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Saturday 29 August

High Energy Physics (Theory)

Bound States in Perturbative Quantum Gravity with Hydrogen-like Degeneracy

Recent results in the study of gravitational scattering amplitudes indicate that some highly-symmetric relativistic systems may exactly conserve a version of the Laplace-Runge-Lenz (LRL) vector in two-body bound states. We make a systematic study, in the context of a generic EFT of long-range interactions due to the exchange of massless mediator particles of spins 0, $\frac{1}{2}$, 1, $\frac{3}{2}$, 2, of the conditions for the conservation of a hidden LRL vector; both classically (no orbital precession) and quantum-mechanically (hydrogen-like degeneracy of bound states). The calculations require several new technical developments including the extension of relativistic post-Minkowskian potential matching to quantum corrections and the incorporation of long-range forces due to the exchange of pairs of massless fermions. We find that while classically the absence of precession is a generic property of a large class of models, including Kaluza-Klein theories, with vector and scalar exchanges, maintaining the degeneracy quantum-mechanically requires a surprising cancellation between gravitons and 6 Majorana gravitinos, hinting at a special role for $\mathcal{N}=6$ supergravity.
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High Energy Physics (Theory) · Cross-listed from math.AG

Quasimap critical cohomology, Coulomb branches, and quantum groups

This article presents a systematic study of the critical cohomology of $\QM^{\xi}(\bbP^1, X)$, the moduli space of based quasimaps from $\bbP^1$ to a Nakajima quiver variety $X$. We develop two derived equivalent presentations of this moduli space as a global critical locus. Accordingly, we obtain two equivalent explicit realizations of the canonical DT sheaf of the moduli space. Using each critical presentation, we describe canonical actions of shifted Yangians and quantized Coulomb branches on the quasimap critical cohomologies. We produce, by geometric means, a canonical morphism from an appropriate Hall algebra to the Coulomb branch, and show that the two actions we describe are compatible via this morphism under an additional hypothesis. We conjecture the compatibility holds generally, and reduce the claim to a sheaf-theoretic statement that may be approached via Joyce conjecture.
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Quantum Physics

FIREQ: FPGA Instrumentation for Readout and Qubit control

We present FIREQ (FPGA Instrumentation for Readout and Qubit control), an open-source RFSoC-based framework for the control and readout of superconducting qubits. FIREQ combines a modular AXI-compliant firmware architecture with a PYNQ-based software stack designed to support extensible hardware integration, deterministic experiment timing, and low-overhead execution of repeated calibration and characterization workflows. The firmware implements direct RF synthesis and acquisition, trigger-based sequencing, programmable pulse generation, frequency-multiplexed readout, and memory-efficient acquisition and waveform buffering. The software adopts a client-server architecture with streamed data transfer and dependency-aware configuration updates to reduce host-device and reconfiguration overhead during parameter sweeps. On an AMD Zynq UltraScale+ RFSoC ZCU216, FIREQ generates RF pulses up to 9.3 GHz with a pulse-duration resolution of 107 ps and an event-timing resolution of 1.7 ns. FPGA resource utilization is compared with representative open-source RFSoC control frameworks, showing a low BRAM footprint while retaining full-rate I/Q generation and acquisition. The RF output is characterized in terms of phase noise, noise spectral density, and inter-channel timing skew. End-to-end operation is validated on a superconducting qubit through resonator spectroscopy, Rabi, Ramsey, and relaxation measurements, yielding T1 = 6.94 us and T2* = 13.50 us. FIREQ can therefore be used both as a qubit-control platform and as an experimental environment for evaluating alternative control and readout IP architectures.
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All authors Giuseppe La Capra, Fabio Calabrese, Giorgio D'Amico, Christian Conti, Andrea De Simone, Deborah Volpe, Angelo Nucciotti, Roldolfo Carobene, Claudio Gatti, Andrea Giachero, Fabrizio Riente

Quantum Physics

Quantum work extraction from partial information and with finite resources

Information can be converted into work, but in quantum mechanics information about a state is not freely available: it must be inferred statistically from measurements on a finite number of copies. We study work extraction in this finite-resource setting by introducing a partial-information and finite-resources (PIFR) quantum Maxwell's demon. Given $N$ identical copies of a state with known Hamiltonian, the demon measures $M$ copies to estimate the state and the corresponding ergotropic unitary, which is then applied to the remaining $N-M$ copies. This protocol induces a trade-off between information acquisition, reconstruction accuracy, and thermodynamic yield, making the total extracted work normalized to the ideal ergotropic benchmark the relevant figure of merit. As our central result, we derive a universal closed-form trade-off bound that places this ergotropic efficiency between a Carnot-type ceiling $1-M/N$ and a floor controlled by a reconstruction precision rooted in finite-sample quantum estimation theory; optimizing the copy allocation yields $M^*\propto N^{2/3}$ and an $N^{-1/3}$ approach to the ideal limit, set by a conservative, worst-case reconstruction precision. By considering standard quantum state tomography, we numerically verify the presence of an optimal resource distribution, which also depends on the purity of the state under consideration. Our results identify finite-copy work extraction as a genuinely task-dependent inference problem, in which estimation strategies should be judged by thermodynamic performance rather than reconstruction fidelity alone.
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All authors Giacomo Guarnieri, Diego Maragnano, Giulia Gamba, Lorenzo Zoppelletto, Marco Liscidini

