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Hybrid-order topological insulators combine first- and higher-order topological properties and host topological boundary states with codimension one and more than one in different bandgaps. A Weyl semimetal (WSM) can possess two types of Weyl points: one class of Weyl points terminates the Fermi arc surface states, while another class of Weyl points not only launch Fermi arc surface states but also hinge arc states, exhibiting the hybrid-order topology. Here, we propose a hybrid-order WSM by stacking two-dimensional rhomboid lattices based on chiral nearest-neighbor and double-helix next-nearest interlayer couplings. The first type of Weyl point that only truncates the Fermi arc surface states exists at the crossing of any two-fold degeneracy of two adjacent bands, and the second type of Weyl point that connects the hinge arc states only appears at the crossing of the two middle bands. Our findings enrich the classification of topological semimetals in condensed matter physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) remains one of the most challenging and fascinating mysteries in condensed matter physics. Recently, superconductivity with transition temperature exceeding liquid-nitrogen temperature is discovered in La3Ni2O7 at high pressure, which provides a new platform to explore the unconventional HTSC. In this work, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculation, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of La3Ni2O7 at ambient pressure. Our experiments are in nice agreement with ab initio calculations after considering an orbital-dependent band renormalization effect. The strong electron correlation effect pushes a flat band of d z 2 orbital component below the Fermi level (E F), which is predicted to locate right at E F under high pressure. Moreover, the d x 2– y 2 band shows pseudogap-like behavior with suppressed spectral weight and diminished quasiparticle peak near E F. Our findings provide important insights into the electronic structure of La3Ni2O7, which will shed light on understanding of the unconventional superconductivity in nickelates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature superconductivity (HTSC) remains one of the most challenging and fascinating mysteries in condensed matter physics. Recently, superconductivity with transition temperature exceeding liquid-nitrogen temperature is discovered in La3Ni2O7 at high pressure, which provides a new platform to explore the unconventional HTSC. In this work, using high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and ab initio calculation, we systematically investigate the electronic structures of La3Ni2O7 at ambient pressure. Our experiments are in nice agreement with ab initio calculations after considering an orbital-dependent band renormalization effect. The strong electron correlation effect pushes a flat band of d z 2 orbital component below the Fermi level (E F), which is predicted to locate right at E F under high pressure. Moreover, the d x 2– y 2 band shows pseudogap-like behavior with suppressed spectral weight and diminished quasiparticle peak near E F. Our findings provide important insights into the electronic structure of La3Ni2O7, which will shed light on understanding of the unconventional superconductivity in nickelates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), a workhorse of the semiconductor industry, has progressed rapidly in the last few decades in the development of novel materials. Recent developments in condensed matter and materials physics have seen the rise of many novel quantum materials that require ultra-clean and high-quality samples for fundamental studies and applications. Novel oxide-based quantum materials synthesized using MBE have advanced the development of the field and materials. In this review, we discuss the recent progress in new MBE techniques that have enabled synthesis of complex oxides that exhibit 'quantum' phenomena, including superconductivity and topological electronic states. We show how these techniques have produced breakthroughs in the synthesis of 4d and 5d oxide films and heterostructures that are of particular interest as quantum materials. These new techniques in MBE offer a bright future for the synthesis of ultra-high quality oxide quantum materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the use of electrolysis in chloride molten salts as a sustainable method for producing and recovering rare-earth elements (REEs), specifically neodymium. The current processes for REE production are environmentally harmful and energy-intensive, limiting their use to countries with lax environmental regulations. The proposed chloride molten salt electrolysis process offers benefits such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved process control, and higher current efficiencies. However, there are challenges to overcome, such as chlorine handling and corrosion. The article also suggests that the chloride-based process can be applied to other metals like iron, aluminum, titanium, and magnesium to achieve sustainability in their production. [Extracted from the article]

