Papers

Quantum anomalies are usually formulated in continuum field theory, where regularization may violate a classical symmetry. In a crystal, the compact Brillouin zone and the high-energy bands make that ultraviolet completion physical. This Perspective develops a unified lattice view of chiral and parity anomalies through the problem of realizing a single massless Dirac fermion. The central motif is a finite low-energy region in which the relevant symmetry is restored, embedded in a high-energy sector that breaks the symmetry and completes the lattice theory. In $1+1$ and $3+1$ dimensions, the quantized chiral response is protected by local chiral symmetry near the Fermi surface. In $2+1$ dimensions, the half-integer Hall response belongs to a single massless Dirac band with mirror symmetry, not to a generic massive Dirac insulator that breaks the symmetry explicitly. In both cases the lattice perspective reveals how the low-energy symmetry emerges from the high-energy sector and protects the anomalous and quantized response. Recent experimental progress in quantum materials is discussed in light of this unified view.

In this work, we investigate surface polaritons (SPs) arising at the interface between a simple dielectric and a bi-isotropic medium, in the lossless regime and in the presence of small losses. For the former, non-Dyakonov surface polaritons can arise for positive permittivities and magnetoelectric parameters. General restrictions on the permittivities and bi-isotropic parameter (existence conditions) are derived. For the latter, the effect of small losses is considered, and the characteristic surface plasmon-polariton lengths are discussed. The propagation length can exhibit a local maximum for specific values of the magnetoelectric parameter, an unusual new behavior that can be regarded as a signature of these chiral surface polaritons. Surface waves in an interface involving a bi- isotropic medium with an anomalous Hall effect (AHE) are also examined. Multiple configurations for their occurrence are obtained, revealing a richer scenario with distinct regimes of propagation and coexistence in the parameter space. The presence of a non-null AHE contribution creates a magnetoelectric range for which the surface wave propagation is forbidden, providing an additional signature of surface-polariton propagation in bi-isotropic media with an AHE contribution.

Molecular and material properties, from the polarizability to the elastic constants, are described by tensors. Their behavior under rotations is made explicit when a tensor is decomposed into irreducible parts that transform independently. In Cartesian form these parts are the symmetric and traceless irreducible Cartesian tensors (ICTs), whose decomposition and coupling underlie selection rules, orientational averages, and the use of symmetry. The decomposition is a textbook result at rank two, but higher rank and the intrinsic symmetry of physical tensors make it nontrivial. What has been lacking, unlike in the well-established spherical formalism, is a general construction for a given intrinsic symmetry, together with reusable operators that extract the ICTs and rebuild the original tensor exactly. Here, we develop such a construction and obtain these operators explicitly. These operators depend on rank and symmetry alone, and therefore each need only be built once and then applied to any tensor of that class. Building on them, we further obtain the Cartesian harmonics of a vector and the operators that couple two ICTs into a third, both central to equivariant machine learning. The construction is demonstrated on the elastic tensor, in both its second-order form of rank four and its third-order form of rank six. The ICTs of the rank-4 tensor also define a rotation- and scale-invariant measure of anisotropy, which we evaluate across the first-principles elastic tensors of crystalline materials from the Materials Project. The construction is implemented in the open-source package natto, which produces the operators in both exact symbolic and numerical form.

Incommensurate materials interfaces constitute a broad and technologically important class of systems, yet their lack of shared periodicity limits predictive and computationally efficient first-principles electronic-structure methods. Here we introduce a scalable computational framework for constructing locally ab initio electronic Hamiltonians for arbitrary materials interfaces. Our approach exploits the nearsightedness of Wannier Hamiltonian matrix elements, enabling their systematic extrapolation and interpolation across interlayer registries. This strategy yields transferable Hamiltonians that retain first-principles accuracy while bypassing the need for prohibitively large commensurate supercells or Moiré approximations. We validate the framework on quasicrystalline 30{\deg} twisted bilayer graphene, reproducing experimentally observed spectral features including mirrored Dirac cones and minigaps at avoided crossings arising from generalized interlayer scattering. We further predict quasiperiodic flat-band states in experimentally accessible doping regimes. By enabling predictive electronic-structure calculations across structurally incommensurate interfaces, this framework establishes a practical route to first-principles exploration of emergent interfacial phenomena.

