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Saturday 15 August

High Energy Physics (Phenomenology)

The Higgs boson decay $h \to bs$ in the Generational Three-Higgs-Doublet Model

Hao-Ran Ma, Ti-Bin Hou, Jin-Lei Yang et al. (+1 more)

The Generational Three-Higgs-Doublet Model (G3HDM) extends the Standard Model (SM) by three Higgs doublets, which couple separately to different generations of quarks and charged leptons, and consequently make significant contributions to the neutral flavor-changing processes. Considering the latest experimental constraints on $125\mathrm{GeV}$ Higgs signals, electroweak precision observables, neutral-meson mixing, and the rare decay processes $B\to X_s\gamma$ and $B_s^0\to\mu^+\mu^-$, we perform a systematic analysis of the processes $h \to bs$ predicted in the G3HDM. This process is strongly suppressed by the loop factor in the SM, hence any observation of $h \to bs$ in the near future provides a sensitive probe of physics beyond the SM. Finally, the constraints on the parameter space and the experimental testability of G3HDM through observation $h \to bs$ are presented.
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All authors Hao-Ran Ma, Ti-Bin Hou, Jin-Lei Yang, Tai-Fu Feng

Quantum Physics

Exact and Efficient Circuit Construction for Block Encoding Matrix Polynomials

Taehee Ko

A recent interpolation-based Quantum Signal Processing (QSP) framework by Alase bypasses the phase-finding procedures required in conventional QSP, allowing for a direct encoding of the target polynomial into a quantum circuit. However, this approach assumes access to a diagonal block encoding of function values without providing an explicit circuit construction. In this work, we address this gap by developing an explicit circuit construction method for diagonal block encodings. The resulting algorithm achieves a computational cost of $\mathcal{O}(d\log d)$ for explicitly constructing block encodings of matrix polynomials, improving upon the best-known theoretical bounds of previous methods. Numerical results confirm this scaling, demonstrating that circuit parameters for polynomial degrees up to $10^7$ can be computed in about a minute on a standard CPU.
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Computational Physics

Plasolver: Physics-Informed Neural Operators for Elastoplasticity

Yizheng Wang, Mohammad Sadegh Eshaghi, Huadong Zhang et al. (+3 more)

Elastoplastic analysis is computationally demanding because its nonlinear, path-dependent constitutive behavior requires incremental loading and repeated iterative solutions. To address this challenge, we propose Plasolver, a physics-informed neural operator framework that combines the efficiency of operator learning with the accuracy and robustness of classical numerical solvers. Plasolver consists of a physics-informed pretraining stage and an optional warm-start stage. During pretraining, the neural operator is trained solely by minimizing the incremental potential energy of elastoplasticity formulated by Simo, without requiring any labeled solution data. It operates directly on unstructured point clouds by encoding spatial coordinates, loading histories, and material properties as unified point-wise prompts. This formulation provides dual invariance to spatial and loading-path discretizations, enabling consistent predictions across different spatial resolutions and different numbers of increments representing the same loading trajectory. The pretrained Plasolver achieves relative errors on the order of 1% while providing approximately two orders of magnitude acceleration over conventional finite element simulations. In the warm-start stage, the pretrained prediction is supplied as the initial solution to a classical iterative solver, preserving its numerical accuracy, robustness, and convergence properties while substantially accelerating convergence. Numerical results show that Plasolver reduces the required number of iterations by approximately 50% compared with conventional zero-initialized solvers and converges to solutions at any prescribed tolerance. Plasolver thus provides an efficient, accurate, and discretization-invariant computational framework for nonlinear, path-dependent elastoplastic problems.
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All authors Yizheng Wang, Mohammad Sadegh Eshaghi, Huadong Zhang, Xiaoying Zhuang, Timon Rabczuk, Yinghua Liu

Exactly Solvable and Integrable Systems

On a class of 3D second-order integrable Lagrangians and their dispersive deformations

Lingling Xue, E.V. Ferapontov and M.V. Pavlov

We investigate integrability of Euler-Lagrange equations associated with 3D second-order Lagrangians of the form \begin{equation*} \int f(u_{xy},u_{xt},u_{yt})\ \text{d}x\text{d}y\text{d}t. \end{equation*} It is demonstrated that there are exactly four different types of such Lagrangian densities $f$: the first one is given by the formula $f=\sqrt{u_{xy}u_{xt}u_{yt}}$, the second and the third are more complicated (although still representable in elementary functions), whereas the most generic fourth one is expressible in terms of the Lobachevsky function, revealing unexpected links to spherical/hyperbolic trigonometry and Schläfly-type formulas. Dispersionless Lax pairs and integrable dispersive deformations of the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations are also constructed.Remarkably, dispersive deformation of the first Lagrangian density coincides with the Lagrangian of the classical Darboux system arising in the theory of triply-orthogonal coordinate systems in $\mathbb{R}^3$. Dispersive deformations of the three other cases provide Lagrangian formulation of semi-discrete and fully discrete versions of the Darboux system, with one, two and three discrete variables, respectively.
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Optics

Robust inverse design of non-periodic Bloch surface wave sensors

Riccardo Bollati, Giovanni Pellegrini, Paolo Biagioni et al. (+1 more)

