Showing 1–50 of 74 results for author: Niu, Y

Final assessment of radioactive impurities in the JUNO detector

Authors: Thomas Adam, Fengpeng An, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Didier Auguste, Nikita Balashov, Andrea Barresi, Davide Basilico, Eric Baussan, Marco Beretta, Antonio Bergnoli, Nikita Bessonov, Daniel Bick, Lukas Bieger, Svetlana Biktemerova, Thilo Birkenfeld, Simon Blyth, Manuel Böhles, Anastasia Bolshakova, Mathieu Bongrand, Matteo Borghesi , et al. (549 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) collaboration has completed the construction of the 20,000-ton liquid scintillator detector and the associated muon veto detector system. To meet the physics objectives, the materials used in the detector must exhibit low radioactive contamination. The single-event rate in the fiducial volume (R $<$ 17.2 m) of the scintillator is required to be… ▽ More The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) collaboration has completed the construction of the 20,000-ton liquid scintillator detector and the associated muon veto detector system. To meet the physics objectives, the materials used in the detector must exhibit low radioactive contamination. The single-event rate in the fiducial volume (R $<$ 17.2 m) of the scintillator is required to be approximately 7 Hz for energies above 0.7 MeV, resulting in an accidental coincidence background of about 1 event per day for reactor neutrino physics analyses. Since the beginning of the construction phase, we have screened the natural radioactivity content of thousands of materials, to select those that meet the design background budget. The radioactive impurity concentrations of the materials ultimately used in the JUNO detector are summarized in this paper. The construction of the entire detector and the subsequent filling of the liquid scintillator were completed in August 2025. From the initial data, the total count rate of natural radioactivity within the detector's fiducial volume has met the requirements and is sufficient to support the reactor antineutrino analysis. △ Less

Submitted 19 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Embedded underwater front-end electronics for the 3-inch photomultipliers in the JUNO experiment

Authors: Cédric Cerna, Miao He, Xiaoshan Jiang, Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux, Frédéric Perrot, Angel Abusleme, Thomas Adam, Fengpeng An, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, Didier Auguste, Nikita Balashov, Andrea Barresi, Davide Basilico, Eric Baussan, Marco Beretta, Antonio Bergnoli, Nikita Bessonov, Daniel Bick, Lukas Bieger, Svetlana Biktemerova , et al. (576 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is a 20-kton liquid scintillator-based, low-radioactivity, multi-purpose neutrino detector located 693 meters (1800 m.w.e.) underground in the Guangdong province, China. To detect scintillation light produced in the target, the detector is equipped with 17,612 20-inch photomultipliers (PMTs), forming the Large PMT system (LPMT). In addition, 25,… ▽ More The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is a 20-kton liquid scintillator-based, low-radioactivity, multi-purpose neutrino detector located 693 meters (1800 m.w.e.) underground in the Guangdong province, China. To detect scintillation light produced in the target, the detector is equipped with 17,612 20-inch photomultipliers (PMTs), forming the Large PMT system (LPMT). In addition, 25,600 3-inch photomultipliers (the Small Photomultiplier System or SPMT) are deployed in the gaps between the LPMTs. This paper presents the design and performance of the underwater front-end electronics developed for the SPMT system. It details the individual electronics boards and their key components, the inter-board interfaces, the system-level design, and the firmware architecture that supports data acquisition and control. It also outlines mechanical and thermal integration, board validation procedures, and system performance metrics. The readout chain includes digitization of 128 PMT channels per unit, synchronized time-stamping, charge measurement, event packaging, and bandwidth management. Comprehensive validation confirms the system's readiness to meet JUNO's stringent physics goals. The underwater electronics achieve noise levels as low as 0.04 photoelectrons with minimal crosstalk (below 0.4%) and a bandwidth of 57 MB/s, ensuring reliable single photo-electron detection and operation under high-rate conditions. The SPMT system has now been fully integrated and installed in JUNO. Its commissioning and physics performance will be reported in a future publication. △ Less

Submitted 1 June, 2026; v1 submitted 28 April, 2026; originally announced April 2026.

Comments: Submitted to Nucl. Instrum. Methods Phys. Res. A

PRBench: End-to-end Paper Reproduction in Physics Research

Authors: Shi Qiu, Junyi Deng, Yiwei Deng, Haoran Dong, Jieyu Fu, Mao Li, Zeyu Li, Zhaolong Zhang, Huiwen Zheng, Leidong Bao, Anqi Lv, Zihan Mo, Yadi Niu, Yiyang Peng, Yu Tian, Yili Wang, Ziyu Wang, Zi-Yu Wang, Jiashen Wei, Liuheng Wu, Aoran Xue, Leyi Yang, Guanglu Yuan, Xiarui Zhan, Jingjun Zhang , et al. (26 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: AI agents powered by large language models exhibit strong reasoning and problem-solving capabilities, enabling them to assist scientific research tasks such as formula derivation and code generation. However, whether these agents can reliably perform end-to-end reproduction from real scientific papers remains an open question. We introduce PRBench, a benchmark of 30 expert-curated tasks spanning 1… ▽ More AI agents powered by large language models exhibit strong reasoning and problem-solving capabilities, enabling them to assist scientific research tasks such as formula derivation and code generation. However, whether these agents can reliably perform end-to-end reproduction from real scientific papers remains an open question. We introduce PRBench, a benchmark of 30 expert-curated tasks spanning 11 subfields of physics. Each task requires an agent to comprehend the methodology of a published paper, implement the corresponding algorithms from scratch, and produce quantitative results matching the original publication. Agents are provided only with the task instruction and paper content, and operate in a sandboxed execution environment. All tasks are contributed by domain experts from over 20 research groups at the School of Physics, Peking University, each grounded in a real published paper and validated through end-to-end reproduction with verified ground-truth results and detailed scoring rubrics. Using an agentified assessment pipeline, we evaluate a set of coding agents on PRBench and analyze their capabilities across key dimensions of scientific reasoning and execution. The best-performing agent, OpenAI Codex powered by GPT-5.3-Codex, achieves a mean overall score of 34%. All agents exhibit a zero end-to-end callback success rate, with particularly poor performance in data accuracy and code correctness. We further identify systematic failure modes, including errors in formula implementation, inability to debug numerical simulations, and fabrication of output data. Overall, PRBench provides a rigorous benchmark for evaluating progress toward autonomous scientific research. △ Less

Submitted 29 March, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

Comments: 17 pages, 3 figures

Report number: RISE-AGI-2026-002

Self-organized pattern synchronization modulated by stochasticity in coupled plankton ecosystems

Authors: Ju Kang, Yiyuan Niu, Yuanzhi Li, Quan-Xing Liu, Chengjin Chu

Abstract: Spatial patterning and synchronization are pervasive features of plankton communities, yet the mechanisms that allow such patterns to persist coherently under environmental noise remain unresolved. In vertically structured aquatic ecosystems, plankton populations are often organized into distinct layers, raising the question of how interactions between layers shape both spatial self-organization a… ▽ More Spatial patterning and synchronization are pervasive features of plankton communities, yet the mechanisms that allow such patterns to persist coherently under environmental noise remain unresolved. In vertically structured aquatic ecosystems, plankton populations are often organized into distinct layers, raising the question of how interactions between layers shape both spatial self-organization and robustness. Here, we develop a spatiotemporal ecosystem model of a two-layer plankton community to examine the role of passive diffusive coupling under stochastic environmental fluctuations. We show that interlayer diffusion induces a sharp transition from independent, layer-specific Turing patterns to fully synchronized spatial patterns once the coupling strength exceeds a critical threshold. Importantly, the same coupling mechanism markedly enhances the stability of spatial patterns against environmental noise, extending their persistence far beyond that of non-coupled layers. Moreover, we uncover a trophic hierarchy in noise sensitivity, with zooplankton exhibiting substantially greater vulnerability than phytoplankton. Together, these results identify passive diffusive coupling as a unifying mechanism that simultaneously promotes spatial synchronization and robustness, providing a mechanistic explanation for the persistence of coherent plankton patterns in fluctuating aquatic environments. △ Less

Submitted 25 March, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

Comments: main: 13 pages, 7 figures; SM: 7 pages, 5 figures

Precise Measurement and Control of Radon Progeny on Detector Surfaces

Authors: C. B. Z. Luo, C. Guo, L. P. Xiang, Y. H. Niu, F. G. Mo, J. C. Liu, Y. P. Zhang, C. G. Yang

Abstract: In low-background particle physics experiments, surface deposition of radon progeny presents a significant background challenge. To characterize this contamination, a high-sensitivity surface $α$-activity measurement system was developed, which employs a 3$\times$3 Si-PIN array operating in vacuum to perform $α$-spectroscopy on samples. The system was calibrated using Poly(Methyl MethAcrylate) (PM… ▽ More In low-background particle physics experiments, surface deposition of radon progeny presents a significant background challenge. To characterize this contamination, a high-sensitivity surface $α$-activity measurement system was developed, which employs a 3$\times$3 Si-PIN array operating in vacuum to perform $α$-spectroscopy on samples. The system was calibrated using Poly(Methyl MethAcrylate) (PMMA) plates exposed to a controlled high-radon atmosphere, achieving an energy resolution of 2.09 \% for 5.30~MeV $α$ particles and a one-day measurement sensitivity of 1.27~$μ$Bq/cm$^2$ for $^{210}$Po surface activity. Using this system and a self-built high radon concentration chamber, the deposition behavior of radon progeny on PMMA surfaces was investigated. Results indicate a non-monotonic dependence on exposure time, a significant enhancement of deposition with increasing negative surface electrostatic potential, and a strong modulation by ambient humidity. This paper details the apparatus design, calibration, and experimental study of radon progeny deposition dynamics on PMMA surfaces. △ Less

Submitted 28 February, 2026; originally announced March 2026.

Comments: 20 pages, 12 figures

Capturing Arbitrary Waveform without Absorption with Synthesis of Complex Frequencies

Authors: Zhaohua Tian, Yu Tian, Yadi Niu, Qi Liu, Zihan Mo, Haoyang Zhang, Qihuang Gong, Ying Gu

Abstract: An arbitrary optical waveform can be synthesized by complex-frequency waves as well as by realfrequency harmonic waves. While single complex-frequency wave with exponentially rising waveform can be perfectly absorbed in lossless structures. Here, we propose that arbitrary waveforms can be captured without any absorption through the synthesis of complex frequencies in a lossless system. The scatter… ▽ More An arbitrary optical waveform can be synthesized by complex-frequency waves as well as by realfrequency harmonic waves. While single complex-frequency wave with exponentially rising waveform can be perfectly absorbed in lossless structures. Here, we propose that arbitrary waveforms can be captured without any absorption through the synthesis of complex frequencies in a lossless system. The scattering matrix zeros of the system correspond to a set of complex frequencies with exponentially rising waveforms, each of which can be virtually and perfectly absorbed. Thus, an arbitrary waveform, decomposed into these complex frequencies automatically, can be captured without any absorption. Then, in a well-designed coupled cavity system, various waveforms such as exponentially decaying, Gaussian, rectangular, and triangular profiles, are captured with high efficiency. The proposed mechanism has potential applications in enhancing light-matter interactions, optical energy storage, and photonic quantum memory. △ Less

Submitted 18 December, 2025; originally announced December 2025.

