Featured
-
-
Article
| Open AccessDualistic insulator states in 1T-TaS2 crystals
While monolayer of 1T-TaS2 is considered to be a Mott insulator, the nature of the bulk insulating state is debated. Here the authors introduce a ladder-type structures with fractional misalignment of adjacent layers, showing that it becomes a Mott insulator due to decoupling between the layers.
- Yihao Wang
- , Zhihao Li
- & Liang Cao
-
Article
| Open AccessRe-order parameter of interacting thermodynamic magnets
Phase diagrams of materials are typically based on a static order parameter, but it faces challenges when distinguishing subtle phase changes, such as re-ordering. Here the authors introduce a dynamic re-order parameter, in particular magnons, and illustrate it in a material with complex magnetic phases.
- Byung Cheol Park
- , Howon Lee
- & Taewoo Ha
-
Article
| Open AccessMotility-induced coexistence of a hot liquid and a cold gas
Inertial active matter can self-organize into coexisting phases that feature different temperatures, but experimental realizations are limited. Here, the authors report the coexistence of hot liquid and cold gas states in mixtures of overdamped active and inertial passive Brownian particles, giving a broader relevance.
- Lukas Hecht
- , Iris Dong
- & Benno Liebchen
-
Article
| Open AccessViolation of emergent rotational symmetry in the hexagonal Kagome superconductor CsV
3 Sb5 Superconductors with hexagonal symmetry are expected to be isotropic particularly near the critical temperature Tc, a property called emergent rotational symmetry (ERS). Here, the authors use calorimetry to study the hexagonal kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 and find a violation of the expected ERS, hinting at realization of exotic superconductivity.
- Kazumi Fukushima
- , Keito Obata
- & Shingo Yonezawa
-
Article
| Open AccessImpact of molecular symmetry on crystallization pathways in highly supersaturated KH2PO4 solutions
The molecular symmetry of solute structure in aqueous solutions is a key clue to understand Ostwald’s step rule. Here, the authors show that molecular symmetry and its structural evolution can govern the crystallization pathways in aqueous solutions.
- Yong Chan Cho
- , Sooheyong Lee
- & Geun Woo Lee
-
Article
| Open AccessAnderson critical metal phase in trivial states protected by average magnetic crystalline symmetry
The authors identify a novel delocalization mechanism for topologically trivial obstructed insulators. In transitioning from two topologically trivial states, where one would expect Anderson’s localization to take place, a delocalized ‘critical metal phase’ appears.
- Fa-Jie Wang
- , Zhen-Yu Xiao
- & Zhi-Da Song
-
Article
| Open AccessLayer-by-layer phase transformation in Ti3O5 revealed by machine-learning molecular dynamics simulations
Reconstructive phase transitions in materials are usually slow due to large activation energy barriers. Here, the authors show a kinetically favorable layer-by-layer mechanism in Ti3O5 transformations using machine-learning molecular dynamics simulations.
- Mingfeng Liu
- , Jiantao Wang
- & Xing-Qiu Chen
-
Article
| Open AccessDirect observation of phase transitions in truncated tetrahedral microparticles under quasi-2D confinement
Boundary conditions can give rise to new types of phases during self-assembly. Here the authors show that tetrahedral particles can form a hexagonal phase on a surface, that can transform into a quasi-diamond phase under a gravitational field.
- David Doan
- , John Kulikowski
- & X. Wendy Gu
-
Article
| Open AccessBroadened quantum critical ground state in a disordered superconducting thin film
The authors present Nernst measurements on a 2D film of amorphous MoxGe1−x, which shows a magnetic-field-induced superconductor-metal-insulator transition. The intermediate metal phase is known as the “anomalous metal” (AM) state. The authors conclude that the AM state originates from broadening of the superconductor-insulator transition.
- Koichiro Ienaga
- , Yutaka Tamoto
- & Satoshi Okuma
-
Article
| Open AccessThree-dimensional ultrafast charge-density-wave dynamics in CuTe
Some materials host multiple charge density wave states, however, their dynamics and the nature of phase transitions are often unclear. Here, using temperature and orientation resolved ultrafast spectroscopy, the authors reveal charge density waves of different dimensionality in CuTe and elucidate their mechanism.
