We evaluate electromagnetic-response observables in a half-filled Chern band, across a topological phase transition between a composite Fermi liquid (CFL) and a Fermi liquid (FL) phase. While a sharp gapped plasma mode exists deep in the CFL phase, we demonstrate that it is damped near the proposed continuous phase transition between CFL and FL. This plasmon-damping phenomenon originates from emergent gauge fields and a Dirac-fermion-like spectrum. Similar features also occur in other continuous deconfined topological phase transitions, such as the Laughlin to superfluid transition in a bosonic system. In particular, this damping behavior extends over a finite range across the phase boundary, and, hence, we expect it to persist even when the transition is weakly first order. Furthermore, we analyze the characteristic conductivity behavior, such as the Drude weight, the wave-vector-dependent conductivity, the chiral mirror effect, and thermodynamic behavior, including compressibility and magnetic susceptibility across these topological phase transitions.

Magnetic molecules exhibiting pronounced spin-electric coupling have long been sought to elucidate the intricate relationship between spin orders and electric fields, as well as to advance the development of multifunctional, energy-efficient devices. Through first-principles simulations and spin superexchange theory, we predict the emergence of giant spin-electric coupling in heterometallic porphyrin dimers. The spin-electric coupling coefficients can reach 1 to 4 orders of magnitude greater than those of conventional two-dimensional magnetic systems. These pronounced spin-electric coupling effects are attributed to the asymmetric spin superexchange pathways between two distinct transition metal centers and their asymmetric response to an applied electric field. This remarkable enhancement enables the modulation of local magnetic moments with practically reachable electric fields, facilitating transitions between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic couplings. The discovery of such giant spin-electric coupling and its underlying mechanisms paves the way for the realization of magnetoelectric applications at the single-molecule level.

Simulating the coupled, nonequilibrium dynamics of electrons and nuclei is a central challenge in chemistry, physics, and materials science, governing phenomena from photocatalysis to quantum information. The primary bottleneck has been the lack of a general, accurate, and efficient method for modeling the complete excited-state landscape: the potential energy surfaces, forces, and nonadiabatic couplings for multiple electronic states. While machine learning has revolutionized ground-state simulations and shown promise for excited states in molecules, a unified framework that solves the complete multistate problem for general condensed matter systems has remained elusive. Here, we introduce on-the-fly neural network nonadiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD), a machine learning framework that makes on-the-fly NAMD in solids a reality. By employing an equivariant neural network to predict the system Hamiltonian, the framework delivers excited-state energies, forces, and nonadiabatic coupling vectors at a fraction of the cost of ab initio calculations. Crucially, it allows simulations with hybrid functional accuracy, a level of approach previously inaccessible for NAMD. We showcase its capabilities with three topical examples: correcting order-of-magnitude errors in carrier dynamics predicted by conventional procedure in a ${\mathrm{MoS}}_2/{\mathrm{WS}}_2$ heterostructure, simulating previously inaccessible photoinduced ferroelectric switching, and capturing real-time polaron formation in ${\mathrm{TiO}}_2$ at the hybrid-functional level. On-the-fly neural network NAMD moves beyond the limitations of equilibrium theory, establishing a new paradigm for the predictive, first-principles design of materials operating far from equilibrium.

While crystals are defined by periodic order, the nature of amorphous solids remains elusive due to their disordered, diverse, and nonequilibrium structures. Here, we focus on jammed elastic packings and systematically tune structure from crystalline to fully disordered to unveil the universal underlying characteristics. We demonstrate that their mechanical properties are universally governed by jamming criticality, featuring characteristic scaling behaviors near the jamming transition, except for the singular close-packed point. This is facilitated by random nonaffine elasticity arising from contact-level disorder. Consequently, the jamming density can approach close packing, suggesting a fundamental decoupling between jamming criticality and the glass transition physics. Moreover, we uncover a universal coordination-number distribution and contact hyperuniformity in marginally jammed states, independent of particle-level structure. These findings suggest a general organizing mechanism for emergent rigidity in disordered solids, underscore the broad relevance of jamming physics, and complement principles of mechanical self-organization.

