Showing 1–50 of 1,155 results for author: Zhang, S

Electrostriction in a Bose-Einstein Condensate of Dipolar Molecules

Authors: Haneul Kwak, Ian Stevenson, Weijun Yuan, Siwei Zhang, Asaf Toprakci, Lin Su, Tijs Karman, Sebastian Will

Abstract: The recent creation of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of dipolar molecules has opened a new frontier for many-body quantum systems in which dipolar interactions can drive novel self-organization phenomena. Here, we observe electrostriction in a molecular BEC, an elliptical deformation driven by anisotropic dipolar interactions. We use double microwave dressing, involving $σ$- and $π$-polarized f… ▽ More The recent creation of a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) of dipolar molecules has opened a new frontier for many-body quantum systems in which dipolar interactions can drive novel self-organization phenomena. Here, we observe electrostriction in a molecular BEC, an elliptical deformation driven by anisotropic dipolar interactions. We use double microwave dressing, involving $σ$- and $π$-polarized fields, to control non-axially symmetric dipolar interactions. We compare the experimental observations of electrostriction to a model based on an extended Gross-Pitaevskii equation and find excellent agreement in the regime of weak to moderate interactions. Using electrostriction, we demonstrate that the molecular BEC can be torqued by dynamically changing the orientation of the elliptical $σ$ microwave field. This provides a route to setting molecular quantum gases into rotation, opening opportunities to probe vorticity, superfluidity, and supersolidity in strongly dipolar matter. △ Less

Submitted 19 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 8 pages, 5 figures

Interference-engineered shortcut to perfect state transfer

Authors: Yichuan Zhang, Xuanyu Liu, Zemeng Lin, Wange Song, Shuang Zhang

Abstract: Achieving fast, high-fidelity state transfer is fundamental to scalable integrated photonics and quantum information processing. While adiabatic evolution provides inherent robustness against control and fabrication imperfections, its requirement for slow driving leads to impractically long propagation distances in photonic circuits. Existing acceleration strategies, such as shortcuts to adiabatic… ▽ More Achieving fast, high-fidelity state transfer is fundamental to scalable integrated photonics and quantum information processing. While adiabatic evolution provides inherent robustness against control and fabrication imperfections, its requirement for slow driving leads to impractically long propagation distances in photonic circuits. Existing acceleration strategies, such as shortcuts to adiabaticity (STA), can dramatically shorten evolution times but generally rely on non-native auxiliary couplings or delicate Hamiltonian engineering that are difficult to implement in practice. Here we introduce evolution-pause synthesis (EPS), an interference engineered shortcut protocol that achieves fast, near-perfect state transfer strictly within the native system Hamiltonian. It achieves this by treating transient excitations as coherent resources and canceling their accumulated amplitudes via strategically interleaved pauses. By decoupling relative dynamical phase accumulation from parameter variations, EPS steers open transition trajectories into a closed loop in complex amplitude space, enabling perfect state transfer without auxiliary fields or complex parameter detours. We demonstrate this mechanism in Landau-Zener dynamics and extend it to a multilevel STIRAP process, achieving an 11.8-fold acceleration over the adiabatic baseline. Further, we experimentally validate EPS on a silicon photonic platform, realizing high-fidelity state transfer in a $16\,μ\mathrm{m}$ footprint, a nearly tenfold reduction in device length compared with a $150\,μ\mathrm{m}$ adiabatic reference. EPS offers a general hardware-compatible framework for fast, practical coherent control across wave and quantum platforms. △ Less

Submitted 19 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Tunable high-charge relativistic electron beams via direct laser acceleration in hohlraum-preheated foam targets

Authors: Ziyao Wang, Jieru Ren, Zhigang Deng, Wenqing Wei, Wei Qi, Olga N. Rosmej, Nikolay E. Andreev, Sergey Yu. Gus'kov, Rafael Yakhin, Yifang Gao, Bubo Ma, Mingzhe Yang, Shizheng Zhang, Xuyang Luo, Dieter H. H. Hoffmann, Peng Zhou, Ke Jiang, Taiwu Huang, Bo Cui, Weiwu Wang, Shaoyi Wang, Quanping Fan, Zhurong Cao, Sixin Wu, Yue Yang , et al. (6 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Direct laser acceleration (DLA) in near-critical-density (NCD) plasmas can efficiently generate high-charge relativistic electron beams, yet beam parameters depend critically on precise plasma state manipulation. Solid-ablation NCD plasmas evolve rapidly, posing severe controllability challenges. We produce NCD plasma via indirectly heating foam targets with ns laser driven hohlraum soft X-ray. El… ▽ More Direct laser acceleration (DLA) in near-critical-density (NCD) plasmas can efficiently generate high-charge relativistic electron beams, yet beam parameters depend critically on precise plasma state manipulation. Solid-ablation NCD plasmas evolve rapidly, posing severe controllability challenges. We produce NCD plasma via indirectly heating foam targets with ns laser driven hohlraum soft X-ray. Electrons are generated through irradiating the plasma with another picosecond laser. Tuning the laser pulse delay $τ$ enables control of plasma profiles and beam parameters. Experiments show that when the foam is heated ($τ$ = 6 ns, 9 ns), the beam exhibits $T \sim 13$ MeV effective temperature, $E_k \sim 80$ MeV cutoff energy, and hundreds of nC/sr charge for $E_k > 7.5$ MeV. These values are significantly higher than those from solid-foil ($T$ $\sim$ 2.7 MeV, $E_k$ $\sim$ 20 MeV, $Q$ $\sim$ 9 nC/sr) and cold-foam ($T$ $\sim$ 12 MeV, $E_k$ $\sim$ 50 MeV, $Q$ $\sim$ 5 nC/sr) interactions. At a longer delay of $τ$ = 15 ns, the charge increases further while the temperature decreases, and at a shorter delay of $τ$ = 3 ns, both temperature and charge are lower. 3D PIC simulations link these observations to the interplay between the microstructure of the cold foam and the evolving plasma density profile at different delay times, which together determine the beam charge, effective temperature, and divergence. The finding provides a routine to generate and tailor the relativistic electron beams, which is essential for designing laser-driven electron sources for high energy density physics and photonuclear reaction applications. △ Less

Submitted 18 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Superconducting Hydride Mg2RhH6 Experimentally Achieved at Lower Pressure

Authors: Linjing Wu, Zelong Wang, Guiqi Liu, Jun Zhang, Yanfeng Ge, Yuanhao Su, Runteng Chen, Hongyu Liu, Wenmin Li, Sijia Zhang, Jingcheng Zhu, Jianfa Zhao, Zheng Deng, Shaomin Feng, Jing Song, Qingqing Liu, Xiang Li, Haozhe Liu, Panpan Kong, Xiancheng Wang, Changqing Jin

Abstract: Although tremendous progress has been made in recent years in the field of polyhydride superconductors, the realization of high critical temperature superconductivity still relies on formidable high pressures. Searching for superconducting hydrides at lower pressures is of particular importance. Here we report the first experimental synthesis of the Mg2RhH6, which achieves superconductivity under… ▽ More Although tremendous progress has been made in recent years in the field of polyhydride superconductors, the realization of high critical temperature superconductivity still relies on formidable high pressures. Searching for superconducting hydrides at lower pressures is of particular importance. Here we report the first experimental synthesis of the Mg2RhH6, which achieves superconductivity under a significantly reduced pressure of 30 GPa. The synthesis of Mg2RhH6 proceeds via a two step process (1) preparation of the Mg2RhH5 precursor containing hydrogen atoms stabilized by covalent bonds, followed by (2) hydrogen supplementation resulting in the filling of electrons into anti bonding orbitals above 30 GPa, which was accompanied by the structural transition from RhH5 square pyramid to RhH6 octahedron. Superconductivity is achieved at 30 GPa with a Tc of 24 K, which is further enhanced to 29 K at 53 GPa, evidenced by a sharp drop of resistivity to zero and characteristic suppression of Tc under applied magnetic fields. Our experiments prove the Mg2RhH6 superconductor to be thermodynamically stable above 30 GPa, making it the first case exhibiting a Tc of approximately 30 K at a readily accessible pressure. This study pioneers a highly promising pathway for the rational design and discovery of high temperature superconductors within phonon mediated BCS framework. △ Less

Submitted 19 August, 2026; v1 submitted 16 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 25 pages, 4 figures

MSC Class: 82C27; 82D40; 82D55

Imaginary Gauge Fields for One-Way Transparency and Absorption in a Passive Metasurface

Authors: Qingdong Yang, Zhongfu Li, Xinhua Wen, Oubo You, Yi Wang, Shuang Zhang

Abstract: Electromagnetic nonreciprocity enables waves to respond differently when their propagation direction is reversed, forming the basis of isolation, directional routing, and asymmetric energy control. A central challenge is to achieve high transmission in one direction while inducing strong absorption in the opposite direction within a single passive element, as passive material dissipation typically… ▽ More Electromagnetic nonreciprocity enables waves to respond differently when their propagation direction is reversed, forming the basis of isolation, directional routing, and asymmetric energy control. A central challenge is to achieve high transmission in one direction while inducing strong absorption in the opposite direction within a single passive element, as passive material dissipation typically attenuates both propagation channels equally. Here we demonstrate that an imaginary artificial gauge field can redistribute net dissipation between opposite directions in a passive structure. By synthesizing a moving-type magnetoelectric response from gyromagnetic elements and subwavelength metallic resonators, we realize a polarization-independent metasurface in which the forward wave weakly excites the dissipative resonance through destructive current interference, whereas the backward wave strongly activates the same lossy mode through constructive interference. The fabricated metasurface transmits more than 80% of the incident power from one side while absorbing more than 80% from the opposite side, with low reflection from both directions. Near-field mapping of the surface electric field provides direct real-space evidence of this gauge-controlled, direction-dependent charge accumulation and dissipation. This work establishes imaginary gauge fields as a powerful route for engineering dissipative landscapes in open wave systems and opens a pathway toward compact, passive, reflectionless isolators and nonreciprocal absorbers. △ Less

Submitted 14 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 19pages, 4 figures,

Characterizing the Evolution of Tropical Cyclone Thermal Structure: A Tropical Cyclone Thermal Phase Space

Authors: Jimin Liu, Yaoming Ma, Jeremy Cheuk-Hin Leung, Hong Huang, Shaojing Zhang, Zeyong Hu, Banglin Zhang

Abstract: Current understandings of the tropical cyclone (TC) warm core primarily relies on statistical averages from soundings and satellite products, which provide a climatological thermal state but cannot adequately characterize the continuous three-dimensional evolution of the warm core throughout the TC life cycle. In this study, Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was applied to three-dimensi… ▽ More Current understandings of the tropical cyclone (TC) warm core primarily relies on statistical averages from soundings and satellite products, which provide a climatological thermal state but cannot adequately characterize the continuous three-dimensional evolution of the warm core throughout the TC life cycle. In this study, Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was applied to three-dimensional temperature anomalies of Western North Pacific (WNP) TCs derived from the ERA5 reanalysis dataset for the period 1979-2024. We found that the three leading EOF modes effectively capture the primary characteristics of the TC thermal structure: the first mode represents the typical warm core structure; the second mode characterizes vertical baroclinicity; and the third pattern captures the horizontal asymmetry of the temperature anomalies. Using the first three principal components (PCs), we established a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. Within this framework, two phase parameters define a thermal phase space to visualize the TC's three-dimensional thermal structure: one diagnoses the vertical barotropic or baroclinic structure, and the other quantifies the horizontal asymmetry of the thermal field. The results demonstrate that the trajectory in the phase diagram effectively captures the observed intensity changes and thermal structural evolution. The EOF-based phase diagrams offer promising insights and provide a novel, objective tool for analyzing and diagnosing structural thermodynamic characteristics and intensity evolution by quantifying key thermal features and their dynamic relationships with TC intensity. This capability thereby holds substantial potential for advancing both theoretical understanding and operational forecasting of TCs. △ Less