The charge density wave (CDW) instability, usually occurring in low-dimensional metals, has been a topic of interest for longtime. However, some very fundamental aspects of the mechanism remain unclear. Recently, a plethora of new CDW materials, a substantial fraction of which is two-dimensional or even three-dimensional, has been prepared and characterised as bulk and/or single-layers. As a result, the need for revisiting the primary mechanism of the instability, based on the electron–hole instability established more than 50 years ago for quasi-one-dimensional (quasi-1D) conductors, has clearly emerged. In this work, we consider a large number of CDW materials to revisit the main concepts used in understanding the CDW instability, and emphasise the key role of the momentum dependent electron–phonon coupling in linking electronic and structural degrees of freedom. We argue that for quasi-1D systems, earlier weak coupling theories work appropriately and the energy gain due to the CDW and the concomitant periodic lattice distortion (PLD) remains primarily due to a Fermi surface nesting mechanism. However, for materials with higher dimensionality, intermediate and strong coupling regimes are generally at work and the modification of the chemical bonding network by the PLD is at the heart of the instability. We emphasise the need for a microscopic approach blending condensed matter physics concepts and state-of-the-art first-principles calculations with quite fundamental chemical bonding ideas in understanding the CDW phenomenon in these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this manuscript, we introduce (symmetric) Tetranacci polynomials ξ j as a twofold generalization of ordinary Tetranacci numbers, considering both non unity coefficients and generic initial values. We derive a complete closed form expression for any ξ j with the key feature of a decomposition in terms of generalized Fibonacci polynomials. For suitable conditions, ξ j can be understood as the superposition of standing waves. The issue of Tetranacci polynomials originated from their application in condensed matter physics. We explicitly demonstrate the approach for the spectrum, eigenvectors, Green's functions and transmission probability for an atomic tight binding chain exhibiting both nearest and next nearest neighbor processes. We demonstrate that in topological trivial models, complex wavevectors can form bulk states as a result of the open boundary conditions. We describe how effective next nearest neighbor bonding is engineered in state of the art theory/experiment exploiting onsite degrees of freedom and close range hopping. We argue about experimental tune ability and on-demand complex wavevectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-particle physics focuses on the behavior and properties of individual particles, providing insight into the building blocks of quantum mechanics. The theory of quantum particles in curved spacetime has been getting attention in recent years for gaining a deeper understanding of the relationship between quantum mechanics and general relativity, the two pillars of modern physics. In this note, we show how single quantum particles can obtain classical behavior. In particular, for a quantum particle that follows the Klein–Gordon equation in curved spacetime in the presence of external potential, we show that when the amplitude of its wavefunction follows the Klein–Gordon equation with an arbitrary effective mass, empty curved spacetime, but with the same curved geometry appearing in the original Klein–Gordon equation of the wavefunction, the quantum force of the particle vanishes, providing a classical description of the quantum particle using a system of coupled classical equations. The result relies on the Madelung hydrodynamical reformulation of quantum mechanics. Understanding how quantum systems transition to a classical behavior is a long-standing challenge in mesoscopic physics, with important implications for a wide range of applications, from quantum computing to condensed matter physics. The result provides a fresh perspective on the relations between quantum and classical effects in curved spacetime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid state compounds exhibiting multiple and coupled macroscopic orders, named multiferroics, represent a challenge for both theoretical and experimental modern condensed-matter physics. Spins and the electric polarisation in conventional magnetic and ferroelectric materials can be manipulated on their fundamental timescales, by means of femtosecond laser pulses. In view of the resounding success and popularity of the all-optical approach, it is only natural to wonder about the application of this scheme to study the intrinsic coupling between spins and charges in multiferroics. Deeply fundamental questions arise: can ultrashort laser pulses deterministically activate, enhance or suppress the magnetoelectric coupling on the femtosecond timescale? Can these processes be triggered in a fully coherent fashion, thus being unrestrained by any thermal load? Which mechanism of spin-charge coupling is most favourable to overcome these overarching and daunting challenges? This problem is interdisciplinary in nature, requiring contributions from materials science and condensed matter physics from both theoretical and experimental perspectives. High-quality materials suitable for optical investigations have to be identified, synthetized and characterised. General and valid models offer then a guide to the plethora of possible light-induced processes, resulting in the desired ultrafast multiferroic manipulations. Finally, healthy experimental schemes, able to unambiguously track the ultrafast dynamics of either the ferroelectric or the magnetic order parameter have to be developed and implemented. Our motivation to write this review is to lay a broad and multidisciplinary foundation, which may be employed as a starting point for non-equilibrium approaches to the manipulation of the multiferroicity on the femtosecond timescale. This was also one of the main goals of the COST Action MAGNETOFON, whose network constitutes the core of the authors of this review. The present work thus represents a part of the scientific legacy of MAGNETOFON itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study exceptional points (EPs) of a nonhermitian Hamiltonian H ˆ (λ , δ) whose parameters λ ∈ C and δ ∈ R . As the real control parameter δ is varied, the k th EP (or k th cluster of simultaneously existing EPs) of H ˆ (λ , δ) moves in the complex plane of λ along a continuous trajectory, λ k (δ). Using an appropriate non-hermitian formalism (based upon the c -product and not upon the conventional Dirac product), we derive a self-contained set of equations of motion (EOM) for the trajectory