We study experimentally and theoretically the hydrodynamic interaction of pairs of circular inclusions in two-dimensional, fluid smectic membranes suspended in air. By analyzing their Brownian motion, we find that the radial mutual mobilities of identical inclusions are independent of their size but that the angular coupling becomes strongly size dependent when their radius exceeds a characteristic hydrodynamic length. These observations are described well for arbitrary inclusion separations by a model that generalizes the Levine-MacKintosh theory of point-force response functions and uses a boundary-element approach to calculate the mobility matrix for inclusions of finite extent.

We report an inelastic neutron scattering (INS) study of a ${\mathrm{H}}_2$ molecule encapsulated inside the fullerene ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ which confirms the recently predicted selection rule, the first to be established for the INS spectroscopy of aperiodic, discrete molecular compounds. Several transitions from the ground state of para-${\mathrm{H}}_2$ to certain excited translation-rotation states, forbidden according to the selection rule, are systematically absent from the INS spectra, thus validating the selection rule with a high degree of confidence. Its confirmation sets a precedent, as it runs counter to the widely held view that the INS spectroscopy of molecular compounds is not subject to any selection rules.

Collisions in a beam of unidirectional quantized vortex rings of nearly identical radii $R$ in superfluid ${}^4\mathrm{He}$ in the limit of zero temperature (0.05 K) were studied using time-of-flight spectroscopy. Reconnections between two primary rings result in secondary vortex loops of both smaller and larger radii. Discrete steps in the distribution of flight times, due to the limits on the earliest possible arrival times of secondary loops created after either one or two consecutive reconnections, are observed. The density of primary rings was found to be capped at the value $500{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}{R}^{-1}$ independent of the injected density. This is due to collisions between rings causing the piling up of many other vortex rings. Both observations are in quantitative agreement with our theory.

Using the quantum spectral curve approach we compute, exactly, an observable (called slope function) in the planar Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena theory in terms of an unknown interpolating function $h(\lambda )$ which plays the role of the coupling in any integrability based calculation in this theory. We verified our results with known weak coupling expansion in the gauge theory and with the results of semiclassical string calculations. Quite surprisingly at strong coupling the result is given by an explicit rational function of $h(\lambda )$ to all orders. By comparing the structure of our result with that of an exact localization based calculation for a similar observable in Marino and Putrov [J. High Energy Phys. 06 (2010) 011], we conjecture an exact expression for $h(\lambda )$.

We present numerical simulations of phase imprinting experiments in ultracold trapped Fermi gases, which were obtained independently and are in good agreement with recent experimental results. Our focus is on the sequence and evolution of defects using the fermionic time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation, which contains dissipation necessary for equilibration. In contrast to other simulations, we introduce small, experimentally unavoidable symmetry breaking, particularly that associated with thermal fluctuations and with the phase-imprinting tilt angle, and we illustrate their dramatic effects. As appears consistent with experiment, the former causes vortex rings in confined geometries to move to the trap surface and rapidly decay into more stable vortex lines. The latter aligns the precessing and relatively long-lived vortex filaments, rendering them difficult to distinguish from solitons.

We present transport measurements on high-mobility bilayer graphene fully encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride. We show two terminal quantum Hall effect measurements which exhibit full symmetry broken Landau levels at low magnetic fields. From weak localization measurements, we extract gate-tunable phase-coherence times ${\tau }_{\varphi }$ as well as the inter- and intravalley scattering times ${\tau }_i$ and ${\tau }_{*}$, respectively. While ${\tau }_{\varphi }$ is in qualitative agreement with an electron-electron interaction-mediated dephasing mechanism, electron spin-flip scattering processes are limiting ${\tau }_{\varphi }$ at low temperatures. The analysis of ${\tau }_i$ and ${\tau }_{*}$ points to local strain fluctuation as the most probable mechanism for limiting the mobility in high-quality bilayer graphene.

The development of synthetic gene oscillators has not only demonstrated our ability to forward engineer reliable circuits in living cells, but it has also proven to be an excellent testing ground for the statistical behavior of coupled noisy oscillators. Previous experimental studies demonstrated that a shared positive feedback can reliably synchronize such oscillators, though the theoretical mechanism was not studied in detail. In the present work, we examine an experimentally motivated stochastic model for coupled degrade-and-fire gene oscillators, where a core delayed negative feedback establishes oscillations within each cell, and a shared delayed positive feedback couples all cells. We use analytic and numerical techniques to investigate conditions for one cluster and multicluster synchrony. A nonzero delay in the shared positive feedback, as expected for the experimental systems, is found to be important for synchrony to occur.

Joint approximate measurement schemes of position and momentum provide us with a means of inferring pieces of complementary information if we allow for the irreducible noise required by quantum theory. One such scheme is given by the Arthurs-Kelly model, where information about a system is extracted via indirect probe measurements, assuming separable uncorrelated probes. Here, following Di Lorenzo [Phys. Rev. Lett. 110, 120403 (2013)], we extend this model to both entangled and classically correlated probes, achieving full generality. We show that correlated probes can produce more precise joint measurement outcomes than the same probes can achieve if applied alone to realize a position or momentum measurement. This phenomenon of focusing may be useful where one tries to optimize measurements with limited physical resources. Contrary to Di Lorenzo’s claim, we find that there are no violations of Heisenberg’s error-disturbance relation in these generalized Arthurs-Kelly models. This is simply due to the fact that, as we show, the measured observable of the system under consideration is covariant under phase space translations and as such is known to obey a tight joint measurement error relation.