Submitted 14 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Estimating the sensitivity of the IceCube Upgrade to probe the interior of the Earth using atmospheric neutrino oscillations

Authors: The IceCube Collaboration, R. Abbasi, M. Ackermann, J. Adams, S. K. Agarwalla, J. A. Aguilar, M. Ahlers, J. M. Alameddine, S. Ali, N. M. Amin, K. Andeen, C. Arg{ü}elles, S. Athanasiadou, S. N. Axani, R. Babu, X. Bai, A. Balagopal V., S. W. Barwick, V. Basu, R. Bay, J. J. Beatty, J. Becker Tjus, P. Behrens, J. Beise, C. Bellenghi , et al. (399 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The IceCube Upgrade is a densely instrumented central region of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, deployed during the 2025-26 polar season. It will reduce the detector's energy threshold and improve overall reconstruction capabilities for multi-GeV atmospheric neutrinos, which in turn enhance their sensitivity to Earth matter effects as they traverse through the deep Earth. In this study, we descr… ▽ More The IceCube Upgrade is a densely instrumented central region of the IceCube Neutrino Observatory, deployed during the 2025-26 polar season. It will reduce the detector's energy threshold and improve overall reconstruction capabilities for multi-GeV atmospheric neutrinos, which in turn enhance their sensitivity to Earth matter effects as they traverse through the deep Earth. In this study, we describe the potential of the IceCube Upgrade to observe Earth matter effects on atmospheric neutrinos and estimate the detector's sensitivity to probe key features of the Preliminary Reference Earth Model by utilizing these observations. We highlight the IceCube Upgrade's capability to estimate the mass of the Earth and verify the non-homogeneous distribution of matter density within the Earth. We also estimate the IceCube Upgrade sensitivity to measure the correlated densities of the Earth layers while incorporating constraints from the mass and moment of inertia of the Earth. Neutrino-based results would be independent and complementary to the seismic and gravitational measurements. △ Less

Submitted 6 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 20 pages, 13 figures, 2 tables, and 1 appendix

Memristive Behavior and Mechanism in Solid-State Nanopores

Authors: Zhiwei Li, Ngan Hoang Pham, Shi-Li Zhang, Chenyu Wen

Abstract: Nanofluidic memristors whose conductance evolves through history-dependent ionic transport and dynamic interfacial processes are promising building blocks for ionic neuromorphic applications. However, most existing designs rely on biological nanopores, polymers, and two-dimensional materials, which limit scalable fabrication and poses challenges to integration of ionic computing circuits and syste… ▽ More Nanofluidic memristors whose conductance evolves through history-dependent ionic transport and dynamic interfacial processes are promising building blocks for ionic neuromorphic applications. However, most existing designs rely on biological nanopores, polymers, and two-dimensional materials, which limit scalable fabrication and poses challenges to integration of ionic computing circuits and systems. Here, we report memristive behaviors of silicon-based solid-state nanopores (SSNPs) fabricated based on wafer-scale semiconductor processes. The SSNPs exhibit hysteretic current-voltage characteristics with a dependence on voltage sweeping frequency, electrolyte concentration, and nanopore geometry. To investigate the physical origin of their memory feature, the measured current of the SSNPs is decomposed into resistive, capacitive, and memristive components. An ion adsorption-desorption kinetics is developed to explain and predict the memristive behavior. A dynamical system analysis further reveals that the memristive behavior arises from delayed relaxation, thereby linking the measured hysteresis to the observed adaptive ionic response. Together, these findings establish native SSNPs as scalable ionic memristive elements and provide a generalized electrokinetic mechanism for memristive behavior under nanoconfinement. The resulting analytical framework connects device characterization with the underlying dynamics, deepens mechanism understanding, and guides the design of ionic neuromorphic devices. △ Less

Submitted 5 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Photo-ionization Compensation of Stray Electric Fields for Cold Rydberg Atoms

Authors: Z. -Y. Chen, Z. -X. Fu, Z. -R He, Z. -Y. Chen, S. -A. Cheng, J. -H. Liang, S. -C. Zhang, Y. -X. Du, C. Li

Abstract: Neurtal atoms in optical tweezer arrays constitute a highly promising platform for quantum computing and quantum simulation. Their operation relies on precise control of the Rydberg excitation, which is highly sensitive to background electric fields. Here, we identify a previously overlooked source of stray electric fields arising from trapped charges within the antireflection coating layers of gl… ▽ More Neurtal atoms in optical tweezer arrays constitute a highly promising platform for quantum computing and quantum simulation. Their operation relies on precise control of the Rydberg excitation, which is highly sensitive to background electric fields. Here, we identify a previously overlooked source of stray electric fields arising from trapped charges within the antireflection coating layers of glass vacuum cells. In contrast to the conventional approach of removing surface charges through ultraviolet-light-induced desorption, we compensate these clamped charges by generating additional charges via photo-ionization of a cold atomic ensemble. We verify the resulting suppression of stray electric fields through Rydberg excitation spectroscopy in an atomic array and further confirm that the residual electric field inside the vacuum cell is effectively eradicated with the aid of external electrodes. Our work identifies and mitigates a previously unrecognized source of residual electric field, providing a practical solution for improving the performance of neutral atomic quantum processors and other Rydberg-based quantum technologies, as well as surface-sensitive atomic systems. △ Less

Submitted 11 August, 2026; v1 submitted 5 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 6+8 pages, 5+8 figures, comments are welcome

A memory-efficient deterministic method for multiscale gas flows using an ensemble-of-subproblems strategy with stochastic discrete velocities

Authors: Shuyang Zhang, Weidong Li, Ming Fang, Zhaoli Guo

Abstract: Deterministic multiscale gas flow simulations have long suffered from the curse of dimensionality: the number of discrete velocities increases dramatically with the velocity space dimension and the Mach number, exhausting available memory and computational resources. To address this issue, this paper proposes a memory-efficient deterministic method based on an ensemble-of-subproblems strategy usin… ▽ More Deterministic multiscale gas flow simulations have long suffered from the curse of dimensionality: the number of discrete velocities increases dramatically with the velocity space dimension and the Mach number, exhausting available memory and computational resources. To address this issue, this paper proposes a memory-efficient deterministic method based on an ensemble-of-subproblems strategy using stochastic discrete velocities. This strategy transforms the originally computationally expensive problem into a series of independently and efficiently solvable subproblems. To be concrete, the proposed method replaces the conventional large deterministic velocity set with multiple small random velocity sets. Each random set defines a subproblem, which is solved by a deterministic multiscale numerical scheme that computes macroscopic moments via Monte Carlo integration. The final flow field is obtained by arithmetic averaging over all sub-problems. In this work, we employ the discrete unified gas kinetic scheme (DUGKS) for spatial discretization and term the resulting method SDV-DUGKS. To validate the proposed method, several numerical test cases are conducted, including (a) the one-dimensional shock structure, (b) the two-dimensional cavity flow, and (c) supersonic flow around a square cylinder. The results of the one-dimensional shock structure confirm the feasibility of the proposed method. The two-dimensional cases demonstrate that, compared to its deterministic counterpart, the proposed method saves more than 80% of memory usage while maintaining comparable accuracy. These results indicate that the proposed method markedly reduces memory demand for multiscale flow simulations and exhibits strong potential to alleviate the curse of dimensionality that currently hinders deterministic multiscale numerical schemes from being applied to engineering problems. △ Less

Submitted 1 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 27 pages, 31 figures

Mitigating ray effects in rarefied flow simulations using an ensemble-of-subproblems strategy with stochastic discrete velocities

Authors: Shuyang Zhang, Weidong Li, Ming Fang, Zhaoli Guo

Abstract: In this work, a ensemble-of-subproblems strategy with stochastic discrete velocities is extended to deterministic methods for mitigating ray effects in rarefied flow simulations. The strategy involves performing multiple independent subproblems, each using a small set of randomly sampled velocity points, and then averaging their solutions to obtain the final result. The core idea is to ensure that… ▽ More In this work, a ensemble-of-subproblems strategy with stochastic discrete velocities is extended to deterministic methods for mitigating ray effects in rarefied flow simulations. The strategy involves performing multiple independent subproblems, each using a small set of randomly sampled velocity points, and then averaging their solutions to obtain the final result. The core idea is to ensure that the distribution function at any velocity can contribute to the final result, approximating highly refined velocity-space resolution without increasing the memory requirement in any single subproblem. We incorporate this strategy within the DUGKS framework, and the resulting method is denoted as SDV-DUGKS. To evaluate the performance of the proposed method, we compare SDV-DUGKS with the original DUGKS on several test cases: (a) the Sod shock tube problem, (b) the one-dimensional Riemann problem, (c) the two-dimensional lid-driven cavity flow, and (d) the two-dimensional Riemann problem. The results show that, in the collisionless limit $\mathrm{Kn} \to \infty$: (1) for one-dimensional compressible flows, SDV-DUGKS reduces memory usage by approximately 2/3 compared with that of the original DUGKS while achieving good agreement; (2) for two-dimensional compressible flows, SDV-DUGKS requires one to two orders of magnitude less memory than the original DUGKS while achieving good agreement. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the proposed method serves as a reliable and effective tool for mitigating ray effects in rarefied flow simulations. △ Less

Submitted 1 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 21 pages, 26 figures

BayesSeg: A Bayesian Optimization Framework for State Segmentation of Electricity Consumption Time Series

Authors: Zhenya Zhang, Wendi Zhu, Ping Wang, Hongmei Cheng, Shuguang Zhang

Abstract: In Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), adaptive segmentation of electricity consumption time series is critical for appliance recognition. However, prevailing methods face challenges including heuristic parameter tuning, boundary sensitivity, and metric saturation. This paper proposes BayesSeg, a unified framework integrating time-series segmentation, multidimensional evaluation, and automatic p… ▽ More In Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM), adaptive segmentation of electricity consumption time series is critical for appliance recognition. However, prevailing methods face challenges including heuristic parameter tuning, boundary sensitivity, and metric saturation. This paper proposes BayesSeg, a unified framework integrating time-series segmentation, multidimensional evaluation, and automatic parameter optimization. The segmentation layer employs a dual steady-state criterion based on the tail value and mean of preceding subsequences, combined with a sequential extraction and complement-set parsing strategy, to achieve precise unsupervised partitioning of steady-state and transition-state segments. The evaluation layer maps segmentation results to binary state sequences and formulates a composite metric integrating an event-level F1 score (event_F1) with Normalized Mutual Information (NMI). The event_F1 quantifies switching-event precision and recall via tolerance matching, while NMI captures global structural consistency, jointly overcoming the boundary sensitivity and limited discriminability of point-wise metrics. In the optimization layer, the composite score serves as the objective function for Bayesian optimization, which constructs a TPE surrogate model for efficient global parameter-space exploration. Experiments on the SustDataED2 dataset demonstrate that Bayesian optimization requires only ~100 objective evaluations to locate a parameter region within 0.35% deviation of the exhaustive grid-search optimum. The framework achieves a weighted composite score of 0.7149 and an event_F1 of 0.9340 while reducing optimization latency from ~5300 seconds to under 1 second, a speedup exceeding 5700x. BayesSeg automates segmentation configuration and provides a scalable, efficient solution for time-series analysis in NILM and related domains. △ Less

Submitted 1 August, 2026; originally announced August 2026.

