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Physics Condensed Matter

cond-mat Watch Condensed Matter

Thursday 12 March

Soft Condensed Matter

Effect of flow kinematics on extensional viscosity of dilute polymer solutions

Yusuke Koide, Takato Ishida, Takashi Uneyama et al. (+1 more)

We investigate the effect of flow kinematics on the extensional viscosity of dilute polymer solutions by conducting dissipative particle dynamics simulations under uniaxial, planar, and biaxial extensional flows. At high extension rates, dilute polymer solutions exhibit strain hardening under these flows, while the quantitative behavior depends on the flow type. To elucidate the physical origin of this flow-kinematics dependence, we relate the extensional viscosity to polymer conformation using an analytical expression derived from a single-chain model. The resulting relation allows us to separate the contribution of flow-induced polymer conformational changes and the purely kinematic contribution determined by the structure of the velocity gradient tensor. When polymers remain almost unperturbed by extensional flows, differences in the extensional viscosity are governed primarily by the purely kinematic effects. In contrast, as polymers are stretched, the gyration radius in the extensional direction becomes the dominant factor, and differences in the stretching degree in this direction lead to corresponding variations in the extensional viscosity.
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All authors Yusuke Koide, Takato Ishida, Takashi Uneyama, Yuichi Masubuchi

Materials Science

Meta-generalized gradient approximation made in the Hartree gauge

Yan Oueis, Akilan Ramasamy, James W. Furness et al. (+3 more)

In density functional theory (DFT), exact constraints, fundamental mathematical properties of the exchange-correlation (XC) energy and its underlying XC hole, along with paradigm systems such as the uniform electron gas and the hydrogen atom have been instrumental in developing exchange- correlation (XC) density functional approximations (DFAs). However, since the spatial XC energy density is not uniquely defined, its exact constraints can only be formulated within a chosen gauge and are therefore seldom utilized in DFA construction. Here, we propose a meta-generalized gradient approximation for the exchange energy, explicitly constructed within the Hartree gauge, using the hydrogen atom's exchange energy density for gauge alignment in core and asymptotic regions. By formulating DFAs at the XC energy density level, this approach expands reference datasets for machine learning and establishes a foundation for more accurate nonlocal density functionals requiring gauge alignment.
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All authors Yan Oueis, Akilan Ramasamy, James W. Furness, Jamin Kidd, Timo Lebeda, Jianwei Sun

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Nonlinear spin-motive force driven by mixed-space quantum geometry

Tomonari Meguro, Hiroaki Ishizuka and Kentaro Nomura

Spin-motive force, i.e., the electric current induced by magnetization dynamics, is theoretically studied beyond the Thouless-pump paradigm. In contrast to the linear-response regime, where the induced current is purely AC, we show that spin-motive force acquires both a DC component and a second-harmonic component at nonlinear order in magnetization dynamics. We further clarify that both contributions originate from the geometric properties of electronic bands – quantum geometry defined in the mixed parameter space $({\boldsymbol k}, {\boldsymbol m})$ spanned by electron's momentum ${\boldsymbol k}$ and magnetization ${\boldsymbol m}$. By applying the theory to a Luttinger model, we demonstrate that our mechanism yields a finite nonlinear current even in the insulating regime, and the resulting electrical signal is measurable in a conventional current-measurement setup. Our findings offer a new operating principle of AC-to-DC conversion with magnetic materials, highlighting the pivotal role of the $({\boldsymbol k}, {\boldsymbol m})$-mixed space quantum geometry in magnetization-dynamics-induced electric currents.
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Materials Science

Valley-dependent electron-phonon scattering in thermoelectric semimetal Ta$_2$PdSe$_6$

Masayuki Ochi, Hitoshi Mori and Akitoshi Nakano

Quasi-one-dimensional transition-metal chalcogenide Ta$_2$PdSe$_6$ is a promising thermoelectric semimetal due to the strong electron-hole asymmetry in the carrier lifetime. However, the microscopic origin of such a strong asymmetry remains unclear. In this study, we theoretically investigate electron-phonon scattering in Ta$_2$PdSe$_6$. There is a soft phonon mode mainly consisting of atomic displacements in PdSe$_4$ chains. This soft mode is strongly coupled with the highest valence band at the $\Gamma$ point, which lies slightly below the Fermi energy, and causes strong electron-phonon scattering. The bottom of the electron pocket energetically overlapped with that band also suffers from strong intervalley scattering, by which the imaginary part of the electron self-energy exhibits a sharp change near the Fermi level. On the other hand, the imaginary part of the self-energy for carriers in the hole pocket shows a moderate energy dependence. Thus, we find that electron-phonon scattering is strongly valley-dependent. Our finding will help us to understand the distinctive transport properties observed in Ta$_2$PdSe$_6$.
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Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Anomalous Coulomb-Enhanced Charge Transport in Triangular Triple Quantum Dots Systems

