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Atomic and molecular

Atomic and molecular

Measuring gravity outdoors using a quantum gas, breakthroughs in materials processing and particle physics

14 Apr 2022 Hamish Johnston

In this episode of the Physics World Weekly podcast, four physicists at the University of Birmingham explain how they used two clouds of ultracold atoms as a portable gravity sensor. Their device was able to locate a small tunnel on the university campus and can be used outdoors – and impressive feat because the atoms were held in ultrahigh vacuum and millikelvin temperatures.

Also this week, Physics World editors chat about recent breakthroughs in physics including the first mass-produced silicon spin qubits and a surprisingly heavy W boson.

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