Determining and verifying an object’s position is a fundamental task with broad practical relevance. We propose a secure quantum ranging protocol that combines quantum ranging with quantum position verification (QPV). Our method achieves Heisenberg-limited precision in position estimation while simultaneously detecting potential cheaters. Two verifiers each send out a state that is entangled in frequency space within a single optical mode. An honest prover only needs to perform simple beam-splitter operations, whereas cheaters are allowed to use arbitrary linear optical operations, one ancillary mode, and perfect quantum memories—though without access to entanglement. Our approach considers a previously unstudied security aspect to quantum ranging. It also provides a framework to quantify the precision with which a prover’s position can be verified in QPV, which previously has been assumed to be infinite. We further discuss the near-term experimental implementation of our scheme and propose how a better-than-classical advantage can be observed using existing photonic technologies.

Harnessing the spatial degree of freedom of single photons is crucial for studying quantum optics and developing new optical devices. However, photons in distinct spatial modes do not interfere, making it challenging to induce interactions between them. As a result, realizing quantum operations among photons in different modes remains very challenging. Here, we demonstrate a novel approach leveraging orbital angular momentum (OAM) photons and Rydberg atoms to realize nonlocal quantum optical devices. By coupling OAM light modes photons to Rydberg atomic ensembles, we show that the topological charge can be used to modulate photon-photon interactions. We demonstrate nonlocal single-photon switch and transistor with superior performance at high input photon numbers. Our nonlocal single-photon transistor, exploiting reduced self-blockade among OAM photons, achieves a high gain of 151—a threefold enhancement over the Gaussian-mode counterpart under similar experimental conditions. These results demonstrate robust nonlocal control over single photons in OAM modes, opening avenues for novel quantum devices and multiphoton quantum optics with Rydberg atoms.

We propose a stable and high-precision three-dimensional (3D) quantum positioning scheme based on Hong-Ou-Mandel (HOM) interference. While previous studies have explored HOM interference in quantum metrology, they were mostly limited to one-dimensional scenarios, whereas real-world applications require full 3D spatial resolution. Our approach not only generalizes HOM positioning to 3D—achieving ultimate sensitivity as defined by the quantum Cramér-Rao bound under ideal conditions—but also stabilizes estimation accuracy through simple polarization tuning, ensuring that the Fisher information remains independent of the estimated parameters. Theoretical analysis and simulations demonstrate that our method achieves ultraprecise and reliable 3D positioning, even with a limited number of detected photons.

Measurements of differential length oscillations of Fabry-Perot cavities provide a sensitive and promising approach to searching for scalar ultralight dark matter (ULDM). The initial demonstration sets direct lower bounds that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower for two model ULDM distributions—a standard galactic halo and a relaxion star bound to Earth—ranging over a decade of ULDM mass and Compton frequency. The demonstration suggests how a much higher sensitivity to a much larger ULDM mass range can be obtained.

A search for the charmless baryonic decay $B^{+}\to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p\overline{p}p$ is performed using proton-proton collision data recorded by the LHCb experiment, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $5.4{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The branching fraction for this decay is measured for the first time relative to that of the topologically similar decay $B^{+}\to J/\psi K^{+}$, with $J/\psi \to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p{K}^{-}$. The branching fraction is measured to be $\mathcal{B}(B^{+}\to \overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p\overline{p}p)=(2.15\pm 0.35\pm 0.12\pm 0.28)\times {10}^{-7}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second is systematic, and the third arises from the uncertainty in the normalization channel branching fraction. The $CP$ asymmetry is measured to be ${\mathcal{A}}_{CP}=(5.4\pm 15.6\pm 2.4)\%$, where the uncertainties are statistical and systematic. The background-subtracted invariant-mass distributions of $\overline{\mathrm{\Lambda }}p$ and $\overline{p}p$ pairs exhibit pronounced enhancements at both kinematic thresholds, in contrast to a uniform phase-space distribution.

The first observation of coherent $\varphi (1020)$ meson photoproduction off heavy nuclei is presented using ultraperipheral lead-lead collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair of 5.36 TeV. The data were collected by the CMS experiment and correspond to an integrated luminosity of $1.62\mathrm{\mu }{b}^{-1}$. The $\varphi (1020)$ meson signals are reconstructed via the $K^{+}{K}^{-}$ decay channel. The production cross section is presented as a function of the $\varphi (1020)$ meson rapidity in the range $0.3<|y|<1.0$, probing gluons that carry a fraction of the nucleon momentum ($x$) around ${10}^{-4}$. The observed cross section exhibits little dependence on rapidity and is significantly suppressed, by a factor of $\sim 5$, compared to a baseline model that treats a nucleus as a collection of free nucleons. Theoretical models that incorporate the nuclear shadowing effect generally provide a better description of the $\varphi (1020)$ data than those incorporating gluon saturation. This study establishes a powerful new tool for exploring nuclear effects and nuclear gluonic structure in the small-$x$ regime at a unique energy scale bridging the perturbative and nonperturbative quantum chromodynamics domains.