One-dimensional photonic crystals supporting Bloch surface waves (BSWs) have emerged as highly sensitive platforms for label-free refractometric sensing. However, the practical performance of these sensors is limited by their vulnerability to fabrication-induced thickness variations. In this Letter, we address this challenge by introducing a robust inverse design framework based on multi-objective genetic optimization. This framework jointly maximizes intensity sensitivity and resilience against manufacturing errors, demonstrating that non-periodic multilayers achieve inherently superior sensitivity-robustness trade-offs, with a pronounced gain in device resilience over conventional periodic designs. By analyzing the optimized designs, we uncover an intrinsic compensation mechanism that physically governs the trade-off and effectively stabilizes the sensor response against structural perturbations. By unlocking the expanded design space of non-periodic multilayers, our optimization strategy paves the way for the practical realization of next-generation BSW sensors.
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All authors Riccardo Bollati, Giovanni Pellegrini, Paolo Biagioni, Jonathan Barolak

High Energy Physics (Experiment)

Search for Magnetic and Spin-Independent Inelastic Dark Matter with XENONnT

E. Aprile, J. Aalbers, K. Abe et al. (+173 more)

We present a search for Magnetic and Spin-Independent inelastic Dark Matter using 2.1 tonne-years of data from the XENONnT experiment. We consider both single- and double-site event topologies, targeting the unique signature of an initial nuclear recoil followed by a delayed de-excitation photon. To suppress backgrounds, we introduce novel directional and kinematic selections based on the inferred speed and direction of the excited dark matter particle between the scatter and decay sites. We find that the collected data are consistent with background expectations, and report 90% C.L. upper limits for both models across the GeV/c2-TeV/c2 mass range.
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All authors E. Aprile, J. Aalbers, K. Abe, M. Abu Rmilah, M. Adrover, S. Ahmed Maouloud, L. Althueser, B. Andrieu, E. Angelino, D. Antón Martin, S. R. Armbruster, F. Arneodo, L. Baudis, M. Bazyk, V. Beligotti, L. Bellagamba, R. Biondi, A. Bismark, K. Boese, R. M. Braun, G. Bruni, R. Budnik, C. Cai, C. Capelli, J. M. R. Cardoso, A. P. Cimental Chávez, A. P. Colijn, J. Conrad, J. J. Cuenca-García, V. D'Andrea, L. C. Daniel Garcia, M. P. Decowski, A. Deisting, C. Di Donato, P. Di Gangi, S. Diglio, K. Eitel, S. el Morabit, R. Elleboro, A. Elykov, A. D. Ferella, C. Ferrari, H. Fischer, T. Flehmke, M. Flierman, R. Frankel, D. Fuchs, W. Fulgione, C. Fuselli, F. Gao, R. Giacomobono, R. Glade-Beucke, L. Grandi, J. Grigat, M. Guida, P. Gyorgy, R. Hammann, C. Hils, L. Hoetzsch, N. F. Hood, A. Hurhina, M. Iacovacci, Y. Itow, J. Jakob, F. Joerg, Y. Kaminaga, S. Kazama, P. Kharbanda, M. Kobayashi, D. Koke, K. Kooshkjalali, A. Kopec, E Kozlova, H. Landsman, R. F. Lang, L. Levinson, A. Li, H. Li, I. Li, S. Li, Z. Liang, Y.-T. Lin, S. Lindemann, M. Lindner, K. Liu, M. Liu, F. Lombardi, J. A. M. Lopes, G. M. Lucchetti, T. Luce, Y. Ma, C. Macolino, G. C. Madduri, J. Mahlstedt, F. Marignetti, T. Marrodán Undagoitia, K. Martens, J. Masbou, S. Mastroianni, V. Mazza, J. Merz, M. Messina, A. Michel, K. Miuchi, R. Miyata, A. Molinario, S. Moriyama, M. Murra, J. Müller, K. Ni, C. T. Oba Ishikawa, U. Oberlack, K. Otsuzuki, S. Ouahada, B. Paetsch, Y. Pan, Q. Pellegrini, R. Peres, J. Pienaar, M. Pierre, G. Plante, T. R. Pollmann, F. Pompa, A. Prajapati, L. Principe, J. Qin, D. Ramírez García, A. Ravindran, A. Razeto, L. Sanchez, J. M. F. dos Santos, I. Sarnoff, G. Sartorelli, M. T. Schiller, P. Schulte, H. Schulze Eißing, M. Schumann, L. Scotto Lavina, M. Selvi, F. Semeria, F. N. Semler, P. Shagin, X. Shen, S. Shi, H. Simgen, Z. Song, A. Stevens, C. Szyszka, A. Takeda, Y. Takeuchi, P.-L. Tan, D. Thers, G. Trinchero, C. D. Tunnell, K. Valerius, S. Vecchi, S. Vetter, G. Volta, B. von Krosigk, C. Weinheimer, D. Wenz, C. Wittweg, V. H. S. Wu, Y. Xing, D. Xu, Z. Xu, M. Yamashita, J. Yang, L. Yang, J. Ye, M. Yoshida, L. Yuan, G. Zavattini, Y. Zhao, M. Zhong, T. Zhu

Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

Parameter estimation in differential equations: Mathematical foundations for satellite gravimetry, review and perspectives

