance in e+e- AnnihilationPreliminary Result of Frascati on the Nature of a New 3.1-GeV Particle Produced in e+e- Annihilation,announcing a discovery that fundamentally impacted the further development of our understanding of the laws of the microworld. The first reached the editors on November 12, 1974, the second a day later, and the third on November 18. I will get back to this time sequence later.

We invite you to a seminar by Professor Yasunori Nawa from Japan's Kwansei University on the topic Development of Optical Microscope for Cell Function Imaging.It will take place on December 11 at 10:00 in the Dvořák Hall (main FZU building Slovanka).

The Česká hlava (Czech Head) National Government Award has been presented by the Minister for Science, Research and Innovation to Tomáš Jungwirth from the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences. He received the most prestigious scientific award for his contribution to spintronics research. The ceremony of the 23rd edition of the competition brought recognition also to David Vojna, who received the Doctorandus Award for Technical Sciences.

After two and a half years of intensive work, scientists from the Laboratory of Biophysics of the Institute of Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, led by Oleg Lunov, have presented a breakthrough DNA nanostructure based platform, which allows for the targeted influence of lysosomal functions in cells. This research opens up new possibilities for the development of advanced therapeutic methods which in the future could be used, for example, in the treatment of cancer, neurodegenerative and autoimmune diseases. The research results, achieved in collaboration with colleagues from Arizona State University, the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, the Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Physiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, were published in the prestigious Chemical Engineering Journal.

In the presence of Her Excellency Ms Jarmila Povejšilová, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Argentina, her deputy Filip Kanda and the Head of Unit for Research Infrastructures of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic Marek Vyšinka, the Director of the Institute of Physics Michael Prouza signed an agreement to extend the operation of the Pierre Auger Observatory for another 10 years.

As part of the Week of the Academy of Sciences the staff of the Institute of Physics present groundbreaking research to students and the curious public. This year was no exception. The opportunity to get a glimpse into the world of scientific experiments and cutting-edge technologies that scientists work with on a daily basis has been taken by 1348 visitors. 

Laser technology is now permeating all areas of industry, science, and everyday life – which is why it is important that education in this area provides comprehensive and up-to-date information. Quality education and reliable knowledge enable not only the effective application of laser technology, but also a safe and responsible approach to its use, which is essential for the further development of the field and its contribution to society.

Did you know that the displays of the future could be brighter and more colourful, yet more energy efficient? This technological advancement is made possible by quantum dots – objects so small that they behave according to the laws of quantum physics that govern the behaviour of the microworld.These tiny crystals have unique optical properties that make them useful in modern imaging technologies. As part of the 2024 Talent Academy, twelve talented high school students learned to synthesize quantum dots and explore their extraordinary properties directly for use in new displays.

The division of elementary particles seminar. Abstract:The upcoming High-Luminosity LHC era necessitates a shift to 4D tracking in High Energy Physics experiments to reduce occupancy from pile-up. This transition requires detectors with excellent spatial resolution, time-tagging capabilities, and higher radiation tolerance. Low-Gain Avalanche Detectors (LGADs) have emerged as a promising technology to meet these challenges.This seminar explores LGAD developments for precise track timing, covering detection principles and recent design improvements. We introduce the potential of silicon carbide (4H-SiC) in LGADs, a wide-bandgap material that could offer enhanced radiation resistance for inner tracking layers.Results from lab tests and beam experiments demonstrate the capabilities of these advanced detectors, showcasing good gain uniformity, timing resolution, and energy sensitivity. These findings underscore LGAD technology's potential for next-generation particle detectors in future HEP experiments. More info: https://indico.fzu.cz/event/263/ 

Laser-matter interaction in material processing: Towards more knowledge and better control 

The degree of ordering in solids has a very important impact on their physical properties and the ensuing applications. For example, magnetic atoms frequently form so-called antiferromagnetic order, where the magnetic moments (spins) of the nearest neighbors in the crystal lattice are oriented in mutually opposite (antiparallel) directions, since this allows lowering the overall energy. 

Where does science end and art begin, and vice versa? This is the question posed to visitors by the new exhibition Reflections, which brings together the works of four leading Czech and Polish artists, scientific perspectives on their artworks and new works inspired by these scientific analyses. Science turns its gaze to art, which returns it, and the cycle of inspiration unfolds.

This seminar provides a short introduction to the MSCA Cofund project that will be performed at the FZU as a 2-year postdoctoral research. The main topics of the seminar include: Building a comprehensive understanding of Heusler nanowires, Plans to employ the observed materials’ behavior in nanoscale sensing & actuation, Knowledge transfer and cooperation

It is our sad duty to announce to the physics community and the wider public that the eminent plasma theorist and research organizer Karel Jungwirth has passed away.