Owing to the fact that the particle current operator in nonrelativistic gases is proportional to the total momentum operator, the particle transport in such systems is always ballistic and fully characterized by a Drude weight $\mathrm{\Delta }$. The Drude weight can be calculated within linear response theory. It is given by the formula $\mathrm{\Delta }=2\pi D$, where $D$ is the density of the gas. This holds in any dimension and for every equilibrium ensemble, in particular for generalized Gibbs ensembles that describe possible equilibrium states of isolated integrable quantum systems. In the canonical ensemble case, the Drude weight can be equivalently obtained from a generalized susceptibility related to the fluctuations of the conserved particle current. Such susceptibility can be rigorously calculated for the integrable Lieb-Liniger Bose gas in any generalized Gibbs ensemble using a generalized Yang-Yang thermodynamic formalism. The resulting expression agrees with a prediction made within the context of generalized hydrodynamics. It also allows us to see explicitly that, within truly generalized Gibbs ensembles, the conductivity related with the particle current is not determined by the corresponding current-current autocorrelation function.

Vector solitons (VSs), being observed across various fields from optics to Bose-Einstein condensates, are localized structures composed of orthogonal modes bound by nonlinear couplings. Nevertheless, the influence of intermodal linear coupling on the physical properties of this bimodal structure remains to be decently revealed and harnessed. Utilizing an ultrafast fiber laser as a platform, we predict and demonstrate that the linear mode coupling (LMC) induces the deformable VS in terms of the temporal and spectral structures. Weak LMC supports heteronuclear vector solitons built of dissimilar polarization modes, i.e., a single pulse coupled to an orthogonal damped pulse chain. On the other hand, strong LMC facilitates the homonuclear VS composed of polarization modes with similar structures, in the form of soliton compounds featuring “caterpillar” motions. Our findings reveal new patterns of VSs and open an effective avenue for versatile ultrafast optical sources.

Mitigation and suppression of low-$k$ turbulence are observed during the nonlinear evolution of toroidicity-induced Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs) in DIII-D experiments. Turbulence mitigation begins when the dominant TAE starts to depart from the typical shear Alfvén wave polarization. TAE activity then evolves into a new state, characterized by more discrete coherent modes, increased total amplitude, and more localized radial structures. During this transition, a narrow shear flow layer forms, driven by an enhanced Reynolds stress force, with a shearing rate that exceeds the local turbulence decorrelation rate, leading to a full turbulence suppression. These observations indicate the imbalance between Reynolds and Maxwell stress forces during the nonlinear evolution of the TAE and their important roles in shear flow generation and turbulence reduction.

Fast magnetosonic waves are one of the two low-frequency plasma modes that can exist in a neutron star magnetosphere. It was recently realized that these waves may become nonlinear within the magnetosphere and steepen into some of the strongest shocks in the universe. These shocks, when in the appropriate parameter regime, may emit GHz radiation in the form of precursor waves. We present the first global particle-in-cell simulations of the nonlinear steepening of fast magnetosonic waves in a dipolar magnetosphere, and quantitatively demonstrate the strong plasma acceleration in the upstream of these shocks. In these simulations, we observe the production of precursor waves in a finite angular range. Using analytic scaling relations, we predict the expected frequency, power, and duration of this emission. Within a reasonable range of progenitor wave parameters, these precursor waves can reproduce many aspects of FRB observations.

Controlling the energy spectrum of quantum-coherent superconducting circuits, i.e., the energies of excited states, the circuit anharmonicity, and the states’ charge dispersion, is essential for designing performant qubits. This control is usually achieved by adjusting the circuit’s geometry. In situ control is traditionally obtained via an external magnetic field, in the case of tunnel Josephson junctions. More recently, semiconductor-weak-links-based Josephson junctions have emerged as an alternative building block with the advantage of tunability via the electric-field effect. Gate-tunable Josephson junctions have been succesfully integrated in superconducting circuits using, for instance, semiconducting nanowires or two-dimensional electron gases. In this Letter we demonstrate, in a graphene superconducting circuit, a large gate tunability of qubit properties: frequency, anharmonicity, and charge dispersion. We rationalize these features using a model considering the transmission of Cooper pairs through Andreev bound states. Noticeably, we show that the high transmission of Cooper pairs in such weak link strongly suppresses the charge dispersion. Our Letter illustrates the potential for graphene-based qubits as versatile building blocks in advanced quantum circuits.

Recent advances in Rydberg tweezer arrays bring novel opportunities for programmable quantum simulations beyond previous capabilities. In this Letter, we investigate a bosonic $t\text{−}J\text{−}V$ model currently realized with Rydberg atoms. Through large-scale quantum Monte Carlo simulations, we uncover an emergent double supersolid (DSS) phase with the coexistence of two superfluids and crystalline order. Tunable long-range tunneling and repulsive hole-hole interactions enable a rich phase diagram featuring a double superfluid phase, a DSS phase, and an antiferromagnetic insulator. Intriguingly, within the DSS regime we observe an unconventional thermal enhancement of crystalline order. Our results establish the bosonic $t\text{−}J\text{−}V$ model as a promising and experimentally accessible platform for exploring exotic quantum phases in Rydberg atom arrays.