Peiliang Xu

Satellite gravimetry has become essential in many areas of earth science. However, the resolution of satellite gravitational models remains low at scales of a few hundreds km and no gravity recovery methods can take full advantages of unprecedented high accuracy of satellite tracking measurements. We first provide a unified theoretical framework of parameter estimation in differential equations for satellite gravimetry and then briefly review the mathematical methods to compute the gravity field of the Earth from satellite tracking. We focus on the collocation method, Kaula linear perturbations, two-point boundary value problems and orbit-energy-based methods. The numerical integration method is also included in this review, though it has been proved to be mathematically incorrect and physically not permitted. The reason is that it has become the standard method to routinely produce global gravitational models from satellite tracking data, which have been widely applied in many different areas of earth science. Because it is not clear how the incorrect foundation would affect gravity products from satellite tracking, we do not review any applications of these products. We then present a measurement-based perturbation theory to estimate the gravity field of the Earth, which can fully utilize both precise satellite orbits of arbitrary length and unprecedented high accuracy of satellite and inter-satellite tracking. The method is theoretically free of modeling errors, is capable of extracting any small forces from satellite and inter-satellite tracking data and provides a guarantee for high-precision and high-resolution global gravity models. Finally, we assume a reference gravity model and derive local solutions to the Newton's nonlinear governing differential equations of satellite motion for scattered tracking data that can still be important in some applications.
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Nuclear Theory

Raubold-Lynch construction of the phase space in hypertriton three-body mesonic decay

Emile Meoto

A Monte Carlo construction is presented for the three-body mesonic decay phase space of the hypertriton. This is accomplished using the Raubold-Lynch sequential two-body decay algorithm. The method factorises this three-body decay into successive two-body decays through a virtual intermediate subsystem, whose invariant mass is sampled over the full kinematically allowed region. Exact relativistic two-body kinematics and Lorentz transformations are employed to construct complete four-momenta for all decay products. The construction is applied to both charged- and neutral-pion decay channels, yielding events that reproduce the Lorentz-invariant three-body phase-space measure. The resulting momentum spectra, pairwise momentum correlations, opening-angle distributions, and Dalitz plots furnish a complete kinematic characterisation of both decay modes. The neutral-pion channel exhibits a larger available three-body energy and correspondingly broader kinematic limits. The unweighted events generated provide a kinematic baseline that can subsequently be weighted event by event with a weak-decay matrix element, for computing decay rates and other observables. For the neutral-pion channel, where no experimental data currently exists, the Lorentz-invariant phase-space constitutes a useful baseline for predictions.
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High Energy Physics (Phenomenology)

Sensitivity to Single Vector-Like Bottom Quark Production at 3 TeV CLIC

R. Benbrik, M. Berrouj, M. Boukidi et al. (+3 more)

We study the sensitivity of the Compact Linear Collider at $\sqrt{s}=3~\mathrm{TeV}$ to the single electroweak production of a vector-like bottom quark in a type-II Two-Higgs-Doublet Model extended by vector-like quarks. We consider the process $e^+e^-\to B\bar b+\bar B b$, followed by $B\to\phi b$ with $\phi=H,A$ and $\phi\to t\bar t$. We focus on the semileptonic final state with one charged lepton, missing transverse momentum, four $b$-tagged jets, and two light jets. This channel directly probes the interplay between the extended quark and Higgs sectors. After applying theoretical constraints, electroweak precision constraints, Higgs-sector bounds, and current collider limits, we perform detector-level cut-based and multivariate analyses. The cut-based analysis remains below discovery sensitivity at $5~\mathrm{ab}^{-1}$, while a multilayer perceptron and an XGBoost classifier provide substantially improved signal-background separation. For viable scenarios with $m_B\simeq1.3$–$1.5~\mathrm{TeV}$, the expected significance remains above $5\sigma$ even for a $15\%$ uncertainty on the background normalization.
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All authors R. Benbrik, M. Berrouj, M. Boukidi, M. Ech-chaouy, K. Kahime, K. Salime

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Energy Extraction via Magnetic Reconnection from Rotating ModMax Black Holes

Shi-Hao Wang, Ke-Jian He, Guo-Ping Li et al. (+1 more)

Magnetic reconnection has been widely recognized as an important mechanism for extracting energy from rapidly rotating black holes. We find that magnetic reconnection can also efficiently extract energy from slowly rotating ModMax black holes. In this paper, we investigate the magnetic reconnection process of ModMax black holes in both circular and plunging orbits. First, we analyze the fundamental characteristic quantities of the ModMax black hole, including the event horizon, ergosphere radius, and circular photon orbits. The results indicate that the charge parameter $Q$ and screening factor $\gamma$ exhibit a competing effect on the fundamental characteristic quantities of the ModMax black hole. Furthermore, for the extremal ModMax black hole, a larger $Q$ and a smaller $\gamma$ lower the minimum allowed spin parameter $a$. Subsequently, we analyze the parameter space $(r,a)$ for energy extraction in circular and plunging orbits. A larger $Q$ and a smaller $\gamma$ reduce the region for energy extraction and decrease the minimum spin parameter $a$ required for energy extraction. For circular orbits, the minimum allowed spin parameter is $a\simeq 0.50071$, while for plunging orbits, this threshold further decreases to $a\simeq0.22407$. This proves that energy extraction from lower spin ModMax black holes is theoretically feasible. Finally, we compare the energy extraction region, power, and efficiency between circular and plunging orbits. It is found that these quantities in plunging orbits are always higher than those in circular orbits, indicating that energy extraction from plunging orbits via magnetic reconnection may be more efficient.
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All authors Shi-Hao Wang, Ke-Jian He, Guo-Ping Li, Yuan Meng

