Events 

Dark Matter Can Illuminate Black Hole Shadows

A new study published in Physical Review Letters, selected as an Editors’ Suggestion, demonstrates that black hole images from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) can serve as powerful probes of dark matter. This work is authored in alphabetical order and includes corresponding authors Yifan Chen, who will soon join Tsung-Dao Lee Institute as a tenure-track fellow, and Yosuke Mizuno, a tenured fellow of TDLI, as well as Ran Ding from Anhui University, Jing Shu from Peking University, and PhD students Yuxin Liu, Haiyue Yu, and Yanjie Zeng. Read More

What’s the Outcome of Quark Star Mergers

Quark stars are hypothetical compact objects. Unlike ordinary neutron stars, which are composed of neutrons and protons, quark stars are thought to consist almost entirely of free quarks. This naturally raises a key question: when two quark stars merge, what is the outcome? Will the ejecta be clumps of quark matter, or will it resemble that of neutron star mergers, composed of nucleon gas? People think that quark nuggets formed in quark star collisions would quickly evaporate into neutrons and protons, thereby producing ejecta similar to that of neutron star mergers. However, a recent study by the Tsung-Dao Lee Institute at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, in collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology in the United States, shows that the reality may be quite different. Through detailed theoretical modeling and calculations, the research team found that the ejecta from quark star mergers are likely dominated by massive “quark nuggets”, accompanied by only a small fraction of nucleons. The results have been published in the prestigious journal 

New EHT Images Reveal Unexpected Polarization Flips at M87*

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has unveiled new, detailed images of the supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy M87— known as M87*— revealing a dynamic environment with changing polarization patterns near the black hole. Additionally, the scientists found the first signatures of the extended jet emission near the jet base, which connects to the ring around M87*, in EHT data. These new observations, published today Astronomy & Astrophysics are providing new insight into how matter and energy behave in the extreme environments surrounding black holes. Read More

Researchers Discover Unique Surface Pattern Formed by Hydrogen on Delafossite Oxide

Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China — In a recent study published in Communications Materials, researchers have observed a fascinating and unusual pattern forming on the surface of a material when hydrogen gas is introduced. This discovery could provide important insights into how surfaces behave at the atomic level and open doors to new materials and applications. Read More

Quantum-Size Effect Induced Andreev Bound States in Ultrathin Metallic Islands Proximitized by a Superconductor

While Andreev bound states (ABSs) have been realized in engineered superconducting junctions, their direct observation in normal metal-superconductor heterostructures—enabled by quantum confinement—remains experimentally elusive. Here, we report the detection of ABSs in ultrathin metallic islands (Bi, Ag, and SnTe) grown on the 𝑠-wave superconductor NbN. Using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we clearly reveal in-gap ABSs with energies symmetric about the Fermi level. While the energies of these states show no position dependence, their wave functions exhibit spatial oscillations, demonstrating a quantum size effect. Both the energy levels and spatial distribution of the ABSs can be reproduced by our effective model in which a metallic island is coupled to the superconducting substrate via the proximity effect. We demonstrate that the coupling strength plays a critical role in determining the ABS energies. Our work introduces a novel physical platform for implementing ABSs, which hold promise for significant device applications.  Read More

Observation of Orbital-Selective Dual Modulations in an Anisotropic Antiferromagnetic Kagome Metal TbTi3⁢Bi4

In materials with many interacting particles, understanding how different internal properties—like spin, charge, and orbital—interact is key to controlling their behavior. One important but less explored phenomenon is orbital selectivity, where different electron orbitals behave differently, influencing material properties like superconductivity or magnetism. In this study, we investigate a recently discovered material, TbTi3⁢Bi4, and uncover an orbital-selective effect tied directly to its magnetic behavior. 

Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we observe a unique momentum-dependent band reconstruction that appears only below the material’s antiferromagnetic transition temperature. This occurs alongside the formation of a symmetry-protected Dirac cone, a type of energy feature in the electronic structure. Backed by density functional theory calculations, we find that this effect arises from a nesting instability in specific Tb orbitals. This orbital-specific response in the antiferromagnetic state reveals a deep connection between orbital behavior and magnetic ordering. 

These findings show that orbital-spin coupling can strongly affect magnetic properties, offering a powerful new tool for designing materials with tailored magnetism. Our study not only explains a rare magnetization plateau observed in TbTi3⁢Bi4 but also opens the door to controlling magnetic phases by engineering orbital textures—the patterns formed by how orbitals are arranged and interact in the crystal lattice. Read More

On Sept.14, TDLI welcomed its 2025 graduate students. This year marks the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. TDLI set up an “Einstein Miracle Year” themed interactive exhibition board. The new students began their scientific journey at TDLI. Read More

TDLI Meteor Shower Observation and Live Broadcast

From August 11 to 13, TDLI's “Spark Exploring the Deep Space” team went to Hengsha Island to observe the Perseid meteor shower and conduct a live broadcast. The team worked with the Shanghai Astronomical Museum for an online live stream. Despite initial cloudy weather, they successfully captured and shared the stunning meteor shower with viewers. The event attracted 12,000 viewers and 37,000 likes, showcasing the team's dedication to scientific exploration and public outreach. Read More

Coming Events