Quantum simulation is a cornerstone application of quantum computing, yet how fundamental quantum resources—entanglement and nonstabilizerness—shape simulation fidelity remains an open question. In this Letter, we establish a rigorous connection between these resources and the statistical behavior of algorithmic errors arising in Hamiltonian simulation based on the Trotter-Suzuki formula. By analyzing ensembles of states with fixed entanglement entropy or magic, we make two key discoveries: First, the variance of the Trotter error decreases with increasing entanglement entropy, indicating a stronger concentration of error for entangled states. Moreover, we find that the kurtosis of the error exhibits a negative linear dependence on magic, implying that states with high magic possess lighter-tailed error distributions and thus a reduced probability of large deviations. These findings reveal a subtle phenomenon: quantum resources that obstruct classical emulation may, paradoxically, enhance the intrinsic robustness of quantum simulation, highlighting a constructive interplay between complexity and stability in quantum computation.

We revisit and invalidate all dark photon dark matter constraints from resonant conversion of dark photons into photons (plasmons) in the early universe. These constraints rely on the resonant transfer of a substantial portion of the dark photon energy density into the SM plasma, heating the plasma in the process. We demonstrate that this resonant transfer saturates because of plasma nonlinearities. Dark photon dark matter resonantly converts into $k\simeq 0$ Langmuir waves in the early universe electron-ion plasma. Once the Langmuir-wave energy approaches the thermal energy of the plasma, nonlinear effects driven by the ponderomotive force become significant. In particular, we show using dedicated particle-in-cell simulations that large-amplitude $k=0$ Langmuir waves excite higher-$k$ Langmuir and ion acoustic waves, producing strong spatial variations in density and plasma frequency. These inhomogeneities suppress further resonant conversion, limiting the deposited energy to about the thermal energy of the electrons at the time of conversion, orders of magnitude below observable cosmological thresholds. Consequently, the dark photon dark matter constraints are weaker by factors of 3000 to ${10}^7$ across ten orders of magnitude in dark photon mass.

GW240925 and GW250207 are two loud gravitational-wave signals from binary black hole coalescences observed with network signal-to-noise ratios $\sim 32$ and $\sim 69$, respectively, by the LIGO Hanford-LIGO Livingston-Virgo network. Gravitational-wave signals from coalescing binaries have characteristic phase and amplitude evolution predicted by general relativity. These signal waveforms, together with measured instrumental calibration uncertainties, are used to infer source parameters. However, for sufficiently loud detections, it is possible to constrain the calibration of the detectors directly using the signals themselves. We present the first informative astrophysical measurements of gravitational-wave detector calibration. For GW240925, we verify the inference of Hanford calibration from the astrophysical signal through cross-checks with known calibration errors obtained from in situ measurements. At the time of GW250207, the Hanford detector was not fully stabilized, leading to elevated calibration uncertainties; thus, astrophysical calibration is essential to obtain accurate data and to enable source localization. These well-localized, high signal-to-noise observations have the potential to offer precise measurements of source properties, stringent tests of general relativity, and informative dark siren measurements, provided that calibration uncertainties are properly incorporated. As detector sensitivity improves, astrophysical calibration will become an increasingly valuable complement to in situ calibration measurements. Obtaining accurate calibration will be essential for precision gravitational-wave science.

We study the spatiotemporal patterns of density fluctuations in ${}^{16,24}\mathrm{O}$ and ${}^{48}\mathrm{Ca}$ using nuclear interactions from chiral effective field theory and the time-dependent coupled-cluster method. We find that two-particle–two-hole excitations generate small-amplitude fluctuations that are fast, short-ranged, and of stochastic character.