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

BSN-VII: Photometric Light Curve Study of Three Cool, Large-Amplitude, Low Mass, W-Subtype Contact Binaries

We present a comprehensive photometric study of three W UMa-type contact binary systems, V1104 Her, V1284 Her, and V2822 Ori, based on a combination of ground-based observations and space-based TESS photometry. The light curves were modeled using the BSN application under a contact configuration, with parameters and their uncertainties estimated through the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) approach. The derived solutions indicate that the target systems are in a shallow-contact configuration. The target systems are classified as W-subtype contact binaries, with the more massive component cooler than its companion. The light curve of V1284 Her shows a pronounced O'Connell effect, which is reproduced by introducing a cool starspot on the primary component. Absolute parameters were estimated using the empirical parameter relationship between orbital period and semi-major axis, yielding component masses in the range $0.48$-$0.86\,M_\odot$ and confirming the low-mass nature of the systems. Orbital period variations were investigated using eclipse timings from the literature, ground-based observations, and TESS data by examining both linear and cyclic models. Statistical model comparison indicates that the cyclic model provides a better description of the eclipse timings for V1104 Her and V1284 Her, whereas the linear model is preferred for V2822 Ori, although the difference between the two models is relatively small.
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All authors Atila Poro, Raul Michel, Diana Zadkhosh, Ava Ekrami Fard, Kian Farhadi Sangdehi, Anica Lekic, Maxime Cellier, Chloé Da Graca Baptista, Paul Pointier, Fahri Alicavus, Elham Sarvari, Neslihan Alan

Quantum Physics · Cross-listed from cs.LO

A quantum let within the lambda calculus

Since the seminal work of Selinger and Valiron, the standard design for quantum lambda calculi has kept the quantum state outside the program: terms manipulate pointers to an external register. This is largely due to the difficulty of eliminating tensor products. For example, the calculus $\lambda_\rho^\circ$ embeds density matrices directly within terms, where terms carry the entire computation state, a feature particularly appealing for program verification. However, lacking a tensor elimination construct, it can neither access the individual qubits of a compound state nor discard them. Borgna showed that this inability to discard qubits makes the calculus strictly less expressive than the quantum lambda calculus of Selinger and Valiron. In this paper we show that tensor elimination is possible in this setting. The key observation is that the Pauli decomposition, combined with the spectral decomposition of the Pauli matrices, allows any $n$-qubit density matrix to be expressed as a real linear combination of tensor products of single-qubit density matrices. Exploiting this fact, we extend $\lambda_\rho^\circ$ with a construct $\mathrm{let}\ x^{\otimes n} = \rho\ \mathrm{in}\ t$, which binds each $x_i$ to a single-qubit density matrix arising from the decomposition of $\rho$. We equip the extended calculus with a rewrite system, a type system, and a denotational semantics, and prove Subject Reduction, Progress, Strong Normalisation, Soundness, and Adequacy. The new construct also recovers the missing ability to discard qubits, thereby restoring expressiveness. Moreover, we show that this is achieved in a physically principled way: a variable unused in $t$ is interpreted exactly as being partial-traced out, as dictated by the no-deleting theorem. We illustrate the resulting compositionality through quantum teleportation and the three-qubit bit-flip code.
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Mathematical Physics

Simultaneous Reconstructions of (x,t) -Dependent Coefficients and Initial Conditions of Parabolic Equations

This is the first publication, in which an inverse problem of the simultaneous reconstruction of an unknown (x,t) - dependent coefficient and an unknown initial condition in a general linear parabolic equation of the second order is considered. The input data depend on (n+1) variables and are, therefore, formally determined ones. Stability estimates and uniqueness theorem are obtained for this inverse problem. As a by-product, logarithmic stability estimates for initial conditions of parabolic equations and inequalities with time reversed data are obtained for the first time. All known publications about inverse problems for parabolic equations with formally determined input data and unknown coefficients assume that those coefficients depend either only on x or only on t. In addition, the initial condition is assumed to be known, except of two publications cited in the text. The inverse problem of this paper has two potential applications. The first one is in forecasting of public opinions in the framework of the Mean Field Games theory. The second one is in tracking spatiotemporal outbreaks of epidemics.
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Quantum Physics