Shuo Dong, Junqing Li and Jianhua Wei

Electron correlation and quantum interference are pivotal in mesoscopic transport. We theoretically study the nonequilibrium transport dynamics of a triangular triple quantum dot (TTQD) molecule connected to fermionic reservoirs using the exact hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) formalism. We demonstrate a counter-intuitive transport signature where the stationary current is significantly enhanced by increasing the $U$, a behavior distinct from the suppression typically observed in linear quantum dot arrays. By analyzing the evolution of spectral functions, we attribute this enhancement to the interplay between Coulomb interaction-induced energy shifts and quantum interference effects unique to the triangular topology. We also explore how the circulation of chiral currents and electrode coupling strength modulates these interaction effects. Finally, we present a three-dimensional map of the transport current as a function of inter-dot tunneling ($t$) and Coulomb interaction ($U$), illustrating their combined effect on the current magnitude and its applications.
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Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Optically Driven Orbital Hall Transport in Floquet Odd-Parity Collinear Altermagnets with High Chern Numbers

Yuping Tian, Chen-Hao Zhao, Chao-Bo Wang et al. (+3 more)

Recent studies have attracted increasing interest in nonrelativistic odd-parity magnetism and its associated topology in collinear altermagnets. Here, based on symmetry analysis and an effective model, we demonstrate that Floquet engineering can induce $f$-wave odd-parity altermagnetism in two-dimensional collinear antiferromagnetic multilayers via the coupling between circularly polarized light (CPL) and layer degrees of freedom. Furthermore, modifying the CPL induces nonequilibrium quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE) with tunable Chern numbers up to $C=\pm8$, arising from layer- and valley-dependent band inversions. The induced topological phase transitions provide an efficient means to manipulate the orbital Hall effect (OHE) by redistributing orbital angular momentum. First-principles calculations reveal that experimentally accessible VSi$_2$N$_4$ serves as a viable platform for topological phase diagram of the QAHE and OHE, featuring pronounced trigonal warping. Our findings establish a versatile route toward optically controllable topological phenomena, opening new opportunities for future developments in topological spintronics and orbitronics.
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All authors Yuping Tian, Chen-Hao Zhao, Chao-Bo Wang, Binyuan Zhang, Xiangru Kong, Wei-Jiang Gong

Superconductivity · Cross-listed from quant-ph

Impact of Oxygen Vacancies in Josephson Junction on Decoherence of Superconducting Qubits

Hanqin Bai, Shi-Yao Hou and Mu Lan

Superconducting quantum circuits are promising platforms for scalable quantum computing, where qubit coherence is critically determined by microscopic defects in the oxide tunneling barrier of Josephson junctions. Amorphous Al$_2$O$_3$ is widely used as a barrier material, but under irradiation, oxygen vacancy (V$_O$) defects are readily generated, introducing noise sources that accelerate qubit decoherence. We systematically investigate the structural characteristics and electronic impact of V$_O$ defects in amorphous Al$_2$O$_3$ using first-principles calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics. Our results show that both the coordination environment and concentration of V$_O$s strongly influence electrical conductivity. In particular, two- and three-coordinated V$_O$s, unique to the amorphous structure, enhance conductivity more than conventional four-coordinated vacancies. Increasing V$_O$ concentration amplifies conductivity fluctuations, which we link to critical current noise in Josephson junctions. Using a noise model, we estimate that higher V$_O$ densities lead to shorter qubit coherence times. These findings provide insights for radiation-hard design of superconducting quantum devices.
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Superconductivity

Quantum Oscillations and Superconductivity in YPtBi Under Pressure

Jared Z. Dans, Prathum Saraf, Lillian Jirousek et al. (+4 more)

The topological semimetal YPtBi has attracted considerable attention, owing to its novel superconducting and normal state properties. A strong band inversion from spin-orbit coupling allows the existence of $j=3/2$ quasiparticles near the Fermi level, which form Cooper pairs with angular momentum potentially higher than single or triplet states. In this report, we present high-pressure magnetotransport and Shubnikov-de Haas effect measurements on high-quality YPtBi up to $P = 2.08$ GPa. As a function of pressure, we observe a trend toward more insulating resistivity at low temperatures concomitant with a suppression of quantum oscillation amplitude. Together with a decrease of the upper critical field and significant increase in the Dingle temperature, the pressure-induced changes point to a weakening of the band inversion and potential tuning of the topological nature of YPtBi, suggesting pressure as a useful tool for understanding the nature of topology in other related half-Heusler compounds.
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All authors Jared Z. Dans, Prathum Saraf, Lillian Jirousek, Carsyn L. Mueller, Chandra Shekhar, Claudia Felser, Johnpierre Paglione

Strongly Correlated Electrons

Bootstrap Embedding for Interacting Electrons in Phonon Coherent-state Mean Field