Comments: 4 figures

Initial performance results of the JUNO detector

Authors: Angel Abusleme, Thomas Adam, Kai Adamowicz, David Adey, Shakeel Ahmad, Rizwan Ahmed, Timo Ahola, Sebastiano Aiello, Fengpeng An, Guangpeng An, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, Burin Asavapibhop, Didier Auguste, Margherita Buizza Avanzini, Andrej Babic, Jingzhi Bai, Weidong Bai, Nikita Balashov, Roberto Barbera, Andrea Barresi , et al. (1114 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) started physics data taking on 26 August 2025. JUNO consists of a 20-kton liquid scintillator central detector, surrounded by a 35 kton water pool serving as a Cherenkov veto, and almost 1000 m$^2$ of plastic scintillator veto on top. The detector is located in a shallow underground laboratory with an overburden of 1800 m.w.e. This paper present… ▽ More The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) started physics data taking on 26 August 2025. JUNO consists of a 20-kton liquid scintillator central detector, surrounded by a 35 kton water pool serving as a Cherenkov veto, and almost 1000 m$^2$ of plastic scintillator veto on top. The detector is located in a shallow underground laboratory with an overburden of 1800 m.w.e. This paper presents the performance results of the detector, extensively studied during the commissioning of the water phase, the subsequent liquid scintillator filling phase, and the first physics runs. The liquid scintillator achieved an attenuation length of 20.6 m at 430 nm, while the high coverage PMT system and scintillator together yielded about 1785 photoelectrons per MeV of energy deposit at the detector centre, measured using the 2.223 MeV $γ$ from neutron captures on hydrogen with an Am-C calibration source. The reconstructed energy resolution is 3.4% for two 0.511 MeV $γ$ at the detector centre and 2.9% for the 0.93 MeV quenched Po-214 alpha decays from natural radioactive sources. The energy nonlinearity is calibrated to better than 1%. Intrinsic contaminations of U-238 and Th-232 in the liquid scintillator are below 10$^{-16}$ g/g, assuming secular equilibrium. The water Cherenkov detector achieves a muon detection efficiency better than 99.9% for muons traversing the liquid scintillator volume. During the initial science runs, the data acquisition duty cycle exceeded 97.8%, demonstrating the excellent stability and readiness of JUNO for high-precision neutrino physics. △ Less

Submitted 18 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 38 pages, 23 figures

Interspecific information use facilitates species coexistence in ecosystems

Authors: Wei Tao, Ju Kang, Wenxiu Yang, Yiyuan Niu, Xin Wang

Abstract: Explaining how competing species coexist remains a central question in ecology. The well-known competitive exclusion principle (CEP) states that two species competing for the same resource cannot stably coexist, and more generally, that the number of consumer species is bounded by the number of resource species at steady state. However, the remarkable species diversity observed in natural ecosyste… ▽ More Explaining how competing species coexist remains a central question in ecology. The well-known competitive exclusion principle (CEP) states that two species competing for the same resource cannot stably coexist, and more generally, that the number of consumer species is bounded by the number of resource species at steady state. However, the remarkable species diversity observed in natural ecosystems, exemplified by the paradox of the plankton, challenges this principle. Here, we show that interspecific social information use among predators provides a mechanism that fundamentally relaxes the constraints of competitive exclusion. A model of predation dynamics that incorporates interspecific information use naturally explains coexistence beyond the limits imposed by CEP. Our model quantitatively reproduces two classical experiments that contradicts the CEP and captures coexistence patterns documented in natural ecosystems, offering a general mechanism for the maintenance of biodiversity in ecological communities. △ Less

Submitted 13 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Prospects for geoneutrino detection with JUNO

Authors: Thomas Adam, Shakeel Ahmad, Rizwan Ahmed, Fengpeng An, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, Didier Auguste, Marcel Büchner, Weidong Bai, Nikita Balashov, Andrea Barresi, Davide Basilico, Eric Baussan, Marco Beretta, Antonio Bergnoli, Nikita Bessonov, Daniel Bick, Lukas Bieger, Svetlana Biktemerova, Thilo Birkenfeld, Simon Blyth , et al. (605 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Geoneutrinos, which are antineutrinos emitted during the decay of long-lived radioactive elements inside Earth, serve as a unique tool for studying the composition and heat budget of our planet. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment in China, which has recently completed construction, is expected to collect a sample comparable in size to the entire existing world geoneutr… ▽ More Geoneutrinos, which are antineutrinos emitted during the decay of long-lived radioactive elements inside Earth, serve as a unique tool for studying the composition and heat budget of our planet. The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment in China, which has recently completed construction, is expected to collect a sample comparable in size to the entire existing world geoneutrino dataset in less than a year. This paper presents an updated estimation of sensitivity to geoneutrinos of JUNO using the best knowledge available to date about the experimental site, the surrounding nuclear reactors, the detector response uncertainties, and the constraints expected from the TAO satellite detector. To facilitate comparison with present and future geological models, our results cover a wide range of predicted signal strengths. Despite the significant background from reactor antineutrinos, the experiment will measure the total geoneutrino flux with a precision comparable to that of existing experiments within its first few years, ultimately achieving a world-leading precision of about 8% over ten years. The large statistics of JUNO will also allow separation of the Uranium-238 and Thorium-232 contributions with unprecedented precision, providing crucial constraints on models of formation and composition of Earth. Observation of the mantle signal above the lithospheric flux will be possible but challenging. For models with the highest predicted mantle concentrations of heat-producing elements, a 3-sigma detection over six years requires knowledge of the lithospheric flux to within 15%. Together with complementary measurements from other locations, the geoneutrino results of JUNO will offer cutting-edge, high-precision insights into the interior of Earth, of fundamental importance to both the geoscience and neutrino physics communities. △ Less

Submitted 10 November, 2025; originally announced November 2025.

Comments: 32 pages, with 13 figures and 5 tables

Design, waterproofing, and mass production of the 3-inch PMT frontend system of JUNO

Authors: Jilei Xu, Miao He, Cédric Cerna, Yongbo Huang, Thomas Adam, Shakeel Ahmad, Rizwan Ahmed, Fengpeng An, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, Didier Auguste, Weidong Bai, Nikita Balashov, Andrea Barresi, Davide Basilico, Eric Baussan, Marco Beretta, Antonio Bergnoli, Nikita Bessonov, Daniel Bick, Lukas Bieger , et al. (609 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Over 25,600 3-inch photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have been instrumented for the central detector of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory. Each PMT is equipped with a high-voltage divider and a frontend cable with waterproof sealing. Groups of sixteen PMTs are connected to the underwater frontend readout electronics via specialized multi-channel waterproof connectors. This paper outlines th… ▽ More Over 25,600 3-inch photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) have been instrumented for the central detector of the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory. Each PMT is equipped with a high-voltage divider and a frontend cable with waterproof sealing. Groups of sixteen PMTs are connected to the underwater frontend readout electronics via specialized multi-channel waterproof connectors. This paper outlines the design and mass production processes for the high-voltage divider, the cable and connector, as well as the waterproof potting of the PMT bases. The results of the acceptance tests of all the integrated PMTs are also presented. △ Less

Submitted 22 January, 2026; v1 submitted 7 October, 2025; originally announced October 2025.

A data-driven global ocean forecasting model with sub-daily and eddy-resolving resolution

Authors: Yuan Niu, Qiusheng Huang, Xiaohui Zhong, Anboyu Guo, Lei Chen, Xiaoyan Jia, Jiawei Qi, Dianjun Zhang, Hao Li, Xuefeng Zhang

Abstract: High-fidelity ocean forecasting at high spatial and temporal resolution is essential for capturing fine-scale dynamical features, with profound implications for hazard prediction, maritime navigation, and sustainable ocean management. While conventional numerical models can generate sub-daily, eddy-resolving forecasts, they demand substantial computational resources and often struggle to maintain… ▽ More High-fidelity ocean forecasting at high spatial and temporal resolution is essential for capturing fine-scale dynamical features, with profound implications for hazard prediction, maritime navigation, and sustainable ocean management. While conventional numerical models can generate sub-daily, eddy-resolving forecasts, they demand substantial computational resources and often struggle to maintain predictive skill at such fine scales. Data-driven models offer a promising alternative with significantly higher computational efficiency; however, most are constrained to daily outputs and show a rapid decay in accuracy when extended to sub-daily timescales. Here, we introduce TianHai, the first-of-its-kind global data-driven 6-hour forecasting model, which delivers predictions at 1/12° eddy-resolving resolution with a vertical extent down to 1,500 m. A key feature of TianHai is the integration of atmospheric forcings through FuXi-Atmosphere, a data-driven atmospheric forecasting system, which enables the explicit representation of air-sea coupling effects. Unlike conventional approaches, TianHai does not rely on numerical atmospheric models or external meteorological forecasts, making it a fully data-driven framework for coupled prediction. Benchmark experiments demonstrate that TianHai delivers state-of-the-art performance in forecasting temperature and salinity profiles, zonal and meridional currents, sea surface temperature, and sea level anomalies for lead times ranging from 1 to 10 days. △ Less

Submitted 26 September, 2025; v1 submitted 21 September, 2025; originally announced September 2025.

Comments: Due to numerous errors and academic issues in the article that cannot be fixed in a short period of time, and to avoid causing confusion for other researchers, we have decided to retract the paper first. We will consider resubmitting it after making improvements in the future

Enhancing Optical Performance of Liquid Crystal Lens Arrays via Electrode Design Optimization

Authors: Rui Ding, Li-Lan Tian, Yi Zheng, Yu-Meng Zeng, Fan Zou, Yue Niu, Rong-Fu Liu, Ji-Wei Zhou

Abstract: A liquid crystal (LC) lens array based on double-layer composite electrodes, characterized by a large aperture, short focal length, and low operating voltage is demonstrated. The lens array consists of an LC layer, a top common electrode, a bottom double-layer composite electrode layer, and an oxide layer. The bottom double-layer composite electrode layer comprises the pixel electrodes and the aux… ▽ More A liquid crystal (LC) lens array based on double-layer composite electrodes, characterized by a large aperture, short focal length, and low operating voltage is demonstrated. The lens array consists of an LC layer, a top common electrode, a bottom double-layer composite electrode layer, and an oxide layer. The bottom double-layer composite electrode layer comprises the pixel electrodes and the auxiliary electrode. In focusing mode, the pixel electrodes receive operational voltage to establish the LC layer's electric field, with the auxiliary electrode applying reduced voltage for field optimization. Experiment results show that the proposed LC lens array achieves the shortest focal length of 3.3 mm when the pixel electrodes are set at 5.2 Vrms and the auxiliary electrode is set at 2.6 Vrms. This design addresses the technical challenge of achieving larger apertures (800 μm or more), offering enhanced viewing zones and improved 3D performance. This configuration provides an ideal refractive index distribution in a relatively thick LC layer, enabling 2D/3D switchable display with performance superior to current LC lens arrays of equivalent aperture. Furthermore, the proposed structure demonstrates excellent tolerance to manufacturing errors. △ Less

Submitted 3 September, 2025; originally announced September 2025.

