Reports on progress in physics. Physical Society (Great Britain)最新文献

Characterizing the non-classical correlations of a complex many-body system is an important part of quantum technologies. An ideal tool for this task would scale well with the size of the system, be easily computable and be easily measurable. In this work, we focus on graph states, which are promising platforms for quantum computation, simulation, and metrology. We consider four topologies: star graph states with edges, Turán graphs,r-ary tree graphs, and square grid cluster states. We provide a method to characterize their quantum content: many-body Bell correlations, non-separability and entanglement strength for an arbitrary number of qubits. We also relate the strength of these correlations to the usefulness of graph states for quantum sensing. Finally, we characterize many-body entanglement in graph states with up to eight qubits in 146 classes that are not equivalent under local transformations or graph isomorphisms. This technique is straightforward and does not require any assumptions about the multi-qubit state; therefore it could be applied wherever precise knowledge of many-body quantum correlations is necessary.

Protein evolution involves mutations occurring across a wide range of time scales. In analogy with disordered systems in statistical physics, this dynamical heterogeneity suggests strong correlations between mutations happening at distinct sites and times. To quantify these correlations, we examine the role of various fluctuation sources in protein evolution, simulated using a data-driven energy landscape as a proxy for protein fitness. By applying spatio-temporal correlation functions developed in the context of disordered physical systems, we disentangle fluctuations originating from the initial condition, i.e. the ancestral sequence from which the evolutionary process originated, from those driven by stochastic mutations along independent evolutionary paths. Our analysis shows that, in diverse protein families, fluctuations from the ancestral sequence predominate at shorter time scales. This allows us to identify a time scale over which ancestral sequence information persists, enabling its reconstruction. We link this persistence to the strength of epistatic interactions: ancestral sequences with stronger epistatic signatures impact evolutionary trajectories over extended periods. At longer time scales, however, ancestral influence fades as epistatically constrained sites evolve collectively. To confirm this idea, we apply a standard ancestral sequence reconstruction (ASR) algorithm and verify that the time-dependent recovery error is influenced by the properties of the ancestor itself. Overall, our results reveal that the properties of ancestral sequences-particularly their epistatic constraints-influence the initial evolutionary dynamics and the performance of standard ASR algorithms.

The importance of the Fisher information metrics and its quantum generalisations is testified by the number of applications that this has in very different fields, ranging from hypothesis testing to metrology, passing through thermodynamics. Still, from the rich range of possible quantum Fisher informations, only a handful are typically used and studied. This review aims at collecting a number of results scattered in the literature and provide a cohesive treatment to people who begin the study of Fisher information and to those who are already working on it to have a more organic understanding of the topic. Moreover, we complement the review with new results about the relation between Fisher information and physical evolutions. Extending previous works, we show that dynamical properties such as (complete) positivity, Markovianity, detailed balance, retrodictive power of evolution maps can be characterised in terms of their relation with respect to the Fisher information metrics. These results show a fact that was partially overseen in the literature, namely the inherently dynamical nature of Fisher information.

In borate materials, boron is found predominantly in either trigonal planar, or tetrahedral coordination states with oxygen, which are the two most ubiquitous building blocks of borate glasses. The fraction of tetrahedral boron,N₄, is found to vary considerably with both glass composition and applied pressure, as well as with fictive temperature - a result of its underlying dependence on temperature in the molten and supercooled liquid states. As such, the parameterN₄is of fundamental structural importance, along with the mechanisms driving its evolution and its strong influence on thermophysical material properties.N₄in glasses has been experimentally determined using a variety of means including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, vibrational spectroscopy, and x-ray and neutron diffraction. In this review, we discuss how the techniques for the measurement ofN₄have evolved and improved since the pioneering x-ray diffraction measurements of the 1930s, up to the present day. A database is compiled of the availablehigh-qualitynumerical experimental data forN₄, with a non-exclusive focus on binary borate glasses of the formRM₂O_z-B₂O₃whereRis the molar ratio of modifier to boron oxide andMis a metal cation of formal chargez+, other than boron. In addition, we report newN₄values for a series of strontium borate glasses, measured by¹¹B magic angle spinning NMR, where a disparity in the literature is found. Based on the findings of the review, we are able to point to the gaps in our knowledge where future resources could best be focused, as well as summarizing overarching trends, the present state-of-the-art, and making recommendations for best practices.

Berry curvature-related topological phenomena have been a central topic in condensed matter physics. Yet, until recently other quantum geometric quantities such as the metric and connection received only little attention due to the relatively few effects which have been documented for them. This review gives a modern perspective how quantum geometric quantities naturally enter the nonlinear responses of quantum materials and demonstrate their deep connection with excitation energy, lifetimes, symmetry, and corresponding physical processes. The multitude of nonlinear responses can be subdivided into nonlinear optical effects, subgap responses, and nonlinear transport phenomena. Such a distinction by energy scales facilitates an intuitive understanding of the underlying electronic transitions, giving rise to a unified picture of the electron motion beyond linear order. The well-known injection and shift currents constitute the main resonances in the optical regime. Exploiting their respective lifetime and symmetry dependencies, this review elucidates how these resonances can be distinguished by a corresponding quantum geometric quantity that shares the same symmetry. This is followed by a brief exposition of the role of quasiparticle lifetimes for nonlinear subgap responses, which presents a window into the microscopic short-term dynamics as well as the ground state correlation and localization. We conclude with an account of the anomalous motion due to the Berry curvature dipole and quantum metric dipole in nonlinear transport, clarifying the correspondence between physical observables and the underlying mechanisms. This review highlights the close relationship between quantum geometry and nonlinear response, showing the way towards promising probes of quantum geometry and enabling novel avenues to characterize complex materials.

