Experimental observations of the ultrafast (less than 50 fs) demagnetization of Ni have so far defied theoretical explanations particularly since its spin-flipping time is much less than that resulting from spin-orbit and electron-lattice interactions. Through the application of an approach that benefits from spin-flip time-dependent density-functional theory and dynamical mean-field theory, we show that proper inclusion of electron correlations and memory (time dependence of electron-electron interaction) effects leads to demagnetization at the femtosecond scale, in good agreement with experimental observations. Furthermore, our calculations reveal that this ultrafast demagnetization results mainly from spin-flip transitions from occupied to unoccupied orbitals implying a dynamical reduction of exchange splitting. These conclusions are found to be valid for a wide range of laser pulse amplitudes. They also pave the way for ab initio investigations of ultrafast charge and spin dynamics in a variety of quantum materials in which electron correlations may play a definitive role.

Two schemes are proposed to compute the nonlinear electro-optic (EO) tensor for the first time. In the first scheme, we compute the linear EO tensor of the structure under a finite electric field, while we compute the refractive index of the structure under a finite electric field in the second scheme. Such schemes are applied to $\mathrm{Pb}(\mathrm{Zr},\mathrm{Ti}){\mathrm{O}}_3$ and ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_3$ ferroelectric oxides. It is found to reproduce a recently observed feature, namely, why $\mathrm{Pb}({\mathrm{Zr}}_{0.52}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{0.48}){\mathrm{O}}_3$ adopts a mostly linear EO response while ${\mathrm{BaTiO}}_3$ exhibits a strongly nonlinear conversion between electric and optical properties. Furthermore, the atomistic insight provided by the proposed ab initio scheme reveals the origin of such qualitatively different responses, in terms of the field-induced behavior of the frequencies of some phonon modes and of some force constants.

The recent discovery of two-dimensional (2D) ferromagnetism in van der Waals materials has opened the door to the control of 2D magnetism by means of electric field. Here we demonstrate the magnetization reversal through switching polarization in a designed 2D multiferroic oxide by combining group theory analysis and first-principles calculation. We show that ferroelectricity can be induced by a specific octahedral rotation in a perovskite bilayer. Ferromagnetism can be introduced simultaneously by extending the guideline to the B-site ordered double-perovskite bilayer. We have found two coupling mechanisms between polarization and magnetization that enable the reversal of the in-plane magnetization by ferroelectric switching. Our work provides guidelines for the design of 2D multiferroics with intrinsic magnetoelectric coupling and helps to control the 2D magnetism by electric field.

We demonstrate that an achiral stretching force transforms disk-shaped colloidal membranes composed of chiral rods into twisted ribbons with handedness opposite the preferred twist of the rods. Using an experimental technique that enforces torque-free boundary conditions we simultaneously measure the force-extension curve and the ribbon shape. An effective theory that accounts for the membrane bending energy and uses geometric properties of the edge to model the internal liquid crystalline degrees of freedom explains both the measured force-extension curve and the force-induced twisted shape.

Power-law interactions play a key role in a large variety of physical systems. In the presence of disorder, these systems may undergo many-body localization for a sufficiently large disorder. Within the many-body localized phase the system presents in time an algebraic growth of entanglement entropy, $S_{vN}(t)\propto t^{\gamma }$. Whereas the critical disorder for many-body localization depends on the system parameters, we find by extensive numerical calculations that the exponent $\gamma$ acquires a universal value ${\gamma }_c\simeq 0.33$ at the many-body localization transition, for different lattice models, decay powers, filling factors, or initial conditions. Moreover, our results suggest an intriguing relation between ${\gamma }_c$ and the critical minimal decay power of interactions necessary for many-body localization.

The recent developments of microgravity experiments with ultracold atoms have produced a relevant boost in the study of shell-shaped ellipsoidal Bose-Einstein condensates. For realistic bubble-trap parameters, here we calculate the critical temperature of Bose-Einstein condensation, which, if compared to the one of the bare harmonic trap with the same frequencies, shows a strong reduction. We simulate the zero-temperature density distribution with the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and we study the free expansion of the hollow condensate. While part of the atoms expands in the outward direction, the condensate self-interferes inside the bubble trap, filling the hole in experimentally observable times. For a mesoscopic number of particles in a strongly interacting regime, for which more refined approaches are needed, we employ quantum Monte Carlo simulations, proving that the nontrivial topology of a thin shell allows superfluidity. Our work constitutes a reliable benchmark for the forthcoming scientific investigations with bubble traps.