Shariful Islam, Joel Bierman and Yuan Liu

We develop a fermi-bose bootstrap embedding (fb-BE) framework for the ground state of interacting elec- trons coupled to phonon mean field. The method combines bootstrap embedding for correlated electrons with a self-consistent coherent-state mean-field treatment for phonons. This method models the interacting electron-phonon problem as a system of correlated electrons traveling in a self-consistently specified potential landscape, allowing for efficient treatment of large lattice systems. Convergence of the methods for frag- ment size and total system size are demonstrated for one-dimensional Hubbard-Holstein model for up to 350 sites. Finite-size scaling is performed to extrapolate to infinite system size. Benchmarking against density matrix renormalization group for small 8-site system at half- and quarter-filling shows orders-of-magnitude runtime advantage. The comparison further reveals that the method performs best in regimes dominated by localization, such as the Mott insulating phase and the strong-coupling tiny polaron regime, where the local embedding ansatz is still valid. However, due to the mean-field treatment for phonons, we find limitations of our methods in the weakly coupled delocalized region and at the Peierls transition, where quantum phonon fluctuations and long-range kinetic correlations become substantial.
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Statistical Mechanics

Time irreversibility and entropy production in non-Hermitian Model A field theories

Matthias Carosi, Ot Garcés, Adrià Garcés et al. (+1 more)

We develop a systematic framework to quantify irreversibility in scalar Model A field theories with a generic non-Hermitian term driving the dynamics. Using the stochastic path-integral formalism, we perform a controlled small-noise expansion, allowing the computation of the entropy production rate (EPR) and violations of the fluctuation-dissipation theorem (FDT). We show that the local EPR is entirely determined by the anti-Hermitian part of the linearised Langevin equation. Around steady states, the non-Hermitian component produces linear corrections to FDT violations and contributes quadratically to the EPR. As an illustration of the applicability of our approach, we analyse a minimal non-Hermitian extension of the Ginzburg-Landau $\psi^4$ theory describing a non-reciprocal Ising model at coarse-grained scales, for which we obtain explicit expressions of the local EPR, showing that it localises at interfaces in non-uniform states. Our results provide a general characterisation of TRS breaking in non-Hermitian scalar field theories.
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All authors Matthias Carosi, Ot Garcés, Adrià Garcés, Demian Levis

Soft Condensed Matter

Using the force landscape of an active solid to predict plastic deformation

Tyler Hain, Edan Lerner and M. Lisa Manning

Non-active disordered solids feature quasilocalized excitations that control plasticity, similar to crystal lattice defects, and these excitations can be identified via harmonic or anharmonic analyses of the potential energy landscape. Here we explore whether such ideas can be extended to active matter, focusing on dense packings of self-propelled rods. We generalize the definition of nonlinear excitations to force landscapes that incorporate active, non-conservative forces and find that force-based cubic excitations robustly predict future plastic events, enabling control of active solids.
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Materials Science

Atomic-Scale Mechanisms of SiO$_2$ Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition Revealed by Molecular Dynamics with a Machine-Learning Interatomic Potential

Jaehoon Kim, Minseok Moon, Hyunsung Cho et al. (+5 more)

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) of silicon dioxide (SiO$_2$) is widely used for low-temperature fabrication of dielectric thin films, yet its atomic-scale growth mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this work, we investigate SiO$_2$ PECVD using silane and N$_2$O as source gases via molecular dynamics simulations driven by a machine-learning interatomic potential. By systematically varying the oxidant-to-silane-derived species ratio $r$, we elucidate the evolution of film stoichiometry, density, and hydrogen content. Formation of the Si-O-Si network primarily proceeds via oxidation of surface Si-H groups to form Si-OH species, followed by condensation of neighboring Si-OH groups that produces H$_2$O as the dominant byproduct. At low $r$, H$_2$ formation via reactions between Si-H and Si-OH groups also contributes to the network formation. Increasing oxidant supply promotes the network formation through oxidation of residual Si-H species, suppressing hydrogen incorporation and leading to saturation of the Si/O ratio. Rapid chemisorption of silane-derived species, together with steric hindrance from pre-deposited species, results in localized growth and surface roughness. We further show that high-kinetic-energy plasma species can etch SiO$_2$ films, which potentially limits growth rates and enhances surface roughness under high RF-power conditions. These results provide atomic-scale insight into PECVD growth and guidance for optimizing film composition and quality.
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All authors Jaehoon Kim, Minseok Moon, Hyunsung Cho, Hyeon-Deuk Kim, Rokyeon Kim, Gyehyun Park, Seungwu Han, Youngho Kang

Materials Science · Cross-listed from cs.CL

MaterialFigBENCH: benchmark dataset with figures for evaluating college-level materials science problem-solving abilities of multimodal large language models

Michiko Yoshitake, Yuta Suzuki, Ryo Igarashi et al. (+2 more)