λ k (δ) , while interpreting δ as the propagation time. Such EOM become of interest whenever one wishes to study the response of EPs to external perturbations or continuous parametric changes of the pertinent Hamiltonian. This is e.g. the case of EPs emanating from hermitian curve crossings/degeneracies (which turn into avoided crossings/near-degeneracies when the Hamiltonian parameters are continuously varied). The presented EOM for EPs have not only their theoretical merits, they possess also a substantial practical relevance. Namely, the just presented approach can be regarded even as an efficient numerical method, useful for generating EPs for a broad class of complex quantum systems encountered in atomic, nuclear and condensed matter physics. Performance of such a method is tested here numerically on a simple yet nontrivial toy model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest triumph of condensed matter physics in the past ten years is the classification of materials by the principle of topology. The existence of topological protected dissipationless surface state makes topological insulators great potential for applications and hotly studied. However, compared with the prosperity of strong topological insulators, theoretical predicted candidate materials and experimental confirmation of weak topological insulators (WTIs) are both extremely rare. By combining systematic first-principles calculation and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, we have studied the electronic structure of the dark surface of the WTI candidate Zintl Ba3Cd2Sb4 and another related material Ba3Cd2As4. The existence of two Dirac surface states on specific side surfaces predicted by theoretical calculations and the observed two band inversions in the Brillouin zone give strong evidence to prove that the Ba3Cd2Sb4 is a WTI. The spectroscopic characterization of this Zintl Ba3Cd2N4 (N = As and Sb) family materials will facilitate applications of their novel topological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kagome materials have been studied intensively in condensed matter physics. With rich properties, various Kagome materials emerge during this process. Here, we grew single crystals of Y0.5Fe3Sn3 and confirmed an YCo6Ge6-type Kagome-lattice structure by detailed crystal structure characterizations. This compound bears an antiferromagnetic ordering at T N = 551 K, and shows a weak ferromagnetism at low temperatures, where an anomalous Hall effect was observed, suggesting the non-zero Berry curvature. With the unstable antiferromagnetic ground state, our systematic investigations make Y0.5Fe3Sn3 a potential Kagome compound for Kagome or topological physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of the quantum Hall effect (QHE) in 1980 marked a turning point in condensed matter physics: given appropriate experimental conditions, the Hall conductivity σ x y of a two-dimensional electron system is exactly quantized. But what happens to the QHE in three dimensions (3D)? Experiments over the past 40 years showed that some of the remarkable physics of the QHE, in particular plateau-like Hall conductivities σ x y accompanied by minima in the longitudinal resistivity ρ x x , can also be found in 3D materials. However, since typically ρ x x remains finite and a quantitative relation between σ x y and the conductance quantum e 2 / h could not be established, the role of quantum Hall physics in 3D remains unsettled. Following a recent series of exciting experiments, the QHE in 3D has now returned to the center stage. Here, we summarize the leap in understanding of 3D matter in magnetic fields emerging from these experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the greatest triumph of condensed matter physics in the past ten years is the classification of materials by the principle of topology. The existence of topological protected dissipationless surface state makes topological insulators great potential for applications and hotly studied. However, compared with the prosperity of strong topological insulators, theoretical predicted candidate materials and experimental confirmation of weak topological insulators (WTIs) are both extremely rare. By combining systematic first-principles calculation and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements, we have studied the electronic structure of the dark surface of the WTI candidate Zintl Ba3Cd2Sb4 and another related material Ba3Cd2As4. The existence of two Dirac surface states on specific side surfaces predicted by theoretical calculations and the observed two band inversions in the Brillouin zone give strong evidence to prove that the Ba3Cd2Sb4 is a WTI. The spectroscopic characterization of this Zintl Ba3Cd2N4 (N = As and Sb) family materials will facilitate applications of their novel topological properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most widely used method for obtaining high-quality two-dimensional (2D) materials is through mechanical exfoliation of bulk crystals. Manual identification of suitable flakes from the resulting random distribution of crystal thicknesses and sizes on a substrate is a time-consuming, tedious task. Here, we present a platform for fully automated scanning, detection, and classification of 2D materials, the source code of which we make openly available. Our platform is designed to be accurate, reliable, fast, and versatile in integrating new materials, making it suitable for everyday laboratory work. The implementation allows fully automated scanning and analysis of wafers with an average inference time of 100 ms for images of 2.3 Mpixels. The developed detection algorithm is based on a combination of the flakes’ optical contrast toward the substrate and their geometric shape. We demonstrate that it is able to detect the majority of exfoliated flakes of various materials, with an average recall (AR50) between 67% and 89%. We also show that the algorithm can be trained with as few as five flakes of a given material, which we demonstrate for the examples of few-layer graphene, WSe _2 , MoSe _2 , CrI _3 , 1T-TaS _2 and hexagonal BN. Our platform has been tested over a two-year period, during which more than 10 ^6 images of multiple different materials were acquired by over 30 individual researchers.