Quantum Physics

Stochastic Liouville-transport theory of light-atom interaction noise in thermal atomic vapors

Shaoxin Yuan, Bin Wu, Mingyong Jing et al. (+11 more)

Atom-light interaction noise can limit thermal-vapor sensing. Existing theories often treat internal-state dynamics, finite-mode atomic motion, and stochastic renewal separately, obscuring their coupled contributions to measured noise. We develop a general stochastic Liouville-transport theory, tested against polarization-resolved resonant Cs D$_2$ spectra. Joint experiment-theory analysis identifies atom-light noise below approximately 100 kHz as transit-dominated. Ballistic motion through the finite Gaussian mode modulates both the coupling-weighted effective atom number and trajectory-dependent Rabi coupling, producing predominantly common-mode noise. Boundary renewal introduces atoms with independently sampled ground-state sublevels, generating differential population fluctuations with opposite effects on the circular channels. Under an applied longitudinal magnetic field, experiment and theory show the same qualitative nonmonotonic change in common-mode suppression, supporting Zeeman redistribution of the channel responses. The framework can analyze noise in other thermal-atom sensors, including Rydberg-atom electric-field measurements.
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All authors Shaoxin Yuan, Bin Wu, Mingyong Jing, Chaoyang Hu, Yan Peng, Tingting Li, Xingya Li, Wenguang Yang, Junyao Xie, Zongkai Liu, Hao Zhang, Linjie Zhang, Liantuan Xiao, Suotang Jia

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Magnetic Reconnection and Energy Extraction from a Rotating Black Hole in the Einstein-AdS SU(N)-Nonlinear Sigma Model

Muhammad Israr Aslam, Muhammad Nawaz, Abdul Malik Sultan et al. (+3 more)

In the present study, we analyze the power and efficiency of energy extraction via magnetic reconnection in the rotating Einstein-AdS-SU($N$)-NLSM black hole, both in the circular-orbit regime and in the plunging region. Initially, we define the background properties of this spacetime, and then analyze the physical quantities such as the size of the ergoregion, the event horizon, and the boundaries of the ergosphere. We analyze the magnetic reconnection process within circular orbits. We plot energy-extraction parameter diagrams and analyze the power and efficiency of energy extraction. Our results indicate that energy extraction remains feasible even at a spin parameter as low as $0.7$, significantly below previously reported thresholds, and the extracted power can exceed that of the Blandford-Znajek mechanism with specific constraints. The coupling constant $K$, AdS radius $l$ and the flavors number $N$, collectively participate in lowering the spin threshold for energy extraction. Consequently, we further investigate the permissible energy extraction region for the energy extraction mechanism in the plunging region, as well as the corresponding power output and efficiency. We observe that the energy extraction is possible even at a spin as low as $0.2$. Importantly, the parameters $N,~K$ and $l$ mainly contribute to lowering the energy extraction spin threshold. This behavior is similar to that in circular orbits. Finally, comparing the plunging region with the circular orbits, we observe that the energy extraction power in the plunging region is higher than in the circular orbits.
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All authors Muhammad Israr Aslam, Muhammad Nawaz, Abdul Malik Sultan, Ke Wang, Hamood Ur Rehman, Yakup Yildirim

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Impact of a Cold Dark Matter Halo on Magnetic Reconnection and Energy Extraction from Kerr-like Black Holes

Muhammad Nawaz, Abdul Malik Sultan, Muhammad Israr Aslam et al. (+2 more)

Recently, Comisso and Asenjo introduced a new energy extraction mechanism based on magnetic reconnection. In this paper, we investigate the power and efficiency of magnetic reconnection energy extraction in a rotating black hole surrounded by a cold dark matter halo. We first examine the properties of the underlying spacetime and its physical quantities, including the event horizon, photon sphere, and ergosphere. We then analyze the allowed energy extraction region and the corresponding energy extraction efficiency for circular orbits. Our results show that energy extraction is feasible for black holes with a spin parameter.
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All authors Muhammad Nawaz, Abdul Malik Sultan, Muhammad Israr Aslam, Rabia Saleem, Ke Wang

Statistical Mechanics

The $6-\epsilon$ Expansion for Long-Range Lee–Yang and Percolation Criticality

Zhiyi Li, Kun Chen, Zhijie Fan et al. (+1 more)

