Discovery of a Weyl fermion state with Fermi arcs in niobium arsenide
Su-Yang Xu, N. Alidoust, I. Belopolski
et al.
Three types of fermions play a fundamental role in our understanding of nature: Dirac, Majorana and Weyl. Whereas Dirac fermions have been known for decades, the latter two have not been observed as any fundamental particle in high-energy physics, and have emerged as a much-sought-out treasure in condensed matter physics. A Weyl semimetal is a novel crystal whose low-energy electronic excitations behave as Weyl fermions. It has received worldwide interest and is believed to open the next era of condensed matter physics after graphene and three-dimensional topological insulators. However, experimental research has been held back because Weyl semimetals are extremely rare in nature. Here, we present the experimental discovery of the Weyl semimetal state in an inversion-symmetry-breaking single-crystalline solid, niobium arsenide (NbAs). Utilizing the combination of soft X-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, we systematically study both the surface and bulk electronic structure of NbAs. We experimentally observe both the Weyl cones in the bulk and the Fermi arcs on the surface of this system. Our ARPES data, in agreement with our theoretical band structure calculations, identify the Weyl semimetal state in NbAs, which provides a real platform to test the potential of Weyltronics. Experiments show that niobium arsenide is a Weyl semimetal.
Colloquium : Theory of intertwined orders in high temperature superconductors
E. Fradkin, S. Kivelson, J. Tranquada
Understanding high temperature superconductors is a central problem in condensed matter physics. Many experiments have uncovered ordering tendencies which are responsible for the complex phase diagram of high temperature superconductors. This Colloquium discusses the interplay between different order parameters in these materials. Considering the intertwining of these orders leads to new experimentally observable consequences, shedding new light into the physics of these fascinating materials.
Density Functional Theory: An Approach to the Quantum Many-Body Problem
E. Gross, R. Dreizler, Gross E.K.U.
1189 sitasi
en
Mathematics
POSTUSE REVIEW: An Introduction to Error Analysis: The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements
John R. Taylor, Mark D. Semon, J. K. Pribram
2060 sitasi
en
Physics, Computer Science
Keldysh field theory for driven open quantum systems
L. M. Sieberer, M. Buchhold, S. Diehl
et al.
Recent experimental developments in diverse areas—ranging from cold atomic gases to light-driven semiconductors to microcavity arrays—move systems into the focus which are located on the interface of quantum optics, many-body physics and statistical mechanics. They share in common that coherent and driven–dissipative quantum dynamics occur on an equal footing, creating genuine non-equilibrium scenarios without immediate counterpart in equilibrium condensed matter physics. This concerns both their non-thermal stationary states and their many-body time evolution. It is a challenge to theory to identify novel instances of universal emergent macroscopic phenomena, which are tied unambiguously and in an observable way to the microscopic drive conditions. In this review, we discuss some recent results in this direction. Moreover, we provide a systematic introduction to the open system Keldysh functional integral approach, which is the proper technical tool to accomplish a merger of quantum optics and many-body physics, and leverages the power of modern quantum field theory to driven open quantum systems.
571 sitasi
en
Physics, Medicine
Structural, magnetic, optical, DFT, and temperature-dependent dielectric properties of Bi2Fe4O9 microcrystals
V.S. Kavyashree, G.N. Anil Kumar
In the present work, we report mullite-type spin-frustrated multiferroic Bismuth Ferrite (Bi2Fe4O9) microcrystals synthesized using the solid-state reaction. The detailed structural, optical, magnetic, and temperature-dependent dielectric properties are reported. The XRD Rietveld refinement analysis confirms the formation of an Orthorhombic phase with space group of Pbam, lattice parameters a = 7.974(4) Å, b = 8.450(4) Å, and c = 6.008(4) Å. An optical bandgap of 1.98 eV is calculated by absorption spectroscopy. The SEM-EDS observations reveal the polycrystalline, cuboid-shaped micro particles of size 1.2 μm, and the EDS spectrum confirms the chemical stoichiometry composition. The photoluminescence shows the luminescence emission intensity of 750 nm when excited at 500 nm. The electrical properties in the temperature range of 30℃ to 300℃ confirm the existence of a non-Debye type of relaxation, and the dielectric constant is enhanced from 7.19 at 30⁰C to 69.89 at 300⁰C. The activation energy obtained from the DC conductivity suggests that oxygen vacancies play a major role in the conduction of Bi2Fe4O9 ceramic. Furthermore, the magnetic study confirms the soft magnetic nature of Bi2Fe4O9. From the VSM studies, magnetization and coercivity values are found to be 0.336 emu/g and 531.3 Oe, respectively. In addition, the periodic DFT studies were carried out to understand the band structure, density of states, and electronic properties of Bi2Fe4O9.