We study the stability of the solution corresponding to the polar phase of superfluid 3He in nematic aerogels with respect to perturbations induced by magnetic impurity scattering. We show that when the perturbation simultaneously breaks axial and time-reversal symmetry, the polar-distorted A phase is realized with the highest transition temperature. Within the proposed model of a p-wave scattering potential, which accounts for the effective spin-orbit interaction between the orbital angular momentum of a scattering quasiparticle and the magnetic moment texture of the scatterer, we solve the eigenvalue and eigenvector problem for the Gor'kov self-consistency equation. Finally, we discuss how our results relate to the available experimental data.

This work presents a density functional theory (DFT) investigation of a two-dimensional (2D) C5N monolayer functionalized with Li, Na, and K for hydrogen storage. Pristine C5N exhibits weak H2 adsorption, while alkali-metal functionalization significantly enhances its storage capability. The C5N monolayer can stably accommodate up to six metal dopants, with binding energies stronger than the corresponding cohesive energies, indicating resistance to metal aggregation. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations further confirm the thermal stability of the functionalized systems at 300 K. Charge transfer from the metal dopants to C5N enhances polarization and strengthens H2 adsorption. Each dopant can adsorb up to eight H2 molecules, yielding a maximum of 48 H2 molecules per unit cell and gravimetric storage capacities of 9.42, 8.61, and 7.93 wt% for Li-, Na-, and K-functionalized C5N, respectively. The average H2 adsorption energies of -0.16 to -0.17 eV/H2 indicate moderate interactions suitable for reversible storage. Thermodynamic analysis further demonstrates favourable H2 adsorption/desorption under practical operating conditions, while desorption-temperature, recovery-time, and volumetric analyses support the potential reversibility and storage performance of these systems. Overall, alkali-metal-functionalized C5N emerges as a promising 2D material for efficient and reversible H2 storage.

Quantum criticality in one-dimensional quantum systems is characterized by emergent conformal field theories (CFTs), whose central charge counts independent gapless degrees of freedom. Establishing a microscopic connection between this universal conformal structure and the momentum-space topology of the underlying quasiparticle spectrum remains challenging. Here, we uncover a direct correspondence between Fermi-point topology, conformal criticality, and quantum entanglement in an extended quantum spin chain with competing cluster interactions, exchange anisotropy, and a transverse magnetic field. We show that interaction- and field-driven Lifshitz transitions generate conformal critical phases with effective central charges $c_{\rm eff}=1/2$, $1$, $3/2$, $2$, and $3$, including a multicritical point where Ising and Luttinger-liquid sectors coexist. Importantly, the central charge is not determined simply by the number of lattice gap closings or Fermi points, but by the number and conformal content of independent low-energy continuum sectors after accounting for lattice symmetries, reciprocal-lattice identifications, and mode equivalences. Thus, Lifshitz transitions may leave the conformal anomaly unchanged or modify the central charge depending on whether spectral reconstruction generates new independent continuum sectors. Real- and momentum-space entanglement spectra provide complementary microscopic signatures, revealing both the conformal content and momentum-space organization of critical modes. Our results establish a microscopic framework linking Fermi-point topology to emergent CFTs and show how interaction-driven spectral reconstruction can generate higher-central-charge criticality and unconventional multicritical behavior.

We break from perturbative frameworks to establish a non-perturbative generalization of magnetic exchange rules in half-filled bipartite networks. While historical models remain strictly tied to the debatable perturbation approach in the dilute limit and require the absence of zero-energy modes, our universal mechanism governs exchange interactions across arbitrary bipartite graphs. By bypassing traditional expansion bottlenecks, this framework provides an analytical predictive tool for magnetism in complex lattices, offering key design principles to engineer stable, long-range order in next-generation 2D spintronic devices

Magnetoelectric phase transitions have been experimentally studied, but no macroscopic theory has been proposed to explain their dynamical origin. In this work, we assume that the axion quasiparticle with frequency undergoes a condensation like process. We show that these magnetoelectric phase transitions can be described within a Ginzbur Landau framework by introducing a coupled dynamic parameter, the axion angle, which is proportional to the magnetoelectric coeffcient. We derive relations between the static axion angle, the axion frequency, and the phase transition temperature for different magnetoelectric materials, respectively, and compare these calculations with existing experimental results. We also connect the artificially designed Dzyaloshinskii Moriya interaction with the axion condensate like process, so that the relation between the static axion angle and the experimentally measured frequency shift can be obtained.

