Entanglement is one of the physical properties of quantum systems responsible for the computational hardness of simulating quantum systems. But while the runtime of specific algorithms, notably tensor network algorithms, explicitly depends on the amount of entanglement in the system, it is unknown whether this connection runs deeper and entanglement can also cause inherent, algorithm-independent complexity. In this Letter, we quantitatively connect the entanglement present in certain quantum systems to the computational complexity of simulating those systems. Moreover, we completely characterize the entanglement and complexity as a function of a system parameter. Specifically, we consider the task of simulating single-qubit measurements of $k$-regular graph states on $n$ qubits. We show that, as the regularity parameter is increased from 1 to $n-1$, there is a sharp transition from an easy regime with low entanglement to a hard regime with high entanglement at $k=3$, and a transition back to easy and low entanglement at $k=n-3$. As a key technical result, we prove a duality for the simulation complexity of regular graph states between low and high regularity.

We study the role of the electromagnetic field’s frequency on the precision limits of time measurements from a quantum perspective, using single photons as a paradigmatic system. We demonstrate that a quantum enhancement of precision is possible only when combining both intensity and spectral resources and, in particular, that spectral correlations enable a quadratic scaling of precision with the number of probes. We identify the general mathematical structure of nonphysical states that achieve the Heisenberg limit and show how a finite spectral variance may cause a quantum-to-classical-like transition in precision scaling for pure states similar to the one observed for noisy systems. Finally, we provide a clear and consistent geometrical time-frequency phase space interpretation of our results, identifying what should be considered as spectral classical resources.

Quantum illumination has been proposed and demonstrated to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in light detection and ranging (LiDAR). When relying on coincidence detection alone, such a quantum LiDAR is limited by the timing jitter of the detector and suffers from jamming noise. Inspired by the Zou-Wang-Mandel experiment, we design, construct, and validate a quantum induced coherence (QuIC) LiDAR which is inherently immune to ambient and jamming noises. In traditional LiDAR the direct detection of the reflected probe photons suffers from deteriorating SNR for increasing background noise. In QuIC LiDAR we circumvent this obstacle by only detecting the entangled reference photons, whose single-photon interference fringes are used to obtain the distance of the object, while the reflected probe photons are used to erase path information of the reference photons. In consequence, the noise accompanying the reflected probe light has no effect on the detected signal. We demonstrate such noise resilience with both LED and laser light to mimic the background and jamming noise. The proposed method paves a new way of battling noise in precise quantum electromagnetic sensing and ranging.

We perform high resolution kinetic simulations of interpenetrating plasma beams. This configuration is unstable to both Weibel-type and two-stream instabilities, which are known to linearly induce a growth of the magnetic and electrostatic energy, respectively, at the expenses of the kinetic energy. “Oblique modes” are further beam-plasma instabilities, which linearly combine the features of the former two. Here we show the possibility of a reversal of the energy flow associated to these beam-plasma instabilities, when secondary propagating oblique modes are excited. This rapid conversion from magnetic to kinetic energy (i.e., kinetic heating), differs from the standard magnetic reconnection scenario and is induced by the reinforcement of the filamentation process of the distribution function in the phase space. This phenomenon—likely of general interest to collisionless dissipation processes in plasmas—can be understood in terms of mode synchronization: the coupling of oblique modes at disparate spatial scales leads to the appearance of synchronized “filamented” modes, which act on the global dynamics of the plasma via kinetic heating, collisionless dissipation, and turbulence.

We model interactions following the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev (SYK) framework in disordered graphene flakes up to 300 000 atoms in size ($\sim 100\mathrm{nm}$ in diameter) subjected to an out-of-plane magnetic field $B$ of 5–20 Tesla within the tight-binding formalism. We investigate two sources of disorder: (i) irregularities at the system boundaries, and (ii) bulk vacancies—for a combination of which we find conditions that could be favorable for the formation of the phase with Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev features under realistic experimental conditions above the liquid helium temperature.

We construct families of exotic spin-$1/2$ chains using a procedure called “hard rod deformation.” We treat both integrable and nonintegrable examples. The models possess a large noncommutative symmetry algebra, which is generated by matrix product operators with a fixed small bond dimension. The symmetries lead to Hilbert space fragmentation and to the breakdown of thermalization. As an effect, the models support persistent oscillations in nonequilibrium situations. Similar symmetries have been reported earlier in integrable models, but here we show that they also occur in nonintegrable cases.

Synchronization between limit cycle oscillators can arise through entrainment to an external drive or through mutual coupling. The interplay between the two mechanisms has been studied in classical synchronizing systems, but not in quantum systems. Here, we point out that competition and cooperation between the two mechanisms can occur due to phase pulling and phase repulsion in quantum systems. We study their interplay in collectively driven degenerate quantum thermal machines and show that these mechanisms either cooperate or compete depending on the working mode of the machine (refrigerator or engine). The entrainment-mutual synchronization interplay persists with an increase in the number of degenerate levels, while in the thermodynamic limit of degeneracy, mutual synchronization dominates. Overall, our work investigates the effect of degeneracy and multilevel scaling of quantum synchronization and shows how different synchronizing mechanisms can cooperate and compete in quantum systems.

Precipitation of calcium carbonate in bulk solutions is well known to result in a bell-shaped or bimodal particle size distribution. However, it is unclear how the distribution behaves if precipitation occurs in a small, confined volume. In this Letter, we conduct microfluidic experiments where sodium carbonate and calcium chloride solutions are continuously injected into a microchannel to precipitate calcium carbonate particles. Results show that, regardless of the variations in reagent concentrations, mixing schemes, flow rates, and precipitation time, sizes of precipitated particles in the channel are power law distributed, with an exponent of 1.4. The data are described by an extended Yule process with the introduction of a ripening term. Since the Yule process is a general mechanism for power law generation, the extended Yule process proposed here provides a general model for systems where growth and ripening simultaneously present.