Seeking new order parameters and the related broken symmetry and studying their relationship with phase transition have been important topics in condensed matter physics. Here, by using spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we confirm the helical spin texture caused by spin-layer locking in the nodal region in the cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ δ and discover the anisotropy of spin polarizations at nodes along Γ – X and Γ – Y directions. The breaking of C 4 rotational symmetry in electronic spin texture may give deeper insights into understanding the ground state of cuprate superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seeking new order parameters and the related broken symmetry and studying their relationship with phase transition have been important topics in condensed matter physics. Here, by using spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we confirm the helical spin texture caused by spin-layer locking in the nodal region in the cuprate superconductor Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+ δ and discover the anisotropy of spin polarizations at nodes along Γ – X and Γ – Y directions. The breaking of C 4 rotational symmetry in electronic spin texture may give deeper insights into understanding the ground state of cuprate superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anomalous and topological Hall effect (THE) are the fascinating electronic transport properties in condensed matter physics and received tremendous interest in the field of spintronics. Here, we report the intrinsic anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) and THE in the bulk Ni2MnGa magnetic shape memory alloy. The magnetization measurement reveals the premartensite, martensite and magnetic phase transitions. A detailed analysis of AHC reveals that the intrinsic Berry phase mechanism dominates over skew scattering and side jump in all the structural phases of Ni2MnGa. Further, an additional contribution in the Hall resistivity is observed as THE. The magnitude of the THE and its temperature independent behavior indicates that the THE arises due to the real space Berry curvature induced by topologically protected magnetic skyrmion textures in the martensite and premartensite phases of Ni2MnGa. The larger magnetic field is required to vanish the topological Hall resistivity in the martensite phase in comparison to the premartensite phase, which manifests the more stable skyrmion textures in the martensite phase. The present findings open a new direction in the field of functional materials, which hosts skyrmion, exhibits anomalous transport and magnetic shape memory effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) melting is a fundamental research topic in condensed matter physics, which can also provide guidance on fabricating new functional materials. Nevertheless, our understanding of 2D melting is still far from being complete due to existence of possible complicate transition mechanisms and absence of effective analysis methods. Here, using Monte Carlo simulations, we investigate 2D melting of 60° rhombs which melt from two different surface-fully-coverable crystals, a complex hexagonal crystal (cHX) whose primitive cell contains three rhombs, and a simple rhombic crystal (RB) whose primitive cell contains one rhomb. The melting of both crystals shows a sequence of solid, hexatic in molecular orientation (Hmo), and isotropic phases which obey the Berezinskiiâ€"Kosterlitzâ€"Thoulessâ€"Halperinâ€"Nelsonâ€"Young (BKTHNY) theory. However, local polymorphic configuration (LPC) based analysis reveals different melting mechanisms: the cHXâ€"Hmo transition is driven by the proliferation of point-like defects during which defect-associated LPCs are generated sequentially, whereas the RBâ€"Hmo transition is driven by line defects where defect-associated LPCs are generated simultaneously. These differences result in the observed different solidâ€"Hmo transition points which are Ď• A = 0.812 for the cHXâ€"Hmo and Ď• A = 0.828 for the RBâ€"Hmo. Our work will shed light on the initial-crystal-dependence of 2D melting behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With thermal fluctuation strongly suppressed, low temperature environment is essential for studies of condensed matter physics and developments of quantum technologies. Ultra-low temperature below 20 mK has demonstrated its importance and significance in physical sciences and information techniques. Dilution refrigeration is by far the best feasible and reliable method to generate and keep lattice temperature in this range. With a potential shortage of helium supply, cryogen-free dilution refrigerator (CFDR), eliminating the necessity of regular helium refill, becomes the main facility for the purpose of creating ultralow temperature environments. Here we describe our successful construction of a CFDR which reached a base temperature of around 10.9 mK for continuous circulation and 8.6 mK for single-shot operation. We describe its operating mechanism and the designs of key components, especially some unique designs including heat switch and alumina thermal link. Possible improvements in the future are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum chaos of many-body (MB) systems has been swiftly developing into a vibrant research area at the interface between various disciplines, ranging from statistical physics to condensed matter to quantum information and to cosmology. In quantum systems with a classical limit, advanced semiclassical methods provide the crucial link between classically chaotic dynamics and corresponding universal features at the quantum level. Recently, single-particle (SP) techniques dealing with ergodic wave interference in the usual semiclassical limit â„Ź â†' 0 have begun to be transformed into the field theoretical domain of N -particle systems in the analogous semiclassical limit â„Ź e f f = 1 / N â†' 0 , thereby accounting for genuine MB quantum interference. This semiclassical MB theory provides a unified framework for understanding random-matrix correlations of both SP and MB quantum chaotic systems. Certain braided bundles of classical orbits, and of mean field modes, govern interference, respectively, and provide the key to the foundation of universality. Case studies presented include an MB version of Gutzwiller’s trace formula for the spectral density and out-of-time-order correlators along with brief remarks on where further progress may be forthcoming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A central research topic in condensed matter physics is the understanding of the evolution of various phases and phase transitions under different tuning parameters such as temperature, magnetic field and pressure. To explore the pressure-induced evolution of the magnetism and Fermi surface of the heavy fermion antiferromagnet YbPtBi, we performed tunnel diode oscillator based measurements under pressure at low temperatures in high magnetic fields. Our results reveal that the magnetic order strengthens and the Fermi surface shrinks as the pressure increases, which are consistent with typical observations for Yb-based heavy fermion compounds. In addition, an anomalous change in the quantum oscillation amplitudes is observed above 1.5 GPa, and determining the origin requires further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photons with variable energy, high coherency, and switchable polarization provide an ideal tool-kits for exploring the cutting-edge scientific questions in the condensed matter physics and material sciences. Over decades, extensive researches in the sample fabrication and excitation have employed the photon as one of the important means to synthesize and explore the low-dimensional quantum materials. In this review, we firstly summarize the recent progresses of the state-of-the-art thin-film deposition methods using excimer pulsed laser, by which syntactic oxides with atomic-unit-cell-thick layers and extremely high crystalline quality can be programmatically fabricated. We demonstrate that the artificially engineered oxide quantum heterostructures exhibit the unexpected physical properties which are absent in their parent forms. Secondly, we highlight the recent work on probing the symmetry breaking at the surface/interface/interior and weak couplings among nanoscale ferroelectric domains using optical second harmonic generation. We clarify the current challenges in the in-situ characterizations under the external fields and large-scale imaging using optical second harmonic generation. The improvements in the sample quality and the non-contact detection technique further promote the understanding of the mechanism of the novel properties emerged at the interface and inspire the potential applications, such as the ferroelectric resistive memory and ultrahigh energy storage capacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an effective and reliable method of obtaining extremely high magnetic fields, rare-earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) magnets have contributed significantly to the development of condensed matter physics, chemistry, life sciences, and materials research. However, large screening currents in REBCO magnets can significantly degrade the magnetic field quality. Recent experiments on the inner insert of a 30 T superconducting magnet at the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences showed that the measured magnetic field is highly asymmetric single-peaked field instead of the designed saddle-shaped fields, and it differs significantly from the values calculated based on the commonly-used uniform and symmetric screening current model. Therefore, a simulation model based on the T â€" A formulation with consideration of accurate dimensions and critical currents was developed. The simulation results with this new developed model indicate that the angle dependence can cause more than an 8.3% difference in the critical currents of the symmetrically located double pancake (DP) coils of the magnet. The average relative error between the measured and calculated magnetic field values was sharply reduced by a maximum of 44.4% after considering the non-uniform critical currents. In consideration of manufacturing uncertainties and non-uniform critical currents, better magnetic field quality of REBCO magnets can be achieved by arranging the location of each DP with this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terahertz (THz) interface physics as a new interdiscipline between the THz technique and condensed matter physics has undergone rapid development in recent years. In particular, the development of advanced materials, such as graphene, transitional metal dichalcogenides, topological insulators, ferromagnetic metals, and metamaterials, has revolutionized the interface field and further promoted the development of THz functional devices based on interface physics. Moreover, playing at the interface of these advanced materials could unveil a wealth of fascinating physical effects such as charge transfer, proximity effect, inverse spin-Hall effect, and Rashba effect with THz technology by engineering the charge, spin, orbit, valley, and lattice degrees of freedom. In this review, we start with a discussion of the basic theory of THz interface physics, including interface formation with advanced materials, THz wave reflection and transmission at the interface, and band alignment and charge dynamics at the interface. Then we move to recent progress in advanced materials from THz wave propagation to THz wave generation at the interface. In THz wave propagation, we focus on THz wave