Comments: 23 pages, 4 figures, 5 tables

Archetypometrics of 'Friends'

Authors: Shun Zhang, Tabia Tanzin Prama, Christopher M. Danforth, Peter Sheridan Dodds

Abstract: Storytelling inherently revolves around characters. Using the television sitcom `Friends' as a case study, we investigate how well archetype vectors capture both individual characterization and the relational structure of a specific ensemble. Our work is based on the archetypometrics framework, which locates 2,000 fictional characters from 341 stories in a continuous space derived from 464 bipolar… ▽ More Storytelling inherently revolves around characters. Using the television sitcom `Friends' as a case study, we investigate how well archetype vectors capture both individual characterization and the relational structure of a specific ensemble. Our work is based on the archetypometrics framework, which locates 2,000 fictional characters from 341 stories in a continuous space derived from 464 bipolar traits. We proceed in three stages: interpreting each character's archetypal profile against narrative evidence, projecting the ensemble onto ousiograms of the six essential dimensions, and measuring pairwise similarity with vector inner products. We show that the six characters of `Friends' occupy distinct archetypal positions that accord with their established identities, while the projections expose ensemble structure invisible in individual profiles, including the collapse of the Angel--Demon dimension, a signature of the sitcom's uniformly sympathetic cast. Based on inner products, we construct a similarity matrix that resolves three main kinds of relational structure: alignment (e.g., Phoebe--Joey), contrast (e.g., Phoebe--Ross), and orthogonality (e.g., Rachel--Ross and Monica--Chandler). The orthogonality of the romantic pairings affords a detailed view of relationships built on complementary rather than overlapping character traits. Overall, our case study suggests that for ensemble-based stories the archetypometric geometry is fully interpretable in narrative terms, from individual identities to the structure of the group's relationships. △ Less

Submitted 25 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

The RD50-MPW4: A Radiation Hard HV CMOS Sensor for Future Colliders

Authors: Jory Sonneveld, Thomas Bergauer, Raimon Casanova, Harald Handerkas, Christian Irmler, Jorge Jiménez-Sánchez, Uwe Krämer, Ricardo Marco-Hernandez, José Mazorra de Cose, Fernando Muñoz-Chavero, Rogelio Palomo, Bernhard Pilsl, Sebastian Portschy, Samuel Powell, Patrick Sieberer, Helmut Steininger, Eva Vilella, Benjamin Wade, Chenfan Zhang, Sinuo Zhang

Abstract: The former CERN RD50 collaboration develops monolithic active pixel high voltage (HV) CMOS sensors for future colliders with the aim of high radiation tolerance, good time resolution, and high granularity pixel detectors. The most recent prototype, the RD50-MPW4, was produced by LFoundry in December 2023 using a 150 nm CMOS process. It features a matrix of 64x64 pixels with a 62 $μ$m pitch and emp… ▽ More The former CERN RD50 collaboration develops monolithic active pixel high voltage (HV) CMOS sensors for future colliders with the aim of high radiation tolerance, good time resolution, and high granularity pixel detectors. The most recent prototype, the RD50-MPW4, was produced by LFoundry in December 2023 using a 150 nm CMOS process. It features a matrix of 64x64 pixels with a 62 $μ$m pitch and employs a column-drain readout architecture. Compared to its predecessor, it now has separate analog and digital power domains and a new biasing scheme with a guard ring structure that supports bias voltages over 600 V. This contribution will discuss the design and latest results of the MPW4, where tests with unirradiated samples showed more than 99.9% efficiency, 16 $μ$m spatial resolution and 10 ns timing resolution. Efficiencies of over 99% were achieved for samples irradiated to fluences of $1 \times 10^{15}$ 1 MeV n$_{\mathrm{eq}}/\mathrm{cm}^2$. A 3D map of the charge collection efficiency from a measurement with two-photon absorption laser is presented that nicely outlines the depletion depth of this radiation hard, high granularity monolithic active pixel sensor. △ Less

Submitted 20 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Comments: Proceedings of the 2026 International Conference on Technology & Instrumentation in Particle Physics; 5 pages

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.

Topological-Charge-Enabled Photonic Doping in ENZ Media

Authors: Zhicheng Xiong, Fei Sun, Weiqi Yuan, Yichao Liu, Shuai Zhang, Zhihui Chen, Mingda Zhang

Abstract: Conventional photonic doping schemes predominantly employ circular or rectangular dielectric dopants with zero topological charge, where the effective permeability can only be tuned through material selection and geometric scaling, resulting in limited design flexibility. In this work, topological structures are introduced into dielectric dopants by embedding internal holes to generate nonzero top… ▽ More Conventional photonic doping schemes predominantly employ circular or rectangular dielectric dopants with zero topological charge, where the effective permeability can only be tuned through material selection and geometric scaling, resulting in limited design flexibility. In this work, topological structures are introduced into dielectric dopants by embedding internal holes to generate nonzero topological charge. Based on this concept, a theoretical model is established to describe the effective permeability of photonic doping systems with nonzero topological charge, and the underlying mechanisms governing topological-charge-dependent transmission are systematically elucidated. The results demonstrate that engineering nonzero topological charge through the number, shape, size and position of internal holes within dielectric dopants enables flexible manipulation of the internal magnetic field distributions, thereby providing precisely control over the effective permeability, as well as the resonance frequency and spectral linewidth of the transmission spectrum. The proposed multi-dimensional photonic doping strategy, integrating topological-charge engineering with geometric design, substantially enriches the available degrees of freedom for dispersion engineering and provides a versatile platform for advanced functional photonic devices. △ Less

Submitted 18 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Operation and performance of ProtoDUNE Dual Phase liquid argon time projection chamber

Authors: DUNE Collaboration, S. Abbaslu, F. Abd Alrahman, A. Abed Abud, R. Acciarri, L. P. Accorsi, M. A. Acero, M. R. Adames, G. Adamov, M. Adamowski, K. Adhikari, C. Adriano, K. Agudelo-Jaramillo, F. Akbar, F. Alemanno, N. S. Alex, L. Aliaga Soplin, A. Alqaisi, M. Alrashed, A. Alton, R. Alvarez, T. Alves, A. Aman, H. Amar, R. Amarinei , et al. (1341 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: ProtoDUNE-DP was the largest ever built Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) operating in Dual-Phase (DP) mode, with a liquid target and charge read-out placed in the gas. It had an active volume of $6\times6\times6$\,m$^3$ corresponding to an active mass of 300\,t (total LAr mass of 720\,t), constructed at the CERN Neutrino Platform and took data from 2019 to 2020 with cosmic muons. In P… ▽ More ProtoDUNE-DP was the largest ever built Liquid Argon Time Projection Chamber (LArTPC) operating in Dual-Phase (DP) mode, with a liquid target and charge read-out placed in the gas. It had an active volume of $6\times6\times6$\,m$^3$ corresponding to an active mass of 300\,t (total LAr mass of 720\,t), constructed at the CERN Neutrino Platform and took data from 2019 to 2020 with cosmic muons. In ProtoDUNE-DP the electric drift field is oriented in the vertical direction, causing the electrons to drift vertically towards the anode at the top. The ionization charge is then extracted into the gaseous argon above the liquid surface, amplified by Townsend avalanches, and collected by the charge readout planes. The detector experienced significant technical problems affecting the long-term operation of the Charge Readout Planes, formed by the Large Electron Multipliers, but other critical segments demonstrated required performance including the delivery of -300 kV to the TPC cathode, verification of replaceable charge read-out electronics, and operation of the photon detection system. ProtoDUNE-DP experience resulted in improved designs of the Vertical Drift LArTPC. △ Less

Submitted 21 July, 2026; v1 submitted 17 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Comments: 103 pages, 66 figures

Report number: FERMILAB-PUB-26-0466-LBNF

An Open-Source, Autonomous Platform for High-Resolution Energy Monitoring in Manufacturing

Authors: Vignesh Selvaraj, Aditya Nagaraj, Shengyuan Zhang, Sina Sadeghian, Sangkee Min

Abstract: High-resolution energy data is increasingly central to Industry 4.0, where electrical signals such as three-phase voltage and current carry rich information about machine condition, tool wear, and process dynamics. Capturing this information in practice remains difficult: commercial power analysis are largely proprietary, offer limited or no access to high-sampling rate data for transient analysis… ▽ More High-resolution energy data is increasingly central to Industry 4.0, where electrical signals such as three-phase voltage and current carry rich information about machine condition, tool wear, and process dynamics. Capturing this information in practice remains difficult: commercial power analysis are largely proprietary, offer limited or no access to high-sampling rate data for transient analysis, restrict access to raw waveform data, and offer no customization, while general-purpose open hardware lacks the front-end accuracy, isolation, and robustness required for industrial measurement. This paper presents Autonomous Energy Monitoring System (AEMS), an open-source, low-cost, and modular platform supported by a host, edge-gateway, and optional cloud software stack that enables autonomous, long-duration acquisition independent of a continuously connected host and thereby closes this gap by combining research-grade fidelity with industrial deployability. The system acquires three-phase voltage and current through an isolated front-end and a 24-bit, simultaneously sampling analog-to-digital converter, managed by a dual-core architecture that separates deterministic acquisition and on-board logging from host communication and control. Industrial interfaces (Ethernet, RS-485/Modbus, and BLE) together with hardware-level synchronization enable scalable, time-aligned acquisition across multiple machines, supported by a complete host, edge-gateway, and optional cloud software stack. We validate the platform on a three-axis CNC machining center, where it resolves spindle, feed-drive, rapid-traverse, and material-removal energy states and detects feed-rate changes as small as 50 mm/min. By releasing the full hardware and firmware openly, this work aims to democratize access to high-fidelity energy monitoring for both researchers and small and medium-sized manufacturers. △ Less

Submitted 16 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Comments: 20 pages, 13 figures, to be submitted in the journal IJPEM-ST

AutoHF: a general Hartree-Fock solver utilizing direct energy minimization with automatic differentiation

Authors: Ryan Levy, Brandon Eskridge, Lukas Weber, Miguel A. Morales, Shiwei Zhang

Abstract: We present autohf, a general, easy-to-use mean-field solver for quantum many-fermion Hamiltonians. It allows the user to bypass the process of deciphering the mean-field form for each many-body Hamiltonian $H$ and thus avoid setting up a tailored program for each $H$. Rather, autohf finds the optimal Slater determinant $|Ψ\rangle$, written in terms of orbital coefficients and subject to symmetry c… ▽ More We present autohf, a general, easy-to-use mean-field solver for quantum many-fermion Hamiltonians. It allows the user to bypass the process of deciphering the mean-field form for each many-body Hamiltonian $H$ and thus avoid setting up a tailored program for each $H$. Rather, autohf finds the optimal Slater determinant $|Ψ\rangle$, written in terms of orbital coefficients and subject to symmetry constraints, by directly minimizing the variational energy $\langle H \rangle$. By embracing this variational approach, autohf makes use of the growing power of automatic differentiation and optimization tools developed by the machine learning community. △ Less

Submitted 21 July, 2026; v1 submitted 15 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Atomic oven with rapid thermal response for atom experiments

Authors: Weilong Huang, Congjun Zou, Feiyu Dong, Huirong Xiao, Zejian Ren, Shanchao Zhang

Abstract: Atomic oven generating controllable atomic beam flux plays a fundamental role in quantum gas experiments. Here, we report a new heater design that can heat up an high temperature atomic oven with fast thermal response. The new heater shows a heating rate improved by 7.65 times comparing to that of the conventional resistive heater while the crucible temperature can heated up to 1200K. With this ov… ▽ More Atomic oven generating controllable atomic beam flux plays a fundamental role in quantum gas experiments. Here, we report a new heater design that can heat up an high temperature atomic oven with fast thermal response. The new heater shows a heating rate improved by 7.65 times comparing to that of the conventional resistive heater while the crucible temperature can heated up to 1200K. With this oven, we generated a collimated ytterbium beam with flux exceeding $10^{14} \text{ atoms/s}$ at 823 K. We believe that our design offers a promising solution for shortening experimental dead time and improve the experiment efficiency in cold atom researches. △ Less