Topological insulators (TIs), recognized for their robust boundary states and unconventional phase transitions, have emerged as one of the most impactful discoveries in recent decades, attracting considerable interest across diverse fields. However, conventional TIs require topological contrasts between adjacent bulk regions, typically achieved by distinct symmetries, which limits their flexibility and broader applicability. In this work, we introduce a "lithography" approach to inducing topological states by applying external fields in time-reversal-symmetric systems. These states transcend the conventional bulk topology design paradigm and offer exceptional tunability: they can exist at geometric edges, within the bulk, or even be induced remotely. Because the external field is highly controllable, the induced states are programmable, reconfigurable, and can be easily tailored into desirable patterns. Theoretically, we demonstrate that the external field modifies the Jackiw-Rebbi mechanism, inducing a real-space topological transition characterized by a local topological marker (LTM). We further establish an extended valley bulk-edge correspondence, which explains both the conventional scenario and our findings. Our results, validated across mechanical, electronic, and acoustic platforms, highlight the broad applicability of this approach to various systems. This work not only advances the theory of topology but also enhances the diversity, tunability, and practical implementation of topological states and materials.

We present a real-space formulation of DFT for extended systems in which localized Wannier-like functions are constructed directly from localized Gaussian basis functions without explicitly computing canonical Bloch-like states during the self-consistent cycle. Building on the formalism of Pederson and Lin [Phys. Rev. B 35, 2273 (1987)], a variational set of Wannier-like functions is generated self-consistently within a finite Wannier domain and used to construct the charge density, electrostatic potential, and per cell total energy of the extended system. The occupied space can be determined entirely from the Wannier-like functions. Electronic band structures can be recovered in a post-processing step by solving the full Hamiltonian in a Bloch-like basis constructed from Gaussian orbitals. A key feature of the method is that it can incorporate combined translation–rotation, or screw, symmetries, enabling efficient simulations of chiral and helical systems with finite twist angles at essentially the same computational cost as systems described by pure translational symmetry. The approach is validated through calculations on linear and twisted $\mathrm{{-}C{\equiv}C{-}}$ and $\mathrm{{-}Li{-}F{-}}$ chains, as well as graphene, where total energies and band structures show excellent agreement with reference periodic calculations. To illustrate the ability of the method to treat three-dimensional systems, it is further applied to AA graphite, in which carbon atoms in adjacent graphene layers are aligned directly above one another, as well as helically stacked AA graphite structures. The Wannier-first framework provides a practical route for treating extended systems with nontrivial translational, rotational, and screw symmetries, and provides a natural foundation for the implementation of orbital-dependent functionals such as the Perdew–Zunger self-interaction correction.

We consider second quantized $1+1$ dimensional Dirac fermions with mass $m$ in background electric fields. This theory mimics the following situations. We consider two parallel capacitors with opposite directions of the electric field $E$ in them. The potential energy difference in one of them is equal to $V_0 > 2m$ and in the other to $V+V_0$, with $0<V<2m$. According to general physical understanding of the Schwinger effect, each capacitor separately will create pairs and there will be oppositely directed currents, which will not be equal to each other. The total current will not vanish. In this paper we show that this is too naive an observation: the limiting expectation value of the current operator, as $t\to +\infty$, is actually zero, if the above form of the potential with $0<V<2m$ is instantaneously turned on. The non-vanishing current is obtained only if $V>2m$. We also consider the same theory in the presence of the infinite wall and a deep well $V_0>2m$. We show that in such a potential the limiting expectation value of the current is zero in the Gaussian approximation. We discuss the relation of these observations to the Schwinger effet and to the decay of supercritical nuclei.

We investigate how sensory coupling mediates phase coherence between spatially separated, confined active systems. Using two fish schools separated by a water-filled transparent gap, we isolate vision as the primary interaction channel. Under boundary confinement, each school's center-of-mass heading exhibits noisy bistable dynamics, spontaneously switching between two antiparallel directions along the partition wall. Turning events in one school bias the orientation of the other, driving distance-dependent phase synchronization. We model this behavior using two coupled stochastic bistable oscillators whose exact solution quantitatively reproduces the empirical results. Our work establishes a precise connection between nonequilibrium active systems and coupled stochastic oscillators, offering insight into boundary-spanning information transfer in living collectives.