Can Randomly Structured Metasurfaces Be Used for Quantum Tomography of High-Dimensional Spatial Qudits?

Authors: Yuming Niu, Kai Wang

Abstract: Reconstructing the density matrix of the quantum state of photons through a tomographically complete set of measurements, known as quantum state tomography, is an essential task in nearly all applications of quantum science and technology, from quantum sensing to quantum communications. Recent advances in optical metasurfaces enable the design of ultrathin nanostructured optical elements performin… ▽ More Reconstructing the density matrix of the quantum state of photons through a tomographically complete set of measurements, known as quantum state tomography, is an essential task in nearly all applications of quantum science and technology, from quantum sensing to quantum communications. Recent advances in optical metasurfaces enable the design of ultrathin nanostructured optical elements performing such state tomography tasks, promising greater simplicity, miniaturization, and scalability. However, reported metasurfaces on this goal were limited to a small Hilbert dimension, e.g., polarization qubits or spatial qudits with only a few states. When scaling up to higher-dimensional qudit tomography problems, especially those involving spatial qudits, a natural question arises: whether a metasurface with randomized nanostructures is sufficient to perform such qudit tomography, achieving optimal conditions. In this work, we attempt to answer this question through a set of numerical experiments with random metasurfaces, utilizing large-scale simulations of over 16,000 distinct metasurfaces each exceeding 200 wavelengths in size. We show that with sufficient redundancy in the number of detectors, random metasurfaces perform reasonably well in quantum photonic spatial qudit tomography encoded in Hermite-Gaussian states for up to approximately 10 states. Furthermore, we discuss additional considerations for optimizing metasurfaces in multiphoton cases. Our work opens a pathway toward computationally efficient, miniaturized, and error-tolerant quantum measurement platforms. △ Less

Submitted 11 November, 2025; v1 submitted 11 August, 2025; originally announced August 2025.

Comments: 17 pages, 8 figures. Author accepted manuscript

Self-organized biodiversity and species abundance distribution patterns in ecosystems with higher-order interactions

Authors: Ju Kang, Yiyuan Niu, Yuanzhi Li, Chengjin Chu

Abstract: Explaining the emergence of self-organized biodiversity and species abundance distribution patterns remians a fundamental challenge in ecology. While classical frameworks, such as neutral theory and models based on pairwise species interactions, have provided valuable insights, they often neglect higher-order interactions (HOIs), whose role in stabilizing ecological communities is increasingly rec… ▽ More Explaining the emergence of self-organized biodiversity and species abundance distribution patterns remians a fundamental challenge in ecology. While classical frameworks, such as neutral theory and models based on pairwise species interactions, have provided valuable insights, they often neglect higher-order interactions (HOIs), whose role in stabilizing ecological communities is increasingly recognized. Here, we extend the Generalized Lotka-Volterra framework to incorporate HOIs and demonstrate that these interactions can enhance ecosystem stability and prevent collapse. Our model exhibits a diverse range of emergent dynamics, including self-sustained oscillations, quasi-periodic (torus) trajectories, and intermittent chaos. Remarkably, it also reproduces empirical species abundance distributions observed across diverse natural communities. These results underscore the critical role of HOIs in structuring biodiversity and offer a broadly applicable theoretical framework for capturing complexity in ecological systems △ Less

Submitted 29 July, 2025; originally announced July 2025.

Comments: Main: 10 pages, 3 figures; SM: 17 pages, 15 figures

Report number: 202 (2026) 117442

Journal ref: Chaos, Solitons and Fractals 202 (2026) 117442

Constructive interference at the edge of quantum ergodic dynamics

Authors: Dmitry A. Abanin, Rajeev Acharya, Laleh Aghababaie-Beni, Georg Aigeldinger, Ashok Ajoy, Ross Alcaraz, Igor Aleiner, Trond I. Andersen, Markus Ansmann, Frank Arute, Kunal Arya, Abraham Asfaw, Nikita Astrakhantsev, Juan Atalaya, Ryan Babbush, Dave Bacon, Brian Ballard, Joseph C. Bardin, Christian Bengs, Andreas Bengtsson, Alexander Bilmes, Sergio Boixo, Gina Bortoli, Alexandre Bourassa, Jenna Bovaird , et al. (240 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Quantum observables in the form of few-point correlators are the key to characterizing the dynamics of quantum many-body systems. In dynamics with fast entanglement generation, quantum observables generally become insensitive to the details of the underlying dynamics at long times due to the effects of scrambling. In experimental systems, repeated time-reversal protocols have been successfully imp… ▽ More Quantum observables in the form of few-point correlators are the key to characterizing the dynamics of quantum many-body systems. In dynamics with fast entanglement generation, quantum observables generally become insensitive to the details of the underlying dynamics at long times due to the effects of scrambling. In experimental systems, repeated time-reversal protocols have been successfully implemented to restore sensitivities of quantum observables. Using a 103-qubit superconducting quantum processor, we characterize ergodic dynamics using the second-order out-of-time-order correlators, OTOC$^{(2)}$. In contrast to dynamics without time reversal, OTOC$^{(2)}$ are observed to remain sensitive to the underlying dynamics at long time scales. Furthermore, by inserting Pauli operators during quantum evolution and randomizing the phases of Pauli strings in the Heisenberg picture, we observe substantial changes in OTOC$^{(2)}$ values. This indicates that OTOC$^{(2)}$ is dominated by constructive interference between Pauli strings that form large loops in configuration space. The observed interference mechanism endows OTOC$^{(2)}$ with a high degree of classical simulation complexity, which culminates in a set of large-scale OTOC$^{(2)}$ measurements exceeding the simulation capacity of known classical algorithms. Further supported by an example of Hamiltonian learning through OTOC$^{(2)}$, our results indicate a viable path to practical quantum advantage. △ Less

Submitted 11 June, 2025; originally announced June 2025.

Comments: See following link: https://zenodo.org/records/15640503, which includes: Circuits used in Fig. 3d, Fig. 3e, Fig. 4a, Fig. 4b of the main text. In addition, OTOC (C^(2)) circuits and data with 95, 40 and 31 qubits are also provided. For system sizes <= 40 qubits, we include exact simulation results. For system sizes > 40, we include experimental data

FuXi-Ocean: A Global Ocean Forecasting System with Sub-Daily Resolution

Authors: Qiusheng Huang, Yuan Niu, Xiaohui Zhong, Anboyu Guo, Lei Chen, Dianjun Zhang, Xuefeng Zhang, Hao Li

Abstract: Accurate, high-resolution ocean forecasting is crucial for maritime operations and environmental monitoring. While traditional numerical models are capable of producing sub-daily, eddy-resolving forecasts, they are computationally intensive and face challenges in maintaining accuracy at fine spatial and temporal scales. In contrast, recent data-driven approaches offer improved computational effici… ▽ More Accurate, high-resolution ocean forecasting is crucial for maritime operations and environmental monitoring. While traditional numerical models are capable of producing sub-daily, eddy-resolving forecasts, they are computationally intensive and face challenges in maintaining accuracy at fine spatial and temporal scales. In contrast, recent data-driven approaches offer improved computational efficiency and emerging potential, yet typically operate at daily resolution and struggle with sub-daily predictions due to error accumulation over time. We introduce FuXi-Ocean, the first data-driven global ocean forecasting model achieving six-hourly predictions at eddy-resolving 1/12° spatial resolution, reaching depths of up to 1500 meters. The model architecture integrates a context-aware feature extraction module with a predictive network employing stacked attention blocks. The core innovation is the Mixture-of-Time (MoT) module, which adaptively integrates predictions from multiple temporal contexts by learning variable-specific reliability , mitigating cumulative errors in sequential forecasting. Through comprehensive experimental evaluation, FuXi-Ocean demonstrates superior skill in predicting key variables, including temperature, salinity, and currents, across multiple depths. △ Less

Submitted 24 October, 2025; v1 submitted 2 June, 2025; originally announced June 2025.

The High Voltage Splitter board for the JUNO SPMT system

Authors: Pablo Walker, Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux, Angel Abusleme, Agustin Campeny, Mathieu Bongrand, Clément Bordereau, José Busto, Anatael Cabrera, Stéphane Callier, Steven Calvez, Cédric Cerna, Thomas Chabot, Po-An Chen, Guoming Chen, Ziliang Chu, Gérard Claverie, Christophe De La Taille, Charles-Edouard Demonchy, Selma Conforti Di Lorenzo, Frédéric Druillole, Lei Fan, Amélie Fournier, Yang Han, Miao He, Patrick Hellmuth , et al. (52 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in southern China is designed to study neutrinos from nuclear reactors and natural sources to address fundamental questions in neutrino physics. Achieving its goals requires continuous operation over a 20-year period. The small photomultiplier tube (small PMT or SPMT) system is a subsystem within the experiment composed of 25600 3-inch PMTs and… ▽ More The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) in southern China is designed to study neutrinos from nuclear reactors and natural sources to address fundamental questions in neutrino physics. Achieving its goals requires continuous operation over a 20-year period. The small photomultiplier tube (small PMT or SPMT) system is a subsystem within the experiment composed of 25600 3-inch PMTs and their associated readout electronics. The High Voltage Splitter (HVS) is the first board on the readout chain of the SPMT system and services the PMTs by providing high voltage for biasing and by decoupling the generated physics signal from the high-voltage bias for readout, which is then fed to the front-end board. The necessity to handle high voltage, manage a large channel count, and operate stably for 20 years imposes significant constraints on the physical design of the HVS. This paper serves as a comprehensive documentation of the HVS board: its role in the SPMT readout system, the challenges in its design, performance and reliability metrics, and the methods employed for production and quality control. △ Less

Submitted 8 May, 2025; originally announced May 2025.