Variational quantum algorithms have been proposed to solve static and dynamic problems of closed many-body quantum systems. Here we investigate variational quantum simulation of three general types of tasks—generalized time evolution with a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, linear algebra problems, and open quantum system dynamics. The algorithm for generalized time evolution provides a unified framework for variational quantum simulation. In particular, we show its application in solving linear systems of equations and matrix-vector multiplications by converting these algebraic problems into generalized time evolution. Meanwhile, assuming a tensor product structure of the matrices, we also propose another variational approach for these two tasks by combining variational real and imaginary time evolution. Finally, we introduce variational quantum simulation for open system dynamics. We variationally implement the stochastic Schrödinger equation, which consists of dissipative evolution and stochastic jump processes. We numerically test the algorithm with a 6-qubit 2D transverse field Ising model under dissipation.

An open question in studying normal grain growth concerns the asymptotic state to which microstructures converge. In particular, the distribution of grain topologies is unknown. We introduce a thermodynamiclike theory to explain these distributions in two- and three-dimensional systems. In particular, a bendinglike energy $E_i$ is associated to each grain topology $t_i$, and the probability of observing that particular topology is proportional to $[1/s(t_i)]e^{-\beta E_i}$, where $s(t_i)$ is the order of an associated symmetry group and $\beta$ is a thermodynamiclike constant. We explain the physical origins of this approach and provide numerical evidence in support.

Quantum spin liquids can be faithfully represented and efficiently characterized within the framework of projected entangled pair states (PEPS). Guided by extensive exact diagonalization and density matrix renormalization group calculations, we construct an optimized symmetric PEPS for a $\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_1$ chiral spin liquid on the square lattice. Characteristic features are revealed by the entanglement spectrum (ES) on an infinitely long cylinder. In all three ${\mathbb{Z}}_3$ sectors, the level counting of the linear dispersing modes is in full agreement with $\mathrm{SU}(3{)}_1$ Wess-Zumino-Witten conformal field theory prediction. Special features in the ES are shown to be in correspondence with bulk anyonic correlations, indicating a fine structure in the holographic bulk-edge correspondence. Possible universal properties of topological $\mathrm{SU}(N{)}_k$ chiral PEPS are discussed.

We present a fundamental classification of forces relevant in nonequilibrium structure formation under collective flow in Brownian many-body systems. The internal one-body force field is systematically split into contributions relevant for the spatial structure and for the coupled motion. We demonstrate that both contributions can be obtained straightforwardly in computer simulations and present a power functional theory that describes all types of forces quantitatively. Our conclusions and methods are relevant for flow in inertial systems, such as molecular liquids and granular media.

In the conventional misalignment mechanism, the axion field has a constant initial field value in the early Universe and later begins to oscillate. We present an alternative scenario where the axion field has a nonzero initial velocity, allowing an axion decay constant much below the conventional prediction from axion dark matter. This axion velocity can be generated from explicit breaking of the axion shift symmetry in the early Universe, which may occur as this symmetry is approximate.

We consider the simultaneous measurement of the Higgs ($p_t^H$) and the leading jet ($p_t^J$) transverse momentum in hadronic Higgs-boson production, and perform the resummation of the large logarithmic corrections that originate in the limit $p_t^H,p_t^J\ll m_H$ up to next-to-next-to-leading-logarithmic order. This work constitutes the first simultaneous (double differential) resummation for two kinematic observables of which one involves a jet algorithm in hadronic collisions, and provides an important milestone in the theoretical understanding of joint resummations. As an application, we provide precise predictions for the Higgs transverse-momentum distribution with a veto $p_t^J\le p_t^{J,v}$ on the accompanying jets, whose accurate description is relevant to the Higgs precision programme at the Large Hadron Collider.

The prediction of stellar $(\gamma ,\alpha )$ reaction rates for heavy nuclei is based on the calculation of $(\alpha ,\gamma )$ cross sections at sub-Coulomb energies. These rates are essential for modeling the nucleosynthesis of so-called $p$ nuclei. The standard calculations in the statistical model show a dramatic sensitivity to the chosen $\alpha$-nucleus potential. The present study explains the reason for this dramatic sensitivity which results from the tail of the imaginary $\alpha$-nucleus potential in the underlying optical model calculation of the total reaction cross section. As an alternative to the optical model, a simple barrier transmission model is suggested. It is shown that this simple model in combination with a well-chosen $\alpha$-nucleus potential is able to predict total $\alpha$-induced reaction cross sections for a wide range of heavy target nuclei above $A\gtrsim 150$ with uncertainties below a factor of 2. The new predictions from the simple model do not require any adjustment of parameters to experimental reaction cross sections whereas in previous statistical model calculations all predictions remained very uncertain because the parameters of the $\alpha$-nucleus potential had to be adjusted to experimental data. The new model allows us to predict the reaction rate of the astrophysically important ${}^{176}\mathrm{W}(\alpha ,\gamma ){}^{180}\mathrm{Os}$ reaction with reduced uncertainties, leading to a significantly lower reaction rate at low temperatures. The new approach could also be validated for a broad range of target nuclei from $A\approx 60$ up to $A\gtrsim 200$.