We present MaterialFigBench, a benchmark dataset designed to evaluate the ability of multimodal large language models (LLMs) to solve university-level materials science problems that require accurate interpretation of figures. Unlike existing benchmarks that primarily rely on textual representations, MaterialFigBench focuses on problems in which figures such as phase diagrams, stress-strain curves, Arrhenius plots, diffraction patterns, and microstructural schematics are indispensable for deriving correct answers. The dataset consists of 137 free-response problems adapted from standard materials science textbooks, covering a broad range of topics including crystal structures, mechanical properties, diffusion, phase diagrams, phase transformations, and electronic properties of materials. To address unavoidable ambiguity in reading numerical values from images, expert-defined answer ranges are provided where appropriate. We evaluate several state-of-the-art multimodal LLMs, including ChatGPT and GPT models accessed via OpenAI APIs, and analyze their performance across problem categories and model versions. The results reveal that, although overall accuracy improves with model updates, current LLMs still struggle with genuine visual understanding and quantitative interpretation of materials science figures. In many cases, correct answers are obtained by relying on memorized domain knowledge rather than by reading the provided images. MaterialFigBench highlights persistent weaknesses in visual reasoning, numerical precision, and significant-digit handling, while also identifying problem types where performance has improved. This benchmark provides a systematic and domain-specific foundation for advancing multimodal reasoning capabilities in materials science and for guiding the development of future LLMs with stronger figure-based understanding.
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All authors Michiko Yoshitake, Yuta Suzuki, Ryo Igarashi, Yoshitaka Ushiku, Keisuke Nagato

Strongly Correlated Electrons

Electronic Coherence Evolution at the Nearly Commensurate Incommensurate CDW Boundary of 1T-TaS2

Turgut Yilmaz, Yi Sheng Ng, Menka Jain et al. (+7 more)

Transition metal dichalcogenides host a variety of charge density wave phases that couple lattice, charge, and correlation effects. In 1T-TaS2, the commensurate and nearly commensurate states are well characterized, yet the transition near 350 K into the incommensurate phase has lacked direct momentum resolved insight. Here we use temperature dependent angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy to track the electronic structure across this transition. We observe a suppression of quasiparticle spectral weight at the Brillouin zone center, coincident with the transport anomaly, but without clear evidence of a full band gap opening. The transition appears to involve momentum dependent redistribution of spectral weight, consistent with a loss of coherence that reshapes the Fermi surface while leaving conduction dispersions largely intact. These results suggest that the nearly commensurate incommensurate transition may not align with a conventional metal insulator transition picture, but rather as an electronic reconstruction driven by loss of coherence. Our work provides new microscopic insight into the resistivity anomaly near room temperature and may guide design principles for collective electronic switching in Transition metal dichalcogenides.
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All authors Turgut Yilmaz, Yi Sheng Ng, Menka Jain, Xiao Tong, Thipusa Wongpinij, Pat Photongkam, Anil Rajapitamahuni, Asish K. Kundu, Jin-Cheng Zheng, Elio Vescovo

Wednesday 11 March

Materials Science · Cross-listed from physics.geo-ph

Unstable Slip in Fault Gouge Driven by Temperature and Water

Li Wang, Jie Meng, Dongpo Wang et al. (+2 more)

Microscale granular sliding within fault gouge is fundamental to earthquake nucleation, yet the mechanism by which temperature affects friction through interfacial water remains poorly understood. Here, large-scale molecular dynamics simulations were conducted on a hydrophilic quartz-water-quartz interface over 300-500 K to quantify temperature-dependent changes in frictional strength, real contact area, and water-layer structure. Results show that both the friction coefficient and friction force decrease monotonically with increasing temperature, following near-linear relationships of $\mu \propto T^{-1}$ and $F_t \propto A$, indicating that frictional weakening is primarily governed by temperature-driven contact restructuring. Structural analyses further show that heating progressively disrupts the hydrogen-bond network in the first adsorption layer, reduces adsorption-layer density, and weakens radial distribution peaks, demonstrating a transition of interfacial water from an ordered, strongly adsorbed state to a more diffuse, weakly bound configuration with delayering and quasi-phase-transition behavior. This interfacial reconstruction weakens intergranular bridging and structural cohesion, promoting a shift from structural locking to water-mediated lubrication. These results suggest that frictional stability under coupled temperature-water conditions is strongly controlled by the thermal evolution of interfacial water structure.
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All authors Li Wang, Jie Meng, Dongpo Wang, Gongji Zhang, Helge Hellevang

Materials Science

UniMatSim: A High-Throughput Materials Simulation Automation Framework Based on Universal Machine Learning Potentials

Yanjin Xiang, Yihan Nie, Yunzhi Gao et al. (+2 more)

Universal machine learning interatomic potentials (UMLIPs) offer accuracy close to first-principles calculations at a fraction of the cost, showing significant potential for large-scale material simulations. However, the fragmented UMLIPs ecosystem lacks unified interface standards and integration frameworks, hindering their automated deployment in high-throughput workflows. To address this, we present UniMatSim, a modular Python framework. It systematically integrates various UMLIPs (e.g., CHGNet, M3GNet, MACE) and automates workflows from structural optimization to stability verification. The framework enables seamless model switching via abstracted interfaces, incorporates task orchestration, and provides standardized modules for key properties (elasticity, phonons, molecular dynamics), including automated handling for low-dimensional materials. As a test case, using the 2D Lieb lattice system, we constructed a multi-stage high-throughput screening workflow covering structural optimization, elastic stability, and phonon spectrum calculations. Starting from 1,176 candidate compositions, a four-model consensus pipeline yields 393 stable structures. These are refined by magnetic-state screening and DFT band-structure calculations to 59 Lieb-lattice candidates with staggered-magnetic-band characteristics. Results show UniMatSim significantly improves computational efficiency and reproducibility, providing a reliable infrastructure for data-driven materials discovery and design.
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All authors Yanjin Xiang, Yihan Nie, Yunzhi Gao, Haidi Wang, Wei Hu