Submitted 7 July, 2026; v1 submitted 5 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Comments: 5 pages, 4 figures

High-Energy Neutrino Tomography of the Earth's Interior with IceCube

Authors: The IceCube Collaboration, R. Abbasi, M. Ackermann, J. Adams, J. A. Aguilar, M. Ahlers, J. M. Alameddine, S. Ali, N. M. Amin, K. Andeen, C. Argüelles, S. Athanasiadou, S. N. Axani, R. Babu, X. Bai, A. Balagopal V., S. W. Barwick, V. Basu, R. Bay, J. J. Beatty, J. Becker Tjus, P. Behrens, J. Beise, C. Bellenghi, S. Benkel , et al. (395 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The Earth's interior reflects its geological evolution, from accretion to present-day dynamics. Its structure drives the geodynamo in the outer core, generating the magnetic field that shields the surface from charged cosmic radiation. The primary observables of the Earth's interior are its radial density distribution and derived quantities such as its mass and moment of inertia. These have tradit… ▽ More The Earth's interior reflects its geological evolution, from accretion to present-day dynamics. Its structure drives the geodynamo in the outer core, generating the magnetic field that shields the surface from charged cosmic radiation. The primary observables of the Earth's interior are its radial density distribution and derived quantities such as its mass and moment of inertia. These have traditionally been inferred from gravity and seismic wave propagation, which probe the macroscopic response of matter to gravitational and elastic forces. Here we instead constrain the Earth's density profile using high-energy neutrinos observed by the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South Pole. We analyze 10.7 years of predominantly muon-neutrino data spanning 500 GeV--100 TeV, including atmospheric neutrinos produced by cosmic-ray interactions in the Earth's atmosphere and the diffuse astrophysical neutrino flux. Neutrino attenuation depends on both the traversed column density and neutrino energy. By measuring the zenith- and energy-dependent flux suppression, we infer the Earth's radial density profile by fitting a concentric uniform-density shell model that incorporates neutrino fluxes, interaction cross sections, detector response, and glacial-ice systematic uncertainties. From the resulting density posteriors, we derive the Earth's mass and polar moment of inertia as measured by neutrinos. These are the most precise weak-interaction measurements of these quantities to date and are consistent with the Preliminary Reference Earth Model and independent gravitational determinations. Our results demonstrate that neutrinos provide a novel probe of planetary interiors via a distinct physical interaction, complementing gravity and seismology. With improved detectors and precision, neutrinos will further contribute to a multifaceted understanding of the Earth's structure. △ Less

Submitted 7 July, 2026; v1 submitted 2 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

WavePID: Low-energy flavor identification using single-PMT time series in IceCube

Authors: The IceCube Collaboration, R. Abbasi, M. Ackermann, J. Adams, J. A. Aguilar, M. Ahlers, J. M. Alameddine, S. Ali, N. M. Amin, K. Andeen, C. Argüelles, S. Athanasiadou, S. N. Axani, R. Babu, X. Bai, A. Balagopal V., S. W. Barwick, V. Basu, R. Bay, J. J. Beatty, J. Becker Tjus, P. Behrens, J. Beise, C. Bellenghi, S. Benkel , et al. (395 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a cubic-kilometer detector at the South Pole, identifies neutrino flavor through event morphology. Sparse photon detection makes this classification particularly challenging in the 5--100~GeV regime, the energy range relevant for oscillation measurements and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We introduce WavePID, a template-based log-likelihood-ratio… ▽ More The IceCube Neutrino Observatory, a cubic-kilometer detector at the South Pole, identifies neutrino flavor through event morphology. Sparse photon detection makes this classification particularly challenging in the 5--100~GeV regime, the energy range relevant for oscillation measurements and searches for physics beyond the Standard Model. We introduce WavePID, a template-based log-likelihood-ratio classifier that exploits nanosecond-scale timing on individual detector modules through three observables: the distance to the reconstructed vertex, the early-charge fraction, and the module-to-module time difference. Evaluated on a cascade-enriched sample selected by a state-of-the-art graph neural network, WavePID improves both cascade purity and classification performance over the neural network alone. This demonstrates that per-module pulse timing carries flavor-identification information complementary to morphology-based classifiers, opening a new physics-motivated observable for low-energy neutrino reconstruction. Geant4 simulations associate this signal with differences in Cherenkov emission geometry between muon tracks and electromagnetic showers. These results motivate exploiting nanosecond-scale pulse timing in future low-energy classifiers and in detector designs with improved per-module timing in next-generation neutrino telescopes. △ Less

Submitted 20 August, 2026; v1 submitted 2 July, 2026; originally announced July 2026.

Comments: 14 pages with 7 figures; plus 3 pages supplemental material, submitted to Journal of Instrumentation

In-flight calibration of the Wide-field X-ray Telescope on board the Einstein Probe

Authors: Huaqing Cheng, Hai-Wu Pan, Yuan Liu, Jingwei Hu, Haonan Yang, Donghua Zhao, Zhixing Ling, Yifan Chen, Xiaojin Sun, Longhui Li, Ge Jin, Wenxin Wang, Xue Yang, He-Yang Liu, Chen Zhang, Shuang-Nan Zhang, Weimin Yuan

Abstract: By utilizing novel lobster-eye optics, the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) onboard the Einstein Probe (EP) satellite achieves an unprecedented combination of a large instantaneous field-of-view (FoV) and high sensitivity for monitoring the dynamic X-ray sky. In this paper, we present the in-orbit calibration results of the WXT during its first two and a half years of operations. By conducting obs… ▽ More By utilizing novel lobster-eye optics, the Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) onboard the Einstein Probe (EP) satellite achieves an unprecedented combination of a large instantaneous field-of-view (FoV) and high sensitivity for monitoring the dynamic X-ray sky. In this paper, we present the in-orbit calibration results of the WXT during its first two and a half years of operations. By conducting observations of standard celestial sources--including the Crab Nebula, Scorpius X-1, and Cassiopeia A--we systematically characterized key instrumental properties. Our analysis demonstrates that the in-orbit performance of the WXT agrees with prelaunch ground calibrations well. The spatial resolution, denoted by the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the focal spot, typically ranges from $3'$ to $6'$ across $\sim$90% of the FoV, with a median of $\sim 4.3'$. The post-calibration source positioning accuracy achieves $1.3'$ (at the 90% confidence level). The in-orbit effective area is consistent with model predictions and ground measurements, exhibiting an overall systematic uncertainty of $\lesssim 10\%$ (90% C.L.) in the 0.5-4 keV band. While the vast majority of the detectors remain highly stable, a noticeable long-term degradation at the low-energy end ($\sim30\%$-$40\%$, 0.4-0.6 keV) is observed in a few specific modules. Furthermore, spectral evaluations using Cas A confirm the stability of the energy scale and spectral resolution of the focal-plane Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) detectors. All derived calibration products have been incorporated into the WXT calibration database (CALDB). These results comprehensively verify the instrumental capabilities of the WXT, providing a solid foundation for the reliable analysis of scientific observations. △ Less

Submitted 26 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 13 pages, 13 figures, 3 tables. Submitted to Astronomy & Astrophysics

Refractive indices of Y$_2$SiO$_5$ in the near-infrared

Authors: Shijun Zhang, Jérôme Debray, Benoît Boulanger, Pierre Lemonde, Thierry Chanelière

Abstract: Y$_2$SiO$_5$ is a reference birefringent material for optical quantum technologies. The refractive index is primarily known in the visible spectrum, whereas this crystal is also used in the near-infrared. We begin by analysing historical measurements, as well as the modelling proposed at the time. The absence of refractive index tabulated values in the near- and mid-infrared ranges motivated us to… ▽ More Y$_2$SiO$_5$ is a reference birefringent material for optical quantum technologies. The refractive index is primarily known in the visible spectrum, whereas this crystal is also used in the near-infrared. We begin by analysing historical measurements, as well as the modelling proposed at the time. The absence of refractive index tabulated values in the near- and mid-infrared ranges motivated us to carry out independent measurements. Using interferometric techniques in the telecom wavelength range, we demonstrate the ability to determine the principal refractive indices and propose a model spanning a broad spectral range based on Sellmeier equations for which we explicitly give the coefficients and discuss the achievable accuracy. Conversely, as an illustration, white-light interference enables us to precisely determine the thickness of a Y$_2$SiO$_5$ thin film on the order of ten micrometers. △ Less

Submitted 11 August, 2026; v1 submitted 25 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 14 pages, 9 figures

Journal ref: Opt. Mater. Express 16, 2886-2900 (2026)

Widely tunable optical parametric oscillation and visible light generation in 4H-SiC microresonators

Authors: Yongsheng Wang, Shuangyou Zhang, Yurong Ren, Paolo Leonelli, Mingjun Chi, Haiyan Ou

Abstract: Widely separated optical parametric oscillation (OPO) represents a powerful method for coherent wavelength conversion across infrared and visible spectra. While such generation has been demonstrated in material platforms like silicon nitride and lithium niobate, 4H-SiC remains unexplored despite offering combined strong second-order and third-order nonlinearities with ultralow material loss. Here… ▽ More Widely separated optical parametric oscillation (OPO) represents a powerful method for coherent wavelength conversion across infrared and visible spectra. While such generation has been demonstrated in material platforms like silicon nitride and lithium niobate, 4H-SiC remains unexplored despite offering combined strong second-order and third-order nonlinearities with ultralow material loss. Here we demonstrate tunable, widely separated OPO generation in 4H-SiC microresonators through dispersion engineering. By optimizing the resonator geometry to achieve normal dispersion at telecommunication wavelengths and pumping at around 1550 nm, a pair of signal and idler spanning nearly an octave is generated,which represents the first demonstration of widely separated OPO in 4H-SiC. The frequency separation is tuned by varying the pump wavelength, with measured signal and idler wavelengths align well with phase-matching prediction. Leveraging the non-centrosymmetric crystal structure of 4HSiC, the generated OPO signal undergoes cascaded second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG) with the pump, yielding coherent visible light at wavelengths below 700 nm. This cascaded upconversion of widely separated OPO signals represents a novel pathway for visible light generation. These results establish 4H-SiC as a promising platform for nonlinear wavelength conversion spanning from visible to 2 um region. △ Less

Submitted 23 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Fractality-induced photonic topological insulators

Authors: Shuming Zhang, Zhaoxin Wu, Lumen Eek, Cristiane Morais Smith, Zhaoju Yang

Abstract: Fractal lattices have recently emerged as a promising setting for topological wave physics, but in most realizations the topological character is inherited from externally engineered couplings, gauge fields, or temporal modulation rather than from the fractal geometry itself. Here, we experimentally realize a photonic higher-order topological insulator in which the topology is induced solely by th… ▽ More Fractal lattices have recently emerged as a promising setting for topological wave physics, but in most realizations the topological character is inherited from externally engineered couplings, gauge fields, or temporal modulation rather than from the fractal geometry itself. Here, we experimentally realize a photonic higher-order topological insulator in which the topology is induced solely by the self-similar geometry of a Sierpiński-gasket lattice. Following the isospectral reduction method recently proposed by Eek \textit{et al.}~\cite{Eek2025}, we show that the fractal waveguide array with uniform nearest-neighbor couplings can be mapped onto an effective breathing Kagome model that supports corner states. We selectively excite these modes with a weakly coupled detuned auxiliary waveguide and directly observe robust corner localization in real space, whereas an otherwise equivalent uniform triangular lattice exhibits only bulk diffraction under the same protocol. Spectral analysis and open-boundary calculations associate the observed states with nontrivial $C_3$ rotational topology, and disorder measurements further show that the corner localization persists over a finite range of random and symmetry-preserving disorder. Our results establish fractal geometry itself as a mechanism for generating topological boundary states in photonic lattices. △ Less