Convex conservation of von Neumann entropy implies unitarity or antiunitarity

On the space of density matrices $D(H)$, Kadison's theorem establishes that all invertible convex transformations $K:D(H)\to D(H)$ are unitarity or antiunitary. For a finite Hilbert space, we propose a similar theorem which replaces the invertibility requirement with that of entropy conservation. Thus, we argue, the supposition of reversibility in quantum mechanics may be replaced with a principle of entropy conservation.
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Instrumentation and Methods for Astrophysics

Characterization of the stabilized nulling interferometry testbed PERSÉE

Observing exoplanets is hindered by high stellar contrast and tiny angular separation. Nulling interferometry addresses this by recombining two pupils for destructive interference on the star and constructive interference on the planet. However, maintaining deep nulls despite external disturbances requires sub-nanometer optical path difference (OPD) stability and sub-hundredth Airy disk pointing control. To validate this technology for a space mission, the PERSEE laboratory demonstrator bench was developed by a CNES-led consortium and integrated at the Meudon Observatory. Simulating a complete space mission setup, PERSEE targeted a stable star extinction rate of 1e-4 with variations of 1e-5 over several hours under simulated disturbances. The thesis focused on the multi-stage integration, calibration, and characterization of the bench's critical components and cophasing control loops. By implementing a Linear Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) controller optimized through preliminary disturbance measurements, the system mitigated multi-frequency vibrations (1-100 Hz, tens of nanometers amplitude), reducing residual OPD to 0.3 nm RMS and tip-tilt errors to 0.4 percent of the Airy disk. These stabilization controls achieved a record null rate of 8.8e-6 with 9e-7 stability over several hours in the 1.65-2.45um spectral band, surpassing initial specifications by an order of magnitude. Extrapolating these results to space missions indicates that with 40 cm telescopes and 100 Hz control loops, exoplanet observations are feasible for stars brighter than 9th magnitude.
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High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena

Rapid Energy Dissipation by Colliding Waves in Strongly Magnetized Plasmas

Rapid dissipation of magnetic energy in highly magnetized environments around neutron stars and black holes is a key open question in high-energy astrophysics. We develop a general kinetic picture of counter-propagating wave collisions in magnetized pair plasmas for arbitrary polarizations and find that magnetic energy can be dissipated on the wave-crossing timescale. The two magnetohydrodynamical conditions on the field invariants, $I_1\equiv B^2-E^2>0$ and $I_2\equiv \mathbf{E}\cdot\mathbf{B}=0$, can be spontaneously violated during the collision. Parallel electric fields develop to screen nonzero $I_2$ with little energy loss, consistent with the evolution described by Force-Free Electrodynamics. When magnetic dominance is lost, strong particle energization is triggered, dissipating magnetic energy on the wave-crossing timescale. This dynamical process yields a rapid dissipation channel of magnetic energy and provides a kinetic pathway to high-energy emission.
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Nuclear Theory

Local-nuclear-density dependent calculation of nucleon electromagnetic form factor ratios in finite nuclei

We calculate the electromagnetic form factors of nucleons bound in finite nuclei and make predictions to the ratio between the electric ($G_E^*$) and magnetic ($G_M^*$) form factors in terms of the square of the four-momentum transfer $Q^2$. We extend our previous constant-density calculations within the covariant spectator-QMC framework by incorporating the spatial nuclear density profiles of finite nuclei and quantify the deviations from the average-density approximation used in our previous applications. The impact of the medium effects can then be observed considering the ratio between $G_E^*/G_M^*$ and the ratio in free space $G_E/G_M$, that define the proton electromagnetic double ratio associated with a given nucleus. The double ratio is expected to remove some systematic uncertainties. There is the expectation that ratios $G_E^*/G_M^*$ associated with the bound protons inside the nucleus will be measured in the near future in polarization-transfer experiments $(\vec{e} A, e'\! A' \vec{p})$. Anticipating future measurements on the subject, we make predictions for the double ratios, to be compared with the average measurements on the energy states of protons bound to nuclei. We consider the nuclei $^{12}$C, $^{16}$O and $^{40}$Ca. We conclude that the form factors calculated using nuclear density profile function $\rho(r)$ are less suppressed than in the case of the results calculated using the average nuclear density. The results indicate that the relative importance of the low-density surface region increases with $Q^2$, leading to a weaker suppression than that predicted by the average-density approximation. We also make predictions for the ratios associated with neutrons bound to nuclei.
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Quantum Physics

Quantum Mechanics as a Relativistic Statistical Theory: A Mass-Shell Factorisation Approach

