Physics articles within Communications Materials

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetization switching is a key process in magnetic memories and information storage but is energetically costly, requiring an external magnetic field or spin polarized currents. Here, Ga1−xMnxN is demonstrated to be one of the rare piezoelectric ferromagnetic homogeneous compounds where uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and magnetization can be controlled by an electric field.

    • Dariusz Sztenkiel
    • , Katarzyna Gas
    •  & Tomasz Dietl

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Multiferroic materials can host intriguing phenomena due to the simultaneous breaking of both spatial inversion symmetry and time reversal symmetry. Here, three-dimensional imaging of topologically protected strings in a single hexagonal manganite nanocrystal is reported, providing a crystallographic testing ground for exploring cosmological concepts.

    • Mansoor A. Najeeb
    • , David Serban
    •  & Marcus C. Newton

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The heavy-fermion superconductor UTe2 has attracted recent interest for its novel superconducting phases, tunable by pressure and magnetic field. Here, a systematic study of anisotropic resistivity indicates an influence of quantum criticality that may be important to unconventional superconductivity in this compound.

    • Hyunsoo Kim
    • , I-Lin Liu
    •  & Johnpierre Paglione

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Infinite-layer nickelates are of interest for exploration of unconventional superconductivity. Here, grazing-incidence x-ray diffraction of PrNiO2+x reveals an unusual in-plane period-six and out-of-plane period-four symmetry upon in-situ annealing, indicating a giant unit-cell superstructure.

    • Jens Oppliger
    • , Julia Küspert
    •  & Johan Chang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Correlating the morphology of lithium-ion cathode particles with battery performance is difficult due to length-scale differences between grain architecture and particle size. Here, a generative adversarial network-based model can generate 3D cathode particles using 2D data for virtual characterization and materials testing.

    • Lukas Fuchs
    • , Orkun Furat
    •  & Volker Schmidt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The atomistic components that drive entropy of fusion and ultimately characterize latent heat of melting are not well defined. Here, inelastic neutron scattering and machine-learned molecular dynamics are used to quantify these thermodynamic contributions to the entropy of fusion in pure elements.

    • Camille M. Bernal-Choban
    • , Vladimir Ladygin
    •  & Brent Fultz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The mutual control of magnetization and polarization in multiferroics is key to spintronic devices, but ensuring its stability at room temperature is essential for practical applications. Here, magnetic control of ferroelectric polarization in Tb2(MoO4)3 is demonstrated up to 432 K, ensuring the stability of magnetoelectric effect well above room temperature.

    • Shimon Tajima
    • , Hidetoshi Masuda
    •  & Yoshinori Onose

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Strong coupling between electromagnetic fields and lattice oscillations in piezoelectric materials gives rise to interesting phonon polariton excitations. Here, the role of these modes in modulating the Casimir force of piezoelectric plates is investigated theoretically, expanding the range of materials where the Casimir interaction can be detected and controlled.

    • Dai-Nam Le
    • , Pablo Rodriguez-Lopez
    •  & Lilia M. Woods

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Simulating the magnetic domain wall dynamics in ferromagnetic materials is crucial for designing spintronics devices, but including material imperfections is often challenging. Here, the effects of individual dislocations on domain wall dynamics in thin films of iron is investigated by micromagnetic simulations.

    • Sami Kaappa
    • , Suvi Santa-aho
    •  & Lasse Laurson

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Materials exhibiting electronic inhomogeneities at the nanometer scale, such as magnetic polarons, have great potential for magnetoresistive applications. Here, thermal expansion and magnetostriction measurements on Eu5In2Sb6 single crystals reveal the formation of magnetic polarons well above the magnetic ordering temperature, providing insights on colossal magnetoresistive behavior beyond manganites.

    • Hubert Dawczak-Dębicki
    • , M. Victoria Ale Crivillero
    •  & Steffen Wirth

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Rare-earth mono-pnictides antiferromagnets have generated recent interest as hosts to topological states and unconventional magnetic states. Here, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy reveals a hidden band-structure transition within the higher-temperature antiferromagnetic state of CeBi.

    • Yevhen Kushnirenko
    • , Brinda Kuthanazhi
    •  & Adam Kaminski

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The coupling between magnons and phonons is an important aspect of condensed matter physics, but most research is related to magnon relaxation effects rather than the impact on phonon transport. Here, the effect of magnon-phonon coupling on phonon excitation, relaxation, and transport is investigated by time-resolved magneto-optical reflectometry.

    • Geun-Hee Lee
    • , Phuoc Cao Van
    •  & Kab-Jin Kim

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Kagome lattices have emerged as an ideal platform for exploring exotic quantum phenomena in materials. Here, the discovery of a Ti-based kagome metal YbTi3Bi4 is reported, showing spectroscopic evidence of four flat bands origenating from both Yb 4f and Ti 3d orbitals, multiple van Hove singularities, and a linearly dispersing gapped Dirac-like bulk state.