Submitted 22 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Observation of stopping power reduction at strong ion-plasma coupling

Authors: Yun Liu, Jieru Ren, Zhigang Deng, Wei Qi, Bubo Ma, Wenqing Wei, Shizheng Zhang, Xuyang Luo, Ziqian Zhao, Mingzhe Yang, Yifang Gao, Xueguang Ren, Jianxing Li, Dieter H. H. Hoffmann, Xing Wang, Zhongfeng Xu, Shaoyi Wang, Quanping Fan, Bo Cui, Weiwu Wang, Sixin Wu, Yue Yang, Zhurong Cao, Zongqing Zhao, Yuqiu Gu , et al. (8 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Ion stopping in dense plasma is crucial for stellar evolution and fusion ignition. However, its behavior in the strong ion-plasma coupling regime beyond the linear limit has long remained elusive, due to formidable experimental challenges. Here we report the first experimental investigation of ion stopping at an unprecedented coupling parameter exceeding unity, achieved by sending laser-accelerate… ▽ More Ion stopping in dense plasma is crucial for stellar evolution and fusion ignition. However, its behavior in the strong ion-plasma coupling regime beyond the linear limit has long remained elusive, due to formidable experimental challenges. Here we report the first experimental investigation of ion stopping at an unprecedented coupling parameter exceeding unity, achieved by sending laser-accelerated short-pulse and intense quasi-monoenergetic carbon ions ($\sim$583 keV/u, C$^{5+}$) into a uniform, long-lived, well-characterized dense plasma target ($T_e$ $\approx$ 17 eV, $n_e$ $\approx$ 4$\times$10$^{20}$ cm$^{-3}$). By simultaneously measuring ion energy loss and charge-state evolution, we eliminated key experimental ambiguities arising from charge-state determination. Our results clearly show a reduction in stopping power compared with predictions from standard linear dielectric response or binary collision models, and they agree well with the hybrid calculation of molecular dynamics with quantum corrections. The importance of nonlinear screening effects arising from many-body interactions and quantum effects due to the wave nature of electrons was demonstrated at strong coupling. This work establishes a definitive high-fidelity experimental benchmark for collisional dynamics in the strong-coupling regime. It offers critical insight for accurate modeling of energy transport in inertial confinement fusion and astrophysical plasmas. △ Less

Submitted 15 July, 2026; v1 submitted 22 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Reaction-Network-Level Discovery of Ammonia Synthesis Catalysts via Ten-Million-Scale Generative Exploration

Authors: Ruili Li, Rui Qi, Shuoqi Zhang, Qingli Tang, Qingqing Mao, Ritankar Das, Beien Zhu, Yi Gao

Abstract: Catalyst discovery for ammonia synthesis is inherently a reaction-network challenge because catalytic performance is governed not by a single adsorbed intermediate, but by a surface's orchestrated compatibility with multiple distinct intermediates across competing dissociative and associative pathways. However, navigating ultra-large chemical spaces under such multi-intermediate constraints remain… ▽ More Catalyst discovery for ammonia synthesis is inherently a reaction-network challenge because catalytic performance is governed not by a single adsorbed intermediate, but by a surface's orchestrated compatibility with multiple distinct intermediates across competing dissociative and associative pathways. However, navigating ultra-large chemical spaces under such multi-intermediate constraints remains a formidable bottleneck for conventional screening workflows. Here, we report a reaction-network-level catalyst discovery framework driven by ten-million-scale generative exploration. By coupling adsorbate-specific generative Transformers with high-throughput machine learning potentials, we systematically map the structure-property landscapes of four critical intermediates (N*, NH*, NNH*, and HNNH*). Scale-dependent overlap analysis shows that the full four-intermediate compatibility space remains strongly under-sampled at conventional 105-106 generative scales, emerging exclusively under ten-million-scale exploration. By generating approximately 15 million configurations per adsorbate, followed by structural compression and machine-learning-potential predictions, we identified 279 highly potential target materials. This sparse compatibility space successfully recovers traditional Fe- and Ru-based motifs while uncovering previously unexplored catalyst families. Representative DFT calculations validate pathway-dependent mechanisms: Fe-V emerges as a dissociative-pathway lead by significantly lowering the initial N2 dissociation barrier, whereas Al-Pd-Zr efficiently stabilizes associative intermediates as an associative-pathway lead. These findings establish multi-intermediate reaction-network compatibility as a robust criterion for discovering advanced catalysts from multi-million generative chemical spaces. △ Less

Submitted 7 July, 2026; v1 submitted 22 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Coherent seeding and control of dynamical ferroelectricity by phonon anharmonicity

Authors: Junhan Huang, Yongkang Ju, Xinbo Wang, Li Yue, Hao Wang, Qiaomei Liu, Tianchen Hu, Yuchen Cui, Liyu Shi, Shangfei Wu, Sijie Zhang, Dong Wu, Peizhe Tang, Tao Dong, Nan-Lin Wang

Abstract: Optical control of quantum materials has progressed along two separate directions: creating non-equilibrium states inaccessible at equilibrium, and coherently controlling ultrafast dynamics with multi-pulse protocols. Ferroelectricity is especially attractive in this context because its order parameter, macroscopic polarization, directly links inversion-symmetry breaking to functional response. Ye… ▽ More Optical control of quantum materials has progressed along two separate directions: creating non-equilibrium states inaccessible at equilibrium, and coherently controlling ultrafast dynamics with multi-pulse protocols. Ferroelectricity is especially attractive in this context because its order parameter, macroscopic polarization, directly links inversion-symmetry breaking to functional response. Yet light-induced ferroelectricity has so far been confined to quantum paraelectrics near the ferroelectric instability, where critical fluctuations obscure the formation of a homogeneous ferroelectric state and complicate its deterministic coherent control. Unifying these capabilities -- preparing a symmetry-broken state and then coherently steering its functionality -- remains a central challenge. Here we show that intense terahertz excitation of a soft phonon mode induces a ferroelectric state in centrosymmetric PbTe, a thermoelectric material with strong lattice anharmonicity but no ferroelectric transition at finite temperature. The light-induced symmetry-broken state can be realized up to about 100 K, without relying on local dipolar fluctuations. Experiment and theory together reveal that terahertz-driven anharmonic coupling between degenerate transverse optical phonons underlies this ferroelectric induction. Furthermore, we demonstrate coherent amplification and suppression of the induced polarization via a double-pulse-excitation protocol. These results establish terahertz-driven anharmonic mode coupling as a general strategy for controlling mode-mediated functionalities in quantum materials, opening a route to ultrafast information processing. △ Less

Submitted 22 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Material-Anisotropy-Driven Topological Optical Lattices on Thin-Film Lithium Niobate

Authors: Siyuan Zhang, Baoqi Shi, Lei Gui, Xiangle Li, Junna Yao, Zhaosheng Chu, Jun Xu, Qiwen Zhan, Junqiu Liu, Anting Wang

Abstract: Integrated structured-light sources usually obtain high-dimensional orbital angular momentum (OAM) states by encoding each channel into separate gratings, waveguides or metasurfaces, which ties modal capacity to structural complexity. Here we show that intrinsic material anisotropy can instead act as a built-in angular-momentum coupler. In an X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) microring vortex… ▽ More Integrated structured-light sources usually obtain high-dimensional orbital angular momentum (OAM) states by encoding each channel into separate gratings, waveguides or metasurfaces, which ties modal capacity to structural complexity. Here we show that intrinsic material anisotropy can instead act as a built-in angular-momentum coupler. In an X-cut thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) microring vortex emitter, the in-plane optical axis causes a circulating whispering-gallery mode to sample a periodically varying effective index, producing continuous azimuthal phase modulation. This modulation converts each resonance from a nominal single-charge emitter into a coherent topological sideband lattice with charges l=l_p+2n and Bessel-weighted amplitudes. Broadband measurements resolve a representative principal-charge series from l_p=-13 to +13, while additional devices with 100 and 200 GHz free spectral ranges (FSRs) show scalable resonance addressability. The emitted lattices are reproduced by a forward-calculated Fourier--Bessel model, supported by OAM projection measurements, and exhibit focusing into annular perfect-vortex fields and self-healing after obstruction. Waveguide-induced circular polarization further adds a vectorial spin--orbit channel. These results turn TFLN anisotropy from a material constraint into a compact mechanism for resonance-addressed high-dimensional structured-light generation. △ Less

Submitted 21 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Narrative Structure in Tropes: A Computational Analysis of `Friends'

Authors: Shun Zhang, Tabia Tanzin Prama, Christopher M. Danforth, Peter Sheridan Dodds

Abstract: Tropes are recurring narrative devices in television and film. We carry out a computational analysis of tropes in the sitcom Friends, using human-curated trope annotations from TVTropes, episode transcripts, and IMDb ratings. Because automatic trope detection remains challenging, we treat existing trope annotations as a curated analytical layer and focus on their downstream narrative and semanti… ▽ More Tropes are recurring narrative devices in television and film. We carry out a computational analysis of tropes in the sitcom Friends, using human-curated trope annotations from TVTropes, episode transcripts, and IMDb ratings. Because automatic trope detection remains challenging, we treat existing trope annotations as a curated analytical layer and focus on their downstream narrative and semantic functions. We first examine the relationship between episode-level trope frequency and audience reception. We find a statistically significant positive association between trope count and weighted IMDb ratings, although the modest explanatory power suggests that more than trope density alone explains audience evaluation. We then connect trope annotations to dialogue transcripts and represent trope-related dialogue using TF-IDF-based semantic features. Using PCA and k-means clustering, we group 1,954 distinct tropes into 15 semantically interpretable clusters. Chi-square analyses show that the six main characters are unevenly distributed across these clusters, with character-specific trope profiles that are broadly consistent with their established narrative identities. Finally, we project trope clusters into the ousiometric power-danger space to examine their semantic organization. The results show that "Physical and Sexual Comedy" occupies a region associated with relatively high danger, while "Revelation, Surprise, and Reaction" occupies a region associated with relatively high power. Overall, our work demonstrates a way to operationalize trope measurement and shows that identifiable trope clusters can provide holistic "distant reading" descriptions of characters and stories. △ Less

Submitted 17 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Deep Research in Physical Sciences: A Multi-Agent Framework and Comprehensive Benchmark