Comments: 25 pages, 39 figures, 5 tables. To be submitted to NIM-A

Multispectral radiation temperature inversion based on Transformer-LSTM-SVM

Authors: Ying Cui, Kongxin Qiu, Shan Gao, Hailong Liu, Rongyan Gao, Liwei Chen, Zezhan Zhang, Jing Jiang, Yi Niu, Chao Wang

Abstract: The key challenge in multispectral radiation thermometry is accurately measuring emissivity. Traditional constrained optimization methods often fail to meet practical requirements in terms of precision, efficiency, and noise resistance. However, the continuous advancement of neural networks in data processing offers a potential solution to this issue. This paper presents a multispectral radiation… ▽ More The key challenge in multispectral radiation thermometry is accurately measuring emissivity. Traditional constrained optimization methods often fail to meet practical requirements in terms of precision, efficiency, and noise resistance. However, the continuous advancement of neural networks in data processing offers a potential solution to this issue. This paper presents a multispectral radiation thermometry algorithm that combines Transformer, LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory), and SVM (Support Vector Machine) to mitigate the impact of emissivity, thereby enhancing accuracy and noise resistance. In simulations, compared to the BP neural network algorithm, GIM-LSTM, and Transformer-LSTM algorithms, the Transformer-LSTM-SVM algorithm demonstrates an improvement in accuracy of 1.23%, 0.46% and 0.13%, respectively, without noise. When 5% random noise is added, the accuracy increases by 1.39%, 0.51%, and 0.38%, respectively. Finally, experiments confirmed that the maximum temperature error using this method is less than 1%, indicating that the algorithm offers high accuracy, fast processing speed, and robust noise resistance. These characteristics make it well-suited for real-time high-temperature measurements with multi-wavelength thermometry equipment. △ Less

Submitted 19 March, 2025; originally announced March 2025.

Comments: 9 pages, seven pictures

Time delay of mean field interaction in thermal Rydberg atomic gas

Authors: Yuzhuo Wang, Tianxiong Gao, Yufan Niu, Ying Hu, Linjie Zhang, Shuotang Jia, Mingyong Jing, Yanhong Xiao

Abstract: Mean field theory is commonly employed to study nonequilibrium dynamics in hot Rydberg atomic ensembles, but the fundamental mechanism behind the generation of the mean-field interactions remains poorly understood. In this work, we experimentally observe a time-delay effect in the buildup of mean-field interaction, which reveals the key role of collision ionization. We analyze the relevant collisi… ▽ More Mean field theory is commonly employed to study nonequilibrium dynamics in hot Rydberg atomic ensembles, but the fundamental mechanism behind the generation of the mean-field interactions remains poorly understood. In this work, we experimentally observe a time-delay effect in the buildup of mean-field interaction, which reveals the key role of collision ionization. We analyze the relevant collision channels and propose a microscopic mechanism that quantitatively explains the hysteresis window observed in optical bistability. Then, using square-wave modulation spectroscopy (SMS) to monitor the growth of the mean-field interaction, we experimentally demonstrate a delay in its dynamical buildup following the initial Rydberg excitation. Finally, we demonstrate how this delay effect may help understand the recently observed self-sustained oscillations in thermal Rydberg gases. Our findings provide compelling evidence for the contribution of ionization processes in the nonequilibrium dynamics of thermal Rydberg gas, a system of growing interest for quantum sensing and quantum information science. △ Less

Submitted 24 April, 2025; v1 submitted 10 March, 2025; originally announced March 2025.

Simulation of the Background from $^{13}$C$(α, n)^{16}$O Reaction in the JUNO Scintillator

Authors: JUNO Collaboration, Thomas Adam, Kai Adamowicz, Shakeel Ahmad, Rizwan Ahmed, Sebastiano Aiello, Fengpeng An, Costas Andreopoulos, Giuseppe Andronico, Nikolay Anfimov, Vito Antonelli, Tatiana Antoshkina, João Pedro Athayde Marcondes de André, Didier Auguste, Weidong Bai, Nikita Balashov, Andrea Barresi, Davide Basilico, Eric Baussan, Marco Beretta, Antonio Bergnoli, Nikita Bessonov, Daniel Bick, Lukas Bieger, Svetlana Biktemerova , et al. (608 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Large-scale organic liquid scintillator detectors are highly efficient in the detection of MeV-scale electron antineutrinos. These signal events can be detected through inverse beta decay on protons, which produce a positron accompanied by a neutron. A noteworthy background for antineutrinos coming from nuclear power reactors and from the depths of the Earth (geoneutrinos) is generated by ($α, n$)… ▽ More Large-scale organic liquid scintillator detectors are highly efficient in the detection of MeV-scale electron antineutrinos. These signal events can be detected through inverse beta decay on protons, which produce a positron accompanied by a neutron. A noteworthy background for antineutrinos coming from nuclear power reactors and from the depths of the Earth (geoneutrinos) is generated by ($α, n$) reactions. In organic liquid scintillator detectors, $α$ particles emitted from intrinsic contaminants such as $^{238}$U, $^{232}$Th, and $^{210}$Pb/$^{210}$Po, can be captured on $^{13}$C nuclei, followed by the emission of a MeV-scale neutron. Three distinct interaction mechanisms can produce prompt energy depositions preceding the delayed neutron capture, leading to a pair of events correlated in space and time within the detector. Thus, ($α, n$) reactions represent an indistinguishable background in liquid scintillator-based antineutrino detectors, where their expected rate and energy spectrum are typically evaluated via Monte Carlo simulations. This work presents results from the open-source SaG4n software, used to calculate the expected energy depositions from the neutron and any associated de-excitation products. Also simulated is a detailed detector response to these interactions, using a dedicated Geant4-based simulation software from the JUNO experiment. An expected measurable $^{13}$C$(α, n)^{16}$O event rate and reconstructed prompt energy spectrum with associated uncertainties, are presented in the context of JUNO, however, the methods and results are applicable and relevant to other organic liquid scintillator neutrino detectors. △ Less

Submitted 2 May, 2025; v1 submitted 2 March, 2025; originally announced March 2025.

Comments: 25 pages, 14 figures, 4 tables

Identifying Switching of Antiferromagnets by Spin-Orbit Torques

Authors: Martin Jourdan, Jonathan Bläßer, Guzmán Orero Gámez, Sonka Reimers, Lukas Odenbreit, Miriam Fischer, Yuran Niu, Evangelos Golias, Francesco Maccherozzi, Armin Kleibert, Hermann Stoll, Mathias Kläui

Abstract: Antiferromagnets are promising candidates for ultrafast spintronic applications, leveraging current-induced spin-orbit torques. However, experimentally distinguishing between different switching mechanisms of the staggered magnetization (Néel vector) driven by current pulses remains a challenge. In an exemplary study of the collinear antiferromagnetic compound Mn$_2$Au, we demonstrate that slower… ▽ More Antiferromagnets are promising candidates for ultrafast spintronic applications, leveraging current-induced spin-orbit torques. However, experimentally distinguishing between different switching mechanisms of the staggered magnetization (Néel vector) driven by current pulses remains a challenge. In an exemplary study of the collinear antiferromagnetic compound Mn$_2$Au, we demonstrate that slower thermomagnetoelastic effects predominantly govern switching over a wide parameter range. In the regime of short current pulses in the nanosecond range, however, we observe fully Néel spin-orbit torque driven switching. We show that this ultrafast mechanism enables the complete directional alignment of the Néel vector by current pulses in device structures. △ Less

Submitted 6 June, 2025; v1 submitted 20 December, 2024; originally announced December 2024.

Comments: 10 pages, 8 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. B 112, 104408 (2025)

Magnetic twisting in an artificial ferrimagnet: Anisotropic magnetoresistance on Py/Gd/Py/Gd/Py/SiNx multilayers

Authors: Kai Zhang, Y. X. Niu, Yang Meng, Hong-Wu Zhao, J. Li

Abstract: The intensive study of non-collinear magnets promotes an urgent demand for the quantitative characterization of the non-collinear magnetic structures, which host numerous exotic phenomena. Here we systematically study the non-collinear magnetic structure of an artificial ferrimagnetic multilayer. The AMR measurements reveal two distinct twisted states whose magnetic structures can be quantitativel… ▽ More The intensive study of non-collinear magnets promotes an urgent demand for the quantitative characterization of the non-collinear magnetic structures, which host numerous exotic phenomena. Here we systematically study the non-collinear magnetic structure of an artificial ferrimagnetic multilayer. The AMR measurements reveal two distinct twisted states whose magnetic structures can be quantitatively characterized with the assistance of micromagnetic simulations. Our results manifest AMR as an ideal probe of the non-collinear magnetic structure in artificial ferrimagnets. △ Less

Submitted 2 December, 2024; originally announced December 2024.

Universal Logical Quantum Photonic Neural Network Processor via Cavity-Assisted Interactions

Authors: Jasvith Raj Basani, Murphy Yuezhen Niu, Edo Waks

Abstract: Encoding quantum information within bosonic modes offers a promising direction for hardware-efficient and fault-tolerant quantum information processing. However, achieving high-fidelity universal control over the bosonic degree of freedom using native photonic hardware remains a challenge. Here, we propose an architecture to prepare and perform logical quantum operations on arbitrary multimode mul… ▽ More Encoding quantum information within bosonic modes offers a promising direction for hardware-efficient and fault-tolerant quantum information processing. However, achieving high-fidelity universal control over the bosonic degree of freedom using native photonic hardware remains a challenge. Here, we propose an architecture to prepare and perform logical quantum operations on arbitrary multimode multi-photon states using a quantum photonic neural network. Central to our approach is the optical nonlinearity, which is realized through strong light-matter interaction with a three-level Lambda atomic system. The dynamics of this interaction are confined to the single-mode subspace, enabling the construction of high-fidelity quantum gates. This nonlinearity functions as a photon-number selective phase gate, which facilitates the construction of a universal gate set and serves as the element-wise activation function in our neural network architecture. Through numerical simulations, we demonstrate the versatility of our approach by executing tasks that are key to logical quantum information processing. The network is able to deterministically prepare a wide array of multimode multi-photon states, including essential resource states. We also show that the architecture is capable of encoding and performing logical operations on bosonic error-correcting codes. Additionally, by adapting components of our architecture, error-correcting circuits can be built to protect bosonic codes. The proposed architecture paves the way for near-term quantum photonic processors that enable error-corrected quantum computation, and can be achieved using present-day integrated photonic hardware. △ Less

Submitted 2 October, 2024; originally announced October 2024.

Comments: 21 pages including supplement, 12 figures total

Study of the decay and production properties of $D_{s1}(2536)$ and $D_{s2}^*(2573)$

Authors: M. Ablikim, M. N. Achasov, P. Adlarson, O. Afedulidis, X. C. Ai, R. Aliberti, A. Amoroso, Q. An, Y. Bai, O. Bakina, I. Balossino, Y. Ban, H. -R. Bao, V. Batozskaya, K. Begzsuren, N. Berger, M. Berlowski, M. Bertani, D. Bettoni, F. Bianchi, E. Bianco, A. Bortone, I. Boyko, R. A. Briere, A. Brueggemann , et al. (645 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^-$ and $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D^*_{s2}(2573)^-$ processes are studied using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies from 4.530 to 4.946~GeV. The absolute branching fractions of $D_{s1}(2536)^- \rightarrow \bar{D}^{*0}K^-$ and $D_{s2}^*(2573)^- \rightarrow \bar{D}^0K^-$ are measured for the first time to be… ▽ More The $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^-$ and $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D^*_{s2}(2573)^-$ processes are studied using data samples collected with the BESIII detector at center-of-mass energies from 4.530 to 4.946~GeV. The absolute branching fractions of $D_{s1}(2536)^- \rightarrow \bar{D}^{*0}K^-$ and $D_{s2}^*(2573)^- \rightarrow \bar{D}^0K^-$ are measured for the first time to be $(35.9\pm 4.8\pm 3.5)\%$ and $(37.4\pm 3.1\pm 4.6)\%$, respectively. The measurements are in tension with predictions based on the assumption that the $D_{s1}(2536)$ and $D_{s2}^*(2573)$ are dominated by a bare $c\bar{s}$ component. The $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^-$ and $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D^*_{s2}(2573)^-$ cross sections are measured, and a resonant structure at around 4.6~GeV with a width of 50~MeV is observed for the first time with a statistical significance of $15σ$ in the $e^+e^-\rightarrow D_s^+D^*_{s2}(2573)^-$ process. It could be the $Y(4626)$ found by the Belle collaboration in the $D_s^+D_{s1}(2536)^{-}$ final state, since they have similar masses and widths. There is also evidence for a structure at around 4.75~GeV in both processes. △ Less

Submitted 10 July, 2024; originally announced July 2024.