Spinor structure is usually introduced as part of relativistic quantum theory. We show that its underlying algebra can instead emerge without quantisation from a covariant statistical description of a massive relativistic particle subject to an explicit finite-dimensional linear factorisation of the complete massive mass-shell constraint motivated by requiring the theory retain both sheets of the massive mass shell. A finite-dimensional factorisation of the complete mass-shell constraint, linear in all four momentum components, forces a Clifford algebra. In (3+1) dimensions its minimal complex representation is four-dimensional, while each on-shell factor selects a rank-two sector; in this representation statistical completeness requires an arbitrary $2\times2$ matrix distribution within that sector before quantisation. Projecting the Weyl-ordered matrix Liouvillian gives relativistic transport while preserving all internal populations and coherences. For universal deformations on flat canonical phase space satisfying the stated covariance, matrix-neutrality, homogeneity and associativity assumptions, the resulting product is the matrix Weyl–Moyal product. Its parameter has dimensions of action and, when identified with $\hbar$, supplies the scale of physical spin-$\tfrac12$. Requiring all-order constraint preservation gives a vanishing star commutator, while preservation of the selected star-spectral sector yields the two-sided Dirac–Wigner equations. Our central conclusion is therefore that relativistic mass-shell factorisation supplies spinor structure, while completion of the constraint-preservation hierarchy within the stated deformation class leads to the Weyl–Moyal phase-space formulation of quantum mechanics.
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Quantum Physics

Quantum Natural Gradient on Quotient Spaces

A parametrized quantum circuit reports its state geometry through a quantum Fisher information matrix (QFIM), often singular. A small Fisher value can reflect exact state-preserving redundancy, compression by the circuit chart, or weak intrinsic distinguishability, and these mechanisms call for different numerical treatments. We show that the circuit metric factors as $F=B^{*}MB$, where $B$ is the state-level circuit-to-orbit differential and $M$ is the intrinsic Fisher operator on the reachable orbit. The factorization identifies the exact kernel as $\ker B$, separates coordinate transfer from intrinsic geometry, and yields the condition for a circuit to realize an orbit-level quantum natural-gradient (QNG) direction. When the prescribed redundancy exhausts the Fisher kernel, the Moore–Penrose update is the minimum-norm horizontal lift of the quotient Riemannian gradient. At critical points with a locally diffeomorphic quotient-to-orbit map, chart singular values cancel from the linearized QNG operator while intrinsic anisotropy remains; in the trace-orthonormal full-control generator frame, excitation-gap anisotropy gives $\kappa_{\mathrm{QNG}}=\kappa_{\mathrm{Eucl}}$. Representation theory makes $M$ explicit on highest-weight, Slater, and fermionic-Gaussian orbits, and cominuscule fidelity flow becomes integrable, with conserved principal-defect ratios, cubic Lie-retracted convergence at $\eta=2$, and stability boundary $\eta=4$. Finite data impose a second boundary: an estimated QFIM and its confidence radius alone cannot distinguish an exact zero from a small physical mode, so the estimated spectrum alone cannot license hard projection. Under depolarization, inverse-Fisher scaling amplifies mean updates and fluctuations together and cannot restore update signal-to-noise. A redundant Slater/Givens circuit confirms exact transfer identities and illustrates finite-shot tradeoffs.
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Chemical Physics

Transition states and dynamical bottlenecks in the Li-NC <-> Li-CN isomerizing reaction with the Lagrangian betweenness

We study the vibrational dynamics that is responsible for Li-NC <-> Li-CN isomerization reaction using the Lagrangian betweenness, a tool recently developed to identify dynamical bottlenecks in the context of oceanographic transport. Following the spirit of the betweenness-centrality metric, which efficiently identifies the nodes that act as bottlenecks in complex networks, the Lagrangian betweenness is similarly capable to identify bottlenecks in dynamical systems. On the one hand, in this paper we show the ability of the Lagrangian betweenness to identify transition states, which are short-lived states that are formed at the top of the energetic barrier that the system must surpass in order to transition the reaction from the (initial) reactants to the (final) products. On the other hand, we also demonstrate that the Lagrangian betweenness is also able to identify other dynamical bottlenecks, and phase-space invariant structures such as manifolds, chains of islands and invariant tori, which are also responsible for the intricate vibrational dynamics of the system.
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All authors P. García-Cuadrillero, F. Revuelta, R. M. Benito, F. Borondo

Soft Condensed Matter

"Ultra-weak" First-Order Phase Transition in Biaxial Liquid Crystals

We report high-resolution Monte Carlo evidence characterizing the hierarchy of transition strengths in biaxial nematogens. By employing multiple histogram reweighting on large lattices, we demonstrate that while the isotropic-to-uniaxial ($I \to N_U$) transition is symmetry-enforced first-order, the uniaxial-to-biaxial ($N_U \to N_B$) transition in the region between the tricritical point and the triple point ($\lambda = 0.26$) is proximity-driven and more than an order of magnitude smaller for large system sizes. Such a class of ultra-weak first-order transitions could be a new pathway for future investigations.
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All authors Soumyajit Pramanick, Mrinal Kanti Debnath, Nababrata Ghoshal, Soumen Kumar Roy, Sudeshna Dasgupta