Authors: Yigeng Jiang, Tengchao Yang, Taoyong Cui, Jiaxing Wan, Yuan Wang, Weida Wang, Zhiyu Liu, Chuyi Peng, Binzhao Luo, Maoli Gao, Huaihai Huang, Yuqianer Zeng, Ziyang Zheng, Dongchen Huang, Chao Chen, Zichao Liu, Weiping Shen, Shuchen Pu, Siyu Zhou, Runmin Ma, Yusong Hu, Fei Chao, Bo Zhang, Xiawu Zheng, Zifu Wang , et al. (3 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Deep research agents are Large Language Model (LLM)-based systems designed for autonomous, multi-step scientific reasoning, and they hold immense potential for accelerating research in the physical sciences. However, comprehensive and in-depth evaluations of their capabilities within this domain remain lacking. To address this gap, we introduce PhySciBench, a benchmark highly relevant to physical… ▽ More Deep research agents are Large Language Model (LLM)-based systems designed for autonomous, multi-step scientific reasoning, and they hold immense potential for accelerating research in the physical sciences. However, comprehensive and in-depth evaluations of their capabilities within this domain remain lacking. To address this gap, we introduce PhySciBench, a benchmark highly relevant to physical science research, comprising 200 expert-curated questions, balanced between physics and chemistry, across six task categories that reflect real-world scientific workflows. Evaluations of state-of-the-art models and agent systems on PhySciBench reveal limited performance; even the strongest baseline, Gemini Deep Research, achieves an accuracy of only 33.5%. Analysis of failure cases identifies three recurrent deficiencies: fragility in extended reasoning chains, limited knowledge transfer across steps, and a lack of physics-grounded self-verification. Motivated by these findings, we develop DelveAgent, a modular multi-agent framework equipped with an adaptive planning loop, dual-granularity memory, and a hierarchical physics-grounded reflection mechanism. Across four scientific benchmarks, DelveAgent improves accuracy by up to 7.5 percentage points while reducing inference costs to approximately one-third of the strongest baseline. These results establish the significance of PhySciBench as a critical benchmark for evaluating AI systems in the physical sciences and demonstrate that architectural specialization can effectively enhance the reliability of autonomous scientific research. Our data and code are publicly available at https://github.com/yigengjiang/physci-deepresearch. △ Less

Submitted 22 June, 2026; v1 submitted 16 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: v3: fix error and add data, codes publicly link on Abstract

Non-Hermitian Delocalization Realizes Random Dirac Criticality in One Dimension

Authors: Bo Li, Shen Zhang, Ren Zhang

Abstract: Non-Hermitian systems can evade Anderson localization and exhibit delocalized states even in one dimension. Here, we show that such non-Hermitian delocalized states under periodic boundary conditions (PBC) are intrinsically critical, realizing the universality class of one-dimensional random Dirac fermions. By linking spectral winding to topological Anderson transitions via Hermitization, we demon… ▽ More Non-Hermitian systems can evade Anderson localization and exhibit delocalized states even in one dimension. Here, we show that such non-Hermitian delocalized states under periodic boundary conditions (PBC) are intrinsically critical, realizing the universality class of one-dimensional random Dirac fermions. By linking spectral winding to topological Anderson transitions via Hermitization, we demonstrate that the delocalized PBC states exhibit a Dirac-type criticality with universal algebraic correlations. In contrast to Hermitian systems, where this criticality occurs only at fine-tuned transition points, it emerges generically in non-Hermitian systems as a consequence of spectral topology. These results identify a universal mechanism by which non-Hermiticity promotes criticality, providing a unified description of non-Hermitian delocalization in one dimension. △ Less

Submitted 10 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 7+10 pages, 4+3 figures

Absence of poor local minima in matrix product states

Authors: Hao-Kai Zhang, Chenghong Zhu, Shuo Liu, Shi-Xin Zhang, Tao Xiang

Abstract: Quantum circuits suffer from severe trainability issues: even shallow circuits are swamped with poor local minima. Yet matrix product states (MPS), which can be prepared by sequential circuits, are remarkably trainable in practice -- as demonstrated by decades of successful density matrix renormalization group calculations. In this work, we resolve this apparent paradox by proving that the energy… ▽ More Quantum circuits suffer from severe trainability issues: even shallow circuits are swamped with poor local minima. Yet matrix product states (MPS), which can be prepared by sequential circuits, are remarkably trainable in practice -- as demonstrated by decades of successful density matrix renormalization group calculations. In this work, we resolve this apparent paradox by proving that the energy landscapes of MPS are free from poor local minima, under the same setting where brickwork circuits are not. The key insight is that the gauge freedom of MPS creates an effective local overparametrization that causes local minima to concentrate near the global minimum, analogous to overparametrized classical neural networks. We rigorously prove that the local minimum distribution is invariant under moves of the orthogonality center of MPS representations. Numerical experiments further confirm that the optimization of sequential circuits converges to near-optimal solutions even for random Hamiltonians, in stark contrast to brickwork circuits. Our findings establish a theoretical understanding of the trainability of MPS, providing a valuable guide for designing variational quantum circuits and algorithms with better trainability in the future. △ Less

Submitted 30 June, 2026; v1 submitted 8 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 35 pages, 3+6 figures

Bi-S network origin of cation-disorder stability and dispersive band edges in AgBiS2

Authors: Han-Pu Liang, Songyuan Geng, Heng Kang, Chen Qiu, Xiao-Ping Yao, Qing'an Li, Bozhao Zhang, Lechuan Sun, Yuxuan Chen, Shan Zhang, Su-Huai Wei, Peng-Fei Guan

Abstract: Cation-disordered AgBiS2 is a promising lead-free optoelectronic material, but both its ordered structure and the microscopic origin of its favorable electronic properties remain debated. Theory has proposed a mixed-coordination tendency with tetrahedral AgS4 and octahedral BiS6 units, whereas experiments mainly report octahedrally coordinated ordered and cation-disordered phases, together with lo… ▽ More Cation-disordered AgBiS2 is a promising lead-free optoelectronic material, but both its ordered structure and the microscopic origin of its favorable electronic properties remain debated. Theory has proposed a mixed-coordination tendency with tetrahedral AgS4 and octahedral BiS6 units, whereas experiments mainly report octahedrally coordinated ordered and cation-disordered phases, together with local cation off-centering. Here, we combine a machine-learning interatomic potential with a deep-learning Hamiltonian to resolve the coupled structural and electronic evolution of AgBiS2 at large length scales. We identify the three-dimensional Bi-S network as the central structural motif governing both disorder stability and band-edge electronic states. At weak disorder, Ag/Bi exchange competes with the off-centering tendency of the Ag sublattice, producing strongly distorted local environments and convoluted diffraction signatures that hinder the identification of the ordered phase. With increasing disorder, BiS6-like units connect into a continuous Bi-S network, which stabilizes the rocksalt-like disordered phase. Despite strong cation disorder, AgBiS2 retains clear semiconductor-like band dispersion and develops a direct band gap. The connected Bi:p-S:p states supported by the Bi-S network preserve a dispersive conduction-band edge and a small electron effective mass. In contrast, mobile Ag disrupts the long-range periodicity of Ag-S bonding, leading to strongly localized valence states. These results clarify the structural controversy in ordered AgBiS2 and establish a unified physical picture of disorder stability and optoelectronic response in nonisovalent semiconductor alloys. △ Less

Submitted 8 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Study on the shielding efficiency of water, HDPE, and boron-loaded HDPE for neutron background of plastic scintillator neutrino detector

Authors: D. X. Lu, Y. H. Liu, X. S. Zhang, F. P. An, G. Luo, W. Wang

Abstract: Surface-level reactor antineutrino experiments usually have substantial cosmic ray induced neutron backgrounds, particularly with shallow overburden. The Array of Lattice for Anti-neutrino Reactor Monitoring (ALARM) is a plastic scintillator based experiment designed for reactor power monitoring. It will be deployed about 44 m from the core of a reactor at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. Placed a… ▽ More Surface-level reactor antineutrino experiments usually have substantial cosmic ray induced neutron backgrounds, particularly with shallow overburden. The Array of Lattice for Anti-neutrino Reactor Monitoring (ALARM) is a plastic scintillator based experiment designed for reactor power monitoring. It will be deployed about 44 m from the core of a reactor at the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant. Placed at a depth of 9.6 meters below the surface, cosmic ray induced fast neutrons constitute a significant background, making an effective neutron shielding system essential for the experiment. For the shielding design of ALARM, we tested the shielding performance of three materials water, HDPE, and 40\% boron-doped HDPE (BHDPE) against both fast and thermal neutrons. A thermal neutron detector composed of an EJ426 scintillator setup was first used to measure the shielding efficiency of these materials at various thicknesses using neutrons from an Am-Be source. A 30-cm thickness of BHDPE achieved a shielding efficiency exceeding 95\% for both fast and thermal neutrons. Monte Carlo simulations of the EJ426 setup yielded results consistent with the experimental data. Simulation results for the shielding performance of the full ALARM shielding assembly are also presented. △ Less

Submitted 27 July, 2026; v1 submitted 7 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

A Framework to Model Stellar Irradiated Disks with Frequency-dependent Absorption and Scattering Opacities in Athena++

Authors: Stanley A. Baronett, Yan-Fei Jiang, Zhaohuan Zhu, Shangjia Zhang, Philip J. Armitage

Abstract: The frequency dependence of opacity is crucial for determining the thermal structure of protoplanetary disks, which in turn influences disk dynamics and planet formation. Yet many disk models adopt simplified thermodynamics, and common radiation-hydrodynamic approaches often use gray opacities, ignore scattering, and yield inaccurate results in regions with intermediate optical depth. We present a… ▽ More The frequency dependence of opacity is crucial for determining the thermal structure of protoplanetary disks, which in turn influences disk dynamics and planet formation. Yet many disk models adopt simplified thermodynamics, and common radiation-hydrodynamic approaches often use gray opacities, ignore scattering, and yield inaccurate results in regions with intermediate optical depth. We present a comprehensive framework that models stellar irradiation with frequency-dependent absorption and scattering across all optical depths using the Athena++ finite-volume code, extended with multigroup radiation transport and newly implemented radial rays to more accurately represent the stellar flux. To calibrate this framework, we focus exclusively on hydrostatic disk models, allowing us to isolate radiative effects and evaluate the method without additional dynamical complexity. Because dust opacity increases strongly with frequency, ultraviolet stellar irradiation heats the tenuous disk atmosphere while the optically thick midplane remains cooler. This vertical temperature gradient is captured more accurately when more frequency bands are used or when scattering is included. Our hydrostatic models achieve equilibrium temperatures that differ from Monte Carlo radiative-transfer benchmarks on average by 2--5% with 64 frequency bands and 7--11% with 3 bands. Reducing the number of bands lowers computational cost by at least an order of magnitude while increasing the maximum possible temperature deviation only from 8% to 19%. This calibration demonstrates the accuracy and efficiency of the framework and provides a solid foundation for future self-consistent studies of irradiated protoplanetary disks, including fully dynamical simulations and applications involving chemical processes and time-dependent stellar luminosity. △ Less

Submitted 15 June, 2026; v1 submitted 7 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 32 pages, 17 figures, ApJ revision under review; for associated repository, see https://github.com/sabaronett/irrad_disk/tree/main

Hyperon-Nucleon Spectrometer

Authors: Xiaozhi Bai, Xu Cao, Zhe Cao, Jinhui Chen, Kai Chen, Qibo Chen, Shi Chen, Xin Chen, Yuquan Chen, Zhenyu Chen, Jianping Dai, Heng-Tong Ding, Dongshuo Du, Shuxian Du, Limin Duan, Zhe Duan, Anhui Feng, Jie Feng, Yicheng Feng, Jinlin Fu, Xiaofeng Fu, Chaosong Gao, Liang Ge, Wenwen Ge, Lisheng Geng , et al. (215 additional authors not shown)

