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New insights into 3D-printed materials for future fusion reactors
X-ray and neutron experiments give valuable clues.
Pollution from aircraft
Researchers at PSI have measured how flight operations at Zurich Airport affect the atmospheric concentration of ultrafine particulate matter. In the process, they also found lubricating oil compounds in the air.
AiiDAlab: software that drives research forward
The software platform AiiDAlab was developed for computer simulations in materials research. It’s now becoming clear that it's also useful in many other areas, such as atmospheric research, controlling experiments and teaching.
Alkali-Metal Interlocking of 2D V4O10 Sheets Defines Discretized Interlayer Shear Relationships
Low-dimensional materials manifest structural anisotropy, quantum confinement, and tightly bound excitonic states, which make them attractive building blocks that can be assembled within three-dimensional laterally stitched heterostructures, stacked van der Waals solids, and complex moiré superlattices ...
Cooling without pumps: New measurement data for modular reactors
In an international collaboration, researchers at PSI have, for the first time, collected high-resolution measurement data from passive cooling systems for small modular nuclear reactors – an important basis for developing future generations of reactors.
When Tungsten Meets Steel: Designing Interfaces for Fusion
Additive manufacturing enables new tungsten–steel designs for fusion reactors—but also creates complex microstructures. PSI researchers reveal how phases form and evolve at the interface during processing.
Wind energy and scenic landscapes: balancing beauty and power through better planning
Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and ETH Zurich have drawn up the first Europe-wide map of landscape quality and highlighted where wind energy and landscape protection overlap.
Cascade of Spin Moiré Superlattices with In-Plane Field in Triangular Lattice Semimetal EuAg4Sb2
EuAg4Sb2 is a rhombohedral europium triangular lattice material that exhibits a rich phase diagram of spin moiré superlattices (SMS) and single-q magnetic phases. In this paper, we characterize ...
LEAPS AISBL inaugurated in Brussels as formal legal entity
Europe’s leading photon science facilities enter a new phase of strategic coordination.
Experimental observation of short-range magnetic correlations in amorphous Nb2O5 and Ta2O5 thin films
We use muon spin rotation/relaxation/resonance (μSR) to investigate the magnetic properties of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) and tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) thin films. In both oxides, we observe a magnetic response at the lowest available temperature of 2.8 K ...
Not every brain ages in the same way
Over a lifetime, our brain ages – in particular its volume decreases. However, the brains of some people display a greater resistance to age-related change and to the protein deposits associated with dementia.
Vanishing ordered moment in the frustrated triangular lattice antiferromagnet CuNdO2
The steady decline of neutron imaging (NI) facilities—driven in part by the shutdown of several research reactors—has increased the need to maximize the use of existing infrastructure. In this context, a collaborative effort between PSI-CNM, PSI-NES, and EPFL-LRS has led to the development ...
Collaborative Development of a New Neutron Imaging Beamline at the Zero-Power CROCUS Reactor
The steady decline of neutron imaging (NI) facilities—driven in part by the shutdown of several research reactors—has increased the need to maximize the use of existing infrastructure. In this context, a collaborative effort between PSI-CNM, PSI-NES, and EPFL-LRS has led to the development ...
Radiopharmacy: past, present and future
Radiopharmaceuticals allow some types of cancer to be targeted with tailor-made therapies. The current state of the art was preceded by decades of intensive research – and the future promises even better treatment options.
Preserving film sound in the cold at the British Film Institute: new evidence for archives
Can magnetic film sound be stored in the cold? A collaboration between the British Film Institute and PSI found no detectable damage in the studied samples and points to a broader future for archives, in which laboratory methods and synchrotron techniques at the Swiss Light Source SLS help guide the preservation of complex audiovisual media.
Swiss biomethane has potential
By using biomass intelligently, Switzerland could meet a substantial percentage of its own gas needs, making itself less dependent on the global market.
Taking the fear out of cancer
Researchers at PSI are developing new technologies and drugs to eliminate tumours more effectively: with greater precision and personalised approaches
Exploring 3d systems for quantum spin liquids
Using neutron and muon experiments, a team from South Korea, the USA, the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), and ISIS investigated the structure under ambient conditions and dynamics of a magnetic field-induced intermediate ...
A time machine to the most stable state
GEMS allows scientists to model the chemistry of complex systems. A new national consortium now guarantees the long-term development of this open-source software.
In-situ straining with a MEMS device
Researchers from an international collaboration between Switzerland, Italy, Germany, and Taiwan have developed a device for the in situ straining of freestanding ferroic films alllowing for ptychographic imaging whilst applying a mechanical strain. The results have been published as Editors' Suggestion within Physical Review B.