impedance-matching, Goosâ€"Hänchen and Imbertâ€"Fedorov shifts in THz region, interfacial modulation and interfacial sensing based on THz waves. In THz wave generation, we summarize ongoing coherent THz wave generation from van der Waals interfaces, multiferroic interfaces, and magnetic interfaces. The fascinating THz interface physics of advanced materials is promising and promotes novel THz functional devices for manipulating propagation and generation of THz waves at interfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order topological insulator hosts both gapped edge states and in-gap corner states, which has garnered considerable attentions in the field of condensed matter physics, and most recently is further extended to the classical wave systems. Conventional acoustic metamaterials have intrinsic material and design limitations that prevent them from being used to create such states in subwavelength scale with function reconfigurability. Recently, the acoustic second-order topological insulators (SOTIs) composed of locally resonant metamaterials were reported to solve the problem, where the topological phase transition is induced by shrinking/expanding metamolecules. Here, we propose an acoustic SOTI in subwavelength scale by another protocol, i.e. gliding metamolecules, and the SOTI is pinned in the nontrivial region without the regular topological phase transition. Soda cans metamaterials in free space are utilized to support the spoof surface acoustic waves. With varying the introduced glided angle, the switching from the bulk to edge and corner states can be achieved accordingly. Furthermore, we not only experimentally observe this state switching process, but also illustrate the robustness of the topological corner states against various defects. Our results provide versatile ways to launch acoustic lower-dimensional topological states that might lead to interesting sound concentration applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superconducting circuits based on Josephson junctions are regarded as one of the most promising technologies for the implementation of scalable quantum computers. This review presents the basic principles of superconducting qubits and shows the progress of quantum computing and quantum simulation based on superconducting qubits in recent years. The experimental realization of gate operations, readout, error correction codes, as well as some quantum algorithms are summarized, followed by an introduction of quantum simulation. And then some important applications in fields including condensed matter physics, quantum annealing, and quantum chemistry are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Searching for new carbon allotropes with superior properties has been a longstanding interest in material sciences and condensed matter physics. Here we identify a novel superhard carbon phase with an 18-atom trigonal unit cell in a full-sp3 bonding network, termed tri-C18 carbon, by first-principles calculations. Its structural stability has been verified by total energy, phonon spectra, elastic constants, and molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, tri-C18 carbon has a high bulk modulus of 400 GPa and Vickers hardness of 79.0 GPa, comparable to those of diamond. Meanwhile, the simulated x-ray diffraction pattern of tri-C18 carbon matches well with the previously unexplained diffraction peaks found in chimney soot, indicating the possible presence of tri-C18 carbon. Remarkably, electronic band structure calculations reveal that tri-C18 carbon has a wide indirect bandgap of 6.32 eV, larger than that of cubic diamond, indicating its great potential in electronic or optoelectronic devices working in the deep ultraviolet region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A k · p effective Hamiltonian is important for theoretical analysis in condensed matter physics. Based on the kdotp-symmetry package, we develop an upgraded package named as kdotp-generator. This generator takes in arbitrary magnetic symmetries with their representations and returns symmetry-allowed k · p Hamiltonians. Using this package, we calculate k · p Hamiltonians for irreducible co-representations in 1651 magnetic space groups up to the third order, and their linear coupling to external fields including the electromagnetic field and the strain tensor. We hope that the package will facilitate related research in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kitaev spin liquid (KSL) system has attracted tremendous attention in recent years because of its fundamental significance in condensed matter physics and promising applications in fault-tolerant topological quantum computation. Material realization of such a system remains a major challenge in the field due to the unusual configuration of anisotropic spin interactions, though great effort has been made before. Here we reveal that rare-earth chalcohalides REChX (RE = rare earth; Ch = O, S, Se, Te; X = F, Cl, Br, I) can serve as a family of KSL candidates. Most family members have the typical SmSI-type structure with a high symmetry of , and rare-earth magnetic ions form an undistorted honeycomb lattice. The strong spin-orbit coupling of 4f electrons intrinsically offers anisotropic spin interactions as required by the Kitaev model. We have grown the crystals of YbOCl and synthesized the polycrystals of SmSI, ErOF, HoOF and DyOF, and made careful structural characterizations. We carry out magnetic and heat capacity measurements down to 1.8 K and find no obvious magnetic transition in all the samples but DyOF. The van der Waals interlayer coupling highlights the true two-dimensionality of the family which is vital for the exact realization of Abelian/non-Abelian anyons, and the graphene-like feature will be a prominent advantage for developing miniaturized devices. The family is expected to act as an inspiring material platform for the exploration of KSL physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate a modified Anderson