Fluid Dynamics

Droplet impact of emulsions on inclined microstructured surfaces

Droplet impacts rarely occur on horizontal smooth surfaces, yet the combined influence of surface inclination, microstructure, and fluid composition remains poorly understood for emulsions. Here, we experimentally investigate the impact of 20% (v/v) silicone oil-in-water emulsion droplets on smooth glass and micropillar arrays with two interpillar spacings (50 and 100 $\mu$m) inclined at 55$^\circ$. The role of surface wettability is further examined using a superhydrophobic coating. High-speed imaging is employed to characterise the impact dynamics over a wide range of Weber numbers ($18 \leq We \leq 565$), while optical microscopy is used to quantify the residual wetted area after impact. Five impact regimes are identified: deposition, sliding, partial rebound, complete rebound, and splashing. Surface inclination introduces asymmetry in spreading and recoil, whereas microstructured substrates reduce adhesion and promote rebound by decreasing the liquid-solid contact area. In contrast to water, the emulsion exhibit enhanced deposition on smooth surfaces, increased sliding on uncoated microstructures, and earlier ligament formation and secondary breakup at high Weber numbers. The dispersed oil phase locally modifies wetting and lubrication, producing liquid bridges, heterogeneous recoil, and larger residual wetted areas on smooth substrates. On microstructured surfaces, however, capillary confinement within the texture limits the projected wetted area despite increased liquid retention inside the microstructure. These results demonstrate that the impact behaviour of emulsions cannot be predicted solely from conventional dimensionless groups, as local phase redistribution fundamentally alters energy dissipation, wetting, and fragmentation. The findings provide new insight into spray deposition on inclined textured surfaces relevant to agricultural spraying and coating technologies.
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All authors Ulises Rosales-Gallegos, Laura Oropeza-Ramos, Francisco Manuel Sánchez-Arévalo, Miguel A. Quetzeri-Santiago

Applied Physics

Advancing Lead-Free FASnI3 Perovskite Solar Cells via Cu-Doped NiOx HTL Engineering: An Optoelectronic Analysis

Efficient lead-free perovskite solar cells remain limited by inefficient charge transport and significant recombination losses. In this work, copper (Cu) doped nickel oxide (NiOx) is employed as the hole transport layer (HTL) in a formamidinium tin iodide (FASnI3) perovskite solar cell to improve hole extraction and suppress carrier losses. The optoelectronic response of the proposed device architecture is evaluated through a coupled numerical framework combining finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) optical simulations with finite element method (FEM)-based electrical modeling. Electrical analysis solves the Poisson equation together with the drift-diffusion and carrier continuity equations, while accounting for radiative, non-adiative, and interfacial recombination mechanisms. Systematic optimization of the thicknesses and doping concentrations of the constituent layers was performed to establish a high-performance device configuration. Following optimization of layer dimensions and carrier densities, the device achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 24.71%. Integrating an anti-reflection coating (ARC) effectively suppressed reflection losses, yielding a 5.47% relative enhancement in PCE. Consequently, the optimized device achieved a peak PCE of 26.06%, with a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 28.98 mA/cm2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.051 V, and a fill factor (FF) of 85.64%. These findings demonstrate that Cu-doped NiOx functions as a highly promising HTL to boost charge collection and maximize overall efficiency in lead-free FASnI3 solar cells.
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All authors Md. Faiaad Rahman, Jabed Hasan, Md. Ashaduzzaman Niloy, Ahmed Zubair

Materials Science

Strain-Driven Electronic and Catalytic Modulation of g-C3N4/GeS van der Waals heterostructure for Photocatalytic Water Splitting

Photocatalytic water splitting offers a viable pathway for sustainable hydrogen production. In this study, first-principles density functional theory calculations were performed to explore the strain-dependent photocatalytic behaviour of a two-dimensional g-C3N4/GeS heterostructure. The heterostructure shows type-II band alignment with an indirect band gap of 2.17 eV, smaller than those of the individual g-C3N4 (2.81 eV) and GeS (3.31 eV) monolayers. Biaxial tensile strain up to 3% effectively modulates the band gap and band edge positions, allowing suitable alignment with water redox potentials. The calculated Gibbs free energy for the hydrogen evolution reaction ({\Delta}GHER) is 0.2 eV for the pristine heterostructure and approaches near-thermoneutral values (-/+ 0.1 eV) under +1% and +2% strain. Meanwhile, the OER overpotential decreases from 2.17 V to 0.97 V with increasing strain. AIMD simulations and optical absorption in the visible region confirm the thermodynamic stability and promising photocatalytic potential of the heterostructure for hydrogen generation.
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All authors Soumendra Kumar Das, Smruti Ranjan Parida, Tapas Kumbhakar, Prasanjit Samal, Sridhar Sahu