Strongly Correlated Electrons

Enhanced carrier binding and bond correlations in the Hubbard-Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model with dispersive optical phonons

Debshikha Banerjee, Alberto Nocera and Steven Johnston

Electron-phonon (e-ph) interactions play a crucial role in determining many properties of materials. In this context, the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger (SSH) model, where atomic motion modulates the electronic hopping, has gained significant attention due to its potential for strong electron pairing in relation to high-Tc superconductivity. Previous studies of the SSH models have addressed many aspects of this problem, but have focused heavily on either dilute or half-filled models with dispersionless (Einstein) phonons. Here, we study the effects of dispersive optical phonons on the lightly doped one-dimensional optical Hubbard-SSH model using the density matrix renormalization group. We observe a significant enhancement in singlet binding driven by phonon dispersion; however, by calculating various correlation functions, we find that the enhanced binding does not translate to increased superconducting correlations but rather robust bond correlations in the studied parameter regime. Nevertheless, the significant impact of phonon dispersion on these correlations highlights the need to go beyond the Einstein phonon limit while modeling realistic quantum materials.
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Soft Condensed Matter

Gelation dynamics of charged colloidal rods: critical behaviour and time-connectivity superposition principle

Lise Morlet-Decarnin, Thibaut Divoux and Sebastien Manneville

Charged colloidal particles can self-assemble into gel networks upon screening of electrostatic repulsion by added salt. While gelation of spherical colloids has been extensively studied, much less is known about the gelation dynamics of anisotropic colloids. Here, we focus on cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as prototypical rigid, highly charged rod-like colloids. In aqueous solution with salt, CNCs display a rich phase diagram ranging from gel at low solid content to glassy phases at higher concentrations. Building on our previous work [Morlet-Decarnin et al., ACS Macro Lett., 2023, 12, 1733], we present an extensive study of the mechanical recovery dynamics of CNC suspensions following a strong shear. Time-resolved mechanical spectroscopy reveals a liquid-to-solid transition characterized by a well-defined critical gel point. The evolving viscoelastic spectra can be rescaled onto master curves, demonstrating a time-connectivity superposition principle and critical dynamics on both sides of the gel point. By varying the CNC weight fraction and salt concentration, we identify a boundary between gel and attractive glass states marked by clear changes in rheological observables, including the elastic and viscous moduli at the gel point and their high-frequency power-law exponents. Analysis of dynamic critical exponents and hyperscaling reveals pronounced asymmetry between pre-gel and post-gel dynamics and non-universal values of the dynamic exponent. These findings highlight gelation mechanisms specific to highly charged rod-like colloids and call for complementary microstructural characterization and theoretical modeling.
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Statistical Mechanics

Unraveling anomalous relaxation effects in the thermodynamic limit

Emilio Pomares, Víctor Martín-Mayor, Antonio Lasanta et al. (+1 more)

We address two central open problems in the theory of anomalous Mpemba-like relaxations: their extension beyond one spatial dimension and their consistent formulation in the thermodynamic limit. Our framework is the antiferromagnetic Ising model on a square lattice under an externally applied magnetic field, which enables us to work in the presence of a phase transition. The rich phase diagram contains two control parameters: temperature and magnetic field. We demonstrate that the standard assumption of relaxation dominated by a single leading exponential is inconsistent for intensive observables exhibiting standard fluctuations. Instead, as the system size increases, a continuous spectrum of time scales emerges. Nevertheless, we make the ansatz that, in the vicinity of the phase transition, the spectral projector onto the slowest time scales can be effectively characterized in terms of an equilibrium thermodynamic quantity: the susceptibility associated with the order parameter of the metastable phase. Combined with the richness of the phase diagram, this ansatz yields qualitative and semi-quantitative predictions for optimal protocols leading to a variety of anomalous relaxation phenomena involving simultaneous variations of temperature and magnetic field. These include direct and inverse Mpemba effects, cooling-heating asymmetries, and faster heating induced by precooling. Careful Monte Carlo simulations validate our theoretical predictions. Furthermore, minimal post-optimization suffices to convert our analytically guided protocols into fully optimal ones that display anomalous relaxations in their most pronounced form.
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All authors Emilio Pomares, Víctor Martín-Mayor, Antonio Lasanta, Gabriel Álvarez

Disordered Systems and Neural Networks

From Embeddings to Dyson Series: Transformer Mechanics as Non-Hermitian Operator Theory