model at the large-N limit, where the Coulomb interaction is replaced by the Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev random interaction. The resistivity of conduction electron ρc has a minimum value around temperature T*, which is similar to the Kondo system, but the impurity electron's density of state Ad(ω) demonstrates no sharp-peak like the Kondo resonance around the Fermi surface. This provides a counterintuitive example where resistivity minimum exists without Kondo resonance. The impurity electron's entropy Sd and specific heat capacity Cv show a crossover from Fermi liquid to a non-Fermi liquid behavior dependent on temperature. The system is a Fermi liquid at T < T*, and becomes a non-Fermi liquid at T > T*, and then becomes a Fermi gas at sufficiently high temperatures T ≫ T*. The non-Fermi liquid at the intermediate-T regime does not occur in the standard Anderson model. We also make a renormalization group analysis, which confirms the crossover from Fermi liquid to the non-Fermi behavior. It is emphasized that the resistivity minimum emerges in our model when the system behaves as a non-Fermi liquid rather than Fermi liquid, which provides an alternative example showing resistivity minimum in condensed matter physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent experimental observations of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) in Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs) open the way for investigating novel physics of nonlinear waves with promising applications in atomic physics and condensed matter physics. The interplay between atomic interactions and SOC are crucial for the understanding of the dynamics of nonlinear waves in BECs with SOC. Here, in the small linear coupling regime, an approach is presented which allows us to derive an infinite number of novel approximate solutions of the Gross–Pitaevskii equations (GPEs) in one and two dimensions including SOCs, time-dependent external potentials, and nonlinearities leading to breathers and periodic as well as quasiperiodic nonlinear waves. To verify the theoretical predictions we perform numerical simulations which show for several cases a very good agreement with the analytics. For the case of one spatial dimension, it is shown that functions describing the external potential and nonlinearities cannot be chosen independently. The management of the solutions is clarified along with some important physical properties such as Josephson oscillations and Rosen–Zener oscillations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unconventional superconductivity, in particular, in noncentrosymmetric systems, has been a long-sought topic in condensed matter physics. Recently, Re-based superconductors have attracted great attention owing to the potential time-reversal symmetry breaking in their superconducting states. We report the superconducting properties of noncentrosymmetric compounds TaxRe1 – x with 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.25, and find that the superconducting transition temperature reaches a maximum of ∼8 K at the optimal level x = 0.15. Nevertheless, muon-spin rotation and relaxation measurements reveal no time-reversal symmetry breaking existing in its superconducting state, which is in sharp contrast to both centrosymmetric Re metal and many other noncentrosymmetric Re-based superconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonlinear phenomena in superconducting resonator circuits are of great significance in the field of quantum technology. We observe thermal self-oscillations in a monolayer graphene flake coupled to molybdenum–rhenium superconducting resonator. The graphene flake forms a SINIS junction coupled to the resonator with strong temperature dependent resistance. In certain conditions of pump power and frequency, this nonlinearity leads to thermal self-oscillations appearing as sidebands in cavity transmission measurements with strong temperature dependence and gate tunability. The experimental observations fit well with theoretical model based on thermal instability. The modelling of the oscillation sidebands provides a method to evaluate electron phonon coupling in disordered graphene sample at low energies.

Artificially constructed van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) provide an ideal platform for realizing emerging quantum phenomena in condensed matter physics. Two methods for building vdWHs have been developed: stacking two-dimensional (2D) materials into a bilayer structure with different lattice constants, or with different orientations. The interlayer coupling stemming from commensurate or incommensurate superlattice pattern plays an important role in vdWHs for modulating the band structures and generating new electronic states. In this article, we review a series of novel quantum states discovered in two model vdWH systems — graphene/hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) hetero-bilayer and twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG), and discuss how the electronic structures are modified by such stacking and twisting. We also provide perspectives for future studies on hetero-bilayer materials, from which an expansion of 2D material phase library is expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong interaction between terahertz (THz) and matter is a topic of paramount importance, considering continuously enhanced interest in THz photonics as well as condensed matter physics, which can lead to the observation of many linear and nonlinear phenomena in the THz regime. Here, we demonstrate a unique and novel metamaterial-based technique of strong THz matter interaction towards thin film sensing, where the analyte is sensed in between the stacked metasurfaces forming the Fano cavity. Sub-wavelength structures typically overcome the diffraction limit of any optical system, which also possess very high confinement of electromagnetic energy. Fano resonance possesses a sharp asymmetric line shape, low