- Nguyen Nhat Quyen
- , Wen-Yen Tzeng
- & Chih-Wei Luo
-
Article
| Open AccessExcitonic Mott insulator in a Bose-Fermi-Hubbard system of moiré WS2/WSe2 heterobilayer
Strongly interacting interlayer excitons and the interplay between excitons and electronic states have recently been studied in moire superlattices. Here the authors study moire WS2/WSe2 heterobilayer with tuneable electron and exciton populations and find signatures of an excitonic Mott insulating state.
- Beini Gao
- , Daniel G. Suárez-Forero
- & Mohammad Hafezi
-
Article
| Open AccessPressure-tuned quantum criticality in the large-D antiferromagnet DTN
Gapped quantum antiferromagnets can undergo field or pressure induced phase transitions to the magnetically ordered state, which have distinct critical exponents. While there are many examples of field induced transitions, thus far the pressure induced case has proven difficult to realize. Herein, the authors demonstrate such a pressure driven phase transition in the quantum antiferromagnet, DTN.
- Kirill Yu. Povarov
- , David E. Graf
- & Sergei A. Zvyagin
-
Article
| Open AccessInterfacial ice sprouting during salty water droplet freezing
The understanding of salty water droplet freezing is limited. The authors examine the formation of brine film on top of frozen salty droplets and discover a new ice crystal growth pattern sprouting from the bottom of the brine film.
- Fuqiang Chu
- , Shuxin Li
- & Nenad Miljkovic
-
Article
| Open AccessTwisted moiré conductive thermal metasurface
Authors control heat transfer through twisting moiré conductive thermal metasurface, showcasing the potential for manipulating thermal conductivity and temperature gradients with imitated magic angles, thereby realizing multifunctional thermal metadevices.
- Huagen Li
- , Dong Wang
- & Cheng-Wei Qiu
-
Article
| Open AccessAnharmonic strong-coupling effects at the origin of the charge density wave in CsV3Sb5
The origin of the charge density wave in vanadium antimonides has been widely debated. Here, the authors report the cooperation of electron-phonon and phonon-phonon coupling for the formation of the charge density wave in CsV3Sb5.
- Ge He
- , Leander Peis
- & Rudi Hackl
-
Article
| Open AccessLearning stochastic dynamics and predicting emergent behavior using transformers
Learning the dynamics governing a simulation or experiment usually requires coarse graining or projection, as the number of transition rates typically grows exponentially with system size. The authors show that transformers, neural networks introduced initially for natural language processing, can be used to parameterize the dynamics of large systems without coarse graining.
- Corneel Casert
- , Isaac Tamblyn
- & Stephen Whitelam
-
Article
| Open AccessLow pressure reversibly driving colossal barocaloric effect in two-dimensional vdW alkylammonium halides
The authors report the colossal barocaloric effect driven reversibly by low pressure in two dimensional van-der-Waals alkylammonium halides, underlyingly from the disordering of the organic alkyl chains within the two-dimensional structure.
- Yi-Hong Gao
- , Dong-Hui Wang
- & Bao-Gen Shen
-
Article
| Open AccessSynthesis and superconductivity in yttrium-cerium hydrides at high pressures
The field of hydride superconductivity is currently attempting to increase the critical temperature Tc, while also lowering the required stabilization pressure. Here, L.C. Chen et al. study (Y,Ce)H9 alloys and find maximum Tc ~ 140 K at 130 GPa pressure.
- Liu-Cheng Chen
- , Tao Luo
- & Xiao-Jia Chen
-
Article
| Open AccessElasticity-controlled jamming criticality in soft composite solids
Soft composite solids are building blocks for many functional and biological materials, yet it remains challenging to predict their mechanical properties. Zhao et al. propose a criticality framework to connect the mechanics to the critical behaviour near the shear-jamming transition of the dispersed inclusions.
- Yiqiu Zhao
- , Haitao Hu
- & Qin Xu
-
Article
| Open AccessIndication of critical scaling in time during the relaxation of an open quantum system
The dynamics of a quantum system shows interesting features. Here the authors demonstrate critical scaling in the spin relaxation due to spin-exchange process in a system of impurity Cs atoms immersed in Rb atoms.