The discovery of presolar grains in primitive meteorites has initiated a new era of research in the study of stellar nucleosynthesis. However, the accurate classification of presolar grains as being of specific stellar origins is particularly challenging. Recently, it has been suggested that sulfur isotopic abundances may hold the key to definitively identifying presolar grains with being of nova origins and, in this regard, the astrophysical ${}^{33}\mathrm{Cl}(p,\gamma ){}^{34}\mathrm{Ar}$ reaction is expected to play a decisive role. As such, we have performed a detailed $\gamma$-ray spectroscopy study of ${}^{34}\mathrm{Ar}$. Excitation energies have been measured with high precision and spin-parity assignments for resonant states, located above the proton threshold in ${}^{34}\mathrm{Ar}$, have been made for the first time. Uncertainties in the ${}^{33}\mathrm{Cl}(p,\gamma )$ reaction have been dramatically reduced and the results indicate that a newly identified $\ell =0$ resonance at $E_r=396.9(13)\mathrm{keV}$ dominates the entire rate for $T=0.25–0.40\mathrm{GK}$. Furthermore, nova hydrodynamic simulations based on the present work indicate an ejected ${}^{32}\mathrm{S}/{}^{33}\mathrm{S}$ abundance ratio distinctive from type-II supernovae and potentially compatible with recent measurements of a presolar grain.

Increasing ellipticity usually suppresses the recollision probability drastically. In contrast, we report on a recollision channel with large return energy and a substantial probability, regardless of the ellipticity. The laser envelope plays a dominant role in the energy gained by the electron, and in the conditions under which the electron comes back to the core. We show that this recollision channel efficiently triggers various nonlinear and nonperturbative phenomena—such as multiple ionization—with an elliptically polarized pulse.

A laser is composed of an optical resonator and a gain medium. When stimulated emission dominates mirror losses, the emitted light becomes coherent. We propose a new class of coherent light sources based on wavelength sized regular structures of quantum emitters whose eigenmodes form high-$Q$ resonators. Incoherent pumping of few atoms induces light emission with spatial and temporal coherence. We show that an atomic nanoring with a single gain atom at the center behaves like a thresholdless laser, featuring a narrow linewidth. Symmetric subradiant excitations provide optimal operating conditions.

Most theoretical studies of topological superconductors and Majorana-based quantum computation rely on a mean-field approach to describe superconductivity. A potential problem with this approach is that real superconductors are described by number-conserving Hamiltonians with long-range interactions, so their topological properties may not be correctly captured by mean-field models that violate number conservation and have short-range interactions. To resolve this issue, reliable results on number-conserving models of superconductivity are essential. As a first step in this direction, we use rigorous methods to study a number-conserving toy model of a topological superconducting wire. We prove that this model exhibits many of the desired properties of the mean-field models, including a finite energy gap in a sector of fixed total particle number, the existence of long-range Majorana-like correlations between the ends of an open wire, and a change in the ground state fermion parity for periodic vs antiperiodic boundary conditions. These results show that many of the remarkable properties of mean-field models of topological superconductivity persist in more realistic models with number-conserving dynamics.

The nature of the hidden-order (HO) state in ${\mathrm{URu}}_2{\mathrm{Si}}_2$ remains one of the major unsolved issues in heavy-fermion physics. Recently, torque magnetometry, x-ray diffraction, and elastoresistivity data have suggested that the HO phase transition at $T_{\mathrm{HO}}\approx 17.5\mathrm{K}$ is driven by electronic nematic effects. Here, we search for thermodynamic signatures of this purported structural instability using anisotropic thermal expansion, Young’s modulus, elastoresistivity, and specific-heat measurements. In contrast to the published results, we find no evidence of a rotational symmetry breaking in any of our data. Interestingly, our elastoresistivity measurements, which are in full agreement with published results, exhibit a Curie-Weiss divergence, which we however attribute to a volume and not to a symmetry-breaking effect. Finally, clear evidence for thermal fluctuations is observed in our heat-capacity data, from which we estimate the HO correlation length.