News
EPJ Plus Highlight - Image processing brings new clarity to RTe3’s electronic structure
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- Published on 05 March 2026
By applying image segmentation to ARPES data, researchers reconcile Fermi surface measurements with magnetic quantum oscillations and precisely determine the size of tiny electron pockets in rare-earth tritellurides.
Rare-earth tritellurides (RTe₃) are a class of two-dimensional quantum materials known for their diverse electronic properties. One of the most powerful tools for studying them is angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), which probes the allowed energies and momenta of electrons in solids. Despite its strengths, conventional ARPES methods are not well suited to producing fully accurate two-dimensional momentum maps, limiting researchers’ view of the complex electronic landscape these materials host.
In new research published in EPJ Plus, a team led by Alexander Morocho and supervised by Prof. Pavel D. Grigoriev at the National University of Science and Technology (MISiS), Moscow, demonstrates how this limitation can be overcome through careful image processing of ARPES data combined with comparisons to magnetic quantum oscillations. Their results could help physicists better understand the origins of exotic quantum effects in RTe₃ compounds, possibly paving the way for new applications.
EPJ Plus Focus Point: Nuclear microprobe technology and applications
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- Published on 05 March 2026
Guest Editors: Noelia Maldonado, María Dolores Ynsa, Belén Cortés, José Olivares Villegas, Teresa Pinheiro, Esther Enríquez, M. Carmen Jiménez-Ramos, Gastón García
This Focus Point issue includes 19 papers showcasing the diversity and innovation within the nuclear microprobe community, ranging from microelectronic radiation testing and ion-beam-induced charge microscopy to advances in microbeam systems, quantum device fabrication, and biomedical applications. The contributions originate from the 19th International Conference on Nuclear Microprobe Technology and Applications (ICNMTA2024), which was held at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid in June 2024.
All articles are available here and are freely accessible until 23 April 2026. For further information, read the Editorial.
EPJ Plus Focus Point: CBRNE events: prevention, mitigation, consequences and recovery
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- Published on 04 March 2026
Guest Editors: Andrea Malizia, Marco D’Arienzo, Gian Marco Contessa, Francesco d’Errico, Susana de Souza Lalic, Frank Duschek, Vasilis Vasiliou, Antony M. Hooker, Pasquale Gaudio
CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive) events remain among the most complex and disruptive threats facing contemporary societies, demanding integrated scientific and technological responses across multiple domains. This Focus Point of The European Physical Journal Plus brings together a curated collection of contributions that address the entire CBRNE risk-management cycle, from prevention and early detection to impact assessment, emergency response, and recovery. The articles highlight advances in radiation and nuclear detection, chemical and biological sensing, aerosol science, forensic analysis, and high-fidelity modelling, alongside innovative approaches in decontamination, responder protection, digital governance, and critical-infrastructure resilience. Particular attention is given to field-deployable technologies, UAV-based sensing platforms, decision-support tools, and scenario-based modelling frameworks that bridge research and operational practice. By integrating physics, engineering, biosciences, and digital technologies, this Focus Point provides a multidisciplinary and operationally relevant perspective on CBRNE preparedness and resilience. It offers researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers scientifically robust insights and scalable solutions to address non-conventional threats in an increasingly interconnected world.
All articles are available here and are freely accessible until 23 April 2026. For further information, read the Editorial.
EPJ Plus Highlight - GEMINI: Suppressing seismic noise for future gravitational-wave detectors
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- Published on 04 March 2026
By refining seismic isolation and control strategies deep underground, GEMINI aims to unlock the low-frequency frontier of gravitational-wave astronomy
Since the first observation of gravitational waves in 2015, detectors including LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA have analysed numerous ripples in the fabric of spacetime, pushing our understanding of astronomy and fundamental physics to new limits. However, the capabilities of these existing ground-based detectors have been constrained by seismic noise: ambient seismic vibrations in the Earth’s crust that overlap with the frequencies of gravitational waves below around 10 Hz. So far, this has made it difficult for researchers to distinguish this noise from genuine low-frequency gravitational-wave signals.
Through a new study published in EPJ Plus, a team led by Tomislav Andric at the Gran Sasso Science Institute explores the future potential of GEMINI: a cutting-edge underground testbed dedicated to seismic isolation and control technologies. Their study provides a valuable roadmap for planned next-generation detectors, including the Einstein Telescope and the Lunar Gravitational-Wave Antenna (LGWA) – possibly paving the way for a new wave of astronomical discoveries.
Igor Jex joins the EPJ Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC)
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- Published on 03 March 2026
The Steering Committee of EPJ is delighted to welcome Professor Igor Jex, as the new representative of the Czech Physical Society.
Igor Jex is Professor at the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering, fellow member of Institute of Physics (Bristol), Optical Society of America and Academiae Europeae. His expertise covers a broad range of topics from quantum optics to quantum information processing. In the last years, his theoretical work focused on open systems dynamics, Gaussian boson sampling, quantum walks application of optical networks. Some of his theoretical suggestions lead to experiments. He is interested also in philosophical implications of physics.
