Researchers demonstrated a new method of cooling trapped ions using chip-based systems, which could enable more stable and scalable quantum computers and quantum sensors.

Columbia researchers Sebastian Will and Nanfang Yu combine optical tweezers with metasurfaces to trap over 1,000 atoms—with the potential to capture hundreds of thousands more. 

A study published in Nature Physics Jan. 14, co-led by Rice University’s Qimiao Si, brings together quantum criticality, where electrons fluctuate between different phases, and electronic topology, which describes a form of quantum organization based on the wave behavior of electrons. The researchers found that strong interactions among electrons can produce topological behavior, paving the way for new technologies that could use this quantum state in real-world applications.

Researchers introduce a new asset pricing factor called “emotional vulnerability” by combining large language models and network analysis of investor sentiment. By embedding stock forum texts and measuring network curvature, they show that emotionally vulnerable stocks tend to deliver lower returns, while emotionally stable stocks generate higher excess returns. The factor remains effective after controlling for traditional risk factors and sentiment direction.