We present a framework for treating mesoscopic anisotropic and nonadditive impurity–bath interactions, ubiquitous in realistic quantum impurity problems, which are often neglected in conventional approaches relying on additive, spherically symmetric pseudopotentials. To illustrate this general approach, we focus on the specific impurity problem of a Rydberg atom immersed in a Bose-Einstein condensate, where the internal-state degeneracy of the Rydberg impurity gives rise to configuration-dependent nonadditive potentials. With increasing interaction strength, anisotropy-induced partial-wave mixing generates distinct polaron and molaron resonances, allowing for radially and angularly excited bound states to become accessible. This approach captures the anisotropy and nonadditivity characteristic of a Rydberg impurity immersed in a quantum bath, and is broadly applicable to a host of quantum impurity problems beyond the Fröhlich paradigm.

Optical waveguides conventionally rely on wavelength-scale low-index spacing or cladding to isolate neighboring channels, fundamentally limiting photonic integration density. Here, we show that such spatial separation is not a prerequisite for independent waveguiding. By introducing deep-subwavelength metal perturbations ($\sim {\lambda }_0/25$) onto the surfaces of a dielectric slab, we realize multiple dielectric guiding channels with zero physical spacing. This behavior arises from perturbation-engineered suppression of supermode index splitting, achieved by selectively modifying the symmetric mode while leaving the antisymmetric mode nearly unchanged. We validate this mechanism through full-wave simulations and microwave experiments in both straight and bent geometries. Extending this concept to the optical regime, we design silicon-on-insulator waveguides incorporating hybrid silver-silicon perturbations, achieving ultralong coupling lengths ($L_c\ge 1000{\lambda }_0$) across a broad bandwidth from 1495 to 1565 nm. Owing to the minimal metal volume, propagation losses remain significantly lower than those of conventional hybrid plasmonic systems. This metal-dielectric hybrid waveguide system enables ultradense photonic integration and provides new insights into controlling optical coupling.

The superconducting diode effect (SDE) is a fascinating nonreciprocal phenomenon where the critical current is different for opposite current directions. It is widely believed that realizing SDE requires breaking both inversion symmetry and time-reversal symmetry (TRS), which are usually achieved via heterostructure engineering and applying external magnetic fields. Here, we report a pressure-induced magnetic-field-free SDE in ${\text{NbSe}}_2$ flakes without any heterostructures. We show that pressure alone breaks the inversion symmetry, as confirmed by the second harmonic generation. Crucially, upon applying an out-of-plane magnetic field ($B$), the SDE exhibits even-in-B behavior, implying the absence of explicit TRS breaking. This finding challenges the prevailing theoretical paradigm and demonstrates that a magnetic-field-free SDE can emerge without explicitly breaking TRS. Thereby, our Letter establishes pressure engineering as a powerful tool for inducing nonreciprocal superconductivity and designing versatile, magnetic-field-free superconducting devices.

With the aid of a microscopic theory we derive an effective Hamiltonian that controls quantum dynamics of Andreev states in superconducting nanojunctions out of equilibrium. Resolving the corresponding Schrödinger-like equation we obtain the “wave functions” for Andreev levels and evaluate electric current across the junction in the presence of an external voltage bias. We demonstrate that quantum interference of Andreev states may yield pronounced coherent oscillations of the supercurrent as a function of the Josephson phase in junctions with barrier transmissions slightly below unity. Further implications of this novel effect are expected for junctions with diffusive barriers.