Collective dynamics of densely confined active polar disks with self- and mutual alignment
Weizhen Tang, Yating Zheng, Amir Shee, Guozheng Lin, Zhangang Han, Pawel Romanczuk, Cristián Huepe
We study the emerging collective states in a simple mechanical model of a dense group of self-propelled polar disks with off-centered rotation, confined within a circular arena. Each disk presents self-alignment towards the sum of contact forces acting on it, resulting from disk-substrate interactions, while also displaying mutual alignment with neighbors due to having its center of rotation located a distance $R$ behind its centroid, so that central contact forces can also introduce torques. The effect of both alignment mechanisms produces a variety of collective states that combine high-frequency localized circular oscillations with low-frequency milling around the center of the arena, in fluid or solid regimes. We consider cases with small/large $R$ values, isotropic/anisotropic disk-substrate damping, smooth/rough arena boundaries, different densities, and multiple systems sizes, showing that the emergent collective states that we identify are robust, generic, and potentially observable in real-world natural or artificial systems.
Quasiperiodicity Protects Quantized Transport in Disordered Systems Without Gaps
Emmanuel Gottlob, Dan S. Borgnia, Robert-Jan Slager
et al.
The robustness of topological properties, such as quantized currents, generally depends on the existence of gaps surrounding the relevant energy levels or on symmetry-forbidden transitions. Here, we observe quantized currents that survive the addition of bounded local disorder beyond the closing of the relevant instantaneous energy gaps in a driven Aubry-André-Harper chain, a prototypical model of quasiperiodic systems. We explain the robustness using a local picture in configuration space based on Landau-Zener transitions, which rests on the Anderson localization of the eigenstates. Moreover, we propose a protocol, directly realizable in, for instance, cold atoms or photonic experiments, that leverages this stability to prepare topological many-body states with high Chern numbers and opens new experimental avenues for the study of both the integer and fractional quantum Hall effects.
Physics, Computer software
Role of Radio Telescopes in Space Debris Monitoring: Current Insights and Future Directions
Bhaskar Ahuja, Luca Gentile, Ajeet Kumar
et al.
The growing population of space debris poses significant risks to operational satellites and future space missions, necessitating innovative and efficient tracking solutions. Ground-based radar for space surveillance has been a central area of research since the early Space Age, with recent advancements emphasizing the use of bistatic radar systems that incorporate sensitive radio telescopes as receivers. This approach offers a cost-effective and scalable solution for monitoring space debris. Preliminary observations demonstrated the viability of employing radio telescopes in bistatic configurations for effective debris tracking. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of experiments utilizing radio telescopes as bistatic receivers, highlighting key advancements, challenges, and potential applications in space surveillance systems. By detailing the progress in this field, this study underscores the critical role of bistatic radar systems in mitigating the growing threat of space debris.
Quantum causal inference with extremely light touch
Xiangjing Liu, Yixian Qiu, Oscar Dahlsten
et al.
