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Dr. Cyril Salang of the UPD-CS Materials Science and Engineering Program (MSEP), together with Dr. Arnel Salvador, Dr. Armando Somintac, and Dr. Elmer Estacio of the UPD-CS National Institute of Physics (NIP), and Dr. Joselito Muldera of RIKEN—a national scientific research institute in Japan—have introduced a new design for semiconductor components. It features a substrate, a buffer layer, and an epitaxial layer— a thin crystal layer grown on top.

What makes their design unique is the use of a mismatched buffer layer—a material whose atomic structure (called lattice constant) differs significantly from both the substrate below and the epitaxial layer above. While such mismatches typically lead to defects or poor performance, the scientists’ invention surprisingly results in high-quality layers that perform just as well as, or even better than, traditional materials used in THz emitters.

The team added a growth-interrupted region and a superlattice—a structure made of alternating thin layers—to strengthen the adhesion between components despite the lattice mismatch. The p-type indium arsenide (p-InAs) layer was grown on top of a superlattice which was deposited on top of a main buffer layer over a growth-interrupted region over a more affordable gallium antimonide (n-GaSb) substrate. When tested, the invention delivered impressive results.

Its performance was comparable to traditional bulk materials when using a 0.80 μm laser, and even better with a 1.55 μm fiber laser—which is cheaper and more practical for mainstream use—making this invention a potential game-changer for THz-TDS systems.

Dr. Salang shared that it took 11 years from the initial idea in 2013 to the patent approval in 2024. “My paper was published in 2015, followed by an invention disclosure later that year. With support from the UP Diliman Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Development (OVCRD), the patent application was filed in February 2016 and was officially granted in 2024,” she said.

With their newly granted patent, Dr. Salang and her team are in a much stronger position to contribute to the growing terahertz industry. “Receiving a national patent means that the originality of our work is recognized. It encourages me to do further innovation,” she added.

Imagine a very thin rubber band morphing into a donut. This transformation, known as the ‘birth of a torus’, is used to mathematically describe the behavior of systems undergoing transitions. While the birth of a torus is common in classical systems, it has only existed theoretically in quantum systems—until now. An international team led by UP physicist Dr. Jayson Cosme has experimentally observed this phenomenon in quantum systems for the first time, using lasers, mirrors, and time crystals.

Many repeating behaviors in nature can be described by shapes such as a rubber band or a donut. One example is the beating of the heart, which cycles between “lub” and “dub.” Scientists can visualize this cycle by drawing a two-dimensional loop in a mathematical space called the phase space. This loop represents all of the heart’s states: lub corresponds to one side of the loop, while dub corresponds to the other. This lub-dub loop captures the behavior of a stable heart, but when the beating becomes irregular, more complex shapes are needed to represent the behavior more accurately—like a donut, or more formally, a torus.

Quantum systems also exhibit repeating behaviors that can be mapped in the phase space. One such system is the time crystal, or ultra-cold atoms that switch back and forth between two states over time. Like the rhythm of a heartbeat, time crystals can be represented by a loop in the phase space. Physicists created the first time crystals in 2016 by shining a pulsating laser on ultra-cold atoms. The laser’s rhythmic pulses cause the atoms to cycle between two states.

In 2022, Dr. Cosme of the UP Diliman College of Science National Institute of Physics (UPD-CS NIP), together with physicists in Germany, showed that time crystals can form even without a pulsating laser. They sandwiched ultra-cold rubidium atoms between two highly reflective mirrors and directed a laser onto the setup. The mirrors repeatedly reflected the laser, effectively trapping it and forcing it to interact continuously with the rubidium atoms.

The team adjusted the laser’s brightness and observed how the atoms responded. They found that when the laser reached a specific intensity, the atoms began oscillating between two states, becoming time crystals. The physicists called it a “continuous time crystal,” marking the first experimental realization of its kind.

Now, using the same experimental setup and working with the same collaborators, the team has taken the idea even further. “In this new study, we showed that cranking up the intensity of light to even brighter or stronger levels will lead to another critical transition,” said Dr. Cosme.

When exposed to a stronger laser, the time crystal begins to behave in a way that can no longer be accurately described by a simple loop in the phase space. Instead of switching periodically between two states, it starts oscillating in an unstable, more complex manner. Its representation in the phase space transforms from a loop to a torus — the birth of a torus.

The time crystal’s extreme sensitivity to light made this transition difficult to observe. Still, the team’s cold atom experiment was exceptionally precise, allowing it to capture the transition for the first time in history. Their study is now published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters.

