{"title":"Listening to the quantum vacuum: a perspective on the dynamical Casimir effect","authors":"G. Paraoanu, G. Johansson","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020402","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020402","url":null,"abstract":"Modern quantum field theory has offered us a very intriguing picture of empty space. The vacuum state is no longer an inert, motionless state. We are instead dealing with an entity teeming with fluctuations that continuously produce virtual particles popping in and out of existence. The dynamical Casimir effect is a paradigmatic phenomenon, whereby these particles are converted into real particles (photons) by changing the boundary conditions of the field. It was predicted 50 years ago by Gerald T. Moore and it took more than 40 years until the first experimental verification.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"27 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74923525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A tribute to Loránd Eötvös","authors":"H. Kubbinga","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020405","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020405","url":null,"abstract":"The last decades of the 19th century Hungary came to flourish as an independent part of the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy; 1867 was a crucial year, a year of ‘Ausgleich’, ‘Compromise’. József Eötvös, Hungary’s leading intellectual and Cabinet Minister, reorganized science. He sent his son to Heidelberg, where junior learned physics from i.a. Bunsen, Helmholtz and Kirchhoff. What more could a youngster wish for? Roland Eötvös returned home with a predilection for fundamental matters, most of all for the nature of gravity and its relation to inertia. Geophysics, Hungary’s pride, finally took centre stage.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"30 1","pages":"27-29"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83308908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Precise control of atoms with MBE: from semiconductors to complex oxides","authors":"Y. Suyolcu, G. Logvenov","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020403","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020403","url":null,"abstract":"Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is a high-vacuum technique with atomic-layer control and precision. It is based on the chemical reaction of the atoms, molecules, or atomic clusters vaporized from the specific evaporation sources on the substrates. The molecular beam defines a unidirectional ballistic flow of atoms and/or molecules without any collisions amongst. In the late 1960s, MBE was initially developed for the growth of GaAs and (Al, Ga)As systems[1,2] due to the unprecedented capabilities and then was applied to study other material systems. MBE growth is conventionally performed in vacuum and ultra-high vacuum (UHV) (10-8–10-12 mbar) conditions.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"212 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76168132","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Vacuum science and technology at CERN","authors":"J. Jiménez, P. Chiggiato","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020404","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020404","url":null,"abstract":"Vacuum is essential in particle accelerators. Low gas density allows charged particles beams to circulate without excessive losses. Indeed, beam losses are detrimental for instrumentation; they increase induced radioactivity, background noise in particle detectors, and beam-induced heat loads to cryogenic equipment.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"19 1","pages":"24-26"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78419331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"EPS Action plans for reducing the gender GAP","authors":"L. Berge","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020306","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020306","url":null,"abstract":"Several new initiatives have been developed by the EPS in order to promote a better inclusion of women in the European physics community, to highlight their pivotal roles in research and teaching, and thereby attract more female researchers among the next generation of scientists. Because a perfect parity has not been reached yet, efforts in guaranteeing fair recognitions and safe careers for women will have to be sustained in the coming years. This is a very challenging task, but this is the pride of the EPS to lead it until its very end.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"71 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82674722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The ERIC Consortium a new type of EU research institution","authors":"C. Rizzuto","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020305","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020305","url":null,"abstract":"The European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) are changing the landscape of the European Research Area. ERICs are set-up by EU Community law to establish and operate open access Research Infrastructures in all fields of science, based on national and international funding. The 20 + ERICs have now a major impact in extensive fields of research.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"204 1","pages":"25-27"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88363530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Akhmerov, X. Bonet-Monroig, V. Fatemi, E. Greplova, E. V. van Nieuwenburg, B. Seradjeh, D. Varjas
{"title":"Let’s take this discussion online","authors":"A. Akhmerov, X. Bonet-Monroig, V. Fatemi, E. Greplova, E. V. van Nieuwenburg, B. Seradjeh, D. Varjas","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020303","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020303","url":null,"abstract":"With the lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers turn to online conferencing. While posing new challenges, this format also brings multiple advantages. We argue that virtual conferences will become part of our regular scientific communication and invite community members to join the movement.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"7 1","pages":"20-212"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"85249858","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Arabic Science of Light: The birth of modern optics and of the experimental method","authors":"A. Boudrioua, M. Chergui, R. Rashed","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020301","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020301","url":null,"abstract":"A millenium ago, the world witnessed a major revolution via the field of Optics. The study of Light, freed from postulates and axiomatic approaches, by the Arab Scholar Ibn-Al-Haytham marked the birth of the experimental method with its observational and analytical protocols, and the use of mathematics in formalising them. This revolution lead to the awakening of Sciences in Europe throughout the middle ages till the Renaissance.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"118 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"77990109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From Astronomy to the clinic: Adaptive Optics based visual simulators","authors":"Maria Vinas","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020302","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020302","url":null,"abstract":"Adaptive optics based visual simulators with deformable mirrors, spatial light modulators or optotunable lenses are increasingly used to simulate vision through different complex multifocal lens designs. Their final utility in the clinic relies on their capability to predict visual performance after an ocular surgery.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"6 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78675547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Fernández-Ruiz, H. Martins, S. Martín-López, M. González-Herráez
{"title":"Submarine seismic tomography using optical fibres","authors":"M. Fernández-Ruiz, H. Martins, S. Martín-López, M. González-Herráez","doi":"10.1051/epn/2020304","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1051/epn/2020304","url":null,"abstract":"The repurpose of the available telecommunication fibre optical network as a seismic monitoring tool has been recently tested with very promising prospects. Optical fibre networks possess all the ingredients to become the next generation seismic monitoring system, offering high performance at minimum deployment and maintenance cost, especially at hardly accessible regions such as the oceans’ bottom.","PeriodicalId":52467,"journal":{"name":"Europhysics News","volume":"09 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2020-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"84960198","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}