Mathematical Physics

Sharp Logarithmic Quantum Dynamics for Quasiperiodic Schrödinger Operators

Dynamical localization requires all position moments of a quantum wavepacket to remain bounded in time, but for quasiperiodic Schrödinger operators such bounds are generally not uniform in phase. In the positive Lyapunov exponent regime, the best known phase-uniform estimates instead grow on a logarithmic scale. We prove that both the logarithmic scale and the dependence on the moment order are sharp for a class of one-frequency quasiperiodic Schrödinger operators with even potentials. Our main ingredient is a reflective version of semi-uniformly localized eigenfunctions, adapted to the two localization centers forced by a completely resonant phase, from which we obtain matching logarithmic lower bounds along sequences of times.
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Materials Science

Analogue Phase Change Computational Memory with High Precision Reads and Energy Efficient Writes

Resistive memory technologies offer a compelling advantage for in-memory computing. However, realizing a device architecture that simultaneously achieves high computational precision, efficiency, and density has remained elusive due to inherent trade-offs among these performance metrics. Here, we introduce a com- pact phase-change memory device architecture that combines an ultra-confined active switching volume for enhanced electro-thermal efficiency with a non-insulating thin film that suppresses temporal conductance fluctuations. We analytically model and back-end integrate these devices into crossbar arrays. Even with conventional, undoped phase-change materials, the device architecture enables a computational precision approaching 6 bits, low conductance values below 50 {\mu}S with an adequate conductance window, and a viable pathway toward sub-100 {\mu}A programming currents under nominal operating voltages.
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All authors Ghazi Sarwat Syed, Loris Coccia, Vara Prasad Jonnalagadda, Antonio Massimiliano Mio, Asit Ray, Matthew BrightSky, Abu Sebastian

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

On the Effect of Large Scale Structures and Turbulence on Solar Eruptive Events: The Cross-Scale Challenge for Space Weather

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are among the most powerful drivers of space weather, yet their prediction remains elusive. A fundamental obstacle is the problem's multiscale nature: large-scale magnetohydrodynamic models do not resolve the turbulent fluctuations that govern particle transport and magnetic connectivity. We present a new model that combines a MICroscopic diffusion approach of turbulence with MACroscopic EUHFORIA simulations (MICMAC) to address the cross-scale challenge of space weather. By incorporating turbulence properties into such small-scale Monte Carlo simulations, we describe an extreme CME event, tracing both magnetic field lines and 100 MeV protons from the CME-driven shock to 1 AU. We find that turbulence dramatically broadens and distorts the magnetic connection between the CME nose and Earth, producing footpoint distributions that are highly non-Gaussian, anisotropic, and patchy. MICMAC suggests that the distribution's enstrophy (non-Gaussianity) grows as the CME approaches Earth, signaling anomalous diffusive behavior. A simple shear-layer toy model reproduces the observed in-plane anisotropy, suggesting that local current sheet geometry imprints a persistent memory on the turbulent field. Our results demonstrate that cross-scale coupling between the CME's large-scale structure and ambient turbulence must be accounted for in space weather models. We discuss implications for SEP forecasting and interpreting multi-spacecraft observations.
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All authors Alessandro Ippolito, Giuseppe Prete, Nicolas Wijsen, Gaetano Zimbardo, Anwesha Maharana, Stefaan Poedts, Sergio Servidio

Quantum Physics

Zero-Energy Problems for Supersymmetric Hamiltonians on a Chain Are $\mathrm{QMA}_1$-Complete

We determine the computational complexity of deciding whether a supersymmetric quantum system on a one-dimensional chain has a zero-energy ground state. We prove $\mathrm{QMA}_1$-completeness for two input models, formulated in terms of Hermitian and nilpotent supercharges, respectively. In the Hermitian model, both the supercharge terms and the Hamiltonian have bounded range on the chain; in the nilpotent model, this geometric restriction applies only to the Hamiltonian. The hardness reduction from quantum satisfiability on a chain preserves exact zero energy and gives an inverse-polynomial ground-energy lower bound for negative instances. A common verification method establishes membership in $\mathrm{QMA}_1$ while allowing cancellations between supercharge terms.
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Strongly Correlated Electrons

Collinear and noncollinear antiferromagnetic ordering in a highly frustrated decorated square kagomé lattice antiferromagnets of the nabokoite family

