Brookhaven National Laboratory

Since their establishment in 2020, the five U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Quantum Information Science Research Centers have been expanding the frontier of what’s possible in #quantum computing, communication, sensing and materials. #C2QA

The #ElectronIonCollider will reuse key infrastructure from the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. But even before the switch begins, #RHIC provides a perfect testbed for tackling some of the EIC’s exciting accelerator challenges.

We're leading one of 16 new projects constituting the microelectronics scientific research centers recently announced by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Our cross-disciplinary project aims to improve the operational energy efficiency and transmission speeds of #microelectronics for data-intense systems that operate in extreme environments, such as cryogenic temperatures, intense magnetic fields, and harsh radiation.

Leading up to the new year, we recapped our top 10 discoveries of 2024. But for major scientific discoveries like these to be made, years of design, construction, and upgrades must go into our research facilities. In 2024, we also reached several milestones that will pave the way for new discoveries and opportunities in 2025. #YearInReview ⚛️ Electron-Ion Collider begins procurements ⚛️ The U.S. Department of Energy gave the go-ahead for the purchase of “long-lead” equipment, services, and/or materials needed to build the #ElectronIonCollider. 🖥️ Scientific data storage record 🖥️ Our Scientific Data and Computing Center now stores more than 300 petabytes of data — the largest compilation of nuclear and particle physics data in the U.S. For comparison, that’s far more data than would be needed to represent everything written in human history plus all the movies ever created. 💡 The National Synchrotron Light Source II celebrates 10 years of light 💡 On Oct. 23, #NSLSII celebrated its 10th anniversary of first light, the moment when its first X-rays were delivered. Over the last decade, this ultrabright light source has grown from six beamlines to 29, ramped up its accelerator current from 50 milliamperes to 500 milliamperes, hosted nearly 6,000 visiting researchers from around the world, and published more than 3,200 research papers. 🌳 Atmospheric observatory opens in Alabama 🌳 Our atmospheric scientists led the plan to install a suite of ARM User Facility instruments at a new observatory in the Southeastern U.S. The Bankhead National Forest observatory officially opened on Oct. 1.

New year, new opportunities 🎓 College students and faculty: there is still time to apply for U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science summer programs at Brookhaven Lab. Submit your applications by Jan. 8 Summer Undergraduate Laboratory Internship: https://bit.ly/3tbyH9V Community College Internship: https://bit.ly/3hrs8gM Visiting Faculty Program: https://bit.ly/3Tzpjbb

It's the last day of 2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣4️⃣, so let's celebrate some of the best discoveries our scientists made this year! #YearInReview 🧬 Hacking DNA to make next-gen materials 🧬 #CFNatBrookhaven scientists are experts at using DNA as a tool for “programming” molecules to self-assemble into 3D nanostructures. In 2024, researchers developed a new, universal method of DNA-directed self-assembly that produces metallic and semiconductor 3D nanostructures — the potential base materials for next-generation semiconductor devices, neuromorphic computing, and advanced energy applications. ⚛️ Calculating predictions for EIC measurements ⚛️ Nuclear theorists used supercomputers to accurately predict the distribution of electric charges in mesons, particles made of a quark and an antiquark. These predictions will provide a basis for comparison in future experiments at the #ElectronIonCollider and help EIC scientists unravel how the fundamental building blocks that make up atoms stick together. 📍 Atomic ‘GPS’ uncovers hidden material phase📍 Scientists created the first-ever atomic movies showing how atoms rearrange locally within a quantum material as it transitions from an insulator to a metal. Using a new ultrafast research technique, which provides atomic routes like a navigation app, the researchers discovered a “hidden” material state. 🔋 Engineering battery chemistry🔋 Chemists added a compound called cesium nitrate to the electrolyte of lithium-metal batteries, making the batteries recharge faster while maintaining cycle life. Studies at #CFNatBrookhaven and #NSLSII also revealed two surprises in the battery's chemistry, challenging conventional beliefs and creating new opportunities for battery engineering. 🔬 Unlocking the structure and function in cells 🔬 Biologists and #NSLSII scientists used a combination of X-ray methods to see inside cells like never before, revealing both their structural details and chemical processes. The new approach could have significant implications in fields such as medicine, bioenergy, agriculture, and other important areas.

☁️ Where cloud droplets are born ☁️ In 2024, atmospheric scientists made the first-ever remote-sensing observations of the cloud-droplet “birth zone” at the base of clouds, where aerosol particles suspended in Earth’s atmosphere give rise to the droplets that ultimately form clouds. The research — one of our top 10 discoveries of the year — was made possible by a high-resolution LIDAR system that sends laser beams into the atmosphere and measures the signals of backscattered light with a resolution of 10 centimeters. #YearInReview

🛡️ Protecting a promising qubit material 💻 Tantalum is a superconducting material that shows great promise for building qubits, the basis of quantum computers. Researchers made one of our ✨ top 10 discoveries ✨ of the year when they found that adding a thin layer of magnesium improves tantalum by keeping it from oxidizing. The coating also improves tantalum’s purity and raises the temperature at which it operates as a superconductor. All three effects may increase tantalum’s ability to hold onto quantum information in qubits. #YearInReview #C2QA #CFNatBrookhaven #NSLSII #qubits #qunatum

Today's featured breakthrough from the Lab's top 10 discoveries of 2024 is ... 🌱 Plants’ sugar-sensing machinery 🍭 This year, biochemists discovered how protein machinery in plants controls whether the plants can grow and make energy-intensive products such as oil — or instead put in place a series of steps to conserve precious resources. The research could help identify proteins or parts of proteins that scientists could engineer to make plants that produce more oil for use as biofuels or other oil-based products. #YearInReview

Happy holidays from Brookhaven Lab! ❄️🎁☃️