EPJ Web of Conferences Highlight - RFPPC2025 – 25th Topical Conference on Radio-Frequency Power in Plasmas
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- Published on 03 March 2026
The 25th Topical Conference on Radio-Frequency Power in Plasmas brought together 126 experts from around the world to Schloss Hohenkammer, Germany, from May 19 to 22, to discuss advances in the theory and experimentation of radio-frequency and microwave power in plasmas.
The 25th Topical Conference on Radio-Frequency Power in Plasmas was organised by the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Garching, Germany, and was sponsored by SPINNER GmbH. Scientific topics in the conference program covered fundamental plasma wave physics, RF and microwave heating, current drive, diagnostics, high-power wave sources and antennas, materials processing, and waves in ionospheric and space plasmas.
New EPJ Plus Section: Radiation Physics and CBRNe Science
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- Published on 03 March 2026
EPJ Plus is proud to announce the launch of a new section “Radiation Physics and CBRNe Science” established to provide a unified scientific platform where radiation physics and CBRNe science are equally represented as complementary and interdependent domains.
Within this integrated framework, the section aims to host high-quality research that advances fundamental understanding, technological innovation, and operational preparedness across all chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear, and explosive (CBRNe) dimensions, with radiation physics standing alongside chemical, biological, and explosive sciences as a core component of integrated risk management. In this context, the section provides a dedicated platform for studies addressing radiation-related phenomena across the entire electromagnetic spectrum, ranging from routine exposures in medicine, industry, energy, and research to accidental or intentional releases of radiological and nuclear materials in complex emergency and security scenarios.
Beyond original research articles, the section also welcomes progress reports, roadmaps and white papers, technical documents, and protocols as well as tutorials and reviews. Contributions may also take the form of perspectives and position papers, case studies, and lessons-learned analyses or validation and intercomparison studies.
By establishing “Radiation Physics and CBRNe Science” as a new section, EPJ Plus affirms its commitment to interdisciplinary research that bridges physics, engineering, life sciences, and security domains while fostering a community of researchers and practitioners working at the frontier of non-conventional risk science.
For more details please read this Editorial written by the Managing Editors of this new section, Gian Marco Contessa (Italian National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy) and Andrea Malizia (Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy).
EPJ B Topical Issue: 100 Glorious Years of the Ising Model
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- Published on 16 February 2026
Guest Editors: Muktish Acharyya,Yurij Holovatch, Ferenc Iglói
1925 is not only the year of the birth of quantum mechanics, but also an important milestone in statistical physics, since it was in this year that Ernst Ising published his solution to the one-dimensional case of the model that later bore his name. In later years, the Ising model became indispensable in the theoretical description of phase transitions and plays a central role in many questions and problems arising in interacting many-body systems. The model itself is the result of a thorough simplification that contains the elements essential for describing ferromagnetic ordering, and which, due to its simplicity, is suitable for theoretical and mathematical investigations. The importance of the Ising model from a scientific point of view is also due to its interdisciplinary applications. In addition to physics, the Ising model (and some closely related models, such as the Potts model) is of decisive importance in chemistry, biology, and other disciplines far beyond natural sciences.
EPJ QT Highlight - Teaching quantum entanglement with card games
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- Published on 10 February 2026
Simple interactive activities help non-expert audiences to grasp the core concepts of quantum entanglement and the Nobel Prize-winning experiments that proved how quantum mechanics defies classical physics
Even compared with other fields of cutting-edge research, the underlying principles of quantum mechanics are often deeply complex, and can contradict our everyday intuitions about reality. When communicating these ideas beyond the scientific community, this makes it incredibly challenging for researchers to simplify concepts enough to make them approachable, without sacrificing accuracy.
Through new research published in EPJ Quantum Technology, Valentina De Renzi at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Matteo Paris at the University of Milan, and Maria Bondani at Italy’s Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies present a new approach for introducing the concepts of quantum entanglement, and its experimental proof through the violation of Bell's Inequality – whose experimental demonstration earned the 2022 Nobel Prize in Physics.
EPJ Plus Highlight - A roadmap for radiation protection in human space exploration
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- Published on 10 February 2026
Comprehensive new review outlines the risks posed by space radiation, and the strategies needed to safeguard astronauts on long missions into outer space
Among the many challenges of human space exploration, radiation remains one of the most serious threats to astronaut health. Before the next extended interplanetary voyages, researchers must better understand both the risks posed by space radiation and how they can be mitigated.
In a comprehensive review published in EPJ Plus, a team led by Livio Narici at the University of Rome Tor Vergata examines the complex nature of the space radiation environment, its biological effects, and the latest strategies for risk assessment and mitigation. Drawing together results from lab studies, space missions, and analogue experiments, the team identify key knowledge gaps and propose a detailed roadmap for protecting human health during future missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