Beyond fundamental physics, the findings could pave the way for new kinds of ultra-sensitive light detectors. “The transition between loop and torus depends on the light intensity,” explained Dr. Cosme. “Below the critical point, it will be a loop, while above, it will be a torus. As such, a system operating close to this transition point can be used as a sensitive detector for light or electromagnetic fields.”

The team is now investigating whether bifurcations in quantum systems can be predicted before they occur. They also plan to use their experimental setup to explore other quantum phenomena, such as the Kibble-Zurek mechanism, which they examined in a paper published last year. “We’re quite excited about that one, and we hope we can share some exciting news about it soon,” concluded Dr. Cosme.

Human-built environments, such as the spaces we live in, can influence our health through microbiomes—communities of microbes like bacteria and viruses. People have long been unconsciously influencing microbes through the way we design our built environments. With the right knowledge, we can intentionally shape these microbial communities to support better health—an idea currently explored by Filipino researchers in a recent study.

Pursuing interdisciplinary collaborations

Ma. Beatrice Villoria of De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, also the owner of the thesis that started this research, collaborated with Vina Argayosa of the University of the Philippines – Diliman College of Science’s Natural Sciences Research Institute (UPD-CS NSRI), Angelo Rosalinas of Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited – Philippines Branch, Daniel Nichol Valerio of De La Salle University, Christian Lyle La Madrid of LLUID, and Michael Xavier Ticzon of Fundamental Design Experts—who come from diverse fields of expertise—to create a conceptual framework for translating microbial research into design tools for the urban built environment.

The study found that ventilation and the number of people in a space have a huge impact on the amount of indoor bacteria. A framework showing how microbial research can be done to produce data usable by architects and other designers for building design – similar to the experiments in the study- was developed by a team of architects, a microbiologist, and engineers led by Villoria, an architecture graduate.

“It started in my thesis, I looked for a microbiologist [Argayosa] who was willing to work on this idea, and the effort paid off,” Villoria shared. “Having different fields working together is a big help in our evolving society. So far, I’ve collaborated with people from the fields of architecture, microbiology, and engineering. For sure, there are other disciplines we need to work with to further develop the study.”

Application to existing building code

Building codes, such as the National Building Code of the Philippines, set standards for design and construction within a country. These standards typically take the local climate, site conditions, anthropometry, and many more into account. However, the impact of building design set by building codes on microbial presence has yet to be explored.

The researchers used the National Building Code of the Philippines, particularly its guidelines on the minimum habitable room, as the basis for their study. Three experiments were conducted in Metro Manila using passive air sampling—a method for collecting airborne bacteria and fungi—to measure bacterial and fungal counts under different conditions: ventilation, window size, and human presence. The findings were used to conceptually design an indoor space that considers microbial presence.

“How do we measure a healthy amount of microbes in a built environment? It would actually be good to define that. Hospitals and manufacturing sites follow certain standards based on the acceptable levels of microbes they should have. Now, it’s like we’re examining our daily lives with a more studied approach—especially as things become more urbanized,” Argayosa said.

Global relevance from a local study

Although the research was conducted in the Philippines, the methodology can be applied in other parts of the world. Since each country follows its own building codes and regulations, the framework can be adapted to different contexts—considering factors such as the country’s temperature and humidity. “Other countries have their own design standards that fit the needs of their country. In our case for example, our tropical climate has a different effect on humidity, temperature, which influences the types of microbes that grow here in our country,” Villoria added, saying that their team hopes that the findings of their study can serve as a reference point for international efforts to improve overall indoor environmental health.

Ang Mindoro ay nagsisilbing tahanan ng natatanging kasaganahan ng endemic mammalian wildlife na hindi matatagpuan saanman sa mundo. Kabilang dito ang sikat na tamaraw, ang Mindoro warty pig, at ang hamak na Mindoro shrew. Ngayon, may tatlo pang species ang idinagdag sa listahan, salamat sa bagong tuklas na mga Philippine forest mice—lahat kabilang sa genus ng Apomys.

Mula 2013 hanggang 2017, nangalap ang mga pangkat ng mga field biologist na pinamumunuan ng yumaong kilalang Filipino scientist na si Danilo Balete sa mga di gaanong napupuntahang kagubatan sa Mindoro. Sa kanilang mga ekspedisyon, napansin nila ang tatlong natatanging mga dagang gubat na kapansin-pansing naiiba sa isa pang kilalang endemic species sa isla, ang Apomys gracilirostris.