Emergence of a Fluctuating Ground State in Y-Kapellasite under Pressure
Y-kapellasite [Y3Cu9(OH)19Cl8], which hosts an original anisotropic kagome sublattice, is a promising candidate for studying elusive and complex correlated physics. It exhibits a theoretically predicted in-plane (1/3; 1/3) magnetic order, but its magnetic interaction values place it close to a phase boundary to a spin liquid state ...
Green biomass as a sustainable source of protein
The food industry is increasingly focusing on sustainable products. Proteins from green biomass are a promising option, as a research team involving the MLZ has discovered. These can be used, for example, as stabilisers in emulsions, such as in plant-based alternatives to yogurt, milk, ice cream, or cheese.
Sharper, smaller, brighter: Improved Focusing at PX III after the SLS 2.0 Upgrade
The first experimental results from the upgraded X06DA-PX III beamline after the SLS 2.0 upgrade show measurable improvements of the focusing capabilities. Comparing the focus size before the SLS upgrade and afterwards, the benefit of the new storage ring becomes immediately evident.
Why cells respond “incorrectly” in old age
Researchers at PSI have established why the cells in our body react differently to stimuli and signals in old age compared with young cells. Their studies on human skin cells have shown that the chromatin, the packaged form of the DNA in the cell nucleus, plays a key role in this.
Versatile Magneto- Dielectric Response of Epitaxial Thin Films of the High Entropy Oxide Perovskite Nd(Cr0.2Mn0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2)O3
We report the dielectric and magnetic properties of epitaxial thin films of the high entropy oxide (HEO) perovskite Nd(Cr0.2Mn0.2Fe0.2Co0.2Ni0.2)O3, which orders magnetically below Tmag ≈ 190 K.
At T ≫ Tmag, the dielectric response reveals ...
Congratulations to Israa for winning the Poster Competition award for her poster “Efficient QR based Column Subset Selection through Randomized Sparse Embedding”
Doctoral student Israa Fakih, supervised by Prof. Laura Grigori, won the 1st place in Poster Competition award for her poster “Efficient QR based Column Subset Selection through Randomized Sparse Embedding”, at the SWICCOMAS Annual Event 2026, held at the University of Bern, Switzerland.
Imaging electrical switching of ultraefficient memory devices
SLS illuminates how electrical switching in layered materials works
Characterization of Stable NiOx/ SrTaOxNy Bilayers Boosting the Oxygen Evolution Reaction for Solar Water Splitting
SrTaOxNy (STON) is a well-known visible light-responsive semiconductor with ideally located band edges that allow the operability of overall water splitting. Like many oxynitrides, STON shows evidence of detrimental physicochemical changes under oxygen evolution reaction (OER) conditions involving strong caustic electrolytes. ...
Blood pressure-lowering drug with a light switch
From off to on: PSI researchers have observed how the potency of a blood pressure medication can be switched using light.
Resolving Complex Multiscale Structure of Magneto- and Electroactive Polymer Composites With an Ionic Liquid
A multiscale understanding of the structure of ionogels – nanoparticle-free polymer composites incorporating ionic liquids – is essential for enhancing their macroscopic functional properties and unlocking their potential in critical applications such as energy storage, sensing, and actuation. We establish ...
PSI as a city
If you look closely, PSI resembles a small city. We present a selection of 11 facilities and services located on the institute’s 342,000-square-metre campus. They are available to PSI’s 2,300 employees – and in some cases well beyond.
Algebraic Loop Liquid in the Pyrochlore CsNiCrF6
The β-pyrochlore CsNiCrF6 is a charge ice—each tetrahedron of the pyrochlore lattice is occupied by two Ni2+ and two Cr3+ according to an ice rule, resulting in fully packed same-species loops with power-law length distribution. Using inelastic neutron scattering and numerical simulations, we show ...
A new database of inorganic materials is available on the Materials Cloud
A team of scientists, led by researchers at PSI, has introduced the Materials Cloud Three-Dimensional Structure Database (MC3D), a systematically curated database of quantum-mechanical calculations for inorganic materials derived from experimental crystal structures. The database contains more than 32 000 structures whose relaxed geometry and electronic structure were computed using carefully standardized DFT workflows, using three different functionals and/or computational protocols. Beyond providing a consistent reference dataset for computational materials science, MC3D also supports emerging data-driven approaches. For example, it served as a starting point for datasets used to train machine-learning interatomic potentials.
The competitiveness of low-carbon fuels depends on location
Production location, financing, and innovation shape the competitiveness of low-carbon fuels.
Oxygen-isotope effect on the density wave transitions in La3Ni2O7
The isotope effect is a powerful probe of electron-phonon interactions in solid-state systems, offering key insights into how atomic mass influences emergent quantum states. Here, the impact of oxygen-isotope substitution (16O→18O) on charge- and spin-density wave (CDW and SDW) transitions in the double-layer Ruddlesden-Popper nickelate La3Ni2O7 is investigated ...