We study the $ab$-plane and $c$-axis charge dynamics of ${\mathrm{La}}_4{\text{Ni}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$ using optical spectroscopy. While a pronounced Drude profile, i.e., metallic response, is observed in the $ab$-plane optical conductivity ${\sigma }_1^{ab}(\omega )$, the $c$-axis optical spectra ${\sigma }_1^c(\omega )$ exhibit semiconducting behavior. The zero-frequency extrapolation of the optical conductivity ${\sigma }_1(\omega \to 0)\equiv 1/{\rho }_{\mathrm{dc}}$ leads to a resistivity anisotropy ${\rho }_c/{\rho }_{ab}$ exceeding 1000 at low temperatures, which is much larger than the values in iron-based superconductors but comparable to those in high-$T_c$ cuprates. The interband response is also highly anisotropic, showing salient orbital selectivity for light polarized in the $ab$ plane and along the $c$ axis. The interband-transition peaks in both ${\sigma }_1^{ab}(\omega )$ and ${\sigma }_1^c(\omega )$ are located at lower energies compared to density-functional-theory predictions, signifying considerable electronic correlations. By investigating the spectral weight transfer, we find that above the density-wave transition, Coulomb correlations have a marked impact on the charge dynamics of ${\mathrm{La}}_4{\text{Ni}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{10}$, whereas in the density-wave state, a gap opens with the Ni-$d_{z^2}$ orbital being involved.

Valley, as a ubiquitous degree of freedom in lattices, has found wide applications in both electronic and classical-wave devices in recent years. However, achieving valley-polarized states, a prerequisite for valley-based operations, still remains challenging. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a universal non-Hermitian mechanism for valley filtering using only uniform background dissipation, which creates a propagation length contrast between valleys through their intrinsic group velocity differences. We implement this concept in an acoustic crystal, observing switchable and robust valley polarization of sound through large-scale field mapping. Remarkably, our approach is solely based on uniform loss, without the need for any special lattice structures, tailored excitations, or external fields. We further provide designs of our non-Hermitian valley filter on photonic and electronic platforms. Our results offer a simple and effective solution to valley-polarized state generation and may advance the development of novel valley-based devices in both classical and quantum regimes.

Monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) provide a platform for realizing Wigner crystals and enable their detection via exciton spectroscopy. We develop a microscopic theoretical model for excitons interacting with the localized electrons of the Wigner crystal, including their vibrational motion. In addition to the previously observed exciton-Umklapp feature, the theory reproduces and explains the higher-band attractive-polaron resonances recently reported experimentally. Our model further uncovers that the appearance of two equal-strength and parallel attractive polarons, as commonly observed in ${\mathrm{WSe}}_2$ and ${\mathrm{WS}}_2$, is a signature of strong correlations in the electronic system. Altogether, our results demonstrate that accounting for electronic interactions is essential to reproducing and interpreting the exciton-polaron spectra of TMDs.

The coupling between electronic excitations and lattice deformation in van der Waals ferroelectrics is governed by a competition between the electron deformation potential and the inverse piezoelectric effect. While theory predicts that piezoelectric screening should drive a polar-axis contraction in monolayer group-IV monochalcogenides, we demonstrate that, in multilayer tin monosulfide (SnS), the deformation potential provides the dominant contribution, driving a polar-axis expansion even within ferroelectric domains. By correlating polarization-resolved second-harmonic generation microscopy with ultrafast reflectance spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, we resolve the anisotropic lattice response and disentangle intrinsic photostrictive strain from extrinsic thin-film interference artifacts. These results establish a microscopic hierarchy of photostrictive mechanisms and position stacking-engineered SnS as a platform for ultrafast optomechanical transduction.

Quantum magic, quantified by nonstabilizerness, measures departures from stabilizer structure and underlies potential quantum speedups. We introduce an efficient classical framework for computing stabilizer Rényi entropies and stabilizer nullity of generic $N$-qubit wave functions. The method combines the fast Walsh-Hadamard transform with an exact partition of Pauli operators, reducing the average cost per sampled Pauli string from $\mathcal{O}(2^N)$ to $\mathcal{O}(N)$. We further develop a Monte Carlo estimator with Clifford preconditioning and find that the required number of samples shows no visible growth with $N$ in our benchmarks. Applying the method to $T$-doped random Clifford circuits, we identify the scrambling ratio $\eta$ (Clifford gates per $T$ gate) as the key parameter governing magic growth. Each $T$ gate approaches its dilute-limit nonstabilizerness power with only modest Clifford scrambling. Our approach enables quantitative studies of magic in highly entangled states and long-time nonequilibrium dynamics.