Optimal Low-Depth Quantum Signal-Processing Phase Estimation

Authors: Yulong Dong, Jonathan A. Gross, Murphy Yuezhen Niu

Abstract: Quantum effects like entanglement and coherent amplification can be used to drastically enhance the accuracy of quantum parameter estimation beyond classical limits. However, challenges such as decoherence and time-dependent errors hinder Heisenberg-limited amplification. We introduce Quantum Signal-Processing Phase Estimation algorithms that are robust against these challenges and achieve optimal… ▽ More Quantum effects like entanglement and coherent amplification can be used to drastically enhance the accuracy of quantum parameter estimation beyond classical limits. However, challenges such as decoherence and time-dependent errors hinder Heisenberg-limited amplification. We introduce Quantum Signal-Processing Phase Estimation algorithms that are robust against these challenges and achieve optimal performance as dictated by the Cramér-Rao bound. These algorithms use quantum signal transformation to decouple interdependent phase parameters into largely orthogonal ones, ensuring that time-dependent errors in one do not compromise the accuracy of learning the other. Combining provably optimal classical estimation with near-optimal quantum circuit design, our approach achieves a standard deviation accuracy of $10^{-4}$ radians for estimating unwanted swap angles in superconducting two-qubit experiments, using low-depth ($<10$) circuits. This represents up to two orders of magnitude improvement over existing methods. Theoretically and numerically, we demonstrate the optimality of our algorithm against time-dependent phase errors, observing that the variance of the time-sensitive parameter $\varphi$ scales faster than the asymptotic Heisenberg scaling in the small-depth regime. Our results are rigorously validated against the quantum Fisher information, confirming our protocol's ability to achieve unmatched precision for two-qubit gate learning. △ Less

Submitted 16 February, 2025; v1 submitted 17 June, 2024; originally announced July 2024.

Comments: 58 pages, 22 figures. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:2209.11207

Journal ref: Nature Communications 16, no. 1 (2025): 1504

Precipitation Prediction Using an Ensemble of Lightweight Learners

Authors: Xinzhe Li, Sun Rui, Yiming Niu, Yao Liu

Abstract: Precipitation prediction plays a crucial role in modern agriculture and industry. However, it poses significant challenges due to the diverse patterns and dynamics in time and space, as well as the scarcity of high precipitation events. To address this challenge, we propose an ensemble learning framework that leverages multiple learners to capture the diverse patterns of precipitation distributi… ▽ More Precipitation prediction plays a crucial role in modern agriculture and industry. However, it poses significant challenges due to the diverse patterns and dynamics in time and space, as well as the scarcity of high precipitation events. To address this challenge, we propose an ensemble learning framework that leverages multiple learners to capture the diverse patterns of precipitation distribution. Specifically, the framework consists of a precipitation predictor with multiple lightweight heads (learners) and a controller that combines the outputs from these heads. The learners and the controller are separately optimized with a proposed 3-stage training scheme. By utilizing provided satellite images, the proposed approach can effectively model the intricate rainfall patterns, especially for high precipitation events. It achieved 1st place on the core test as well as the nowcasting leaderboards of the Weather4Cast 2023 competition. For detailed implementation, please refer to our GitHub repository at: https://github.com/lxz1217/weather4cast-2023-lxz. △ Less

Submitted 29 November, 2023; originally announced January 2024.

Self-organized biodiversity in biotic resource systems

Authors: Ju Kang, Shijie Zhang, Yiyuan Niu, Xin Wang

Abstract: What determines biodiversity in nature is a prominent issue in ecology, especially in biotic resource systems that are typically devoid of cross-feeding. Here, we show that by incorporating pairwise encounters among consumer individuals within the same species, a multitude of consumer species can self-organize to coexist in a well-mixed system with one or a few biotic resource species. The coexist… ▽ More What determines biodiversity in nature is a prominent issue in ecology, especially in biotic resource systems that are typically devoid of cross-feeding. Here, we show that by incorporating pairwise encounters among consumer individuals within the same species, a multitude of consumer species can self-organize to coexist in a well-mixed system with one or a few biotic resource species. The coexistence modes can manifest as either stable steady states or self-organized oscillations. Importantly, all coexistence states are robust to stochasticity, whether employing the stochastic simulation algorithm or individual-based modeling. Our model quantitatively illustrates species distribution patterns across a wide range of ecological communities and can be broadly used to explain biodiversity in many biotic resource systems. △ Less

Submitted 23 November, 2023; originally announced November 2023.

Comments: Maintext: 14 pages, 5 figures. SI: 15 pages, 5 SI figures

Journal ref: Chaos, Solitons & Fractals 188, 115607 (2024)

One-way multiple beam splitter designed by quantum-like shortcut-to-adiabatic passage

Authors: Jiahui Zhang, Yating Wei, Li Deng, Yueping Niu, Shangqing Gong

Abstract: Based on the quantum mechanical "Shortcut-to-Adiabatic passage" (STAP), a novel design for the efficient and robust multiple beam splitter is presented in this paper. This multiple beam splitter consists of one input and $N$ output waveguide channels, which are connected via a mediator waveguide (WG). To implement "STAP" but without additional couplings, this $(N+2)$-WG system is first reduced to… ▽ More Based on the quantum mechanical "Shortcut-to-Adiabatic passage" (STAP), a novel design for the efficient and robust multiple beam splitter is presented in this paper. This multiple beam splitter consists of one input and $N$ output waveguide channels, which are connected via a mediator waveguide (WG). To implement "STAP" but without additional couplings, this $(N+2)$-WG system is first reduced to a controllable $3$-WGs counterpart by "Morris-Shore" (MS) transformation. Consequently, the reduced system can be directly compatible with all possible "STAP" methods. The results show that this novel design can achieve arbitrary ratio of multiple beam splitting and can significantly shorten the length of the device, which expands the application of "STAP" in classical system and provides a direct visualization in space of typical ultra-fast phenomena in time. More uniquely, this new design exhibits a one-way energy transport behavior. These may have profound impacts on exploring quantum technologies for promoting advanced optical devices. △ Less

Submitted 27 October, 2024; v1 submitted 10 November, 2023; originally announced November 2023.

Simulation study of BESIII with stitched CMOS pixel detector using ACTS

Authors: Yi Liu, Xiaocong Ai, Guangyan Xiao, Yaxuan Li, Linghui Wu, Liangliang Wang, Jianing Dong, Mingyi Dong, Qinglin Geng, Min Luo, Yan Niu, Anqing Wang, Chenxu Wang, Meng Wang, Lei Zhang, Liang Zhang, Ruikai Zhang, Yao Zhang, Minggang Zhao, Yang Zhou

Abstract: Reconstruction of tracks of charged particles with high precision is very crucial for HEP experiments to achieve their physics goals. As the tracking detector of BESIII experiment, the BESIII drift chamber has suffered from aging effects resulting in degraded tracking performance after operation for about 15 years. To preserve and enhance the tracking performance of BESIII, one of the proposals is… ▽ More Reconstruction of tracks of charged particles with high precision is very crucial for HEP experiments to achieve their physics goals. As the tracking detector of BESIII experiment, the BESIII drift chamber has suffered from aging effects resulting in degraded tracking performance after operation for about 15 years. To preserve and enhance the tracking performance of BESIII, one of the proposals is to add one layer of thin CMOS pixel sensor in cylindrical shape based on the state-of-the-art stitching technology, between the beam pipe and the drift chamber. The improvement of tracking performance of BESIII with such an additional pixel detector compared to that with only the existing drift chamber is studied using the modern common tracking software ACTS, which provides a set of detector-agnostic and highly performant tracking algorithms that have demonstrated promising performance for a few high energy physics and nuclear physics experiments. △ Less

Submitted 5 September, 2023; originally announced September 2023.

Journal ref: NUCL SCI TECH 34, 203 (2023)

Ultra Electron Density Sensitivity for Surface Plasmons

Authors: Wei Liu, Meng Li, Yu Niu, Ziren Luo

Abstract: We investigate surface plasmons from a solid-state standpoint and highlight their ultra electron density sensitivity. When a surface plasmon is excited on a planar gold film by an evanescent wave from 625 nm incident light, only a minute fraction of the surface electron density, approximately one thousandth, participates in the process. By introducing a noise-depressed surface potential modulation… ▽ More We investigate surface plasmons from a solid-state standpoint and highlight their ultra electron density sensitivity. When a surface plasmon is excited on a planar gold film by an evanescent wave from 625 nm incident light, only a minute fraction of the surface electron density, approximately one thousandth, participates in the process. By introducing a noise-depressed surface potential modulation, we reduce the electron density to the order of 10 um-2, enabling electron sensitivity on the order of 0.1 e. As a practical application, we develop a surface plasmon resonance imaging method capable of detecting single anions in solution at a concentration of 1 aM. △ Less

Submitted 10 July, 2023; originally announced July 2023.

Comments: arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2305.11378

Direct imaging of single-molecule electronic states in chemical reactions

Authors: Wei Liu, Meng Li, Houqiang Teng, Heshan Liu, Zhi Li, Yu Niu, Ziren Luo

Abstract: Current single-molecule imaging techniques are incapable of providing stochastic information of individual chemical reactions. We have developed an optical imaging method for stochastic analysis of individual electrochemical reactions. The method bypasses diffraction limits and allows for the direct imaging of the electronic states of single molecules in electrochemical reactions. It involves usin… ▽ More Current single-molecule imaging techniques are incapable of providing stochastic information of individual chemical reactions. We have developed an optical imaging method for stochastic analysis of individual electrochemical reactions. The method bypasses diffraction limits and allows for the direct imaging of the electronic states of single molecules in electrochemical reactions. It involves using surface plasmon resonance and electrode potential modulation to reduce electron density background on macroelectrode surfaces, thus making it possible to measure individual redox reactions, identify different redox states of single molecules, and analyze reaction probability fluctuations under different conditions. The technique enables the acquisition of electron transfer and stochastic information in chemical processes, providing unique insights into single-molecule reactions with broad applications in biology, materials, computational science, and other scientific communities. △ Less

Submitted 18 May, 2023; originally announced May 2023.