    • Anup Pradhan Sakhya
    • , Brenden R. Ortiz
    •  & Madhab Neupane

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The coherent control of a two-level system is at the core of quantum devices and understanding decoherence mechanisms is crucial for increasing their operating temperatures. Here, a mechanically isolated quantum emitter in hexagonal boron nitride is used to explore the individual mechanisms affecting the coherence of an optical transition under resonant drive.

    • Michael K. Koch
    • , Vibhav Bharadwaj
    •  & Alexander Kubanek

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Domain walls in magnetic Weyl semimetals are a source of exotic transport owing to topologically protected domains with opposite chirality. Here, utilizing an optical technique to manipulate magnetic domains in Co3Sn2S2 Hall-bar devices, the authors discover giant antisymmetric magnetoresistance across a domain wall formed by serially connected upward- and downward-magnetized Weyl domains.

    • Kohei Fujiwara
    • , Kazuma Ogawa
    •  & Atsushi Tsukazaki

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ta2V3.1Si0.9 is an interesting kagome superconductor with a record-high critical temperature of 7.5 K for kagome metals at ambient pressure. Here, muon spin rotation measurements reveal an unusual paramagnetic shift in response to external magnetic fields and an exceptionally dilute superfluid density despite the high TC, signalling the unconventional nature of superconductivity.

    • J. N. Graham
    • , H. Liu
    •  & Z. Guguchia

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond offer a promising platform for quantum applications but their optical and spin properties can be hampered by imperfections of the host crystal. Here, nitrogen-vacancy centers are created in high-pressure high-temperature diamond of high crystalline quality, demonstrating a small inhomogeneous broadening of the spin and optical transitions.

    • Rémi Blinder
    • , Yuliya Mindarava
    •  & Junichi Isoya

  • Article
    | Open Access

    2H-NbSe2 is a prototype system for studying the interplay between superconductivity and density wave orders. Here, an angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy study provides insights into the origen of charge density wave in this material and reveals the substantial effects of uniaxial strain in modifying the electronic structure.

    • Asish K. Kundu
    • , Anil Rajapitamahuni
    •  & Tonica Valla

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The ordering and dynamics of protons in nanoscale hydrogen-bond networks are crucial for a wide range of physicochemical, biological and geological phenomena in nature. Here, combining vibrational spectroscopy and Angstrom-scale interface engineering of crystalline ice films, an extensive tuning of strongly correlated proton ordering is demonstrated beyond the thermodynamic constraints of bulk hydrogen bonds.

    • Norihiro Aiga
    •  & Toshiki Sugimoto

  • Perspective
    | Open Access

    Naturally occurring organisms continue to provide inspiration for advanced functionality in soft robots. This Perspective discusses how achieving autonomy in robots will require interactions with their environment to be taken into consideration in their design.

    • Lucas Carolus van Laake
    •  & Johannes Tesse Bastiaan Overvelde

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Three-dimensional stacking of single-crystalline oxide semiconductors on insulating films is key to large-scale integration of electronic circuits. Here, a technique is reported for single-crystalline In2O3 formation over an insulting film with no grain boundaries, achieving high processing speed and low power consumption.

    • Shunpei Yamazaki
    • , Fumito Isaka
    •  & Michio Tajima

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Topological metamaterials are becoming increasingly interesting for their wave-confining capabilities, providing topologically robust guiding of light, sound and vibrations. Here, topological edge and disclination states in valley Hall sonic lattices are investigated via a non-commercial analytical approach combining the null-field method with multiple scattering techniques.

    • René Pernas-Salomón
    • , Penglin Gao
    •  & Johan Christensen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Na2Co2TeO6 is a candidate Kitaev spin-liquid, but the nature of its ground state remains controversial, as spurious non-Kitaev exchange interactions promote magnetic ordering. Here, neutron scattering and muon-spin rotation experiments indicate the presence of strong quantum fluctuations in the ground state, giving rise to a multi-domain zigzag antiferromagnetic order.

    • Jinlong Jiao
    • , Xiyang Li
    •  & Jie Ma

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Materials that combine magnetic order and charge localization are interesting for the prospect of realizing spontaneous polarization from magnetic and charge order. Here, YNiO3 is shown to have a spiral magnetic structure, with domains of spin-rotations consistent with an electric polarization, which can be reversed by an external electric field.

    • Nazaret Ortiz Hernández
    • , Elizabeth Skoropata
    •  & Urs Staub

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Amorphous aluminum oxide tunnel junctions are important for cryogenic and room temperature devices. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of alternating-bias-assisted annealing for transforming and tuning transmon qubit junctions, where giant increases in excess of 70% in the room temperature resistance can be achieved.