Pressure and oxygen-isotope substitution on density-wave transitions in La4Ni3O10
Understanding the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in nickelate systems is a key objective in condensed matter physics. Gaining microscopic insights into magnetism—particularly as it emerges near superconductivity—requires a synergistic approach that combines complementary experimental techniques with controlled tuning of external parameters. In this paper, we present ...
Powder-level carbide modification controls HIP grain growth and enhances fatigue in reused additively manufactured superalloy
Inconel 718 dominates laser powder bed fusion (PBF-LB/M) builds as the benchmark Ni superalloy for its γ′/γ″ hardenability, weldability, and qualification pedigree, yet its fatigue resistance remains limited by porosity, tensile residual stresses, and microstructural heterogeneity ...
Robust AC Vector Sensing at Zero Magnetic Field with Pentacene
Quantum sensors based on electronic spins have emerged as powerful probes of microwave-frequency fields. Among other solid-state platforms, spins in molecular crystals offer a range of advantages, from high spin density to functionalization via chemical tunability. Here, we demonstrate ...
Second place for the best oral presentation at the 12th International Conference on Isotopes
Marie Théry, postdoctoral researcher in the Radionuclide development group, was awarded second place for the best oral presentation
Magnetic Signature of Chiral Phonons Revealed by Neutron Spectroscopy in Ferrimagnetic Fe1.75Zn0.25Mo3O8
Lattice vibrations can carry angular momentum and magnetic moments under broken inversion or time-reversal symmetry, forming so-called chiral phonons. While such excitations have been explored in nonmagnetic systems via optical probes, their direct detection in magnetic materials and coupling to spin excitations remain largely unexplored. Here, using neutron spectroscopy, ...
Where analysis meets flavours
Some see brewing as an art, others as a science – Luc Van Loon combines both these virtues at his brewery. With the nose of a sommelier and the precision of a chemist, the former PSI researcher creates world-class beers.
Topological metal-insulator transition within the ferromagnetic state
A major challenge in condensed matter physics is integrating topological phenomena with correlated electron physics to leverage both types of states for next-generation quantum devices. Metal-insulator transitions are central to bridging these two domains while simultaneously serving as on-off switches for electronic states. Here, we demonstrate ...
PSI and NUKEM Sign Memorandum of Understanding
The Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and NUKEM Technologies Engineering Services GmbH (NUKEM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a close research and development collaboration focused on advanced nuclear fuel and reactor technologies.
How hydrogen affects titanium implants
Researchers use Swiss Spallation Neutron Source SINQ to study how medical implants change inside the body.
Niobium’s intrinsic coherence length and penetration depth revisited using low-energy muon spin spectroscopy and secondary-ion mass spectrometry
We report direct, simultaneous measurements of the London penetration depth (λL ) and Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer coherence length (ξ0) in oxygen-doped niobium, with impurity concentrations spanning the “clean”to “dirty” limits ...
Oxygen Isotope Fingerprints of Electron-Phonon Coupling in SrVO3 Films
Transition metals exemplify correlated electronic systems, where electron-electron (𝑒−𝑒) scattering often results in a quadratic temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity, 𝜌(𝑇) ∝𝑇2. In SrVO3 (SVO), a material with a 𝑉−3d1 electronic configuration that ensures metallicity through narrow 3𝑑−t2𝑔 bands, a 𝜌(𝑇) ∝𝑇2 dependence has been reported. While traditionally attributed to 𝑒−𝑒 scattering, recent studies suggest that electron-phonon (𝑒-ph) interactions may play a significant role. To unravel the influence of phonon interactions on carrier transport in SVO, we present a comparative study of the transport and optical properties of SVO films with partial substitution of 16O ions by their heavier isotope, 18O. Our findings reveal that 18O substitution induces a change in the slope of 𝑑𝜌(𝑇)/𝑑𝑇 at nominal fixed carrier density, highlighting the dominant contribution of 𝑒-ph coupling over 𝑒−𝑒 scattering in determining 𝜌(𝑇). Furthermore, it is found that the 18O substitution softens the phonon lattice and promotes a reduction in plasma frequency and an increase in the carrier effective mass. These results indicate that the 𝑒-ph coupling strength increases upon 18O substitution. Our findings suggest that 𝑒-ph interactions may surpass 𝑒−𝑒 scattering in governing the resistivity of metallic ionic lattices. ...
Measuring time at the quantum level
Physicists using the Swiss Light Source SLS have found a way to measure the time involved in quantum events and found it depends on the symmetry of the material.
Presentation Prize 2026 (Doktorandentag, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich)
Benjamin Hunkeler, PhD student in the “Nuclide Chemistry Group” received the price for the best oral presentation