The crossover from long-range (LR) to short-range (SR) criticality in percolation has remained unsettled because previous renormalization-group (RG) analysis within the $\epsilon'=3\sigma-d$ expansion fixes the anomalous dimension at $\eta=2-\sigma$, whereas SR percolation has $\eta_{\rm SR}<0$ near $d=6$. Sak's matching condition then places the crossover above $\sigma=2$, outside the regime in which the LR interaction dominates. In spatial dimension $d=6-\epsilon$, we formulate a perturbative expansion for the LR $\phi^3$ field theory and perform a one-loop RG analysis throughout the perturbatively accessible nonclassical regime $0<\delta<\epsilon/3$, where $\delta = 2-\sigma$. We derive the one-loop corrections to the critical exponents $\eta$ and $\nu$, which acquire nontrivial dependence on $\epsilon$ and $\delta$. They reduce to their mean-field values at the LR upper critical line and continuously recover the SR $6-\epsilon$ results as $\sigma\to2$. These results support a crossover threshold $\sigma_*=2$ and remove the apparent discontinuity of $\eta$ between the LR and SR values within this framework. The same approach also yields the anomalous and edge exponents of the LR Lee–Yang universality class and $q$-state Potts universality classes with $q<2$.
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All authors Zhiyi Li, Kun Chen, Zhijie Fan, Youjin Deng

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from math.OA

Quantum channels on duals of von Neumann algebras in the Schrödinger picture

Sviatoslav V. Dzhenzher

The theory of quantum channels is traditionally studied either on finite-dimensional state spaces or within the Heisenberg picture as completely positive maps on C^*-algebras. In this paper, we consider quantum channels as completely positive maps on the duals of general von Neumann algebras in the Schrodinger picture. We investigate the construction of such channels through Pettis integrals using representations of topological groups.
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Mathematical Physics · Cross-listed from cs.LG

Probability-Preserving Transformer for the Time-Dependent Schrödinger Equation

Mushtaq Ali, Muzamil Tariq and Niaz Ali Khan

Solving the time-dependent Schrödinger equation (TDSE) via traditional numerical methods is computationally intensive. Transformer models offer a compelling alternative, but standard implementations rely on soft constraints that cannot rigorously guarantee probability conservation. Here, we introduce a Transformer architecture that enforces TDSE probability conservation as a hard constraint. The design intrinsically ensures unitarity across temporal evolution without requiring repeated retraining. Our empirical findings show that this hard-constraint approach is not only physically exact but also computationally superior to conventional soft-constraint methods.
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High Energy Physics (Theory)

Quasinormal frequencies and greybody factors for axial perturbations of dilaton-Euler-Heisenberg de Sitter black holes

Ming Zhang, Guo-Xin Chen, Xufen Zhang et al. (+4 more)

We investigate the quasinormal modes (QNMs) and greybody factors of dilaton-Euler-Heisenberg (dEH) de Sitter (dS) black holes in string-inspired Euler-Heisenberg gravity. Since the axial gravitational and electromagnetic perturbations decouple, we treat them independently. By applying the asymptotic iteration method (AIM) alongside a sixth-order WKB approximation, we compute the quasinormal frequencies and find excellent agreement between the two approaches. We also find that the QNM spectra depend sensitively on the magnetic charge $Q_{\text{m}}$, cosmological constant $\Lambda$, and nonlinear coupling $\epsilon$, with a notable topological anomaly appearing in the electromagnetic frequency trajectories. Additionally, larger values of $Q_{\text{m}}$ or the multipole number $l$ generally suppress wave transmission, while the electromagnetic sector with $\epsilon=1$ exhibits an anomalous response.
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All authors Ming Zhang, Guo-Xin Chen, Xufen Zhang, Cheng-Fu Feng, Sheng-Yuan Li, Rui-Hong Yue, De-Cheng Zou

Accelerator Physics

Self-Synchronized Terahertz and X-Ray Free-Electron Lasers from a Single Pre-Bunched Electron Beam

Yin Kang, Kaiqing Zhang, Zhen Wang et al. (+27 more)

Ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy combining intense terahertz (THz) and X-ray pulses is a critical tool for investigating complex structural and electronic dynamics in materials. However, current setups combining THz sources and X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) often suffer from high system complexity, inherent timing jitter, or limited THz pulse properties. Here, we experimentally demonstrate the generation of intrinsically synchronized, strong-field, narrow-band THz and X-ray FELs from a single pre-bunched electron beam. Sequentially passing the beam through X-ray and THz amplifiers reveals a highly synergistic process: the initial periodic THz density modulation notably boosts the X-ray FEL pulse energy, while robustly surviving the intense X-ray emission to drive high-power, narrow-band THz radiation. Originating from the same electron bunch, the two pulses inherently maintain a precise, constant time delay. This jitter-free scheme establishes a highly reliable platform tailored for both X-ray-pump/THz-probe and THz-pump/X-ray-probe experiments.
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All authors Yin Kang, Kaiqing Zhang, Zhen Wang, Cheng Yu, Zhangfeng Gao, Wencai Cheng, Hang Luo, Yue Wang, Hanghua Xu, Xiaoqing Liu, Jinguo Wang, Huan Zhao, Yanyan Zhu, Yongmei Wen, Fei Gao, Yangyang Lei, Chengcheng Xiao, Liping Sun, Yongfang Liu, Jiaqiang Xu, Weiyi Yin, Xingtao Wang, Taihe Lan, Zheng Qi, Tao Liu, Zhi Guo, Bin Li, Chao Feng, Bo Liu, Zhentang Zhao

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Probing Dark Matter with Gravitational Waves: Spin-Modulated Dephasing from Black Holes in Halos

Guoyang Fu, Yunqi Liu, Jian-Pin Wu et al. (+2 more)