Recently, we introduced a geometric object analogous to an orthonormal frame in the Cartan formalism to study the parameter space of quantum systems; we called it $\mathcal{N}$-bein, with $\mathcal{N}$ being the number of parameters that characterize the quantum system. Acting as the “square root” of the quantum geometric tensor (QGT), the $\mathcal{N}$-bein allows us to define new tensors to improve our understanding of the structure beneath the parameter space of quantum mechanics. In this work, we extend this mathematical framework surrounding the $\mathcal{N}$-bein to analyze the parameter space of quantum systems with degenerate spectra. As in the non-degenerate case, we define a non-Abelian two-state QGT to identify possible transitions between degenerate states after two consecutive parameter variations. Additionally, using the Wilczek-Zee connection, we introduce a torsion-like tensor as the covariant derivative of the $\mathcal{N}$-bein. This torsion captures the noncommutativity of successive parameter variations and coincides with the antisymmetric part of the two-state QGT. We also present a geometrical formulation using differential forms and discuss the physical implications of the newly defined tensors. Furthermore, we construct several gauge-invariant observables from the $\mathcal{N}$-bein and its derivatives to highlight the utility of the new tensors. Finally, to illustrate the convenience and applications of this formalism, we apply the theoretical framework to a system of coupled harmonic oscillators immersed in an electric field. The coupling between the oscillators results in a degenerate system. Thus, using the new formalism, we found correlations among the quantum states quantified by the new invariants.

We investigate the electronic properties of binary tight-binding chains generated by the cut-and-project method for rational slopes $\alpha=p/q$, leading to periodic and inversion symmetric chains with $n=p+q$ sites. The binary structure is encoded in two hopping amplitudes $t_a$ and $t_b$. For fixed $t_a \neq t_b$, the support of the energy spectrum as a function of $p/n$ gives rise to a "Cut-and-Project butterfly". We concentrate on insulators with $M$ filled bands among a total of $n$ bands and vary $t_a/t_b$. Inversion symmetry constrains the electric polarization $P$ to $0$ or $P_q/2$ modulo a polarization quantum $P_q = \gcd(M,n)/n$. A topological transition, between two insulators that differ by their quantized polarization, occurs if and only if $n/\gcd(M,n)$ is odd. When $n/\gcd(M,n)$ is even, the two insulating regimes have a vanishing polarization and no topological transition occurs, despite the gap closing at $t_a=t_b$. When $n$ is even and $M$ odd, we find an adiabatic path between $t_a>t_b$ and $t_a<t_b$ that maintains inversion symmetry and a gap.

We identify a memory effect produced by phonon scattering in a superfluid: a localized scattering event generates a far-field pressure pulse with vanishing time integral but a nonzero first temporal moment, corresponding to a permanent shift in a prepotential for the far-field velocity. The effect is controlled by the soft factor for phonon emission, including corrections from nonlinear dispersion. In superfluid $^4$He, scattering macroscopic phonon wave packets produces a signal whose estimated magnitude may lie within experimental reach, thereby providing a laboratory analogue of electromagnetic and gravitational memory.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and their Weyl semimetal phases, such as MoTe$_2$, have attracted significant attention for spin-orbit torque applications due to their efficient charge-to-spin conversion. However, whether this conversion originates predominantly from the bulk or the interface remains unclear. Here, we investigate spin-charge interconversion in MoTe$_2$ using spin-pumping and spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance (SP-FMR and ST-FMR). Thickness-dependent measurements reveal large spin-to-charge conversion and spin-torque efficiencies that are essentially independent of MoTe$_2$ thickness, indicating that the conversion is predominantly governed by the Rashba-Edelstein effect at the Py/MoTe$_2$ interface rather than by bulk spin transport. This behavior contrasts with the characteristic thickness dependence observed in Pt heterostructures and is further supported by bidirectional SP-FMR and interface-separation measurements. Our results highlight the dominant role of the Py/MoTe$_2$ interface in enabling efficient spin-charge conversion and spin-orbit torques in TMD-based spintronic devices. These findings highlight the potential of sputtered MoTe$_2$/Py heterostructures for low-power spintronic applications, including magnetic memory and logic devices.

