France

Neutron experiments reveal how a ferrotoroidic material can store information in four distinct magnetic states, paving the way for future memory technologies with increased storage capacity.

During the Spring Meeting of the Condensed Matter Section of the German Physical Society (DPG), held in Dresden in March 2026, a round table was held on the theme ‘Novel Opportunities for Cooperation between France and Germany in Neutron Science’. The discussion counted on the participation of the directors of the French and German facilities and of representatives of the neutron user association in both countries, SFN and KFN. This is an account of the discussion by Jacques Jestin, ILL Science Director and French Associate Director and one of the participants of the round table.

Neutron scattering shows how local density shapes motion within self-assembled protein structures

Linking simple physical rules, machine learning and neutron spectroscopy to discover crystals with record-low thermal conductivity

Blood-based biomarkers are widely used to diagnose and monitor diseases through simple blood tests. However, in some cases they can be partially “hidden” and harder to detect accurately. Researchers investigated, with molecular accuracy, how biomarkers interact with lipid membranes using neutron reflectometry at the ILL.

A new study based on neutrons provides valuable insights into the thermal vulnerability of different bacterial families. It shows that organisms adapted to very low temperatures are also surprisingly fragile: even a slight rise in temperature can be lethal, long before any structural damage appears.