We develop a novel analytical framework for constructing axisymmetric black hole spacetimes sourced by dark matter (DM) halos. Applying this to extreme mass ratio inspirals (EMRIs), we find that the DM induces a detectable gravitational-wave dephasing, scaling monotonically with the halo's compactness. Notably, BH spin significantly suppresses this dephasing, indicating that analyses neglecting rotation would overestimate DM signatures. Faithfulness calculations confirm that future space-borne detectors can robustly distinguish such DM environments, establishing EMRIs as a novel probe for galactic DM distributions.
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All authors Guoyang Fu, Yunqi Liu, Jian-Pin Wu, Bin Wang, Rui-Hong Yue

Materials Science

DINO4DSTEM: A self-supervised framework for structural discovery in 4D-STEM

Daniel Khaykelson, Lothar Houben and Boris Rybtchinski

Nanodiffraction using 4D-STEM has become a key technique for quantitative nanoscale structural mapping in materials research, yet interpreting its high-dimensional datasets in structurally complex materials remains a major bottleneck. Existing analysis workflows typically rely on structural models, manual annotation, predefined classes, or sample-specific heuristics, limiting their ability to characterize heterogeneous complex materials. Here, we introduce DINO4DSTEM, a self-supervised machine learning framework that automatically discovers structurally meaningful states directly from raw diffraction data. Without structural models, manual labels, a predefined number of classes, or system-specific parameter tuning, the framework learns representations that organize diffraction patterns by their intrinsic structural similarities, transforming large collections of low-dose measurements into quantitative nanoscale structure maps. Across diverse datasets, DINO4DSTEM consistently identifies the dominant structural degrees of freedom, providing segmentation without human supervision. We applied the framework to the crystallization of indomethacin, a beam-sensitive, multidomain pharmaceutical system, revealing that crystallinity emerges from a partially ordered precursor and spans a continuous spectrum of structural order. The discovered nanoscale structural states are mapped to reveal the evolution of order across the specimen quantitatively. By replacing task-specific analysis with general self-supervised representation learning, DINO4DSTEM provides a broadly applicable framework for quantitative nanoscale structural mapping in complex materials, enabling the discovery of emergent structural organization in heterogeneous, beam-sensitive systems.
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Quantum Physics

An error-mitigated quantum annealing solution for the weighted Max-Cut problem on a cubic lattice

Y. S. Yang, P. Tyson and A. B Murphy

The weighted Max-Cut problem is an NP-hard problem with application implications. It is investigated on a cubic lattice with 113 nodes and mixed-signed random edge weights. For a fixed upper bound on edge weights, it has been demonstrated that the computational difficulty increases as the lower bound on edge weights becomes more negative. The solution time for the problem using a novel error-mitigated quantum annealing approach is compared with standard D-Wave quantum annealing (QA) and BQM hybrid solvers, as well as various classical solvers. For the QPU-embeddable weighted Max-Cut instances with mixed-signed edge weights, it has been quantitatively demonstrated that the SEMO (spin-error mitigation for optimisation) error-mitigated quantum annealing achieved substantially shorter time-to solution than standard D-Wave QA, D-Wave BQM, simulated annealing and Tabu search baselines. The error-mitigated quantum annealing approach presented in this article potentially elevates the efficiency and application scope of quantum annealing and would be applicable in solving other discrete optimisation problems that can be formulated as QUBO or Ising instances. The promising solution time advantage would be particularly impactful for time-critical optimisation applications.
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Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics

Improved Cosmological Constraints from Morphology-Based Marked Correlation Functions

Xu Xiao, Zhao Chen, Yu Yu et al. (+2 more)

The cosmic web contains morphology-dependent information that is not fully captured by standard two-point statistics. We construct morphology-based marked correlation functions (MCFs) by assigning marks to halos according to the cosmic-web morphology identified with the Nexus algorithm. Using the Kun simulation suite, which spans 129 $w_0w_a$CDM cosmologies, we build Gaussian-process emulators for the MCFs as functions of cosmological parameters and tracer bias. We then apply the emulators to mock halo catalogues from the independent Jiutian simulation and perform a joint likelihood analysis to quantify the resulting cosmological constraints. We consider two marker choices: a discrete morphology marker and a continuous morphology strength marker. The continuous marker improves the Figure of Merit (FoM) by a factor of $\sim 8.6$ relative to the standard 2PCF and reduces the $1\sigma$ uncertainty on $\sigma_8$ by a factor of $\sim 5$. The discrete marker gives a more modest FoM improvement of $\sim 17\%$. We further test the impact of tracer selection by varying the halo mass threshold by a factor of $\sim 4.5$. Even for the lowest mass threshold, the continuous marker remains unbiased and achieves a FoM about $\sim 3.4$ times higher than that of the 2PCF alone. These results show that morphology-based MCFs, combined with simulation-based emulation, provide a useful framework for extracting additional cosmological information from large-scale structure surveys.
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All authors Xu Xiao, Zhao Chen, Yu Yu, Xiao-Dong Li, Le Zhang

Disordered Systems and Neural Networks

Localization and Transport in a Non-Hermitian Hexagonal Harper Model

Akshey Rajoriya, Dibyajyoti Sahu, Suhas Gangadharaiah et al. (+1 more)