A Majorana field cannot be split into two spatial pieces, but a propagating Majorana can be truncated by a time-dependent shutter. We study this truncation for the two chiral components of a massless Majorana field in one spatial dimension, modeling the shutter as a smooth time-dependent $SO(2)$ rotation of the two components. Although orthogonal at the level of the real field algebra, this rotation does not preserve the positive- and negative-frequency splitting that defines the Fock vacuum, so the in-vacuum becomes a fermionic squeezed state in outgoing modes. At any finite infrared regulator, a single incident Majorana is then a single outgoing quasiparticle on top of this squeezed vacuum. The squeezed background carries a universal soft response: its anomalous Bogoliubov kernel falls as the inverse sum of the two frequencies at low energy, so the anomalous Hilbert–Schmidt norm grows logarithmically with the infrared cutoff, with a coefficient fixed by the asymptotic shutter mismatch. The vacuum overlap exhibits a Fermi-edge type orthogonality exponent which, for the rotation-angle lift $\Delta\theta$ with $|\Delta\theta|<\pi$, is exactly $(\Delta\theta/2\pi)^2$, in analogy with the Fermi-edge singularity and the Kondo and Luttinger-liquid problems. We prove local equivalence non-perturbatively for the squeezed-vacuum factor under a compact-support hypothesis, and give an exact local pullback identity for the full one-quasiparticle state on the even CAR algebra; combined with wavepacket-localization assumptions, these yield the expected local vacuum and one-Majorana descriptions. We verify profile independence using a smooth switching family and contrast the temporal benchmark with a number-conserving beam-splitter benchmark whose entropy is bounded by $\log 2$.

Accurate design and optimization of photonic multilayer structures like distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) require precise knowledge of material optical constants, particularly the temperature dependence of the refractive index. While these parameters are well established for widely used semiconductors, for emerging materials such as antimonides they are often limited to room-temperature data, especially for new spectral ranges of interest. Antimonide compounds, in particular GaSb-based alloys, are promising for quantum photonics applications. In this work, we investigated DBRs lattice-matched to GaSb and designed for operation in the third telecommunication window. Reflectivity spectra were measured in the temperature range from 11.5 K to 300 K, and then fitted using the transfer matrix method (TMM), combined with a dedicated recursive numerical fitting algorithm. Initial parameters included layer thicknesses determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and literature values of refractive indices at room temperature. This approach enabled extraction of the temperature-dependent refractive indices of two AlGaAsSb alloys suitable for forming DBR mirrors for 1.5 um wavelengths. The obtained results provide essential input for reliable DBR design, ensuring proper stopband positioning and high reflectivity under cryogenic operating conditions required for efficient quantum emitter performance.

We develop a microscopic scattering theory of the phase-dependent equilibrium mechanical response of a ballistic superconductor-graphene-superconductor Josephson junction. The calculation is based on an energy-dependent Dirac scattering matrix embedded in a normalized Matsubara determinant, so the reported force correction contains the complete Bogoliubov-de Gennes spectrum of the stated ideal model. At charge neutrality the full determinant approaches a closed-form evanescent-mode result proportional to $\Delta W/L^2$, reaching $2\ln 2\,\Delta W/(\pi L^2)$ at phase difference $\pi$ in the zero-temperature short-junction limit. Gate doping produces propagating channels and Fabry-Pérot structure, causing large oscillations and sign reversals of the phase-dependent force correction $\delta F=F(\phi)-F(0)$. We distinguish the interband-to-intraband Andreev crossover, controlled by $|\mu|/\Delta$, from the evanescent-to-propagating crossover, controlled by $|\mu|L/(\hbar v_F)$. Exact real-energy subgap poles obtained from the same energy-dependent scattering matrix are used to diagnose specular/interband and retro/intraband character; these labels are not treated as separately measurable thermodynamic forces in the mixed regime. We also quantify the difference between the complete determinant result and the frozen-scattering short-junction approximation without identifying that difference with a pure continuum force. The resulting gate- and phase-dependent mechanical signal provides a Dirac-material extension of earlier superconductivity-induced mechanical-force proposals.

Fractal geometries provide a distinctive platform for controlling quantum interference, topology, and localization. We investigate the Su–Schrieffer–Heeger (SSH) model constructed on the Koch curve, where a triangular geometry enables additional same-sublattice hoppings that break chiral symmetry and modify the conventional topological behavior captured by a real-space local marker. Destructive interference within the triangular units produces a highly degenerate flat level at $E=-t$. Although this level originates from the local geometry, its degeneracy and spectral weight are controlled by the self-similar connectivity of the Koch curve. The hierarchy reduces the number of independent flat states and reorganizes the spectrum into an intricate distribution of energy levels. Our results reveal complementary roles for local triangular interference and global fractal connectivity in shaping the electronic properties of geometrically modified SSH chains.