Po-Hao Chang

Transformer architectures are typically described in algorithmic and statistical terms, leaving their internal mechanics without a familiar structural language for researchers trained in physical theories. To bridge this gap, we develop a complementary operator-theoretic framework that recasts their mechanics in a language familiar to many-body physics. Beginning from the token as a discrete index without intrinsic geometry, we show that embedding corresponds to a basis transformation into a continuous representation space. Once such a reference basis is established, self-attention naturally assumes the role of a non-Hermitian interaction operator, and network depth implements an ordered composition of these interactions. Within this formulation, several empirical properties of deep Transformers – including stability at large depth, representational saturation, and the effectiveness of multi-head decomposition – find natural structural interpretations as consequences of regulated operator composition. Together, channel factorization and normalization emerge as organizing structural logic rather than isolated architectural choices. This perspective does not rely on post-hoc analogy, but follows a constructive path where each parallel arises from the preceding structural step. By recasting Transformer mechanics in operator language, the framework lowers the conceptual barrier between deep learning and many-body physics through shared mathematical structure, making tools and intuitions from each domain more readily legible to the other.
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Materials Science

Intrinsic Even-Odd Thickness-Driven Anomalous Hall in Epitaxial MnBi2Te4 Thin Films

Debarghya Mallick, Simon Kim, An-Hsi Chen et al. (+12 more)

We demonstrate precise control of magnetism in MnBi2Te4 thin films through careful synthesis by molecular beam epitaxy, achieving minimal defects and accurate layer thickness control. By optimizing Mn-Bi-Te ratios and growth temperatures, we minimize detrimental self-doping effects and accurately target integer-layer films. X-ray diffraction and reflectivity provide quantitative measures of film quality and thickness. When these macroscale probes of structure and thickness are integrated with magnetotransport measurements, a striking even-odd layer dependence of the anomalous Hall effect is revealed. Odd-layer films exhibit a large hysteresis up to the Néel temperature (~25K), consistent with non-compensated antiferromagnetism, while even-layer films show minimal response, as expected for an antiferromagnet. The sign of the anomalous Hall effect exhibits a sign reversal for intrinsic magnetism versus magnetism associated with defects. This work identifies critical factors for inducing pure, non-compensated ferromagnetism and reveals the character of the intrinsic anomalous Hall effect in MnBi2Te4, which together is a step towards realizing the zero-field quantum anomalous Hall effect in topological materials.
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All authors Debarghya Mallick, Simon Kim, An-Hsi Chen, Gabriel A. Vázquez-Lizardi, Alessandro R. Mazza, T. Zac Ward, Gyula Eres, Yue Cao, Debangshu Mukherjee, Hu Miao, Liang Wu, Christopher Nelson, Danielle Reifsnyder Hickey, Robert G. Moore, Matthew Brahlek

Strongly Correlated Electrons · Cross-listed from quant-ph

Many-Body Entanglement Properties of Finite Interacting Fermionic Hamiltonians

Irakli Giorgadze, Grayson Welch, Haixuan Huang et al. (+2 more)

We analyze many-body entanglement in interacting fermionic systems by using the $M$-body reduced density matrix. We demonstrate that if a particle number conserving fermionic Hamiltonian contains only up to $M$-body interaction terms, then its $N$-particle ground state cannot be maximally $M$-body entangled. As a key step in the proof, we show that the energy expectation value of a maximally $M$-body mixed state is equal to the spectral mean of the Hamiltonian on the corresponding $N$-particle subspace. We further demonstrate that the many-body entanglement structure of a ground state can place quantitative constraint on the interaction strength of its parent Hamiltonian. We illustrate the theorem and its implications in Hubbard and extended SYK models. Going beyond ground states, we analyze entanglement generation under unitary dynamics from Slater-determinant initial states in these models. We determine early-time growth and estimate entanglement saturation times. Finally, we derive explicit symmetry-refined saturation upper bounds for $M$-body entanglement in the presence of an Abelian symmetry.
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All authors Irakli Giorgadze, Grayson Welch, Haixuan Huang, Elio J. König, Jukka I. Väyrynen

Strongly Correlated Electrons

Dimensionality tuning of heavy-fermion states in ultrathin CeSi2 films

Yi Wu, Weifan Zhu, Teng Hua et al. (+18 more)

Dimensionality tuning is an important method to modify the electronic states of quantum materials. However, the mechanism of such tuning in heavy fermion systems and its connection with transport properties remain largely unexplored. Here by combining molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), in-situ angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and transport measurements, we study the electronic states of the heavy-fermion compound CeSi2 as a function of film thickness. In three dimensional thick films, our measurements reveal a dispersive Kondo peak at the Fermi level (EF) and satellite peaks originating from crystal electric field (CEF) excitations, characteristic of heavy fermion systems. For two-dimensional ultrathin films, the CEF satellites are largely suppressed while the ground-state Kondo peak at EF remains strong, although it develops at lower temperatures. Simultaneously, the maximum temperature Tmax of the magnetic resistivity, h̊o}m(T), changes from ~100 K in thick films to ~35 K in ultrathin films. This can be attributed to the dimensionality driven reduction of CEF excitations during the Kondo process, in good agreement with spectroscopic results. Our work provides direct insight to understand the quantum confinement effects on strongly correlated 4f-electron systems and opens up new opportunities to explore emergent phenomena in two-dimensional heavy-fermion materials.
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All authors Yi Wu, Weifan Zhu, Teng Hua, Yuan Fang, Yanan Zhang, Jiawen Zhang, Yanen Huang, Hao Zheng, Shanyin Fu, Xinying Zheng, Zhengtai Liu, Mao Ye, Ye Chen, Tulai Sun, Michael Smidman, Johann Kroha, Chao Cao, Huiqiu Yuan, Frank Steglich, Hai-Qing Lin, Yang Liu