Abstract We give a causal inference scheme using quantum observations alone for a case with both temporal and spatial correlations: a bipartite quantum system with measurements at two times. The protocol determines compatibility with five causal structures distinguished by the direction of causal influence and whether there are initial correlations. We derive and exploit a closed-form expression for the spacetime pseudo-density matrix (PDM) for many times and qubits. This PDM can be determined by light-touch coarse-grained measurements alone. We prove that if there is no signalling between two subsystems, the reduced state of the PDM cannot have negativity, regardless of initial spatial correlations. In addition, the protocol exploits the time asymmetry of the PDM to determine the temporal order. The protocol succeeds for a state with coherence undergoing a fully decohering channel. Thus coherence in the channel is not necessary for the quantum advantage of causal inference from observations alone.
Physics, Electronic computers. Computer science
Acoustic cavitation-induced microstructure evolution in ultrasonically brazed Al/Cu joints using Zn-Al alloy fillers
Dan Zhao, Dan Li, Yong Xiao
et al.
Tailoring the phase constitutions of the interfacial reaction layers under the assistance of ultrasonic vibration is a convenient method to fabricate high-strength Al/Cu brazing joints. In this study, 1060-Al and T2-Cu dissimilar metals were ultrasonically brazed with Zn-3Al (wt. %) filler metals. Effects of ultrasonic brazing time on the microstructure and mechanical properties of joints were investigated. Results showed that the CuZn5 intermetallic compound (IMC) layer and Cu-based diffusion layer were created on the Cu substrate surface in the joint ultrasonically brazed at 400 ℃ for 2 s. However, the CuZn5 IMC layer was gradually transformed into a thin Al4.2Cu3.2Zn0.7 IMC layer by increasing the ultrasonic vibration time to 15 s. A well-matched coherent interface was formed between the Al4.2Cu3.2Zn0.7 ternary phase and the Cu-based diffusion layer. The phase transition of the Cu-side interfacial layer correlated closely with the acoustic cavitations induced super-saturation regions near the Cu substrate surface. The measured tensile strength of the Al/Zn-3Al/Cu joint ultrasonically brazed for 15 s was 89.3 MPa, which was approximately 2.5 times higher than that brazed for 2 s, and the tensile failure mainly occurred at the interface between the Al4.2Cu3.2Zn0.7 layer and the Cu-based diffusion layer.
Chemistry, Acoustics. Sound
Leakage current in GaN-on-GaN vertical GaN SBDs grown by HVPE on native GaN substrates
Weiyi Jin, Yumin Zhang, Songyuan Xia
et al.
This study investigates leakage mechanisms in vertical GaN-on-GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) and demonstrates effective mitigation strategies. The fabricated devices exhibit low reverse leakage current (1 × 10−5 A/cm2 at −200 V) and a high Ion/Ioff ratio (∼1010), surpassing the performance of GaN SBDs on foreign substrates. We elucidate dominant leakage mechanisms—thermionic emission, Poole–Frenkel emission, and variable-range hopping—and their evolution with temperature and bias. Optimized fabrication processes, including defect etching and a novel dual-layer passivation technique, achieve over a 1000-fold reduction in leakage current.
Firefly swarms: What models for what physics?
Raphael Sarfati
What constitutes a "physics of firefly swarms"? In response to a Comment in Nature Reviews Physics, I offer a brief scientific perspective.
Physics-informed neural networks viewpoint for solving the Dyson-Schwinger equations of quantum electrodynamics
Rodrigo Carmo Terin
Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) are employed to solve the Dyson--Schwinger equations of quantum electrodynamics (QED) in Euclidean space, with a focus on the non-perturbative generation of the fermion's dynamical mass function in the Landau gauge. By inserting the integral equation directly into the loss function, our PINN framework enables a single neural network to learn a continuous and differentiable representation of the mass function over a spectrum of momenta. Also, we benchmark our approach against a traditional numerical algorithm showing the main differences among them. Our novel strategy, which is expected to be extended to other quantum field theories, is the first step towards forefront applications of machine learning in high-level theoretical physics.