Nanofluidic acoustic resonators employing superfluid $^4$He can be used to study quantized vortices from collective behavior in two-dimensional superfluid turbulence down to few individual vortices created by rotation. In order to improve sensitivity to the level needed for probing individual quantized vortices, readout mechanisms employing optomechanical or optomechanics-inspired approaches seem to be promising in this regard. In this work, we develop an electromechanical system, which couples a 4$^\mathrm{th}$ sound acoustic resonance to a superconducting LC tank circuit in a sideband-resolved regime. Using this system, we demonstrate electromechanically induced transparency (EMIT), optical spring effect and optomechanical sideband damping and amplification. Furthermore, by rotating the cryostat, we demonstrate sensitivity to quantized vortices, which can become trapped and released in avalanche-like process inside the nanofluidic volume.

We introduce a chiral tubular magnonic crystal formed by a ferromagnetic nanotube with a periodically modulated interfacial Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction (DMI). Using a plane-wave formalism adapted to the cylindrical geometry, we calculate the spin-wave band structure including exchange, nonlocal dipolar coupling, and interfacial DMI. We show that the tubular geometry qualitatively modifies the role of periodic DMI compared with planar chiral magnonic crystals. Besides producing the usual nonreciprocal frequency shift, curvature converts part of the interfacial DMI into an effective anisotropy-like internal field. This creates a sign-dependent frequency landscape along the tube, so that DMI-covered regions can act either as potential wells or barriers for the lowest-frequency modes. As a result, flat and weakly dispersive bands appear in both Damon–Eshbach-like and backward-volume-like configurations, with the latter having no direct counterpart in planar systems. Our results identify periodically engineered DMI in nanotubes as a route for controlling nonreciprocal spin waves, localized modes, and flat magnonic bands in curved architectures.

Magnonic Combinatorial Memory (MCM) is a type of memory where the bits of information are encoded in the signal propagation paths in the network. In this work, we consider MCM based on the network of a coupled active ring circuit (ARC). Each circuit includes a broadband amplifier, a magnonic delay line, an adjustable frequency filter, an adjustable phase shifter, and a power detector. The coupling between the circuits is via spin waves propagating in the common delay line - ferrite film. There may or may not be auto-oscillations in the active ring circuits, depending on the combination of circuit parameters and circuit coupling. The address of MCM is defined as the combination of the states of the phase shifters and frequency filters, while the MCM state is defined as the presence/absence of the auto-oscillations. The coupling between the circuits is achieved by placing micromagnets on top of the ferrite film. The number of bits that can be encoded in the network increases quadratically with the number of coupled circuits. This scaling provides a fundamental advantage over conventional memory. We present experimental data obtained for three magnonic ARCs connected via a single-crystal yttrium iron garnet Y3Fe2(FeO4)3 (YIG) film. The data illustrate an example of encoding a 27-bit binary response pattern, corresponding to the 27 experimentally accessible phase combinations. The results demonstrate a robust operation of MCM with an On/Off ratio exceeding 30 dB at room temperature. The advantages and shortcomings of the proposed approach are discussed.

Understanding how the topology of network forming materials influences their physical properties remains a longstanding challenge. Here, we investigate the topology of experimentally compatible atomistic models of amorphous silica together with the crystalline polymorphs cristobalite and quartz. By comparing multiple atomistic models of amorphous silica that equally reproduce neutron-scattering data, we show that different microscopic descriptions can imply different topological interpretations of glass stability. To characterize the network beyond conventional geometric descriptors, we introduce the linking valence, which quantifies the average number of topological links per network loop. This topological descriptor separates silica into two distinct classes: the mechanically harder quartz exhibit values more than an order of magnitude larger than those of amorphous silica and cristobalite, despite their common tetrahedral building blocks. Spectral analysis of the loop-linking networks provides a complementary distinction, separating amorphous from crystalline phases and revealing differences in the long-range organization of topological constraints. These results establish topological linking as a new framework for connecting the structure and physical properties of network-forming materials.