Superconductivity

Pseudo Point Nodal Superconducting Gap in Spin-Triplet UTe$_2$

S. Hosoi, K. Imamura, M. M. Bordelon et al. (+7 more)

The unconventional superconductor UTe$_2$ represents a rare example of spin-triplet pairing with potentially topologically protected quantum states. However, conflicting reports on its gap structure, particularly regarding point nodes, have hindered understanding of the order parameter symmetry and topological properties. Here we report high-resolution thermal conductivity measurements on high-quality UTe$_2$ single crystals down to ~50 mK that resolve the gap anisotropy through bulk directional transport. The $b$-axis thermal conductivity $\kappa_b/T$ exhibits negligible residual conductivity as $T \to 0$, and its temperature dependence is consistent with a small superconducting energy gap along the $b$-axis. Under magnetic fields, the residual $\kappa_b/T$ shows only weak field-induced enhancement. Remarkably, a threshold field emerges at low fields for $H \parallel a$, characterized by a kink that signals a change in quasiparticle transport normal to the field. Below the threshold, $\kappa_b/T$ remains isotropic for all field orientations, whereas strong anisotropy between transport along and normal to the field develops above it. These signatures strongly suggest that UTe$_2$ exhibits a fully gapped state with a pseudo point-nodal structure, where gap minima approach but never reach zero. We estimate the minimal gap $\Delta_{min}/\Delta_0 \sim 0.1$ along the $b$-axis, where $\Delta_0$ is the characteristic superconducting gap. This unusual gap structure provides crucial insights into the pairing mechanism and topology of this spin-triplet superconductor and excludes non-unitary mixing of pairing symmetries.
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All authors S. Hosoi, K. Imamura, M. M. Bordelon, E. D. Bauer, S. M. Thomas, F. Ronning, P. F. S. Rosa, R. Movshovich, I. Vekhter, Y. Matsuda

Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Linear response of the Chern insulator MnBi$_2$Te$_4$: A Wannier function approach

Matthew Albert, Javier Sivianes, Jason G. Kattan et al. (+2 more)

Recent work demonstrated that in the long wavelength limit the linear response of a Chern insulator to finite-frequency electric fields is the sum of two terms: A general frequency-dependent Kubo contribution that is present irrespective of band topology, and a topological Hall term that vanishes for topologically trivial insulators. Motivated by recent experiments and theoretical predictions, we use these expressions to calculate the optical conductivity and susceptibility of intrinsically magnetic MnBi$_2$Te$_4$ thin films with one, four, five, and eleven septuple layers by combining density functional theory with "single-shot" Wannier functions. To characterize the underlying topology of these systems, we compute the two-dimensional Chern number of these films using recently derived global expressions formulated in terms of Bloch energies and velocity matrix elements; the use of these expressions allows us to circumvent numerical issues at band crossings. Films with eleven septuple layers are of particular interest. We find that they have the same Chern number as five septuple layer films, in contrast to the reported "higher Chern-number phase" of these systems in other studies; we discuss a few possible reasons for the discrepancy. We also identify spin-orbit coupling-driven band inversions as a possible indicator of these topological phases.
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All authors Matthew Albert, Javier Sivianes, Jason G. Kattan, Julen Ibañez-Azpiroz, J. E. Sipe

Strongly Correlated Electrons

Crossover to Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev criticality in an infinite-range quantum Heisenberg spin glass

Hossein Hosseinabadi, Subir Sachdev and Jamir Marino

A central question in frustrated quantum magnets is how quantum fluctuations destabilize spin-glass order and promote quantum spin-liquid behavior. We study the equilibrium dynamics of an infinite-range quantum Heisenberg model with random couplings, in which local magnetic moments arise from $\mathcal{N}_f$ flavors of spinful fermions. We employ an expansion in $\mathcal{N}_f$, which controls the strength of quantum fluctuations, and self-consistently include $1/\mathcal{N}_f$ corrections to the Luttinger-Ward functional. In the large-$\mathcal{N}_f$ limit, where quantum fluctuations are weak, the high- and low-temperature phases are respectively paramagnetic and spin glass ordered, with a transition temperature independent of $\mathcal{N}_f$. For small numbers of fermionic flavors, however, quantum fluctuations substantially suppress the ordering temperature. We show that this behavior reflects the proximity of the system to a Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) regime, realizing quantum spin-liquid dynamics over a broad range of finite frequencies, where both fermionic and spin spectral densities display critical behavior over a broad range of finite frequencies, with the latter exhibiting the scale-invariant form $\chi''(\omega)\sim\operatorname{sgn}(\omega)$. At the lowest energies and temperatures, spin glass dynamics ultimately take over, producing a universal sub-Ohmic dynamical spin susceptibility $\chi''(\omega)\sim\operatorname{sgn}(\omega)\sqrt{|\omega|}$. Our results highlight a direct connection between the suppression of spin-glass order and the emergence of SYK criticality in a frustrated quantum magnet.
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Materials Science