Solitons, as coherent structures that maintain their shape while traveling at constant velocity, are ubiquitous across various branches of physics, from fluid dynamics to quantum fields. However, it is within the realm of optics where solitons have not only served as a primary testbed for understanding solitary wave phenomena but have also transitioned into applications ranging from telecommunications to metrology. In the optical domain, temporal solitons are localized light pulses, self-reinforcing via a delicate balance between nonlinearity and dispersion. Among the many systems hosting temporal solitons, active optical resonators stand out due to their inherent gain medium, enabling to actively sustain solitons. Unlike conventional mode-locked lasers, active resonators offer a richer landscape for soliton dynamics through hybrid driving schemes, such as coupling to passive cavities or under external optical injection, affording them unparalleled control and versatility. We discuss key advantages of these systems, with a particular focus on quantum cascade lasers as a promising soliton technology within the class of active resonators. By exploring diverse architectures from traditional Fabry-Perot cavities to racetrack devices operated under external injection, we present the current state-of-the-art and future directions for soliton-based sources in the realm of semiconductor lasers and hybrid integrated photonic systems.

Contact electrodes, which significantly influence the Schottky barrier and interfacial quality with two-dimensional (2D) materials, are key to boosting the performance of 2D photodetectors. However, it is challenging to fabricate electrically conducting films with sufficiently high or low work functions (WF₂) in homogenous electrodes for 2D devices due to the fixed WF of traditional metallic and semi-metallic electrodes, which restricts their adaptability for 2D metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) structured photodetectors. Here, we utilize a homogenous PEDOT:PSS electrode designed with adjustable WF ranging from 5.1 to 3.2 eV in 2D MSM photodetectors, achieving a high rectification ratio of ∼10⁵and superior performance metrics: responsivity up to 1.8 A W^-1, anI_light/I_darkof 10⁸, and an ultrafast response time of 3.2 μs. Meanwhile, the excellent transparency of PEDOT:PSS electrode extends the 2D device's response to the near-infrared (NIR) region, overcoming the semiconductor bandgap limitation. The universality of polymer electrode is proven across various 2D photodetectors, and its flexibility enables the creation of durable, wearable 2D devices. This work paves the way for the development of flexible, self-powered photodetectors, heralding a new era of next-generation intelligent interactive systems.

This review describes the field of Bose polarons, arising when mobile impurities are immersed into a bosonic quantum gas. The latter can be realized by a Bose-Einstein condensate of ultracold atoms, or of exciton polaritons in a semiconductor, which has led to a series of experimental observations of Bose polarons near inter-species Feshbach resonances that we survey. Following an introduction to the topic, with references to its historic roots and a presentation of the Bose polaron Hamiltonian, we summarize state-of-the-art experiments. Next we provide a detailed discussion of polaron models, starting from the ubiquitous Fröhlich Hamiltonian that applies at weak couplings. Already this highly simplified model allows insights into ultra-violet divergencies, logarithmic and power-law, that need to be properly regularized. To capture the physics near a Feshbach resonance, two-phonon scattering terms on the impurity as well as phonon-phonon interactions need to be included. We proceed by a survey of concurrent theoretical methods used for solving strongly interacting Bose polaron problems, ranging from Lee-Low-Pines mean-field theory, Chevy-ansatz, Gross-Pitaevskii-equation to diagrammatic Monte Carlo approaches. The subsequent sections are devoted to the large bodies of work investigating strong coupling Bose polarons, including detailed comparisons with radio-frequency spectra obtained in ultracold atom experiments; to investigations of universal few-body and Efimov states associated with a Feshbach resonance in atomic mixtures; to studies of quantum dynamics and polarons out of equilibrium; Bose polarons in low-dimensional 1D and 2D quantum systems; induced interactions among polarons and bipolaron formation; and to Bose polarons at non-zero temperatures. We end our review by detailed discussions of closely related experimental setups and systems, including ionic impurities, systems with strong light-matter interactions, and variations and extensions of the Bose polaron concepts e.g. to baths with topological order or strong interactions relevant for correlated electrons. Finally, an outlook is presented, highlighting possible future research directions and open questions in the field as a whole.

Quantum conference key agreement (QCKA) enables secure communication among multiple parties by leveraging multipartite entanglement, which is expected to play a crucial role in future quantum networks. However, its practical implementation has been severely limited by the experimental complexity and low efficiency associated with the requirement for synchronous detection of multipartite entangled states. In this work, we propose a measurement-device-independent QCKA protocol that employs asynchronous Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger state measurement. Our protocol enables a linear scaling of the conference key rate among multiple parties, demonstrating performance comparable to that of the single-repeater scheme in quantum networks. Additionally, we achieve intercity transmission distances with composable security under finite-key conditions. By adopting the generalized asynchronous pairing strategy, our approach eliminates the need for complex global phase locking techniques. Furthermore, by integrating asynchronous pairing with ring-interference network structure, our method provides insights for various quantum tasks beyond quantum communication, including multiparty computing and quantum repeaters.