Ultrafast Plasmon-mediated Superradiance from Vertically Standing Molecules in Metallic Nanocavities

Authors: Yuan Zhang, Yuxin Niu, Shunping Zhang, Yao Zhang, Shi-Lei Su, Guangchao Zheng, Luxia Wang, Gang Chen, Hongxing Xu, Chongxin Shan

Abstract: Plasmon-mediated superradiance for molecules around metallic nanospheres was proposed ten years ago. However, its demonstration has not been achieved yet due to the experimental difficulty of positioning molecules, and the theoretical limitation to the enhanced collective rate of low excited molecules. In this Letter, we propose that the ultrafast plasmon-mediated superradiant pulses can be observ… ▽ More Plasmon-mediated superradiance for molecules around metallic nanospheres was proposed ten years ago. However, its demonstration has not been achieved yet due to the experimental difficulty of positioning molecules, and the theoretical limitation to the enhanced collective rate of low excited molecules. In this Letter, we propose that the ultrafast plasmon-mediated superradiant pulses can be observed with strongly excited methylene blue molecules standing vertically inside gold nanoparticle-on-mirror nanocavities. Our simulations indicate that in this system the molecules could interact with each other via plasmon- and free-space mediated coherent and dissipative coupling. More importantly, the coherent coupling mediated by short-ranged propagating surface plasmons cancel largely the direct dipole-dipole coupling mediated by the free-space field, and the dominated dissipative coupling mediated by relatively long-ranged gap plasmons enables the ultrafast superradiant pulses within picosecond scale. Our study opens up the possibility of studying the rich superradiant effects from the quantum emitters in a sub-wavelength volumn by engineering the plasmonic environments. △ Less

Submitted 5 March, 2023; originally announced March 2023.

Comments: 13 pages, 10 figures

Determination of energy-dependent neutron backgrounds using shadow bars

Authors: S. N. Paneru, K. W. Brown, F. C. E Teh, K. Zhu, M. B. Tsang, D. DellAquila, Z. Chajecki, W. G. Lynch, S. Sweany, C. Y. Tsang, A. K. Anthony, J. Barney, J. Estee, I. Gasparic, G. Jhang, O. B. Khanal, J. Mandredi, C. Y. Niu, R. S. Wang, J. C. Zamora

Abstract: Understanding the neutron background is essential for determining the neutron yield from nuclear reactions. In the analysis presented here, the shadow bars are placed in front of neutron detectors to determine the energy dependent neutron background fractions. The measurement of neutron spectra with and without shadow bars is important to determine the neutron background more accurately. The neutr… ▽ More Understanding the neutron background is essential for determining the neutron yield from nuclear reactions. In the analysis presented here, the shadow bars are placed in front of neutron detectors to determine the energy dependent neutron background fractions. The measurement of neutron spectra with and without shadow bars is important to determine the neutron background more accurately. The neutron background, along with its sources and systematic uncertainties, are explored with a focus on the impact of background models and their dependence on neutron energy. △ Less

Submitted 19 December, 2022; originally announced December 2022.

Comments: 7 pages, 10 figures

Search for relativistic fractionally charged particles in space

Authors: DAMPE Collaboration, F. Alemanno, C. Altomare, Q. An, P. Azzarello, F. C. T. Barbato, P. Bernardini, X. J. Bi, M. S. Cai, E. Casilli, E. Catanzani, J. Chang, D. Y. Chen, J. L. Chen, Z. F. Chen, M. Y. Cui, T. S. Cui, Y. X. Cui, H. T. Dai, A. De-Benedittis, I. De Mitri, F. de Palma, M. Deliyergiyev, A. Di Giovanni, M. Di Santo , et al. (126 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: More than a century after the performance of the oil drop experiment, the possible existence of fractionally charged particles FCP still remains unsettled. The search for FCPs is crucial for some extensions of the Standard Model in particle physics. Most of the previously conducted searches for FCPs in cosmic rays were based on experiments underground or at high altitudes. However, there have been… ▽ More More than a century after the performance of the oil drop experiment, the possible existence of fractionally charged particles FCP still remains unsettled. The search for FCPs is crucial for some extensions of the Standard Model in particle physics. Most of the previously conducted searches for FCPs in cosmic rays were based on experiments underground or at high altitudes. However, there have been few searches for FCPs in cosmic rays carried out in orbit other than AMS-01 flown by a space shuttle and BESS by a balloon at the top of the atmosphere. In this study, we conduct an FCP search in space based on on-orbit data obtained using the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) satellite over a period of five years. Unlike underground experiments, which require an FCP energy of the order of hundreds of GeV, our FCP search starts at only a few GeV. An upper limit of $6.2\times 10^{-10}~~\mathrm{cm^{-2}sr^{-1} s^{-1}}$ is obtained for the flux. Our results demonstrate that DAMPE exhibits higher sensitivity than experiments of similar types by three orders of magnitude that more stringently restricts the conditions for the existence of FCP in primary cosmic rays. △ Less

Submitted 9 September, 2022; originally announced September 2022.

Comments: 19 pages, 6 figures, accepted by PRD

Report number: 106, 063026

Journal ref: Physical Review D 106.6 (2022): 063026

Effective permeability of an immiscible fluid in porous media determined from its geometric state

Authors: Fatimah Alzubaidi, Peyman Mostaghimi, Yufu Niu, Ryan T. Armstrong, Gelareh Mohammadi, Steffen Berg, James E. McClure

Abstract: Based on the phenomenological extension of Darcy's law, two-fluid flow is dependent on a relative permeability function of saturation only that is process/path dependent with an underlying dependency on pore structure. For applications, fuel cells to underground $CO_2$ storage, it is imperative to determine the effective phase permeability relationships where the traditional approach is based on t… ▽ More Based on the phenomenological extension of Darcy's law, two-fluid flow is dependent on a relative permeability function of saturation only that is process/path dependent with an underlying dependency on pore structure. For applications, fuel cells to underground $CO_2$ storage, it is imperative to determine the effective phase permeability relationships where the traditional approach is based on the inverse modelling of time-consuming experiments. The underlying reason is that the fundamental upscaling step from pore to Darcy scale, which links the pore structure of the porous medium to the continuum hydraulic conductivities, is not solved. Herein, we develop an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) that relies on fundamental geometrical relationships to determine the mechanical energy dissipation during creeping immiscible two-fluid flow. The developed ANN is based on a prescribed set of state variables based on physical insights that predicts the effective permeability of 4,500 unseen pore-scale geometrical states with $R^2 = 0.98$. △ Less

Submitted 22 June, 2023; v1 submitted 16 August, 2022; originally announced August 2022.

Comments: 6 Pages, 2 Figures, and Supporting Material

MSC Class: 76S05 (Primary); 76T06 (Secondary) ACM Class: J.2

Current-driven writing process in antiferromagnetic Mn2Au for memory applications

Authors: Sonka Reimers, Yaryna Lytvynenko, Yuran Niu, Evangelos Golias, Brice Sarpi, Larissa Ishibe-Veiga, Thibauld Denneulin, Andras Kovacs, Rafal Dunin-Borkowski, Jonathan Bläßer, Mathias Kläui, Martin Jourdan

Abstract: Current pulse driven Neel vector rotation in metallic antiferromagnets is one of the most promising concepts in antiferromagnetic spintronics. We show microscopically that the Neel vector of epitaxial thin films of the prototypical compound Mn2Au can be reoriented reversibly in the complete area of cross shaped device structures using single current pulses. The resulting domain pattern with aligne… ▽ More Current pulse driven Neel vector rotation in metallic antiferromagnets is one of the most promising concepts in antiferromagnetic spintronics. We show microscopically that the Neel vector of epitaxial thin films of the prototypical compound Mn2Au can be reoriented reversibly in the complete area of cross shaped device structures using single current pulses. The resulting domain pattern with aligned staggered magnetization is long term stable enabling memory applications. We achieve this switching with low heating of 20 K, which is promising regarding fast and efficient devices without the need for thermal activation. Current polarity dependent reversible domain wall motion demonstrates a Neel spin-orbit torque acting on the domain walls. △ Less

Submitted 21 December, 2022; v1 submitted 8 August, 2022; originally announced August 2022.

Comments: 9 pages, 9 figures

Journal ref: Nature Communications, 14, 1861 (2023)

Intraspecific predator interference promotes biodiversity in ecosystems

Authors: Ju Kang, Shijie Zhang, Yiyuan Niu, Fan Zhong, Xin Wang

Abstract: Explaining biodiversity is a fundamental issue in ecology. A long-standing puzzle lies in the paradox of the plankton: many species of plankton feeding on a limited variety of resources coexist, apparently flouting the competitive exclusion principle (CEP), which holds that the number of predator (consumer) species cannot exceed that of the resources at a steady state. Here, we present a mechanist… ▽ More Explaining biodiversity is a fundamental issue in ecology. A long-standing puzzle lies in the paradox of the plankton: many species of plankton feeding on a limited variety of resources coexist, apparently flouting the competitive exclusion principle (CEP), which holds that the number of predator (consumer) species cannot exceed that of the resources at a steady state. Here, we present a mechanistic model and demonstrate that intraspecific interference among the consumers enables a plethora of consumer species to coexist at constant population densities with only one or a handful of resource species. This facilitated biodiversity is resistant to stochasticity, either with the stochastic simulation algorithm or individual-based modeling. Our model naturally explains the classical experiments that invalidate the CEP, quantitatively illustrates the universal S-shaped pattern of the rank-abundance curves across a wide range of ecological communities, and can be broadly used to resolve the mystery of biodiversity in many natural ecosystems. △ Less

Submitted 30 April, 2024; v1 submitted 9 December, 2021; originally announced December 2021.

Comments: Main text 14 pages, 3 figures. Appendices 34 pages, 15 Appendix-figures

Journal ref: eLife 13:RP93115 (2024)

Deep learning of multi-resolution X-Ray micro-CT images for multi-scale modelling

Authors: Samuel J. Jackson, Yufu Niu, Sojwal Manoorkar, Peyman Mostaghimi, Ryan T. Armstrong

Abstract: Field-of-view and resolution trade-offs in X-Ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging limit the characterization, analysis and model development of multi-scale porous systems. To this end, we developed an applied methodology utilising deep learning to enhance low resolution images over large sample sizes and create multi-scale models capable of accurately simulating experimental fluid dyna… ▽ More Field-of-view and resolution trade-offs in X-Ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging limit the characterization, analysis and model development of multi-scale porous systems. To this end, we developed an applied methodology utilising deep learning to enhance low resolution images over large sample sizes and create multi-scale models capable of accurately simulating experimental fluid dynamics from the pore (microns) to continuum (centimetres) scale. We develop a 3D Enhanced Deep Super Resolution (EDSR) convolutional neural network to create super resolution (SR) images from low resolution images, which alleviates common micro-CT hardware/reconstruction defects in high-resolution (HR) images. When paired with pore-network simulations and parallel computation, we can create large 3D continuum-scale models with spatially varying flow & material properties. We quantitatively validate the workflow at various scales using direct HR/SR image similarity, pore-scale material/flow simulations and continuum scale multiphase flow experiments (drainage immiscible flow pressures and 3D fluid volume fractions). The SR images and models are comparable to the HR ground truth, and generally accurate to within experimental uncertainty at the continuum scale across a range of flow rates. They are found to be significantly more accurate than their LR counterparts, especially in cases where a wide distribution of pore-sizes are encountered. The applied methodology opens up the possibility to image, model and analyse truly multi-scale heterogeneous systems that are otherwise intractable. △ Less

Submitted 15 March, 2022; v1 submitted 1 November, 2021; originally announced November 2021.