We investigate a one-dimensional non-Hermitian hexagonal Harper model with quasiperiodically modulated hopping amplitudes. In the Hermitian limit, the model exhibits metallic, insulating, and multifractal phases characterized by distinct eigenstate properties. Upon introducing non- Hermiticity, the phase diagram is qualitatively altered, with an expansion of metallic regions and strong boundary sensitivity arising from the non-Hermitian skin effect. By analyzing wave-packet dynamics, we uncover qualitatively distinct transport signatures in metallic, multifractal, and in- sulating regimes. In the metallic region, nonreciprocal hopping induces finite sliding, resulting in ballistic center-of-mass motion that is absent in the Hermitian model, while wave-packet spreading is simultaneously suppressed and exhibits diffusive scaling. Interestingly, the multifractal regime emerges as a distinct dynamical phase supporting both enhanced spreading and finite sliding, both primarily of superdiffusive nature, in contrast to metallic regions where sliding (spreading) shows ballistic (diffusive) scaling. These features are markedly different from their Hermitian counterpart. On the other hand, in the insulating region, both the spreading and sliding are strongly suppressed. We reconfirm these intriguing transport characteristics by investigating the distinct growth profile of single-particle entanglement entropy where the effect of spreading of the wave-packet is clearly manifested. These results demonstrate that quasiperiodicity in hopping amplitudes, combined with non-Hermiticity, establishes the multifractal regime as a key mediator of transport.
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All authors Akshey Rajoriya, Dibyajyoti Sahu, Suhas Gangadharaiah, Tanay Nag

High Energy Physics (Experiment)

Measurement of $e^{+} e^{-}\to p\bar{p}$ around $\psi(2S)$ with scan method

The BESIII Collaboration

This paper uses the data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $495$~pb$^{-1}$ in the center-of-mass energy region from 3.58~GeV to 3.71~GeV to study the relative phase between strong and electromagnetic amplitudes in the $\psi(2S)\to p\bar{p}$ decay. The cross sections and the effective form factors around $\psi(2S)$ of proton-antiproton pairs are presented thereby filling the gap in the experimental results around the $\psi(2S)$ resonance for the first time, and the results are consistent with the previous BESIII and BaBar results. The relative phase is extracted from the cross-section line shape as $\Phi_{g,\gamma}=(105.9\pm9.4)^\circ$ or $\Phi_{g,\gamma}=(-105.3\pm9.1)^\circ$. Correspondingly, two solutions for the $\psi(2S)\to p\bar{p}$ branching fractions are obtained as $\mathcal{B}=(3.21\pm0.13)\times10^{-4}$ and $\mathcal{B}=(3.47\pm0.19)\times10^{-4}$. These results support the universality of the phase and provide new insights into its underlying mechanism.
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Optics

Optical nonlinearity in a strongly interacting Rydberg atom ensemble

Lu Qin, Zeyun Shi, Xingdong Zhao et al. (+2 more)

Rydberg atoms, characterized by their giant polarizability and strong long-range interactions, provide an ideal platform for exploring optical nonlinearities. By coupling light to ensembles of Rydberg atoms, one can map the strong and nonlocal interactions between Rydberg atoms and light fields. A particularly important scheme for realizing such nonlinearity is electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). This article presents a review of the research progress in nonlinear optics based on Rydberg-EIT systems, particularly nonlinear light propagation in Rydberg atomic gases. We first introduce the fundamental properties of Rydberg atoms and the physical mechanism of EIT-enhanced nonlinearity, emphasizing how the Rydberg blockade effect endows the system with a giant nonlocal Kerr nonlinearity. Subsequently, we discuss some typical nonlinear optical phenomena in such a system with focusing and defocusing nonlocal nonlinearities. In the focusing regime, we discuss spatial solitons, vortex solitons, soliton cloning, soliton molecules, optical bullets, and self-induced transparency solitons. Other topics are also discussed. In the defocusing regime, we analyze pattern formation and shock wave dynamics. Finally, we provide an outlook on the future development of this field toward quantum control, hybrid-system integration, and novel functional devices.
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All authors Lu Qin, Zeyun Shi, Xingdong Zhao, Weibin Li, Guoxiang Huang

Soft Condensed Matter

Skimming transition in flexible granular sweeping

Y. Ochi and H. Katsuragi

A flexible body placed in a steady flow bends to reduce drag. This self-streamlining is a hallmark of fluid-structure interaction (FSI). Granular-structure interaction is equally ubiquitous in nature. However, it remains poorly understood. Thus, we investigate inertial granular-structure interaction (IGSI). Specifically, ejection induced by a flexible plate sweeping a granular bed is experimentally examined. We find that a faster sweep results in less ejection, particularly for a flexible plate. To understand the underlying physics of this behavior, a dimensionless number Sk is introduced as the ratio of the plate elastic timescale to the sweep timescale. At $\mathrm{Sk} \lesssim 1$, the plate deflection follows the self-streamlining law of FSI and induces substantial ejection. At $\mathrm{Sk} \gtrsim 1$, on the other hand, the plate skims the bed and the mass of ejected grains decreases sharply. Sk organizes IGSI as the granular counterpart of FSI.
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Earth and Planetary Astrophysics