The formation of temporal dissipative solitons in optical microresonators enables compact, high-repetition rate sources of ultrashort pulses as well as low noise, broadband optical frequency combs with smooth spectral envelopes. Here we study the influence of the microresonator mode spectrum on temporal soliton formation in a crystalline ${\mathrm{MgF}}_2$ microresonator. While an overall anomalous group velocity dispersion is required, it is found that higher order dispersion can be tolerated as long as it does not dominate the resonator’s mode structure. Avoided mode crossings induced by linear mode coupling in the resonator mode spectrum are found to prevent soliton formation when affecting resonator modes close to the pump laser frequency. The experimental observations are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations based on the nonlinear coupled mode equations. The presented results provide for the first time design criteria for the generation of temporal solitons in optical microresonators.

We report the generation of two types of self-accelerating surface plasmon beams which are solutions of the nonparaxial Helmholtz equation in two dimensions. These beams preserve their shape while propagating along either elliptic (Mathieu beam) or parabolic (Weber beam) trajectories. We show that owing to the nonparaxial nature of the Weber beam, it maintains its shape over a much larger distance along the parabolic trajectory, with respect to the corresponding solution of the paraxial equation—the Airy beam. Dynamic control of the trajectory is realized by translating the position of the illuminating free-space beam. Finally, the ability of these beams to self-heal after blocking obstacles is demonstrated as well.

We report on the direct observation of the transmission phase shift through a Kondo correlated quantum dot by employing a new type of two-path interferometer. We observed a clear $\pi /2$-phase shift, which persists up to the Kondo temperature $T_K$. Above this temperature, the phase shifts by more than $\pi /2$ at each Coulomb peak, approaching the behavior observed for the standard Coulomb blockade regime. These observations are in remarkable agreement with two-level numerical renormalization group calculations. The unique combination of experimental and theoretical results presented here fully elucidates the phase evolution in the Kondo regime.

We consider the role of potential scatterers in the nematic phase of Fe-based superconductors above the transition temperature to the ($\pi$, 0) magnetic state but below the orthorhombic structural transition. The anisotropic spin fluctuations in this region can be frozen by disorder, to create elongated magnetic droplets whose anisotropy grows as the magnetic transition is approached. Such states act as strong anisotropic defect potentials that scatter with much higher probability perpendicular to their length than parallel, although the actual crystal symmetry breaking is tiny. We calculate the scattering potentials, relaxation rates, and conductivity in this region and show that such emergent defect states are essential for the transport anisotropy observed in experiments.

We use density functional theory calculations to show that the ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_3|{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_3$ interface between insulating perovskite oxides is borderline in satisfying the Stoner criterion for itinerant ferromagnetism and explore other oxide combinations with a view to satisfying it more amply. The larger lattice parameter of a ${\mathrm{LaScO}}_3|{\mathrm{BaTiO}}_3$ interface is found to be less favorable than the greater interface distortion of ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_3|{\mathrm{CaTiO}}_3$. Compared to ${\mathrm{LaAlO}}_3|{\mathrm{SrTiO}}_3$, the latter is predicted to exhibit robust magnetism with a larger saturation moment and a higher Curie temperature. Our results provide support for a “two phase” picture of coexistent superconductivity and ferromagnetism.

We study an abstract model for the coevolution between mutating viruses and the adaptive immune system. In sequence space, these two populations are localized around transiently dominant strains. Delocalization or error thresholds exhibit a novel interdependence because immune response is conditional on the viral attack. An evolutionary chase is induced by stochastic fluctuations and can occur via periodic or intermittent cycles. Using simulations and stochastic analysis, we show how the transition between these two dynamic regimes depends on mutation rate, immune response, and population size.

We show that when particles are suspended in an electrolyte confined between corrugated charged surfaces, electrokinetic flows lead to a new set of phenomena such as particle separation, mixing for low-Reynolds micro- and nanometric devices, and negative mobility. Our analysis shows that such phenomena arise, for incompressible fluids, due to the interplay between the electrostatic double layer and the corrugated geometrical confinement and that they are magnified when the width of the channel is comparable to the Debye length. Our characterization allows us to understand the physical origin of such phenomena, therefore, shedding light on their possible relevance in a wide variety of situations ranging from nano- and microfluidic devices to biological systems.

We develop a theoretical description for mechanically stable frictional packings in terms of the difference between the total number of contacts required for isostatic packings of frictionless disks and the number of contacts in frictional packings, $m=N_c^0-N_c$. The saddle order $m$ represents the number of unconstrained degrees of freedom that a static packing would possess if friction were removed. Using a novel numerical method that allows us to enumerate disk packings for each $m$, we show that the probability to obtain a packing with saddle order $m$ at a given static friction coefficient $\mu$, $P_m(\mu )$, can be expressed as a power series in $\mu$. Using this form for $P_m(\mu )$, we quantitatively describe the dependence of the average contact number on the friction coefficient for static disk packings obtained from direct simulations of the Cundall-Strack model for all $\mu$ and $N$.

We report on the first complete calculation of the $K_L-K_S$ mass difference, $\mathrm{\Delta }{M}_K$, using lattice QCD. The calculation is performed on a $2+1$ flavor, domain wall fermion ensemble with a 330 MeV pion mass and a 575 MeV kaon mass. We use a quenched charm quark with a 949 MeV mass to implement Glashow-Iliopoulos-Maiani cancellation. For these heavier-than-physical particle masses, we obtain $\mathrm{\Delta }{M}_K=3.19(41)(96)\times {10}^{-12}\mathrm{MeV}$, quite similar to the experimental value. Here the first error is statistical, and the second is an estimate of the systematic discretization error. An interesting aspect of this calculation is the importance of the disconnected diagrams, a dramatic failure of the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka rule.