Ferroelectric and antiferroelectric phases of LiTaO$_3$ compete under different electric boundary conditions. First-principles density-functional calculations show that the high-symmetry reference structure supports two relevant unstable $\Gamma$ modes: a polar $A_{2u}$ mode at $181i$ cm$^{-1}$ that condenses into the ferroelectric (FE) phase, and an antipolar $A_{2g}$ mode at $103i$ cm$^{-1}$ that condenses into the antiferroelectric (AFE) phase. Under short-circuit conditions the FE phase is the global minimum, with a well depth of $\approx 144$ meV. Under open-circuit conditions the FE phase is destabilized by the unscreened depolarization field and the AFE phase becomes the ground state, with a well depth of $\approx 19$ meV. A weakly unstable longitudinal-optic mode at $48.3i$ cm$^{-1}$ yields a well of only $\approx 0.24$ meV and is thermodynamically irrelevant. Mapping the free energy versus electric displacement $D$ locates a second-order FE$\leftrightarrow$AFE transition at $D_c=0.051$ C/m$^2$, lower than the corresponding $0.07$ C/m$^2$ in LiNbO$_3$ and therefore more accessible experimentally.

We develop a geometric description of spin-dependent transport based on the local geometric structure of electronic bands and the Fermi surfaces. For quasi-two-dimensional systems, we show that hyperbolic regions of constant-energy surfaces generate a geometrical contribution to the Fermi velocity that couples naturally to electron spin and produces a spin-current response. We further show that, in the presence of time-reversal symmetry, the algebra of spin operators can be related to the exterior algebra of the band's tangent space, providing an additional geometric interpretation of spin in momentum space. This framework motivates a symplectic description of spin-separated transport on Fermi surfaces and its extension to three-dimensional band manifolds through contact geometry. Our results establish a direct connection between Fermi-surface geometry and intrinsic spin transport.

We show that long-range radiative coupling in a passive chiral medium produces an unusual non-Hermitian skin effect in a chain of dipoles. The skin-mode profile consists of a long-range light-line branch-cut contribution, a non-exponential factor $1/[n(\ln n)^2]$ with $n$ being the site number. Finite-chain calculations show that part of the open-boundary spectrum contracts toward the Bloch spectrum, whereas the number of boundary-localized modes remains extensive. The retarded radiative coupling makes both the real-space profile and the finite-size spectral signatures of boundary localization depart from standard finite-range and pure exponential coupling theory.

The design and control of wave scattering, that is, of the reflection and transmission parameters of a device, is of ubiquitous importance. These parameters generally change with varying frequency, though certain frequency-independent linear relations may exist between them. Reciprocity and geometric symmetry (reflections, rotations, etc.) are classic and well-known examples that are present in many devices and significantly ease their design. In this work, we go beyond these and introduce a new class of relations that cannot be induced by reciprocity or geometric symmetry. Choosing networks of waveguides as our workhorse, we discuss the conditions and consequences of such novel behaviour and showcase suitable example setups. We further experimentally test our predictions using coaxial cables and find excellent agreement in the broad frequency range between 0 and 1 GHz. Our work not only deepens the theoretical understanding of waveguide network dynamics, but also opens new avenues for applications in broadband signal processing, quantum information, and integrated photonics.

Nickel phosphorus trisulfide (NiPS$_3$) stands out as a Mott insulator exhibiting XY-type antiferromagnetic order. In this work, we investigate the electrodynamic response of single-crystalline NiPS$_3$ using Terahertz Time-Domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) as a function of temperature. In cases where the magnetic permeability cannot be approximated to unity, conventional THz transmission analysis is often restricted to the complex refractive index, hindering the distinction between magnetic and dielectric contributions. To overcome this limitation, we demonstrate an extraction methodology capable of decoupling the magnetic permeability from the electric permittivity. Assuming that the dielectric contribution remains invariant below the N'eel temperature (TN), we used data from the paramagnetic phase to isolate the intrinsic magnetic component at 13 K. The angular and thermal dependence of the spectra revealed a magnon mode near 1 THz (for 0$^\circ$ orientation) and, distinctively, a zone-folded phonon activated by symmetry breaking (at 90$^\circ$). The isolated magnetic permeability was successfully modeled using Drude-Lorentz oscillators, enabling the extraction of fundamental spin dynamics parameters in this material.