Comments: 21 pages, 9 figures

MSC Class: 76S05 ACM Class: I.4.3

Beam Particle Identification and Tagging of Incompletely Stripped Heavy Beams with HEIST

Authors: A. K. Anthony, C. Y. Niu, R. S. Wang, J. Wieske, K. W. Brown, Z. Chajecki, W. G. Lynch, Y. Ayyad, J. Barney, T. Baumann, D. Bazin, S. Beceiro-Novo, J. Boza, J. Chen, K. J. Cook, M. Cortesi, T. Ginter, W. Mittig, A. Pype, M. K. Smith, C. Soto, C. Sumithrarachchi, J. Swaim, S. Sweany, F. C. E. Teh , et al. (4 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: A challenge preventing successful inverse kinematics measurements with heavy nuclei that are not fully stripped is identifying and tagging the beam particles. For this purpose, the HEavy ISotope Tagger (HEIST) has been developed. HEIST utilizes two micro-channel plate timing detectors to measure time of flight, a multi-sampling ion chamber to measure energy loss, and a high purity Ge detector to i… ▽ More A challenge preventing successful inverse kinematics measurements with heavy nuclei that are not fully stripped is identifying and tagging the beam particles. For this purpose, the HEavy ISotope Tagger (HEIST) has been developed. HEIST utilizes two micro-channel plate timing detectors to measure time of flight, a multi-sampling ion chamber to measure energy loss, and a high purity Ge detector to identify isomer decays and calibrate the isotope identification system. HEIST has successfully identified $^{198}$Pb and other nearby nuclei at energies of about 75 MeV/A. In the experiment discussed, a typical cut containing 89\% of all $^{198}$Pb$^{+80}$ in the beam had a purity of 86\%. We examine the issues of charge state contamination. The observed charge state populations of these ions are presented and are moderately well described by the charge state model GLOBAL. △ Less

Submitted 23 August, 2021; v1 submitted 28 July, 2021; originally announced July 2021.

Comments: The following article has been submitted to Review of Scientific Instruments

Transceiving signals by mechanical resonance: A low frequency (LF) magnetoelectric mechanical antenna pair with integrated DC magnetic bias

Authors: Yunping Niu, Hao Ren

Abstract: Low frequency communication systems offer significant potential in portable electronics and internet of things (IoT) applications due to the low propagation loss and long transmission range. However, because the dimension of electrical antenna is comparable to one quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic wave that it transmits and receives, currently a gap exists between LF communication systems… ▽ More Low frequency communication systems offer significant potential in portable electronics and internet of things (IoT) applications due to the low propagation loss and long transmission range. However, because the dimension of electrical antenna is comparable to one quarter wavelength of the electromagnetic wave that it transmits and receives, currently a gap exists between LF communication systems and IoT, as IoT generally implement miniaturized electrical antennas with a small wavelength at a high frequency while traditional LF electrical antennas are too bulky. In this paper, we present an LF magnetoelectric mechanical transmitting and receiving antenna pair to significantly miniaturize the dimension of LF antennas. As the operation principle of the magnetoelectric mechanical antenna pair is based on mechanical resonance, its dimension is reduced by four orders of magnitude compared with an electrical antenna counterpart. The transmitting and receiving antennas are the same in structure and dimensions: they are both composed of magnetostrictive Terfenol-D and piezoelectric PZT laminate, and their dimensions are both 38x12x8.2mm3. Both the transmitting and receiving antennas are integrated with DC magnetic bias to improve its performance. Antenna pair performance measurement demonstrates that a maximum operation distance of 9m is demonstrated with DC magnetic bias, while maximum operation distance without DC magnetic bias is 4m, which is reduced by 56%. The LF magnetoelectric mechanical antenna pair may be a promising candidate for the portable electronics and IoT applications. △ Less

Submitted 28 July, 2021; originally announced July 2021.

Comments: 12 pages, 10 figures

A Miniaturized Low Frequency (LF) Magnetoelectric Receiving Antenna with an Integrated DC Magnetic Bias

Authors: Yunping Niu, Hao Ren

Abstract: Due to the applications in meteorological broadcasts, radio navigation and underwater communications, low-frequency(LF) receiving antennas have been actively studied. However, because the frequency range of LF antenna is 30kHz to 300kHz, its electromagnetic wavelength is 1km to 10km, which makes LF electromagnetic antennas difficult to be implemented in miniaturized or portable devices. This artic… ▽ More Due to the applications in meteorological broadcasts, radio navigation and underwater communications, low-frequency(LF) receiving antennas have been actively studied. However, because the frequency range of LF antenna is 30kHz to 300kHz, its electromagnetic wavelength is 1km to 10km, which makes LF electromagnetic antennas difficult to be implemented in miniaturized or portable devices. This article presents a miniaturized LF magnetoelectric(ME) receiving antenna with an integrated DC magnetic bias. The antenna is based on the magnetoelectric effect and operates by resonance at its mechanical resonant frequency. Thus, compared with traditional LF wire antennas, the dimension of ME antenna is reduced significantly. Compared with prior art of ME antennas which do not have DC magnetic bias, higher performance can be achieved by integrating the miniaturized DC magnetic bias. Compared with prior art of an ME antenna with bulky external DC magnetic bias, the ME antenna with an integrated DC magnetic bias significantly reduce its dimension. Magnetostrictive TbDyFe2(Terfenol-D) and piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate(PZT) thin films are bonded together to form the 38x12x5.8mm3 ME receiving antenna. Four 10x10x10mm3 Rb magnets are implemented to provide an optimal DC bias for the antenna. A maximum operation distance of 2.5m is demonstrated with the DC magnetic field bias, 2.27 times of the maximum operation distance of the antenna without DC magnet field bias. The efficiency, gain and quality factor the ME receiving antenna is also characterized. The miniaturized LF ME antenna could have potential applications in portable electronics, internet of things and underwater communications. △ Less

Submitted 12 April, 2021; v1 submitted 18 March, 2021; originally announced March 2021.

Comments: 10 pages, 7 figures for the main manuscript. The manuscript is revised with added experimental results

Ultra-bright multiplexed energy-time entangled photon generation from lithium niobate on insulator chip

Authors: Guang-Tai Xue, Yun-Fei Niu, Xiaoyue Liu, Jia-Chen Duan, Wenjun Chen, Ying Pan, Kunpeng Jia, Xiaohan Wang, Hua-Ying Liu, Yong Zhang, Ping Xu, Gang Zhao, Xinlun Cai, Yan-Xiao Gong, Xiaopeng Hu, Zhenda Xie, Shining Zhu

Abstract: High-flux entangled photon source is the key resource for quantum optical study and application. Here it is realized in a lithium niobate on isolator (LNOI) chip, with 2.79*10^11 Hz/mW photon pair rate and 1.53*10^9 Hz/nm/mW spectral brightness. These data are boosted by over two orders of magnitude compared to existing technologies. A 130-nm broad bandwidth is engineered for 8-channel multiplexed… ▽ More High-flux entangled photon source is the key resource for quantum optical study and application. Here it is realized in a lithium niobate on isolator (LNOI) chip, with 2.79*10^11 Hz/mW photon pair rate and 1.53*10^9 Hz/nm/mW spectral brightness. These data are boosted by over two orders of magnitude compared to existing technologies. A 130-nm broad bandwidth is engineered for 8-channel multiplexed energy-time entanglement. Harnessed by high-extinction frequency correlation and Franson interferences up to 99.17% visibility, such energy-time entanglement multiplexing further enhances high-flux data rate, and warrants broad applications in quantum information processing on a chip. △ Less

Submitted 10 December, 2020; originally announced December 2020.

Comments: Submitted

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Applied 15, 064059 (2021)

Naturally occurring van der Waals materials

Authors: Riccardo Frisenda, Yue Niu, Patricia Gant, Manuel Muñoz, Andres Castellanos-Gomez

Abstract: The exfoliation of two naturally occurring van der Waals minerals, graphite and molybdenite, arouse an unprecedented level of interest by the scientific community and shaped a whole new field of research: 2D materials research. Several years later, the family of van der Waals materials that can be exfoliated to isolate 2D materials keeps growing, but most of them are synthetic. Interestingly, in n… ▽ More The exfoliation of two naturally occurring van der Waals minerals, graphite and molybdenite, arouse an unprecedented level of interest by the scientific community and shaped a whole new field of research: 2D materials research. Several years later, the family of van der Waals materials that can be exfoliated to isolate 2D materials keeps growing, but most of them are synthetic. Interestingly, in nature plenty of naturally occurring van der Waals minerals can be found with a wide range of chemical compositions and crystal structures whose properties are mostly unexplored so far. This Perspective aims to provide an overview of different families of van der Waals minerals to stimulate their exploration in the 2D limit. △ Less

Submitted 24 October, 2020; originally announced October 2020.

Comments: Perspective article. 34 pages, 10 figures, 1 table, more than 170 references

Journal ref: npj 2D Mater Appl 4, 38 (2020)

Kerr-type nonlinear optical isolators bypassing dynamic reciprocity

Authors: Yiqi Hu, Yihong Qi, Yu You, Shicheng Zhang, Gongwei Lin, Xiaolin Li, Jiangbin Gong, Shangqing Gong, Yueping Niu

Abstract: Magnetic-free optical isolators are critical components for the realization of integrated optical systems. The underlying physics of passive nonlinear optical isolators is not solely about breaking the Lorentz reciprocity without requiring any external bias. Indeed, one major obstacle to the operation of Kerr-type nonlinear optical isolators was found to be the so-called dynamic reciprocity, of wh… ▽ More Magnetic-free optical isolators are critical components for the realization of integrated optical systems. The underlying physics of passive nonlinear optical isolators is not solely about breaking the Lorentz reciprocity without requiring any external bias. Indeed, one major obstacle to the operation of Kerr-type nonlinear optical isolators was found to be the so-called dynamic reciprocity, of which the serious outcome is that a backward signal cannot be isolated in the presence of a forward strong signal. In this work, we advocate the novel concept of velocity-selective nonlinearity to bypass such dynamic reciprocity. Using a proof-of-principle platform with warm rubidium atoms in an asymmetric cavity, we experimentally achieve the isolation of a backward signal in the presence of a strong forward signal, with experimental observations in agreement with our theoretical simulations. This work has thus made one essential step towards functioning Kerr-type passive optical isolators. △ Less

Submitted 17 October, 2020; originally announced October 2020.

