Quantum Engineering

In a September 2020 essay in Nature Energy, three scientists posed several “grand challenges” — one of which was to find suitable materials for thermal energy storage devices that could be used in concert with solar energy systems. Fortuitously, Mingda Li —...

A quantum effect in ‘topological semimetals’ demonstrated by MIT researchers could allow for the utilization of an untapped energy source. More than two-thirds of the energy used worldwide is ultimately ejected as “waste heat.” Within that reservoir of discarded energy lies a...

The Del Favero Thesis Prize is awarded annually to a PhD graduate in NSE whose thesis is judged to have made the most innovative advance in our field. Liu wins the prize for her work in quantum sensing — measuring miniscule magnetic fields with nanoscale resoultion.

Normally an insulator, diamond becomes a metallic conductor when subjected to large strain in a new theoretical model.

Thanh Nguyen is in the habit of breaking down barriers. Take languages, for instance: Nguyen, a third-year doctoral candidate in nuclear science and engineering (NSE), wanted “to connect with other people and cultures” for his work and social life, he says, so...

The study’s result can be seen as one solution to the open problem of how work and heat are defined in open quantum systems. Understanding the laws of classical thermodynamics allows for many of the modern technologies we take for granted today,...

MIT team has made strides toward a system, which uses physical, analog devices that can much more efficiently mimic the brain’s learning process, for neural network AI systems.

Exotic states called Kohn anomalies could offer clues to why some materials have the electronic properties they do.

Quantum computing will likely be able to tackle the biggest data challenges, but the exact applications may depend on which systems prove most practical. “We’re still in the stage where we’re trying to pick the best technology,” says Paola Cappellaro.