Abstract: Chirality lies at the heart of low-energy QCD, governing the symmetry structure that shapes hadron masses and strong interaction dynamics. Among the most compelling open questions tied to chiral dynamics and spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking is the longstanding $Λ$ polarization puzzle, in which $Λ$ hyperons produced in unpolarized hadronic collisions exhibit a surprisingly large transverse pola… ▽ More Chirality lies at the heart of low-energy QCD, governing the symmetry structure that shapes hadron masses and strong interaction dynamics. Among the most compelling open questions tied to chiral dynamics and spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking is the longstanding $Λ$ polarization puzzle, in which $Λ$ hyperons produced in unpolarized hadronic collisions exhibit a surprisingly large transverse polarization that remains theoretically unexplained. This whitepaper presents the proposal for the Hyperon-Nucleon Spectrometer (H-NS) at the High-Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF). Leveraging the high energy and high intensity of HIAF's proton and heavy-ion beams, the H-NS experiment will perform systematic studies of hyperon polarization phenomena and their underlying mechanisms in proton-proton ($pp$), proton-nucleus ($pA$), and nucleus-nucleus ($AA$) collisions in the fixed target mode. A wide-range beam energy scan, including proton beams from 3 GeV up to 9.3 GeV (HIAF) and up to 32 GeV (upgraded HIAF), will be conducted to examine the dependence of polarization on collision energy. The spectrometer is designed with specialized detectors capable of high-precision reconstruction of final-state baryon polarizations. Among its many interesting and important measurements, H-NS will simultaneously measure hyperon and proton spin observables to explore the polarization mechanism in hadronic interactions and the spin structure of baryons. Furthermore, the use of $pA$ and $AA$ collisions will enable detailed investigations of cold and hot nuclear matter effects on spin polarization. Its physics program and detector development will significantly benefit the future Electron-ion Collider in China. △ Less

Submitted 4 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 69 pages, Hyperon-Nucleon Spectrometer (H-NS) white paper

Three-dimensional density and air-rock interface reconstruction with muography: Application to the TianQin tunnel

Authors: Songran Qi, Tao Yu, Shihan Zhao, Yunsong Ning, Aiyu Bai, Yu Chen, Yi Yuan, Mingchen Sun, Zhirui Liu, Liang Xian, Hengye Xu, Hao Jiang, Zhichao Wang, Shuhang Zhang, Su Zhan, Jian Tang

Abstract: Muography is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses cosmic-ray muons, commonly divided into transmission (absorption) and scattering muography. For transmission muography, the inversion algorithm critically determines reconstruction quality. However, widely used schemes may produce smearing artifacts when measurement locations are limited and data are sparse. We develop an optimized Metropolis… ▽ More Muography is a non-invasive imaging technique that uses cosmic-ray muons, commonly divided into transmission (absorption) and scattering muography. For transmission muography, the inversion algorithm critically determines reconstruction quality. However, widely used schemes may produce smearing artifacts when measurement locations are limited and data are sparse. We develop an optimized Metropolis--Hastings (M--H) algorithm that mitigates smearing and retrieves sharper, more accurate density distributions without auxiliary data. Additionally, we implement an inverse distance weighting (IDW) approach to reconstruct the air--rock interface from muon measurements. The optimized M--H algorithm is applied in Monte Carlo simulations and applied to field data from the TianQin Tunnel experiment using the MuGrid-v2 detector. The IDW-reconstructed air--rock interface is validated against Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) measurements. In simulations, the optimized M--H algorithm improves high-density anomaly detection precision from $42\%$ to $100\%$ at threshold $5.1\,\mathrm{g/cm^3}$, with gains of $6\%$ to $42\%$ across other threshold and low-density scenarios, together with the TianQin Tunnel reconstructions, these results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. △ Less

Submitted 2 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

TransportBench: A Comprehensive Benchmark for Non-Equilibrium Flow Transport

Authors: Xu Wang, Minghao Li, Qizhen Hong, Yang Liu, Chen-an Zhang, Shuai Zhang, Wenhao Li, Yonghao Zhang, Tianbai Xiao

Abstract: Scientific machine learning models, as versatile tools for numerical simulation and analysis, are increasingly transforming the landscape of fluid mechanics research. However, existing datasets and benchmarks are primarily limited to continuum fluids and provide limited support for non-equilibrium transport phenomena. To address this gap, we present TransportBench, a high-fidelity dataset and stan… ▽ More Scientific machine learning models, as versatile tools for numerical simulation and analysis, are increasingly transforming the landscape of fluid mechanics research. However, existing datasets and benchmarks are primarily limited to continuum fluids and provide limited support for non-equilibrium transport phenomena. To address this gap, we present TransportBench, a high-fidelity dataset and standardized benchmark for non-equilibrium flow transport, designed to reveal the strengths and limitations of neural network models across diverse flow regimes. Specifically, the dataset encompasses a broad physical spectrum, covering continuum and rarefied regimes, low-speed and hypersonic flows, inert and chemically reactive gases, and both translational and internal-energy non-equilibrium effects. Built upon this dataset, we systematically benchmark representative neural architectures using unified evaluation protocols to probe key challenges in learning non-equilibrium flows, including robustness to shock-dominated discontinuities and multi-scale effects, as well as generalization across geometry and physical parameters. Numerical results demonstrate that model performance exhibits a pronounced dependence upon the specific flow characteristics. No single architecture consistently performs best for all the tasks. Instead, different architectural inductive biases provide distinct advantages in capturing smooth flow fields, shock-induced discontinuities, and high-order non-equilibrium statistics. By jointly providing the non-equilibrium flow dataset and model benchmark, TransportBench offers a new testbed for the development, evaluation, and diagnosis of scientific machine learning methods for fluid transport beyond the Navier-Stokes hydrodynamics. The benchmark datasets and implementation codes are available under the MIT license. △ Less

Submitted 1 June, 2026; originally announced June 2026.

Comments: 40 pages, 12 figures, 8 tables

Cloaking of Arbitrarily Shaped Large-Scale Objects Through the Injection of Electromagnetic Invisibility Genes

Authors: Zirui Xie, Fei Sun, Yichao Liu, Jiale Li, Jianpu Yang, Shuai Zhang

Abstract: Full-space electromagnetic invisibility mainly includes light-bending and scattering-cancellation cloaking. Light-bending cloaking causes double-blind phenomenon and is incompatible with sensing, while scattering-cancellation cloaking allows signal interaction and is more suitable for sensors and communication systems. However, traditional scattering-cancellation cloaking depends highly on target… ▽ More Full-space electromagnetic invisibility mainly includes light-bending and scattering-cancellation cloaking. Light-bending cloaking causes double-blind phenomenon and is incompatible with sensing, while scattering-cancellation cloaking allows signal interaction and is more suitable for sensors and communication systems. However, traditional scattering-cancellation cloaking depends highly on target shape and size, making it difficult to realize cloaking for irregular, inhomogeneous and electrically large objects. To solve these problems, this work proposes an electromagnetic invisibility gene injection strategy inspired by biological camouflage. Objects are decomposed into subwavelength units, and customized invisibility genes are injected into each unit according to electromagnetic parameters to achieve overall scattering cancellation. Simulations and microwave experiments verify that this method can realize efficient cloaking for objects with arbitrary shapes, dielectric constants from 2 to 10, and different unit morphologies. This strategy breaks the limits of traditional cloaking and provides a universal, flexible scheme for practical applications such as antenna supports and electromagnetic transparent covers. △ Less

Submitted 29 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Comments: 17 pages,6 figures

Machine-learned atomistic simulations reveal the basis of hydrogen-induced crack-plane transition in alpha-Fe

Authors: Jiaqin Xu, Zhiqiang Zhao, Kazuma Ito, Shuhei Shinzato, Fanshun Meng, Shihao Zhang, Shigenobu Ogata

Abstract: Hydrogen-related fracture in body-centered cubic Fe and ferritic steels often appears as transgranular quasi-cleavage rather than purely intergranular failure, especially at low to moderate hydrogen contents. Fractography has suggested that hydrogen may change the dominant cleavage faceting from {100} toward {110}, but atomic-scale evidence for this possible crack-plane transition remains unclear.… ▽ More Hydrogen-related fracture in body-centered cubic Fe and ferritic steels often appears as transgranular quasi-cleavage rather than purely intergranular failure, especially at low to moderate hydrogen contents. Fractography has suggested that hydrogen may change the dominant cleavage faceting from {100} toward {110}, but atomic-scale evidence for this possible crack-plane transition remains unclear. Here we construct an efficient neural-network potential for α-Fe/H and combine large-scale, three-dimensional molecular dynamics with grand-canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC), allowing the near-tip crack-surface region and crack tip within a defined GCMC domain to exchange hydrogen with a reservoir at fixed chemical potential. A comparison of four crack systems identifies the controlling response: (100)[010], (100)[011], and (110)[001] remain cleavage-dominated, whereas the (110)[1-10] crack changes from dislocation emission in pure Fe to cleavage under hydrogen charging. The energetic origin is twofold. Hydrogen lowers the Griffith cleavage threshold of the {110} cleavage-plane family more strongly than that of {100}, and, for the controlling crack, a Rice-type energetic descriptor indicates that the surface-energy-controlled cleavage resistance decreases faster than the unstable-stacking-fault-controlled emission resistance, consistent with a weakened dislocation-emission shield. These results provide a thermodynamically consistent atomistic basis for a hydrogen-induced transgranular crack-plane transition in Fe. △ Less

Submitted 24 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Comments: 24 pages

Hyperedge approximation for stochastic processes on higher-order networks

Authors: Anzhi Sheng, Alex McAvoy, Ye Tian, Silun Zhang, Angela Fontan, Joshua B. Plotkin

Abstract: Graphs are a standard framework for describing dynamical processes shaped by pairwise interactions among agents. But many systems involve interactions in groups of three or more agents. Here, we develop a method of "$\ell$-hyperedge approximation", a framework to analyze stochastic population processes on regular hypergraphs, in which each individual belongs to $k$ groups of size $\ell$. The frame… ▽ More Graphs are a standard framework for describing dynamical processes shaped by pairwise interactions among agents. But many systems involve interactions in groups of three or more agents. Here, we develop a method of "$\ell$-hyperedge approximation", a framework to analyze stochastic population processes on regular hypergraphs, in which each individual belongs to $k$ groups of size $\ell$. The framework accommodates both higher-order interactions that determine payoffs and higher-order processes for updating states in response to payoffs. Applied to evolutionary game dynamics, the framework generalizes the classical pairwise result on benefits and costs, $b/c>k$, that favors the spread of cooperation; and it provides critical benefit-to-cost ratios for nonlinear $\ell$-player public goods games that cannot be reduced to pairwise interactions. Applied to complex contagions, where inheritance of states occurs within hyperedges rather than along parent-offspring edges, the framework gives a closed-form result for the fixation probability, which shows how a complexity parameter governs the spread of rare types. Coupling the two processes produces a single stochastic model of payoff-biased complex contagion in structured populations. These results extend pair approximation from graphs to hypergraphs, accommodating multi-way interactions and inheritance structures with no pairwise analog. △ Less

Submitted 22 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Engineering Hybrid Resonances in Nanophotonics

Authors: Shutao Zhang, Cheng-Feng Pan, Yandong Fan, Jehyeon Shin, Yuanda Liu, Yan Liu, Jun Ding, Jing Wu, Junsuk Rho, Yuri Kivshar, Joel K. W. Yang, Zhaogang Dong

Abstract: Hybridization of resonances is known to overcome inherent limitations of individual systems, enabling advanced functionalities and applications. Here we discuss hybrid plasmonic-Mie resonators that emerged recently as a promising direction in advancing nanophotonic structures by synergistically combining the strong near-field enhancement of plasmonic components with the low-loss, multipolar resona… ▽ More Hybridization of resonances is known to overcome inherent limitations of individual systems, enabling advanced functionalities and applications. Here we discuss hybrid plasmonic-Mie resonators that emerged recently as a promising direction in advancing nanophotonic structures by synergistically combining the strong near-field enhancement of plasmonic components with the low-loss, multipolar resonances of dielectric Mie elements. We review the recent progress in the field, encompassing the fundamental physical principles, structural design strategies, material platforms, computational optimization approaches, and representative device implementations. Our discussion starts by evaluating the complementary characteristics of plasmonic and Mie resonances followed by a description of the coupling between these resonances in order to boost light-matter interactions. Afterward, we explore the performance of efficient hybrid resonators for different application areas. Apart from the conventional metal-dielectric systems, we consider the recent class of epsilon-near-zero (ENZ) materials, which can provide unique advantages in terms of field localization, phase engineering, and energy flow management in the vicinity of zero-permittivity conditions, offering more flexibility in designing hybrid nano-optical devices. Lastly, we point out potential research avenues aiming to improve functional and efficient nanophotonic devices, especially those involving emerging topological material systems, such as Sb2Te3, Bi2Te3, Bi2Se3, combining plasmonic amplification, dielectric confinement, and spin-dependent optical behavior. △ Less