- Ling-Na Wu
- , Jens Nettersheim
- & Artur Widera
-
Article
| Open AccessVestigial singlet pairing in a fluctuating magnetic triplet superconductor and its implications for graphene superlattices
P. Poduval et al. theoretically study the nonzero-temperature vestigial phases of a 2D model exhibiting both triplet superconductivity and magnetism. They show that this model allows for a unique superconducting state in which the condensate consists of entities with three electrons and one hole, with properties similar to those seen in experiments on moiré systems.
- Prathyush P. Poduval
- & Mathias S. Scheurer
-
Article
| Open AccessPhonon promoted charge density wave in topological kagome metal ScV6Sn6
The mechanism of charge density wave order in V-based kagome metals has been debated. Here the authors use a range of experimental techniques combined with ab initio calculations to study the electronic structure and phonon modes of ScV6Sn6, revealing the dominant role of strong electron-phonon coupling.
- Yong Hu
- , Junzhang Ma
- & Ming Shi
-
Article
| Open AccessThe reverse quantum limit and its implications for unconventional quantum oscillations in YbB12
Metallic systems in magnetic fields enter the quantum limit when the cyclotron energy exceeds the Fermi energy. Here the authors introduce the analogue of the quantum limit for insulators, where the Zeeman energy exceeds the cyclotron energy, and show that it explains key features of the Kondo insulator YbB12.
- Christopher A. Mizzi
- , Satya K. Kushwaha
- & Neil Harrison
-
Article
| Open AccessEndotaxial stabilization of 2D charge density waves with long-range order
Stabilizing charge density wave states in low-dimensional systems is challenging. Here, the authors stabilize an ordered incommensurate charge density wave at elevated temperatures via endotaxial synthesis of TaS2 polytype heterostructures, where charge density wave layers are encapsulated within metallic layers.
- Suk Hyun Sung
- , Nishkarsh Agarwal
- & Robert Hovden
-
Article
| Open AccessLearning nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and dynamical phase transitions
Variational autoregressive networks have been employed in the study of equilibrium statistical mechanics, chemical reaction networks and quantum many-body systems. Using these tools, Tang et al. develop a general approach to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics problems, such as dynamical phase transitions.
- Ying Tang
- , Jing Liu
- & Pan Zhang
-
Article
| Open AccessUltrafast and persistent photoinduced phase transition at room temperature monitored by streaming powder diffraction
Photoinduced phase transitions occur in a variety of materials and allow for the optical control of the materials properties. Here, Herve et al present a streaming powder X-ray diffraction method allowing them to study the ultrafast photoinduced phase transition of Rb0.94Mn0.94Co0.06[Fe(CN)6]0.9 within thermal hysteresis.
- Marius Hervé
- , Gaël Privault
- & Eric Collet
-
Article
| Open AccessMicroscopic mechanisms of pressure-induced amorphous-amorphous transitions and crystallisation in silicon
The mechanism of amorphous-amorphous transitions is highly debated. Here, the authors use molecular dynamics simulations to reveal transitions via nucleation-growth or spinodal decomposition, resembling a thermodynamic phase transition but influenced by mechanics.
- Zhao Fan
- & Hajime Tanaka
-
Article
| Open AccessTemperature and quantum anharmonic lattice effects on stability and superconductivity in lutetium trihydride
Superconductivity was recently reported experimentally in nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride with Tc = 294 K at 1 GPa. Here, via theoretical calculations taking into account temperature and quantum anharmonic lattice effects, the authors find that room-temperature superconductivity in the suggested parent phase of LuH3 cannot be explained by a conventional electron-phonon mediated pairing mechanism.
- Roman Lucrezi
- , Pedro P. Ferreira
- & Christoph Heil
-
Article
| Open AccessPhase transitions in 2D multistable mechanical metamaterials via collisions of soliton-like pulses
In high-dimensional multistable mechanical metamaterials, phase transitions can be remotely nucleated and controlled via collisions of nonlinear pulses, potentially bringing new insights for the design of reconfigurable structures.
- Weijian Jiao
- , Hang Shu
- & Jordan R. Raney
-
Article
| Open AccessControllable strain-driven topological phase transition and dominant surface-state transport in HfTe5
Manipulating the topological phases of quantum materials is necessary to fully leverage their potential for future electronics. Here, the authors experimentally demonstrate the controllable transition from a weak to a strong topological insulator phase through the in-situ application of high strain.