Investigation of bulk magneto-resistance crossovers in iron doped zinc-oxide using spectroscopic techniques
Liaqat Ali, Wiqar H. Shah, Akhtar Ali
et al.
Pellets of Pure and Fe-doped dilute magnetic semiconducting (DMS) samples are studied for bulk magneto-resistance (BMR) at room temperature and at low-temperatures ∼100K. Raman-, photoluminescence- and X-ray photoelectron-spectroscopic techniques are used to determine chemical and electronic structures of the samples. A broadband intense yellow-green-orange luminescence is observed in Fe-doped ZnO samples and emission red-shifts are investigated. Electrical transport is studied with and without applied magnetic field up to 9T and thermal activation and hopping modes of conduction is discussed in light of nature of Fe substitution in the host lattice. Several decremental- to incremental-BMR crossovers are obtained corresponding to experimental variables of Fe concentration 0.025 ≤ x ≤ 0.1, temperature and applied magnetic field. Several possible modes of magneto-transport are discussed to further elucidate the origin of the as-found BMR crossovers in our samples. Positive BMR in pure- and highly doped (x ≥ 0.1) ZnO is found to originate from F-centers and thermal fluctuations, respectively. However, modestly doped (x ≤ 0.05) ZnO exhibit thermally activated conduction and magnetic poloron mediated negative BMR.
Laser excitation of the 1s-hyperfine transition in muonic hydrogen
P. Amaro, A. Adamczak, M. Abdou Ahmed, L. Affolter, F. D. Amaro, P. Carvalho, T. -L. Chen, L. M. P. Fernandes, M. Ferro, D. Goeldi, T. Graf, M. Guerra, T. W. Hänsch, C. A. O. Henriques, Y. -C. Huang, P. Indelicato, O. Kara, K. Kirch, A. Knecht, F. Kottmann, Y. -W. Liu, J. Machado, M. Marszalek, R. D. P. Mano, C. M. B. Monteiro, F. Nez, J. Nuber, A. Ouf, N. Paul, R. Pohl, E. Rapisarda, J. M. F. dos Santos, J. P. Santos, P. A. O. C. Silva, L. Sinkunaite, J. -T. Shy, K. Schuhmann, S. Rajamohanan, A. Soter, L. Sustelo, D. Taqqu, L. -B. Wang, F. Wauters, P. Yzombard, M. Zeyen, A. Antognini
The CREMA collaboration is pursuing a measurement of the ground-state
hyperfine splitting (HFS) in muonic hydrogen ($\mu$p) with 1 ppm accuracy by
means of pulsed laser spectroscopy to determine the two-photon-exchange
contribution with $2\times10^{-4}$ relative accuracy. In the proposed
experiment, the $\mu$p atom undergoes a laser excitation from the singlet
hyperfine state to the triplet hyperfine state, then is quenched back to the
singlet state by an inelastic collision with a H$_2$ molecule. The resulting
increase of kinetic energy after the collisional deexcitation is used as a
signature of a successful laser transition between hyperfine states. In this
paper, we calculate the combined probability that a $\mu$p atom initially in
the singlet hyperfine state undergoes a laser excitation to the triplet state
followed by a collisional-induced deexcitation back to the singlet state. This
combined probability has been computed using the optical Bloch equations
including the inelastic and elastic collisions. Omitting the decoherence
effects caused by the laser bandwidth and collisions would overestimate the
transition probability by more than a factor of two in the experimental
conditions. Moreover, we also account for Doppler effects and provide the
matrix element, the saturation fluence, the elastic and inelastic collision
rates for the singlet and triplet states, and the resonance linewidth. This
calculation thus quantifies one of the key unknowns of the HFS experiment,
leading to a precise definition of the requirements for the laser system and to
an optimization of the hydrogen gas target where $\mu$p is formed and the laser
spectroscopy will occur.
Remarks on the group-theoretical foundations of particle physics
Robert A. Wilson
I propose the group SL(4,R) as a generalisation of the Dirac group SL(2,C) used in quantum mechanics, as a possible basis on which to build a more general theory from which the standard model of particle physics might be derived as an approximation in an appropriate limit.