Nakipagtulungan si Balete kay Dr. Mariano Roy Duya at Melizar Duya ng UP Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), kasama ang mga biologist mula sa Estados Unidos, upang suriin ang mga gene, balahibo, at istruktura ng bungo ng mga dagang gubat na ito. Makalipas ang halos isang dekadang pagsusuri sa laboratoryo, kinumpirma ng pangkat na tiyak na mga bagong species ang tatlong daga: ang maliit na Apomys minor, ang may mabuhok na taingang A. crinitus, at A. veluzi, na ipinangalan bilang parangal sa yumaong Maria Josefa “Sweepea” Veluz, isang kilalang mammalogist ng National Museum of Natural History of the Philippines.

Lalong napataas ng pagkatuklas ang bilang ng mga endemic mammal sa Mindoro mula siyam hanggang labindalawa. Pinagtitibay din nito ang katayuan ng isla bilang isang natatanging evolutionary hotspot—na kinikilala ngayon bilang ang pinakamaliit na isla sa buong mundo na pinagganapan ng mammalian speciation.

Gayunpaman, hindi lamang Mindoro ang sentro ng biodiversity sa Pilipinas. Ang mga geographical characteristic na humubog sa natatanging wildlife nito ay matatagpuan din sa marami pang bahagi ng bansa. Ang Luzon, halimbawa, ay mayroon ding kahalintulad na kumplikadong geologic history at napakalawak na biodiversity. Ganoon din ang makikita sa ilang bahagi ng Mindanao. Ito ang dahilan kung bakit napakaraming biologist ang naaakit sa Pilipinas—at kung bakit marami rin ang nag-aalay ng kanilang mga karera sa pagtatanggol sa mga kagubatang nito.

Ang ginawang pag-aaral, na pinamagatang “Three new species of Philippine forest mice (Apomys, Muridae, Mammalia), members of a clade endemic to Mindoro Island,” ay nailathala sa journal na Zootaxa.

References:

Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Duya, M.R.M., Duya, M.V., Kyriazis, C.C., Rickart, E.A., Steppan, S.J. & Rowsey, D.M. (2025) Three new species of Philippine forest mice (Apomys, Muridae, Mammalia), members of a clade endemic to Mindoro Island. Zootaxa, 5647 (1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.1

Mindoro is home to a unique bounty of endemic mammalian wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. This includes the famous tamaraw, the Mindoro warty pig, and the humble Mindoro shrew. Now, three more species are added to the list, thanks to the recent discovery of Philippine forest mice—all belonging to the Apomys genus.

From 2013 to 2017, teams of field biologists led by renowned Filipino scientist Dr. Danilo Balete surveyed relatively understudied forests of Mindoro. During their expeditions, they noticed three distinctive forest mice that looked noticeably different from the island’s known endemic species, Apomys gracilirostris.

Balete worked with Dr. Mariano Roy Duya and Melizar Duya of the UP Diliman College of Science Institute of Biology (UPD-CS IB), along with biologists from the United States, to analyze the genes, fur, and skull structures of forest mice. After nearly a decade of laboratory work, the team confirmed that the three mice are indeed new species: the tiny Apomys minor, the hairy-eared A. crinitus, and A. veluzi, named in honor of the late Maria Josefa “Sweepea” Veluz, a distinguished mammalogist of the National Museum of Natural History of the Philippines.

The discovery raises the number of endemic mammals on Mindoro from nine to twelve. It also cements the island’s status as a unique evolutionary hotspot—now recognized as the smallest known island where mammal speciation has taken place.

However, Mindoro is not the only center of biodiversity in the Philippines. The same geographic characteristics that shaped its unique wildlife can be found in many other parts of the country. Luzon, for instance, has a similarly complex geological history and is also profoundly biodiverse. This is also true in some parts of Mindanao. This is the reason why so many biologists are drawn to the Philippines—and why many dedicate their careers to protecting its forests.

The study, titled “Three new species of Philippine forest mice (Apomys, Muridae, Mammalia), members of a clade endemic to Mindoro Island,” is now published in the journal Zootaxa.

References:

Heaney, L.R., Balete, D.S., Duya, M.R.M., Duya, M.V., Kyriazis, C.C., Rickart, E.A., Steppan, S.J. & Rowsey, D.M. (2025) Three new species of Philippine forest mice (Apomys, Muridae, Mammalia), members of a clade endemic to Mindoro Island. Zootaxa, 5647 (1), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5647.1.1