- Jinyu Liu
- , Yinong Zhou
- & Luis A. Jauregui
-
Article
| Open AccessField-induced compensation of magnetic exchange as the possible origin of reentrant superconductivity in UTe2
The superconductor UTe2 exhibits a reentrant superconducting phase at magnetic fields above 40 T for particular field angles. Here, from high-field Hall-effect measurements, T. Helm et al. find evidence for a partial compensation between the applied field and an exchange field, pointing to the Jaccarino-Peter effect as a possible mechanism for the reentrant superconductivity.
- Toni Helm
- , Motoi Kimata
- & Jean-Pascal Brison
-
Article
| Open AccessDomiRank Centrality reveals structural fragility of complex networks via node dominance
Identification of nodes that play a crucial role in the complex network functionality is of high relevance for supply, transportation, and epidemic spreading networks. The authors propose a metric to evaluate nodal dominance based on competition dynamics that integrate local and global topological information, revealing fragile structures in complex networks.
- Marcus Engsig
- , Alejandro Tejedor
- & Chaouki Kasmi
-
Article
| Open AccessMagnetic order in 2D antiferromagnets revealed by spontaneous anisotropic magnetostriction
Van der Waals antiferromagnets offer a unique platform for studying magnetism in reduced dimensions, however, the low dimensionality, combined with lack of net magnetization, renders investigation challenging with conventional experimental probes. Here, Houmes et al show how van der Waals antiferromagnets can be investigated via the resonances of a vibrating rectangular membranes of this material.
- Maurits J. A. Houmes
- , Gabriele Baglioni
- & Herre S. J. van der Zant
-
Article
| Open AccessStrain-driven Kovacs-like memory effect in glasses
An abnormal stress memory effect is discovered in different types of glassy materials when they are subjected to a low strain after a high strain. This strategy can be used to depress the stress relaxation and increase the stability under loading.
- Yu Tong
- , Lijian Song
- & Jun-Qiang Wang
-
Article
| Open AccessIn operando cryo-STEM of pulse-induced charge density wave switching in TaS2
Resistive switching of 1T-TaS2 is promising for next-generation electronics. Here, using in operando electron microscopy, the authors determine that Joule heating drives the switching process, which will aid the engineering of future devices.
- James L. Hart
- , Saif Siddique
- & Judy J. Cha
-
Article
| Open AccessBolometric detection of Josephson inductance in a highly resistive environment
The predicted dissipative quantum phase transition in a Josephson junction coupled to resistive environment has been examined in recent experiments. In a heat transport experiment, Subero et al. show that the junction acts as an inductor at high frequencies, while DC charge transport confirms insulating behaviour.
- Diego Subero
- , Olivier Maillet
- & Jukka P. Pekola
-
Article
| Open AccessHigher-order singularities in phase-tracked electromechanical oscillators
The authors report a controllable third-order cusp singularity in the phase-tracked closed-loop oscillation of two coupled mechanical modes. This finding addresses the challenge of constructing and controlling higher-order singularities.
- Xin Zhou
- , Xingjing Ren
- & Hui Jing
-
Article
| Open AccessCharge-4e superconductivity and chiral metal in 45°-twisted bilayer cuprates and related bilayers
Liu et al. theoretically study maximally-twisted homo-bilayers, such as 45∘-twisted bilayer cuprates and 30∘-twisted bilayer graphene. Through renormalization group and Monte-Carlo calculations, the authors reveal the presence of charge-4e superconductivity and chiral-metal phases in the phase diagram.
- Yu-Bo Liu
- , Jing Zhou
- & Fan Yang
-
Article
| Open AccessQuantum criticality at cryogenic melting of polar bubble lattices
Quantum effects due to zero-point phonon vibrations are well-explored in bulk ferroelectrics, but little is known about them in ultra-thin films. Luo et al. report atomistic simulations of ultra-thin ferroelectrics, showing that, unlike in bulk, quantum fluctuations stabilize topological structures.
