Dynamic nuclear polarization of ensemble of nuclear spins in diamond - Ran Fischer

Nuclear spins are a natural choice for various applications requiring long relaxation times, due to their highly localized wave-function which causes a small interaction with the environment. Examples for such applications are vast, among them are bio-sensing using NMR, different kinds of metrology and building blocks for quantum computers.

How vision begins: The light-matter interaction in the retina - Amichai M. Labin

The most primary step of vision is the absorption of light by cones and rods visual pigments [1]. The efficiency of this process was found to be largely affected by the pigment properties, its spontaneous activation and molecular thermal energy [2].

Nadav Shapira has won at the 13th international workshop on vortex matter in superconductors  for the best poster on the Behavior of Individual Vortices on Twin Boundaries in Underdoped Single Crystal YBCO

I reported on measurements of individual vortices in YBCO single crystals with unidirectional twin boundaries (TBs) - a common planar defect in YBCO: Using low temperature magnetic force microscopy (MFM) with single vortex resolution we study the behavior of vortices in the vicinity of TBs. By imaging and dragging individual vortices we reveal their anisotropic behavior – it is easier to drag a vortex along a TB than across it, and observe a difference between dragging in the two directions normal to the TB. Finally, we search for variations of the superfluid density on TBs.

See attached figure:

A scan at T=4.8K  and at height ≈ 730 nm above the sample - vortices are visible as blue disks. We locate TBs by spatial correlations of vortex locations and by remembering that vortices decorate defects.

Lamellipodial fragments as a model system of self-organization in actin-based motility - Ofer Noa

Cell motility is a remarkable dynamic process which is crucial for many biological processes such as wound healing, fertilization and pathologic cases such as cancer metastasis. A moving cell is a self-organized mechano-chemical machine in which molecular components interact at small scales to generate forces and motion on much larger scales.

Exceptional Points in open quantum systems - Uzdin Raam

Exceptional Points (EP) are specific coardinates in the parameter space of the system in which the Hamiltonian can not be diagonalized. This defect gives rise to a topological effect.

"Random lasing" and mode density in Fibonacci dielectric structures - Levy Eli

We have studied numerically spectral features of 1D dielectric stacks such as transmission spectrum, density of modes and the intensity of the electric field. The calculations have been performed using equivalently the transfer and the scattering matrix.

Self Similar Modes of Coherent Diffusion

O. Firstenberg,^A  D. Yankelev,^A  P. London,^A  M. Shuker,^A  R. Pugatch,^B  and N. Davidson^B

When a resonant light pulse propagates slowly through a vapor medium of hot diffusing atoms, the electromagnetic field exhibits diffusion, in addition to the regular free-space diffraction [1]. The extent of the diffusion depends on the degree of atomic excitation, which is maximal when storage of light is performed. For the latter, the evolution of the atomic coherence is described by the coherent diffusion equation  where ψ is a complex scalar.

2D Superconductivity in LSCO Single Crystals 

Gil Drachuck

We report direction dependent magnetization measurements in LSCO single crystals. The crystals were grown using traveling solvent floating zone method and where cut into rectangular needle-like shapes with the "c" direction parallel or perpendicular to the needle symmetry axis.

Search for long lived charged particles with the ATLAS detector / Bressler Shikma
The Standard Model (SM) is the current model of the fundamental particles and their interactions.
However, it has to be extended in order to include gravity, dark matter, unify all forces and be
extendable to higher energies.

Accessing the dark exciton with light/ Poem Eilon

The dark exciton is a non-optical excited state of a semiconductor. When electronic excitation in a semiconductor occurs, an electron (which has a negative charge) "jumps" from the full, lower-energy valence band, to the higher-energy, empty conduction band. The missing electron in the valence band is called a "hole", and its electric charge is positive. The electron and the hole electrically attract one another, until they are "bound". A bound electron-hole pair is called an "exciton".