Nabokoite family compounds ACu$_7$(TeO$_4$)(SO4)$_5$X (A=Na, K, Rb, Cs; X=Cl, Br) host frustrated 2D square kagom'{e} lattice layers decorated by additional inter-layer magnetic ions. We study magnetic order in nabokoites with multi-frequency electron spin resonance spectroscopy and thermodynamic measurement (specific heat, magnetization and dielectric permittivity). Our study reveals that the choice of the low-temperature ground state is qualitatively different in light-alkali-ion (K, Na) and heavy-alkali-ion (Rb, Cs) compounds. Heavy-alkali-ion nabokoites order in conventional collinear antiferromagnetic pattern with easy-axis anisotropy. The parameters of the ordered antiferromagnetic state are very close for all heavy-alkali-ion subfamily. Light-alkali-ion members of nabokoite family demonstrate much more complicated route to the ordered state: firstly, a ferroelectric transition at 25-90K lifts the frustration and thus pre-cooks the low-temperature ordering; secondly, an unusual noncollinear magnetic order develops via two-step phase transition with first transition temperature $T_{c1}\simeq 5-6$K and the second transition at $T_{c2}\simeq 3-4$K. Noncollinear order is evidenced by observation of characteristic non-Larmor antiferromagnetic resonance mode. Spin dynamics of light-alkali-ion nabokoites is characterized by three zero-field magnon gaps and two spin-reorientation fields, the values of magnon gaps and critical fields are quite different for different compounds. The finite-size cluster modeling of pyramidal structural block of nabokoite structure combined suggests that the critical closeness of the nabokoite exchange coupling parameters to the border-line between the different quantum ground state of pyramidal building block of nabokoite structure could be the clue to the choice of qualitatively different ordered state in light- and heavy-alkali-ion nabokoites.
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All authors V.N. Glazkov, Ya V. Rebrov, M.A. Dubovitskii, M.M. Markina, K.V. Zakharov, A.F. Murtazoev, P.S. Berdonosov, A.N. Vasiliev

High Energy Physics (Theory)

Inequalities and Positivity in Modular Flowed Entanglement Entropy

The modular Hamiltonian plays an important role in quantum information theory, quantum field theory, and the AdS/CFT correspondence. In this paper, we study a specific dynamical setup: starting from the tensor product of the reduced density matrices of a reference state, we evolve this product state under the modular flow generated by the reference state itself. We then investigate the resulting change in the entanglement entropy of a given region, which we call the modular entanglement shift (MES). Unlike evolution under a fixed quantum channel, this modular evolution obeys no general principle requiring the MES to have a definite sign. For a bipartition into subsystems A and B, we establish an exact entropy balance: the sum of the MESs for A and B equals the mutual information generated along the orbit. Consequently, their sum is nonnegative, even though either individual shift may be negative. For two disjoint intervals in the vacuum of a two-dimensional conformal field theory, however, we prove that a global conformal involution exchanging the intervals forces the two MESs to be equal. It follows that each MES is nonnegative along the modular flow. We establish this result both using a conformally transported regulator and intrinsically in terms of Araki relative entropy. Finally, we identify the modular-flow orbit with a Connes cocycle orbit and discuss possible applications to the AdS/CFT correspondence.
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Mesoscale and Nanoscale Physics

Heavy-Hole–Light-Hole Mixing and Spin–Photon Coupling in Germanium Flopping-Mode Qubits

Intrinsic spin–orbit interaction in germanium provides electrically active flopping-mode qubits without requiring magnetic-field gradients to generate spin–charge hybridization. We study double quantum dots (DQDs) with a multiband Luttinger–Kohn framework that retains heavy-hole (HH) and light-hole (LH) states on equal footing. Modeling vertical confinement with a finite confinement potential along the growth direction brings selected subbands into a regime of appreciable HH–LH mixing. This admixture activates electric-dipole spin-coupling through LH–LH and LH–HH transitions, complementing the conventional HH–HH pseudospin-flip resonance. For the parameter sets considered, these additional channels can produce larger spin–photon figures of merit than the HH–HH transition. HH–LH mixing thus supplies a tunable ingredient for qubit–cavity coupling in germanium hole-spin qubits and extends the operating regimes available to circuit-QED architectures.
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Strongly Correlated Electrons

Experimental observation of decoupled spin subsystems in decorated square kagomé lattice magnets of the nabokoite family

The square kagomé lattice (SKL) offers a model platform for investigating geometric frustration in 2D systems. Nabokoite-family compounds \nabok{A}{X} (A=Na, K, Cs, Rb and X=Cl, Br) extend this physics to a 3D network, where 2D SKL layers are decorated by interlayer spins. Using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), we demonstrate a dramatic splitting of this complex exchange network into two virtually decoupled spin subsystems: absolute calibration of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) absorption reveals that only a fraction of all copper spins in nabokoites is EPR-active and this fraction of the spins orders at the Néel point. Comparison of the EPR absorption and static susceptibility indicates that contribution of the EPR-silent spin subsystem to total magnetic susceptibility decreases on cooling. This direct observation of coexisting magnetic order and possible spin-liquid dynamics within a single compound challenges conventional models of unified exchange networks in decorated frustrated lattices.
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All authors V.N. Glazkov, Ya V. Rebrov, M.A. Dubovitskii, M.M. Markina, A.F. Murtazoev, P.S. Berdonosov, A.N. Vasiliev