Synthetic platforms afford an unparalleled degree of controllability in realizing strongly correlated phases of matter. In this Letter, we study the possibility of electrically tunable exciton-mediated superconductivity arising in charge-imbalanced bilayer semiconductors. Focusing on the case of a bilayer semiconductor heterostructure, we identify the gating conditions required to achieve exciton density wave order within a self-consistent Hartree-Fock approximation. We analyze the role of the coupling of excitonic fluctuations to the fermionic charge carriers to find that the Goldstone mode of the density wave order can mediate attractive interactions leading to superconductivity. Furthermore, when the system is close to the density wave ordering, the interactions mediated by low-energy exciton modes can support an interlayer pair-density wave superconductor of anisotropic character. We discuss experimental signatures associated with these phenomena.

Controlling state evolution via adiabaticity has attracted significant interest for its vital role in quantum and photonic applications. However, attaining the adiabaticity control limit (ACL)—defined as the shortest possible duration with minimal mode crosstalk during evolution—remains a significant challenge. In this Letter, we address this issue by introducing an inverse adiabaticity control strategy, where the tolerable crosstalk serves as a control parameter. Taking the stimulated raman adiabatic passage as an example, we demonstrate the principle of inverse adiabaticity control and determine the map of optimal solution under various parameter constraints. The effectiveness and superiority of the inverse design strategy are experimentally demonstrated in silicon photonic waveguides. Crucially, we show that ACL solutions can achieve both the fastest and most robust evolution simultaneously, overcoming the usual tradeoff in conventional forward-designed structures and meeting key needs for photonic and quantum computing devices. The inverse control method offers a universal strategy that may be applicable across a wide range of physical settings.

Chiral edge states (CESs) in Chern insulators enable one-way propagation without backscattering loss. However, they are usually limited to narrow bandwidths within independent band gaps, and the intrinsic loss is generally viewed as a detrimental factor for transport. Here, leveraging non-Hermitian physics in topological photonics, we fabricate a two-dimensional photonic Chern insulator with multiple topological band gaps embedded in absorptive backgrounds. In the original lossless scenario, multiple bulk bands exist, each separated by gaps traversed by CESs due to the strong coupling between the CESs and bulk states. With increasing bulk loss, a series of exceptional points at specific Bloch momenta appear between the CESs and projected bulk states. After the exceptional point transitions, they enter the weak coupling (decoupling) regime and behave as bulk-boundary detachment in the complex-frequency plane. Microwave experiments demonstrate this loss-broadened CES across three band gaps, achieving a 27% relative bandwidth. These results highlight the loss-induced detachment effect between different-dimensional topological edge and bulk states, shedding light on broadband applications by adding moderate losses.

The realm of spintronics has witnessed a profound surge in fascination towards altermagnetism, fueled by groundbreaking predictions and a myriad of promising applications. Here, we propose a novel multiferroic mechanism between ferroelasticity and altermagnetism based on symmetry analysis. Through first-principles calculations, we predict monolayer Janus tetragonal ${\mathrm{V}}_2\mathrm{OS}$ and series of related materials as promising material candidates, where ferroelastic strain breaks the intrinsic symmetry of altermagnetism, transforming it into a compensated ferrimagnetic state and enabling the manipulation of spin-polarized states through ferroelastic switching. The magnetic order of monolayer ${\mathrm{V}}_2\mathrm{OS}$ could survive above room temperature with manageable ferroelastic switching energy, indicating immense potential for practical applications. Furthermore, by calculating the in-plane spin conductance and simulating magnetic tunnel junctions, we demonstrate that ${\mathrm{V}}_2\mathrm{OS}$ can discriminate spin states along both in-plane and out-of-plane directions. These findings open up novel avenues for two-dimensional altermagnetism-based spintronics, particularly in the realm of high-density, low-power consumption, and non-volatile information storage devices.

Scroll-wave instabilities in excitable domains are central to life-threatening arrhythmias, yet practical methods to stabilize these dynamics remain limited. Here, we investigate the effects of boundary layer heterogeneities in the spatiotemporal dynamics of a quasi-2D semidiscrete excitable model. We reveal that a novel boundary-driven mechanism suppresses meandering and chaotic spiral dynamics. We show how the strength of the heterogeneities mediates the emergence of this regulation through a pinning-unpinning-like transition. We derive a reduced 2D model and find that a decrease in bulk excitability and a boundary-driven delayed-feedback underlie the stabilization. Our results may point to alternative methods to control arrhythmias.

When sheared, granular media experience localized plastic events known as shear transformations, which generate anisotropic internal stresses. Under strong confining pressure, the response of granular media to local force multipoles is essentially linear, resulting in quadrupolar propagated stresses. This can lead to additional plastic events along the direction of the increase in relative stress. Closer to the unjamming transition, however, as the confining pressure and the shear modulus vanish, nonlinearities become relevant. Yet, the consequences of these nonlinearities on the stress response to plastic events remain poorly understood. We show with granular dynamics simulations that this brings about an isotropization of the propagated stresses, in agreement with a previously developed continuum elastic model. This could significantly modify the yielding transition of weakly jammed amorphous media, which has been conceptualized as an avalanche of such plastic events.