- Wei Luo
- , Alireza Akbarzadeh
- & Laurent Bellaiche
-
Article
| Open AccessEnhancement of short/medium-range order and thermal conductivity in ultrahard sp3 amorphous carbon by C70 precursor
sp3 amorphous carbon exhibits exceptional mechanical, thermal, and optical properties, but cannot be synthesized using traditional processes. Here authors report a nearly pure sp3−hybridized amorphous carbon synthesized from C70 which shows more short/medium-range order and enhanced thermal conductivity compared to C60.
- Yuchen Shang
- , Mingguang Yao
- & Bingbing Liu
-
Article
| Open AccessCharge-loop current order and Z3 nematicity mediated by bond order fluctuations in kagome metals
Unconventional charge order with chiral response to a magnetic field was observed in kagome metals like KV3Sb5, but the mechanism is not fully understood. Tazai et al. develop a theory based on the bond order fluctuation mechanism and provide a unified view of quantum phases in this material family.
- Rina Tazai
- , Youichi Yamakawa
- & Hiroshi Kontani
-
Article
| Open AccessCompeting charge-density wave instabilities in the kagome metal ScV6Sn6
A charge-density wave state was recently reported in the bilayer kagome metal ScV6Sn6, but its nature is debated. Here, using inelastic X-ray scattering, the authors observe two competing charge-density waves and find the ground state is promoted by a momentum-dependent electron-phonon interaction.
- Saizheng Cao
- , Chenchao Xu
- & Yu Song
-
Article
| Open AccessAnomalous excitonic phase diagram in band-gap-tuned Ta2Ni(Se,S)5
The presence of excitonic instability and its relationship with a structural transition in Ta2NiSe5 has been debated. Chen et al. map out the electronic bands and lattice distortion across the semimetal-to-semiconductor transition with sulfur doping, revealing the crucial role of electron-phonon coupling.
- Cheng Chen
- , Weichen Tang
- & Yu He
-
Article
| Open AccessKondo screening in a Majorana metal
The Kondo effect from magnetic impurities has been proposed as a probe of fractionalized excitations in a topological quantum spin liquid. Lee et al. experimentally demonstrate the Kondo effect in a Kitaev candidate material α-RuCl3 with dilute Cr impurities.
- S. Lee
- , Y. S. Choi
- & K.-Y. Choi
-
Article
| Open AccessMelting and defect transitions in FeO up to pressures of Earth’s core-mantle boundary
Multi-technique synchrotron measurements support the viability of solid FeO-rich structures at Earth’s mantle base. An order-disorder transition identified in the iron defect structure of FeO may lead to unique physical properties in the region.
- Vasilije V. Dobrosavljevic
- , Dongzhou Zhang
- & Jennifer M. Jackson
-
Article
| Open AccessEvidence for charge delocalization crossover in the quantum critical superconductor CeRhIn5
Heavy-fermion superconductors feature a magnetic quantum critical point linked to the Kondo effect breakdown. Wang et al. use pressure-dependent Hall measurements to identify a crossover energy scale, confirming this in pure CeRhIn5, while revealing a shift to spin density wave criticality with Sn-doping.
- Honghong Wang
- , Tae Beom Park
- & Tuson Park
-
Article
| Open AccessCondensation of preformed charge density waves in kagome metals
The mechanism of the charge density wave in AV3Sb5 kagome metals is still actively discussed. Using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, the authors propose a mechanism of the transition based on the condensation of preformed charge-ordered states and resolve several outstanding experimental issues.
- Changwon Park
- & Young-Woo Son
-
Article
| Open AccessPrecursor region with full phonon softening above the charge-density-wave phase transition in 2H-TaSe2
The authors study the charge-density-wave (CDW) compound 2H-TaSe2 by inelastic x-ray scattering combined with photoemission spectroscopy. They find evidence for a precursor region above the CDW transition temperature, which is characterized by an overdamped phonon mode and is not detectable by photoemission.
- Xingchen Shen
- , Rolf Heid
- & Frank Weber
-
Article
| Open AccessExtended X-ray absorption fine structure of dynamically-compressed copper up to 1 terapascal
Dynamic compression experiments enable material studies in regimes relevant for planetary science, but temperature is difficult to measure in these challenging conditions. Here, the authors report on temperature, density, pressure, and structure of dynamically compressed Cu up to 1 TPa determined from extended x-ray absorption fine structure and velocimetry.
- H. Sio
- , A. Krygier
- & Y. Ping