Switchable circular dichroism and ionic migration dominated charge transport in a chiral spin crossover polymer

M Zaid Zaz, Sartaz Sakib, Wai Kiat Chin et al. (+6 more)

We demonstrate thermally switchable chiroptical activity in a chiral spin crossover (SCO) material, where circular dichroism is significant in the low spin state but quenched in the high-spin state for both enantiomers. With magnetometry we establish a cooperative transition with hysteresis near room temperature. Fe L3,2 edge Xray absorption directly links the quenching of chirality to a reorganization of Fe 3d electronic structure that accompanies the spin state transition. Moreover, electrical measurements show pronounced I(V) hysteresis and cycling dependent C(V) behavior, indicating transport in this chiral SCO material is dominated by ionic migration rather than mobile electrons or holes.
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All authors M Zaid Zaz, Sartaz Sakib, Wai Kiat Chin, Peace Adegbite, Gauthami Viswan, Alpha T Ndaiye, Andrew J Yost, Rebecca Y Lai, Peter A Dowben

Materials Science

Exceptional Optical Phonon Coherence in Enriched Cubic Boron Arsenide via Suppression of Three-Phonon Scattering

Tong Lin, Fengjiao Pan, Gaihua Ye et al. (+8 more)

Cubic boron arsenide (BAs) is a promising semiconductor for next-generation electronics due to its outstanding ambipolar mobility and thermal conductivity, the latter of which is attributed to the suppression of three-phonon scattering. However, precisely accounting for different high-order anharmonic scattering processes is challenging from both theory and experiment, so that questions remain open regarding the ultimate limit of phonon lifetime and thermal conductivity in BAs. Here we show that this gap nearly eliminates three-phonon scattering for zone-center optical phonons in a wide temperature range, leading to a record-high, isotope purity-limited phonon coherence with a quality factor above $3.7\times 10^3$ for >98% enriched $^{11}$BAs below 100 K. We discriminate three decoherence mechanisms by their temperature-dependent contribution to the damping rate using high-resolution Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. For the as-synthesized crystals, we find that defect scattering has negligible contributions to the linewidth of optical phonons in comparison to isotope scattering. These results provide critical insights into the intrinsic and extrinsic scattering mechanisms of optical phonons in BAs, motivating further studies to quantify anharmonic effects and realize superior phonon transport.
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All authors Tong Lin, Fengjiao Pan, Gaihua Ye, Sanjna Sukumaran, Cynthia Nnokwe, Ange Benise Niyikiza, William A. Smith, Stephen B. Bayne, Rui He, Zhifeng Ren, Hanyu Zhu

Statistical Mechanics · Cross-listed from astro-ph.GA

Very long-term relaxation of harmonic 1D self-gravitating systems

Kerwann Tep, Jean-Baptiste Fouvry and Christophe Pichon

One-dimensional self-gravitating systems admit genuine thermodynamical equilibria. For systems with strictly monotonic orbital frequency profile, the Landau and Balescu-Lenard theories predict a relaxation time scaling linearly with the number of particles, $N$, in agreement with simulations. Yet, these theories become ill-posed for degenerate frequency profiles, as is the case in the harmonic potential, where all particles share the exact same mean orbital frequency. Using an exact collision-driven 1D integrator, we investigate numerically the self-consistent relaxation of 1D harmonic self-gravitating systems. We show that harmonic systems relax on a timescale that grows quadratically with $N$. We show that systems that are only partially degenerate display the same quadratic scaling for low $N$, but transition to the linear, non-degenerate behaviour for larger $N$. The larger the fraction of degenerate orbits, the larger the value of $N$ at which this transition of dynamical regime occurs. Finally, we explore the dynamics of fully non-degenerate systems, albeit with finite radial support: we confirm that their relaxation time scales linearly with $N$, though with a substantially larger prefactor than in non-compact systems. Astrophysically, this investigation should offer some new clues on the dynamics of density cores, as in the center of dwarf galaxies.
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Superconductivity

Progress of ambient-pressure superconductivity in bilayer nickelate thin films

Wenyuan Qiu and Dao-Xin Yao

This review summarizes recent progress of ambient-pressure superconductivity in bilayer nickelate La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ thin films, a major advancement following the discovery of high-pressure superconductivity in bulk La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$. First, we explain how epitaxial strain engineering enables ambient-pressure superconductivity in La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ thin films, with compressive strain from substrates like SrLaAlO$_4$ stabilizing superconductivity. Next, we review experimental characterizations of related systems, with particular emphasis on ARPES measurements that have shown conflicting Fermi surface topologies. We then discuss progress in increasing the superconducting transition temperature $T_c$. Finally, we summarize theoretical studies of the electronic structure and pairing symmetry of La$_3$Ni$_2$O$_7$ thin films. Together, these advances establish bilayer nickelate thin films as a highly tunable and promising platform for exploring high-$T_c$ superconductivity.
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