News and Views

News and Views

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Nature Physics 5, 248 - 249 (2009)
doi:10.1038/nphys1245


Subject Category: Quantum physics

Quantum physics: Schrödinger's cat is still alive
Jörg Wrachtrup1

Jörg Wrachtrup is at the 3rd Institute of Physics, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 57, D-70550 Stuttgart, Germany.
e-mail: wrachtrup@physik.uni-stuttgart.de



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AbstractStrong coupling between a mechanical oscillator and the spin of an electron could enable cooling of the oscillator to its quantum ground state and measurement of the zero-point fluctuations.

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News and Views
Nature 458, 580-581 (2 April 2009) | doi:10.1038/458580a; Published online 1 April 2009


Solid-state physics: Spin's lifetime extended

Jaroslav Fabian1

Top of pageAbstractElectrons in semiconductors are subject to forces that make their spins flip. According to new evidence, if an ensemble of spins curls into a helix, the collective spin lifetime can be greatly enhanced.

Over the past decade, electron spin — the electron's intrinsic rotation, which is commonly described as 'up' and 'down' and which gives rise to its magnetic moment — has come to the forefront of research in solid-state physics. A whole new field, called spintronics1, 2, 3, 4, has emerged as an umbrella for both applied and fundamental research on spin transport and spin control in metals and semiconductors.

Jaroslav Fabian is at the Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of Regensburg, 93040 Regensburg, Germany.
Email: jaroslav.fabian@physik.uni-regensburg.de