radiation loss and large tuning capability. In addition to them, the material under test is placed in between the metasurfaces to utilize the substantial energy confinement leading to strong light matter interaction, a scheme never explored before. By intelligently exploiting the above characteristics, we have demonstrated a novel way to detect both the refractive index (dielectric constant), thickness and loss factor of the material under test when placed between the array of the meta-resonators forming the Fano metamaterials. Our study revealed that the sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) are strikingly different for dipole and Fano modes. A maximum sensitivity of >1 THz RIU−1 (1.76 × 105 nm RIU−1) and FOM of around 14.05 are achieved at the Fano mode. Additionally, our sensor shows better performance with decreasing spacer thickness (lesser the material, more the sensitivity). Moreover, the proposed device is passive towards typical ambience temperature variation, and is highly compact because of its stacked configuration. The demonstrated device can be extremely beneficial towards realizing ultra-sensitive meta-sensors and other miniaturized THz meta-photonic devices, and bio-chemical sensing where strong light matter interaction is mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We review the recent discoveries of exotic phenomena in graphene, especially superconductivity. It has been theoretically suggested for more than one decade that superconductivity may emerge in doped graphene-based materials. For single-layer pristine graphene, there are theoretical predictions that spin-singlet d + id pairing superconductivity is present when the filling is around the Dirac point. If the Fermi level is doped to the Van Hove singularity where the density of states diverges, then unconventional superconductivity with other pairing symmetry would appear. However, the experimental perspective was a bit disappointing. Despite extensive experimental efforts, superconductivity was not found in monolayer graphene. Recently, unconventional superconductivity was found in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene. Superconductivity was also found in ABC stacked trilayer graphene and other systems. In this article, we review the unique properties of superconducting states in graphene, experimentally controlling the superconductivity in twisted bilayer graphene, as well as a gate-tunable Mott insulator, and the superconductivity in trilayer graphene. These discoveries have attracted the attention of a large number of physicists. The study of the electronic correlated states in twisted multilayer graphene serves as a smoking gun in recent condensed matter physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The glass transition, a many-body system undergoes an apparent dynamic arrest with no appearance of long-range order, is one of the most challenging problems in condensed matter physics. Recently attention has been focused on the puzzling two-step transition observed in colloidal suspensions of ellipsoids. It was observed that micro nematic domains appearing with increasing packing density suggesting that such micro domains may be the structure origin of the two-step glass transition. Here we report an experimental study of monolayers of colloidal rods which exhibits a two-step glass transition with no appearance of pseudo-nematic domains. Instead, it was found that parallel and perpendicularly packed rods form local free energy minima in configurational space, separated by an activation barrier. This barrier increases significantly when rotational glass transition is approached, thereby the rotational motion is frozen while the translational one remains diffusive. We propose that the activation barrier for rotation is the key to the two-step glass transition in suspensions of rods. Such an activation barrier between well-defined local configurations holds the key to understanding the two-step glass transition in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher-order topological insulators have recently witnessed rapid progress in various fields ranging from condensed matter physics to electric circuits. A well-known higher-order state is the second-order topological insulator in three dimensions with gapless states localized on the hinges. A natural question in the context of nonlinearity is whether solitons can exist on the hinges in a second-order topological insulator. Here we theoretically demonstrate the existence of stable solitons localized on the hinges of a second-order topological insulator in three dimensions when nonlinearity is involved. By means of systematic numerical study, we find that the soliton has strong localization in real space and propagates along the hinge unidirectionally without changing its shape. We further construct an electric network to simulate the second-order topological insulator. When a nonlinear inductor is appropriately involved, we find that the system can support a bright soliton for the voltage distribution demonstrated by stable time evolution of a voltage pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the studies of topological materials, topological edge states—striking examples that support robust energy transport in photonic systems—have enriched condensed matter physics. Here we propose all-dielectric photonic crystals manipulating topologically protected defect modes at the edge of the configuration, which is distinct from previous platforms where helical edge states were excited at the interface between trivial and nontrivial crystals. The localization of frequency dispersion of one-way propagating defect modes is measured. Topological protection gives rise to the pseudospin-dependent transport and robustness against perturbations. Our proposal that enables one-way defect modes is promising for benefitting the microminiaturization and application of photonic topological structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]