Podcasting: An innovative tool for enhanced osteoarthritis education and research dissemination
Ali Mobasheri, Kerry E. Costello
Podcasts are portable digital audio files that have become a powerful medium in higher education and an indispensable tool in continuing medical education. This article reviews the best sources for educational podcasts on osteoarthritis (OA) and various aspects of synovial joint biology. It highlights the potential of podcasting for disseminating research findings, providing continuing medical education for healthcare professionals and educating patients about self-managing their condition. We highlight the potential for using this medium in conjunction with other digital platforms to achieve wider readership and greater impact for published papers, raising the profiles of social-media savvy faculty members and researchers, marketing the capabilities of research groups, and promoting the efforts of international consortia and across centres of excellence. We also offer advice on resources needed to start a podcast. Podcasts have captured the attention of millions of listeners across the world in recent years. There is a genuine and timely opportunity for educating patients and healthcare professionals about OA and facilitating the dialogue between them using this increasingly popular platform. Podcasting can also help our community to promote the key concept of OA as a serious disease and stimulate more research in the area of joint biology and drug development for OA.
Diseases of the musculoskeletal system
A longitudinal analysis of students' motivational characteristics in introductory physics courses: Gender differences
Emily Marshman, Zeynep Y. Kalender, Christian Schunn
et al.
The lack of diversity and the under-performance of underrepresented students in STEM courses have been the focus of researchers in the last decade. In particular, many hypotheses have been put forth for the reasons for the under-representation and under-performance of women in physics. Here, we present a framework for helping all students learn in science courses that takes into account four factors: 1) characteristics of instruction and learning tools, 2) implementation of instruction and learning tools, 3) student characteristics, and 4) students' environments. While there has been much research on factor 1 (characteristics of instruction and learning tools), there has been less focus on factor 2 (students' characteristics, and in particular, motivational factors). Here, we focus on the baseline motivational characteristics of introductory physics students obtained from survey data to inform factor 2 of the framework. A longitudinal analysis of students' motivational characteristics in two-semester introductory physics courses was performed by administering pre- and post-surveys that evaluated students' self-efficacy, grit, fascination with physics, value associated with physics, intelligence mindset, and physics epistemology. Female students reported lower self-efficacy, fascination and value, and had a more "fixed" view of intelligence in the context of physics compared to male students. Grit was the only factor on which female students reported averages that were equal to or higher than male students throughout introductory physics courses. These gender differences can at least partly be attributed to the societal stereotypes and biases about who belongs in physics and can excel in it. The findings inform the framework and have implications for the development and implementation of effective pedagogies and learning tools to help all students learn.
WORKPLANS: Workshop on Planetary Nebula Observations
Isabel Aleman, Jeronimo Bernard-Salas, Joel H. Kastner
et al.
This workshop is the second of the WORKPLANS series, which we started in 2016. The main goal of WORKPLANS is to build up a network of planetary nebulae (PNe) experts to address the main open questions in the field of PNe research. The specific aims of the WORKPLANS workshop series are (<b>i</b>) to discuss and prioritize the most important topics to be investigated by the PN community in the following years; (<b>ii</b>) to establish a network of excellent researchers with complementary expertise; (<b>iii</b>) to formulate ambitious observing proposals for the most advanced telescopes and instrumentation presently available (ALMA, SOFIA, VLT, GTC, HST, etc.), addressing those topics; and (<b>iv</b>) to develop strategies for major proposals to future observatories (JWST, ELT, SPICA, Athena, etc.). To achieve these goals, WORKPLANS II brought together experts in all key sub-areas of the PNe research field, namely: analysis and interpretation of PNe observational data; theoretical modeling of gas and dust emission; evolution from Asymptotic Giant Branch stars (PNe progenitors) to PNe; and the instrumentation and technical characteristics of the relevant observatories.