Comments: 9 pages, 3 figures

Journal ref: Phys. Rev. Applied 16, 014046 (2021)

SiPM Dynamic Range for CEPC Scintillator-based Electromagnetic Calorimeter

Authors: Yazhou Niu

Abstract: Ahigh-granularity scintillator calorimeter readout with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) is an electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) candidate for experiments at the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC). A critical design parameter of this ECAL candidate is the dynamic range of the SiPMs. This study investigates the SiPM dynamic range required for the CEPC scintillator ECAL. A model is develope… ▽ More Ahigh-granularity scintillator calorimeter readout with silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) is an electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) candidate for experiments at the Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC). A critical design parameter of this ECAL candidate is the dynamic range of the SiPMs. This study investigates the SiPM dynamic range required for the CEPC scintillator ECAL. A model is developed on the basis of the operation principles of SiPMs to describe the response of an SiPM to light pulses within one recovery period by considering the cross-talk effect, photon detection efficiency, and number of pixels. The response curve of a 10000-pixel SiPM predicted by the model is consistent with the measured curve within 2% for an incident light pulse of up to 12000 photons. The intrinsic fluctuations of the SiPM response naturally exist in this model, and the correction of the saturation effect in the SiPM response is investigated. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation shows that the algorithm can restore the response linearity of an SiPM for an incident light pulse in which the number of photons is up to around six times the number of SiPM pixels. The model and correction program are implemented for full simulation of the ZH production Z->vv, H->yy channel to evaluate the impact of the SiPM dynamic range of the CEPC scintillator ECAL on the reconstructed Higgs boson mass and the sensitivity to the Higgs signal in this channel. The results show that the CEPC scintillator ECAL equipped with no less than 4000 SiPM pixels and operated with a light yield of 20 photon-electrons per channel for a single minimum ionizing particle can meet the requirements for Higgs boson precision measurement in the di-photon channel at the CEPC. △ Less

Submitted 29 June, 2021; v1 submitted 10 September, 2020; originally announced September 2020.

Hartree-Fock on a superconducting qubit quantum computer

Authors: Frank Arute, Kunal Arya, Ryan Babbush, Dave Bacon, Joseph C. Bardin, Rami Barends, Sergio Boixo, Michael Broughton, Bob B. Buckley, David A. Buell, Brian Burkett, Nicholas Bushnell, Yu Chen, Zijun Chen, Benjamin Chiaro, Roberto Collins, William Courtney, Sean Demura, Andrew Dunsworth, Daniel Eppens, Edward Farhi, Austin Fowler, Brooks Foxen, Craig Gidney, Marissa Giustina , et al. (57 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: As the search continues for useful applications of noisy intermediate scale quantum devices, variational simulations of fermionic systems remain one of the most promising directions. Here, we perform a series of quantum simulations of chemistry the largest of which involved a dozen qubits, 78 two-qubit gates, and 114 one-qubit gates. We model the binding energy of ${\rm H}_6$, ${\rm H}_8$,… ▽ More As the search continues for useful applications of noisy intermediate scale quantum devices, variational simulations of fermionic systems remain one of the most promising directions. Here, we perform a series of quantum simulations of chemistry the largest of which involved a dozen qubits, 78 two-qubit gates, and 114 one-qubit gates. We model the binding energy of ${\rm H}_6$, ${\rm H}_8$, ${\rm H}_{10}$ and ${\rm H}_{12}$ chains as well as the isomerization of diazene. We also demonstrate error-mitigation strategies based on $N$-representability which dramatically improve the effective fidelity of our experiments. Our parameterized ansatz circuits realize the Givens rotation approach to non-interacting fermion evolution, which we variationally optimize to prepare the Hartree-Fock wavefunction. This ubiquitous algorithmic primitive corresponds to a rotation of the orbital basis and is required by many proposals for correlated simulations of molecules and Hubbard models. Because non-interacting fermion evolutions are classically tractable to simulate, yet still generate highly entangled states over the computational basis, we use these experiments to benchmark the performance of our hardware while establishing a foundation for scaling up more complex correlated quantum simulations of chemistry. △ Less

Submitted 18 September, 2020; v1 submitted 8 April, 2020; originally announced April 2020.

Comments: updated link to experiment code, new version containing expanded data sets and corrected figure label

Journal ref: Science 369 (6507), 1084-1089, 2020

Optimization study of scintillator shape of electromagnetic calorimeter for Higgs factories

Authors: Takanori Mogi, Tomohiko Tanabe, Wataru Ootani, Satoru Yamashita, Ryousuke Shirai, Tohru Takeshita, Yazhou Niu, Jianbei Liu

Abstract: Scintillator-based calorimeters for experiments at Higgs factories (e.g. ILC) demand scintillator designs that can detect sufficient number of photons and have good light yield uniformity, and that they can be easily mass-produced. In order to meet these requirements, scintillator strips with a small dimple has been proposed. In our study, we measure the light yield of a dimple scintillator sample… ▽ More Scintillator-based calorimeters for experiments at Higgs factories (e.g. ILC) demand scintillator designs that can detect sufficient number of photons and have good light yield uniformity, and that they can be easily mass-produced. In order to meet these requirements, scintillator strips with a small dimple has been proposed. In our study, we measure the light yield of a dimple scintillator sample; we then compare the measurements with light tracing simulation using GEANT4. We intend to use our results to propose an optimized scintillator shape. △ Less

Submitted 15 February, 2020; originally announced February 2020.

Comments: 3 pages, 6 figures. Talk presented at the International Workshop on Future Linear Colliders (LCWS2019), Sendai, Japan, 28 October-1 November, 2019. C19-10-28

Design of Sc-ECAL Prototype for CEPC and Performance of First Two Layers

Authors: YZ. Niu

Abstract: As a future Higgs or Z factory, construction of the circular electron positron collider(CEPC) has been proposed to precisely measure Higgs bosons. A particle flow-oriented electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) and a hadronic calorimeter comprise a baseline design for the CEPC calorimetry system. The scintillator-tungsten ECAL (Sc-ECAL) prototype is being developed within the CEPC calorimetry working… ▽ More As a future Higgs or Z factory, construction of the circular electron positron collider(CEPC) has been proposed to precisely measure Higgs bosons. A particle flow-oriented electromagnetic calorimeter (ECAL) and a hadronic calorimeter comprise a baseline design for the CEPC calorimetry system. The scintillator-tungsten ECAL (Sc-ECAL) prototype is being developed within the CEPC calorimetry working group. The Sc-ECAL is a sampling calorimeter consisting of alternating absorber layers and high granularity active layers. Each component of the active layer has been studied and optimized from a variety of aspects to meet the design requirements. The complete technological Sc-ECAL prototype will contain 30 layers of ECAL-based unit (EBU) boards alternating with 30 layers of the absorber. The first two layers of the prototype have been developed, and primary commissioning has been performed to validate their performance. △ Less

Submitted 17 February, 2020; v1 submitted 5 February, 2020; originally announced February 2020.

Value-assigned pulse shape discrimination for neutron detectors

Authors: F. C. E. Teh, J. -W. Lee, K. Zhu, K. W. Brown, Z. Chajecki, W. G. Lynch, M. B. Tsang, A. Anthony, J. Barney, D. Dell'Aquila, J. Estee, B. Hong, G. Jhang, O. B. Khanal, Y. J. Kim, H. S. Lee, J. W. Lee, J. Manfredi, S. H. Nam, C. Y. Niu, J. H. Park, S. Sweany, C. Y. Tsang, R. Wang, H. Wu

Abstract: Using the waveforms from a digital electronic system, an offline analysis technique on pulse shape discrimination (PSD) has been developed to improve the neutron-gamma separation in a bar-shaped NE-213 scintillator that couples to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) at each end. The new improved method, called the ``valued-assigned PSD'' (VPSD), assigns a normalized fitting residual to every waveform as… ▽ More Using the waveforms from a digital electronic system, an offline analysis technique on pulse shape discrimination (PSD) has been developed to improve the neutron-gamma separation in a bar-shaped NE-213 scintillator that couples to a photomultiplier tube (PMT) at each end. The new improved method, called the ``valued-assigned PSD'' (VPSD), assigns a normalized fitting residual to every waveform as the PSD value. This procedure then facilitates the incorporation of longitudinal position dependence of the scintillator, which further enhances the PSD capability of the detector system. In this paper, we use radiation emitted from an AmBe neutron source to demonstrate that the resulting neutron-gamma identification has been much improved when compared to the traditional technique that uses the geometric mean of light outputs from both PMTs. The new method has also been modified and applied to a recent experiment at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) that uses an analog electronic system. △ Less

Submitted 17 June, 2021; v1 submitted 15 January, 2020; originally announced January 2020.

Comments: 8 pages, 8 figures

Inward-growth plating of lithium driven by solid-solution based alloy phase for highly reversible lithium metal anode

Authors: Song Jin, Yadong Ye, Yijie Niu, Yansong Xu, Hongchang Jin, Jinxi Wang, Zhaowei Sun, Anmin Cao, Xiaojun Wu, Yi Luo, Hengxing Ji, Li-Jun Wan

Abstract: Lithium metal batteries (LMB) are vital devices for high-energy-density energy storage, but Li metal anode is highly reactive with electrolyte and forms uncontrolled dendrite that can cause undesirable parasitic reactions thus poor cycling stability and raise safety concerns. Despite remarkable progress made to partly solve these issues, the Li metal still plate at the electrode/electrolyte interf… ▽ More Lithium metal batteries (LMB) are vital devices for high-energy-density energy storage, but Li metal anode is highly reactive with electrolyte and forms uncontrolled dendrite that can cause undesirable parasitic reactions thus poor cycling stability and raise safety concerns. Despite remarkable progress made to partly solve these issues, the Li metal still plate at the electrode/electrolyte interface where the parasitic reactions and dendrite formation invariably occur. Here we demonstrate the inward-growth plating of Li into a metal foil while avoiding surface deposition, which is driven by the reversible solid-solution based alloy phase change. Lithiation of the solid solution alloy phase facilitates the freshly generated Li atoms at the surface to sink into the foil, while the reversible alloy phase change is companied by the dealloying reaction during delithiation, which extracts Li atoms from inside of the foil. The yielded dendrite free Li anode produces an enhanced Coulombic efficiency of 99.5 plus or minus 0.2% with a reversible capacity of 1660 mA h $g^{-1}$ (3.3 mA h cm$^{-2}$). △ Less

Submitted 29 October, 2019; originally announced October 2019.

Comments: 21 pages, 4 figures