The local atomic structure of SnSe was characterized across its orthorhombic-to-orthorhombic structural phase transition using x-ray pair distribution function analysis. Substantial Sn displacements with a dipolar character persist in the high-symmetry high-temperature phase, albeit with a symmetry different from that of the ordered displacements below the transition. The analysis implies that the transition is neither order-disorder nor displacive but rather a complex crossover. Robust ferrocoupled SnSe intralayer distortions suggest a ferroelectriclike instability as the driving force. These local symmetry-lowering Sn displacements are likely integral to the ultralow lattice thermal conductivity mechanism in SnSe.

The largest Fermi surface sheet of the correlated metal ${\mathrm{Sr}}_2{\mathrm{RuO}}_4$ can be driven through a Lifshitz transition between an electronlike and an open geometry by uniaxial stress applied along the [100] lattice direction. Here, we investigate the effect of this transition on the longitudinal resistivity ${\rho }_{xx}$ and the Hall coefficient $R_H$. ${\rho }_{xx}(T)$, when ${\mathrm{Sr}}_2{\mathrm{RuO}}_4$ is tuned to this transition, is found to have a $T^2\log T$ form, as expected for a Fermi liquid tuned to a Lifshitz transition. $R_H$ is found to become more negative as the Fermi surface transitions from an electronlike to an open geometry, opposite to general expectations from this change in topology. The magnitude of the change in $R_H$ implies that scattering changes throughout the Brillouin zone, not just at the point in $k$ space where the transition occurs. In a model of orbital-dependent scattering, the electron-electron scattering rate on sections of Fermi surface with $xy$ orbital weight is found to decrease dramatically.

Spin triplet superconductor ${\mathrm{UTe}}_2$ is widely believed to host a quasi-two-dimensional Fermi surface, revealed by first-principles calculations, photoemission, and quantum oscillation measurements. An outstanding question still remains as to the existence of a three-dimensional Fermi surface pocket, which is crucial for our understanding of the exotic superconducting and topological properties of ${\mathrm{UTe}}_2$. This 3D Fermi surface pocket appears in various theoretical models with different physics origins, but has not been unambiguously detected in experiment. Here for the first time we provide concrete evidence for a relatively isotropic, small Fermi surface pocket of ${\mathrm{UTe}}_2$ via quantum oscillation measurements. In addition, we observed high frequency quantum oscillations corresponding to electron-hole tunneling between adjacent electron and hole pockets. The coexistence of 2D and 3D Fermi surface pockets, as well as the breakdown orbits, provide a test bed for theoretical models and aid the realization of a unified understanding of the superconducting state of ${\mathrm{UTe}}_2$ from the first-principles approach.

We study whether neural quantum states based on multilayer feed-forward networks can find ground states which exhibit volume-law entanglement entropy. As a testbed, we employ the paradigmatic Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model. We find that both shallow and deep feed-forward networks require an exponential number of parameters in order to represent the ground state of this model. This demonstrates that sufficiently complicated quantum states, although being physical solutions to relevant models and not pathological cases, can still be difficult to learn to the point of intractability at larger system sizes. Hence, the variational neural network approach offers no benefits over exact diagonalization methods in this case. This highlights the importance of further investigations into the physical properties of quantum states amenable to an efficient neural representation.

The giant exciton binding energy and the richness of degrees of freedom make monolayer transition metal dichalcogenide an unprecedented playground for exploring exciton physics in 2D systems. Thanks to the well-energetically separated excitonic states, the response of the discrete excitonic states to the electric field could be precisely examined. Here we utilize the photocurrent spectroscopy to probe excitonic states under a static in-plane electric field. We demonstrate that the in-plane electric field leads to a significant orbital hybridization of Rydberg excitonic states with different angular momentum (especially orbital hybridization of $2s$ and $2p$) and, consequently, optically actives $2p$-state exciton. Besides, the electric-field controlled mixing of the high lying exciton state and continuum band enhances the oscillator strength of the discrete excited exciton states. This electric field modulation of the excitonic states in monolayer TMDs provides a paradigm of the manipulation of 2D excitons for potential applications of the electro-optical modulation in 2D semiconductors.

In many organisms, cell division is driven by the constriction of a cytokinetic ring, which consists of actin filaments and crosslinking proteins. While it has long been believed that the constriction is driven by motor proteins, it has recently been discovered that passive crosslinkers that do not turn over fuel are able to generate enough force to constrict actin filament rings. To study the ring constriction dynamics, we develop a model that includes the driving force of crosslinker condensation and the opposing forces of friction and filament bending. We analyze the constriction force as a function of ring topology and crosslinker concentration, and predict forces that are sufficient to constrict an unadorned plasma membrane. Our model also predicts that actin-filament sliding arises from an interplay between filament rotation and crosslinker hopping, producing frictional forces that are low compared with those of crosslinker-mediated microtubule sliding.

We present a new method for coherent control of trapped ion qubits in separate interaction regions of a multizone trap by simultaneously applying an electric field and a spin-dependent gradient. Both the phase and amplitude of the effective single-qubit rotation depend on the electric field, which can be localized to each zone. We demonstrate this interaction on a single ion using both laser-based and magnetic-field gradients in a surface-electrode ion trap, and measure the localization of the electric field.