Scaling of microcraters with molten rims derived from laser-induced cratering experiments

S. Sato, H. Shibayama, K. Nagai et al. (+1 more)

Microcraters with molten rims are widely observed in returned samples from the Moon and asteroids. These features reflect the conditions of small-scale impact events, but the impact velocities required for their formation are not well understood. In this study, we use well-controlled laser irradiation on rock surfaces as an experimental analog to investigate the formation of these molten-rim craters. Specifically, we derive a scaling relation between crater volume, total irradiation energy, and energy loss associated with thermal diffusion. The experimental results indicate that molten-rim structures of microcraters can be formed in the range of $10^2$–$10^3$~m/s impact velocity. This value is consistent with some previous studies which suggested that the origin of microcraters is secondary impact events. These findings provide experimental constraints on the formation mechanisms of molten-rim microcraters and offer a new perspective on impact processes recorded on planetary surfaces. The estimated result is also consistent with the impact velocity required to produce the observed wavy rim protrusions due to a Rayleigh-Taylor hydrodynamic instability ($\sim 10^2$~m/s).
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All authors S. Sato, H. Shibayama, K. Nagai, H. Katsuragi

Soft Condensed Matter

Time-resolved sedimentation of dense potato-starch suspensions measured by optical coherence tomography

T. Saiki and H. Katsuragi

We demonstrate optical coherence tomography (OCT) as a measurement technique for dense, optically opaque suspensions. Conventional optical methods cannot access the interior of such suspensions. OCT resolves individual potato-starch particles (${\sim}20~\mathrm{\mu m}$) as distinct scatterers, even though the suspension appears opaque to the eye. By tracking the vertical centroid position of the particle-laden layer $\langle Z \rangle(t)$ and the supernatant boundary $Z_\mathrm{sup}(t)$ in the same OCT image sequence, we obtain the instantaneous settling velocity $V(t)$ and the time-evolving effective volume fraction $\phi_\mathrm{eff}(t)$ simultaneously and continuously in time. To our knowledge, this is the first measurement to combine settling velocity and particle concentration into a single continuous trajectory within one sedimentation run. Conventional batch measurements yield only one velocity value per run. We applied this method to dense potato-starch suspensions, varying the initial volume fraction $\phi_0$ from 0.30 to 0.50 and the solvent density $\rho_\mathrm{L}$ from 1.0 to $1.3{\times}10^3~\mathrm{kg~m^{-3}}$ using aqueous sodium polytungstate solutions. The normalized velocity $V/V_\mathrm{Stokes}$ plotted against $\phi_\mathrm{eff}$ collapses onto a common trend consistent with both the Krieger–Dougherty model and the Richardson–Zaki law over $\phi_\mathrm{eff} \simeq 0.30$–$0.52$, confirming that the method captures physically reasonable hindered-settling behavior. These results establish OCT as a viable tool for probing internal dynamics in dense suspensions that were previously inaccessible to optical measurement.
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General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Five-Dimensional Traversable Wormholes in Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet Gravity with a Cloud of Strings

Jaydeep Goswami and Umananda Dev Goswami

We present an exact static and spherically symmetric traversable wormhole solution in 5D Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet (EGB) gravity supported by a Letelier cloud of strings. The physically admissible parameter space is determined by imposing the flare-out condition together with the positivity of the string-cloud density, and the resulting spacetime is shown to be asymptotically flat. An analysis of the Ricci scalar, Ricci tensor squared, and Kretschmann scalar confirms that the geometry is free from curvature singularities. The effective null, weak, strong and dominant energy conditions are either satisfied or saturated at the throat. The generalized TOV equation demonstrates that the wormhole remains in mechanical equilibrium. We further investigate its traversability by studying the proper radial distance, embedding diagrams, traversal time, proper acceleration, and tidal accelerations, showing that the solution satisfies the Morris-Thorne criteria for traversable wormholes. The optical properties of the spacetime are explored through null geodesics, unstable photon circular orbits, and the corresponding shadow, revealing the influence of both the Gauss-Bonnet coupling and the string-cloud density. Finally, scalar perturbations are analyzed using the sixth-order WKB approximation method together with time-domain evolution. The quasinormal mode spectra exhibit negative imaginary frequencies throughout the considered parameter space, indicating linear stability, while the close agreement between the WKB, time-domain, and eikonal results provides additional consistency for the analysis. These results demonstrate that higher-curvature effects in 5D EGB gravity can support a regular, traversable and dynamically stable wormhole sustained by a physically motivated string-cloud matter source.
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High Energy Physics (Phenomenology)

Uncovering Hidden Leptonic Correlations with Flow Matching and Autoencoders

Haruto Kitagawa, Satsuki Nishimura and Hajime Otsuka

We perform a global search for values of the Yukawa matrices and Majorana masses in the Type-I seesaw mechanism. Using flow matching, which is a generative artificial intelligence (generative AI) method, we generate a broad set of solutions reproducing the experimentally measured values of the neutrino mass-squared differences and the mixing angles. Then, a machine learning method known as an autoencoder is applied to uncover non-trivial correlations among physical quantities in the lepton sector. Our analysis reveals new non-linear relations involving neutrino masses and CP phases. These findings may contribute to elucidating the origins of the mass hierarchies and mixing patterns among generation structure.
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