Submitted 19 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Reassessment of Ionospheric Responses to GRB~221009A: Disentangling Instrumental, Illumination and Geophysical Effects

Authors: Maosheng He, Quanhan Li, Shun-Rong Zhang, Jeffrey M. Forbes, Jiuhou Lei, Libo Liu, Jiankui Shi, Chi Wang

Abstract: Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have long been proposed to perturb Earth's ionosphere, with occasional reports of disruptions in ultra- and extremely-low-frequency radio signals. The exceptionally bright GRB~221009A was recently claimed to induce multi-altitude ionospheric responses, including perturbations in satellite electric fields, regional total electron content (TEC), and the equatorial electrojet… ▽ More Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have long been proposed to perturb Earth's ionosphere, with occasional reports of disruptions in ultra- and extremely-low-frequency radio signals. The exceptionally bright GRB~221009A was recently claimed to induce multi-altitude ionospheric responses, including perturbations in satellite electric fields, regional total electron content (TEC), and the equatorial electrojet (EEJ). These claims have renewed interest in the potential near-Earth impacts of astrophysical transients. Here we perform an independent reassessment using expanded datasets spanning multiple altitudes. We find no coherent, burst-like TEC enhancement, show that the reported electric-field anomalies recur under specific illumination conditions each orbit, and demonstrate that the EEJ fluctuations preceded the burst and coincide with solar-wind variability. Together, these results indicate that the reported GRB-induced ionospheric responses are fully attributable to other natural geophysical processes and instrumental artefacts, thereby resolving a high-profile controversy and clarifying the true limits of GRBs'ionospheric effects. △ Less

Submitted 19 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Robust High-Precision Time Transfer over 91-km Hollow-Core Fiber: Immunity to Dispersion and Nonlinearity

Authors: Bo Liu, Xinxing Guo, Jiang Chen, Huibo Hong, Qian Zhou, Xiang Zhang, Ru Yuan, Rongduo Lu, Tao Liu, Ruifang Dong, Shougang Zhang

Abstract: To address the fundamental limitations imposed by chromatic dispersion and environmental susceptibility in standard single-mode fiber (SMF) for long-haul high-precision time transfer, we systematically explore the application potential of hollow-core fiber (HCF) through comparative experiments. We designed a bidirectional time transfer platform enabling direct comparison between HCF and SMF links… ▽ More To address the fundamental limitations imposed by chromatic dispersion and environmental susceptibility in standard single-mode fiber (SMF) for long-haul high-precision time transfer, we systematically explore the application potential of hollow-core fiber (HCF) through comparative experiments. We designed a bidirectional time transfer platform enabling direct comparison between HCF and SMF links across distances of 91 km, 68 km, and 54 km. We quantitatively characterize the impact of critical non-reciprocal error sources, specifically the optical Kerr effect and chromatic dispersion, under varying laser power, wavelength drift, and environmental perturbations. Our results show that HCF exhibits significantly suppressed dispersion, with a mean coefficient of 3.4 ps per nm per km, and reduced environmental sensitivity compared with SMF. Notably, over the 91 km link, the HCF yields a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enhancement of more than 24 dB and confines the time deviation to less than 80 ps, which is nearly an order-of-magnitude improvement over SMF, where the time deviation exceeds 600 ps, while remaining nearly immune to power and wavelength fluctuations. Under 24 hour diurnal monitoring, the 68 km HCF link demonstrates strong robustness, with environment-induced time delay fluctuations of 776 ps, corresponding to only 24.5% of those in SMF, which reach 3166 ps. Consequently, the time transfer stability, evaluated by time deviation (TDEV), reaches 0.2 ps at an integration time of 1000 s, representing a twofold improvement over SMF. These findings validate HCF as a superior transmission medium with low latency, low nonlinearity, and high thermal stability, paving the way for next-generation ultra-stable, long-haul time-frequency distribution networks. △ Less

Submitted 13 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Comments: 10 pages, 8 figures

Ultrafast wide-field 3D topography with extended depth of field

Authors: Qianyi Wei, Jielei Ni, Yuquan Zhang, Zhangyu Zhou, Shuoshuo Zhang, Zhiyong Tan, Jiahui Pan, Xiaocong Yuan, Changjun Min

Abstract: Ultrafast optical imaging has enabled direct observation of femtosecond-nanosecond dynamics, yet three-dimensional (3D) dynamic measurements at high numerical aperture (NA) remain hindered by the intrinsically shallow depth of field (DoF) of conventional microscopes. Here, we propose an ultrafast, wide-field pump-probe interferometric microscope on a telecentric platform that significantly extends… ▽ More Ultrafast optical imaging has enabled direct observation of femtosecond-nanosecond dynamics, yet three-dimensional (3D) dynamic measurements at high numerical aperture (NA) remain hindered by the intrinsically shallow depth of field (DoF) of conventional microscopes. Here, we propose an ultrafast, wide-field pump-probe interferometric microscope on a telecentric platform that significantly extends the effective DoF to ~18 micrometer at a high NA of 0.9 while maintaining high spatial resolution (down to 235 nm) and temporal resolution (~170 fs). The system enables single-frame 3D topography reconstruction without axial scanning or multi-view acquisition. We demonstrate these capabilities by capturing axial material flow during laser-induced microsphere melting that remain unobservable with conventional narrow-DoF systems, and by tracking the azimuthal rotation of ablation lobes during axial propagation of temporal focused spatiotemporal optical vortex (TF-STOV) pulses, directly revealing the spatiotemporal evolution of STOV-matter interactions △ Less

Submitted 12 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Nonlinear synthetic Schlieren methods for free-surface topography measurement using telecentric imaging

Authors: Shimin Zhang, Frédéric Moisy, Wietze Herreman, Zhiliang Lin

Abstract: Free-surface synthetic Schlieren (FS-SS) is a high-resolution, refraction-based optical technique for measuring the instantaneous elevation of a liquid interface. Under the assumptions of small amplitude, small slope, and small paraxial angle, the method yields a linear relationship between the gradient of the surface elevation and the apparent displacement field of a refracted pattern imaged thro… ▽ More Free-surface synthetic Schlieren (FS-SS) is a high-resolution, refraction-based optical technique for measuring the instantaneous elevation of a liquid interface. Under the assumptions of small amplitude, small slope, and small paraxial angle, the method yields a linear relationship between the gradient of the surface elevation and the apparent displacement field of a refracted pattern imaged through the surface. Here, we propose three new, nonlinear extensions of the FS-SS method that are specifically dedicated to telecentric imaging. Paraxial distortions are eliminated with a telecentric lens, thereby simplifying the optical model. This allows us to derive nonlinear surface reconstruction models that reach beyond the usual limits of small slope and small wave-magnitudes. We implement these nonlinear surface reconstruction algorithms and compare them to the original, linear reconstruction algorithm in three different experiments, using a solid glass lens, spreading oil drops and nonlinear Faraday waves. At the price of a few iterations, we can realise nonlinear surface reconstructions that are more precise, in particular when we reach high slopes or high amplitude regimes. We share a library that encodes these nonlinear surface reconstruction algorithms. △ Less

Submitted 12 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Comments: 17 pages, 17 figures

TPA-TCT Analysis of the RD50-MPW4 Monolithic Pixel Particle Detector

Authors: Francisco Rogelio Palomo, Jorge Jiménez-Sánchez, Moritz Wiehe, Jory Sonneveld, Bernhard Pilsl, Fernando Muñoz-Chavero, Raimon Casanova, Christian Irmler, Patrick Sieberer, Chenfan Zhang, Sinuo Zhang, Eva Vilella, Michael Moll

Abstract: The RD50-MPW4, a Depleted Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (DMAPS) was analyzed using a Two Photon Absortion Transient Current Technique (TPA-TCT). This technique provides sensitivity maps with micrometer-scale spatial resolution, enabling the resolution of the boundaries of the detector's sensitive volume, even for small-area pixels (62x62 squared micrometers in this study). With a full 3D resoluti… ▽ More The RD50-MPW4, a Depleted Monolithic Active Pixel Sensor (DMAPS) was analyzed using a Two Photon Absortion Transient Current Technique (TPA-TCT). This technique provides sensitivity maps with micrometer-scale spatial resolution, enabling the resolution of the boundaries of the detector's sensitive volume, even for small-area pixels (62x62 squared micrometers in this study). With a full 3D resolution, the depletion depth, the boundaries of the detector electric field, the 3D hit detection efficiency and the charge sharing between neighboring pixels were measured. The RD50-MPW4, a multi-project wafer chip developed by the HV-CMOS working group within the CERN RD50 collaboration, features a 64x64 DMAPS pixel matrix. Illuminating the chip from the backside, the TPA-TCT technique can characterize any pixel element in the matrix because silicon is transparent for near infrared laser light (1550 nm). Electron-hole pairs are generated only around the light focal point, deep in the silicon, so that any charge collected is precisely only from the focal point. With the TPA-TCT technique, the RD50-MPW4 was found to be have a 100% charge collection efficiency and a depletion depth of 226 microns. It was also found that part of the charge in the periphery of the pixel was collected in the neighboring pixel. A 3D map of the sensor clearly shows the in-pixel electronics and the limits of the depletion region. △ Less

Submitted 4 August, 2026; v1 submitted 12 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Comments: 9 pages, 11 figures

State-resolved electron capture in low-energy Ar2+-Ar/N2 collisions

Authors: Shucheng Cui, Dadi Xing, Xiaolong Zhu, Dongmei Zhao, Dalong Guo, Yong Gao, Shaofeng Zhang, Chenzhong Dong, Xinwen Ma

Abstract: As a fundamental process in atomic physics, charge exchange relies on quantum state-resolved data that is crucial for various fields such as astrophysics and plasma physics. However, there remains a g in the research on multi-electron target systems. This study aims to investigate the dynamic mechanisms of single/double electron capture in collisions between Ar2+ ions and Ar atoms or N2 molecules… ▽ More As a fundamental process in atomic physics, charge exchange relies on quantum state-resolved data that is crucial for various fields such as astrophysics and plasma physics. However, there remains a g in the research on multi-electron target systems. This study aims to investigate the dynamic mechanisms of single/double electron capture in collisions between Ar2+ ions and Ar atoms or N2 molecules at an energy of 40 keV, thereby supplementing high-precision experimental data in this field. The experiment is conducted on the electron beam ion source (EBIS) platform at the Institute of Modern Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, using the cold target recoil ion momentum spectroscopy (COLTRIMS) technique. An ion beam containing ground-state Ar2+ (3s^2 3p^(4 3) P) and metastable Ar2+ (3s^2 3p^(4 1) D,(_^1)S) is used as the projectile, colliding with a supersonic Ar/ N2 mixed gas target. Three-dimensional momentum of recoil ions is reconstructed through coincidence measurements of recoil ions and scattered ions, and the Q-value and scattering angle distribution are calculated. Theoretical comparisons are performed using the molecular Coulombic over barrier model (MCBM). △ Less

Submitted 7 May, 2026; originally announced May 2026.

Journal ref: Acta Phys. Sin. 2025, 74(24):240702