Mathematical Physics

Simulating passive scalar advection in rough Kraichnan flows

We present a systematic Eulerian study of passive scalar advection in rough two-dimensional Kraichnan flows, covering the full range of velocity roughness exponent $h\in(0,1)$. The advection–diffusion equation is integrated directly using a pseudo-spectral method at resolutions up to $2048^2$ grid points, with a frozen-noise Runge–Kutta scheme consistent with the white-in-time construction of the carrier flow. The simulations recover the duality between advected scalar and advecting flow—the smoother the carrier, the rougher the scalar—together with the predicted scaling laws for the second-order statistics. Once the scaling range is properly identified, the fourth-order flatness anomaly is measured across the whole range of $h$, in agreement with the Lagrangian estimates of Frisch et al. (1999) and with the perturbative predictions of Bernard et al. (1998) and Pumir et al. (1997). Benefiting from the fact that our Eulerian simulations give direct access to the full scalar field, we also examine the probability density functions of scalar increments and the corresponding higher-order statistics, which show systematic departures from Gaussianity and from log-normality, with the strongest deviations manifesting for intermediate values of $h$. A central outcome of this work is a systematic account of how the simulation parameters, in particular the molecular diffusivity, must be adjusted with $h$, providing practical guidelines for reliable simulations; we further show that the residual deviations from the theoretical scaling laws are quantitatively accounted for by the finite spectral representation of the carrier flow. Our analysis also serve as a numerical baseline for simulating more realistic extensions of the Kraichnan model, where the carrier flow is coupled with a Gaussian multiplicative chaos and theoretical developments are limited.
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Atomic Physics

Controlling light shifts in chip-scale atomic beam clocks

Chip-scale atomic beam clocks are being investigated to extend the range of clock stability achievable in low-power timing applications. Here, we demonstrate a centimeter-scale, Ramsey coherent population trapping (CPT) clock based on a microfabricated Cs atomic beam device and investigate the interplay between light shifts and Doppler shifts that determines its leading clock systematics. We show that these shifts exhibit competing dependencies on CPT light parameters, leading to “doubly-insensitive" operating points where the clock frequency is simultaneously insensitive to laser frequency and power. We further demonstrate a method for controlling key clock shifts using spectroscopic signatures from the atomic beam that is compatible with fully-integrated operation. The clock achieves a fractional frequency stability of $2 \times 10^{-10}$ at $1~\textrm{s}$ and sub-$\mu$s drift over nearly $17~\textrm{hours}$, with leading CPT light systematics controlled below the $10^{-12}$ level.
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All authors Alexander Staron, Mingwu Lu, Ruwan Senaratne, Travis Autry, Susan Schima, John Kitching, William McGehee

Materials Science

Evaluating LLM-based AI agents integrated with materials synthesis tools: the case of atomic layer deposition

This work provides an overview of the different strategies that can be used to evaluate the performance of AI models and agents based on large language models (LLMs) for materials synthesis. After providing a brief overview of the key technologies behind the current generation of AI agents based on LLMs, we summarize the different approaches to evaluating these models in the context of materials science and in particular on materials synthesis, with a specific emphasis on scenarios in which the models are directly integrated with experimental tools. We discuss evaluation strategies spanning knowledge and reasoning benchmarks, tool-use benchmarks, and closed loop benchmarks involving the interaction with experimental systems or realistic virtual tools. We use atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a case study, emphasizing how existing approaches in the literature both build from general approaches used beyond materials science and can be generalized to other materials synthesis techniques. Finally, we provide a practical evaluation framework to evaluate LLMs in the context of materials synthesis
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Computational Physics · Cross-listed from cs.LG

A Spectral Identifiability Threshold for Dissipative Rate Recovery from Truncated Liouvillian Spectra

Open quantum systems lose energy and phase coherence through different dissipative processes, but these processes can produce overlapping dynamical signatures. The Liouvillian spectrum summarizes how such a system relaxes, yet it is not obvious how much of that spectrum is needed to distinguish the underlying dissipation rates. We study this question for amplitude damping and dephasing in a six-qubit Lindblad model whose spectrum can be derived analytically. We retain only the slowest non-steady spectral modes and ask how many are required before each dissipative rate becomes recoverable. We show that population modes contain no dephasing information, which creates a lower bound of D = 2^n retained modes for uniform dephasing identifiability in the relevant rate regime. The measured recovery threshold reaches this bound at n = 4,5,6, while n = 3 remains above it. At n = 6, least squares achieves a mean joint absolute error of order 10^-9, compared with 4.355 x 10^-4 for four tabular learning methods. Robustness tests show that this advantage weakens when the spectra are perturbed and when a transverse field breaks the commuting structure. These results show that the amount and structure of retained spectral information can determine whether dissipative parameters are recoverable, independently of the estimator used. The present conclusions apply to noise-free simulator spectra rather than measurement-derived spectra.
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