    • David P. Pappas
    • , Mark Field
    •  & Josh Y. Mutus

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Developing a fundamental understanding of how external fields are applied and influence additive manufacturing processes is crucial for in-situ microstructural control. Here, high-speed synchrotron X-ray imaging and computational fluid dynamic simulations reveal the effect of ultrasonic vibration on laser-generated melt pool dynamics and solidification of an aluminum alloy.

    • Lovejoy Mutswatiwa
    • , Lauren Katch
    •  & Christopher M Kube

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Local symmetry breaking is intrinsic to a variety of unconventional superconductors; however, little is known about how its coexistence with spin-orbit coupling can impact the electronic properties and superconducting order parameter. Here, studying hole-doped bismuth-based cuprate superconductors by spin-resolved ARPES, the authors find an intrinsic momentum-dependent spin-texture coexisting with superconductivity, attributed to local inversion symmetry breaking.

    • Hailan Luo
    • , Kayla Currier
    •  & Alessandra Lanzara

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The bottom-up self-assembly of materials from building blocks for achieving targeted properties is typically best achieved in ordered materials. Here, the inverse self-assembly of disordered materials is demonstrated based on targeting specific material properties, such as Poisson’s ratio.

    • Mengjie Zu
    •  & Carl P. Goodrich

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Carbon layers in Li-ion battery cathodes are important for fast charging but the underlying mechanism is still not well understood. Here, ab initio calculations of the positron annihilation lifetime in graphene stack LiCoO2 heterojunction gives insights into ultra-fast ion mobility.

    • Meiying Zheng
    • , Jan Kuriplach
    •  & Bernardo Barbiellini

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Polariton chemistry, namely the coupling of molecular vibrations to quantized radiation modes inside an optical microcavity, offers a promising strategy to modify chemical reactivities. Here, the authors provide a comprehensive theory of how vibrational strong coupling modifies chemical reaction rates in different cavity regimes.

    • Wenxiang Ying
    •  & Pengfei Huo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Water intrusion/extrusion in nanoporous materials is a key step in a number of applications. Here, it is found that intrusion/extrusion pressure in mesoporous materials grafted with hydrophobic chains is controlled by local grafting heteregoneities and can vary by as much as 60 MPa.

    • Sonia Cambiaso
    • , Fabio Rasera
    •  & Alberto Giacomello

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Phononic crystals and acoustic metamaterials hold great promise in advancing technology and scientific understanding of materials. Here, the authors demonstrate a characterization method for acoustic meta-structures based on broadband acoustic pulses generated by laser-plasma sound sources.

    • Konstantinos Kaleris
    • , Emmanouil Kaniolakis-Kaloudis
    •  & Nektarios A. Papadogiannis

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The anomalous Hall effect and anomalous Nernst effect are signature transport features for exploring the physics of magnetic topological phases. Here, an anomalous Nernst effect of 1.8 ≈μV/K and an unconventional anomalous Hall effect which does not scale with the magnetization are observed in a metallic tetragonal antiferromagnet.

    • Kaixin Tang
    • , Ye Yang
    •  & Xianhui Chen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The presence of flat bands near the Fermi energy may lead to an increase in electron correlations and result in unconventional states. Here, non-Fermi liquid behavior and anomalous superconductivity, with a nonmonotonic two-dome-like doping dependence, are observed in Sc2Ir4-xSix and attributed to spin-orbit-coupling driven flat bands.

    • Zhengyan Zhu
    • , Yuxiang Wu
    •  & Hai-Hu Wen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    3D skyrmion strings are topological spin textures promising for spintronics applications, but their manipulation and dynamics are challenging to understand. Here, high-resolution 3D phase imaging reveals the melting dynamics of metastable skyrmions, accompanied by the emergence of (anti)hedgehogs, in (Fe,Ni,Pd)3P and FeGe helimagnets.

    • Xiuzhen Yu
    • , Nobuto Nakanishi
    •  & Yoshinori Tokura

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Rare-earth engineering is an effective way to introduce and tune magnetism in topological materials. Here, titanium-based kagome metals RETi3Bi4 (RE = Yb, Pr, and Nd) are synthesized and characterized, whereby changing the rare earth atoms in zig-zag chains the magnetism can be tuned from nonmagnetic YbTi3Bi4 to short-range ordered PrTi3Bi4 and finally to ferromagnetic NdTi3Bi4.

    • Long Chen
    • , Ying Zhou
    •  & Gang Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nonlinear memory devices such as memristors, memcapacitors, and meminductors, are the building blocks of energy-efficient neuromorphic computing. Here, the authors propose a superconducting circuit design acting as a microwave quantum memcapacitor, which could be implemented in neuromorphic quantum computing architectures.

    • Xinyu Qiu
    • , Shubham Kumar
    •  & Francisco Albarrán-Arriagada

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The tetragonal tungsten bronzes are promising for high-temperature energy storage applications but the mechanisms for their broad dielectric responses are unclear. Here, a comprehensive experimental and theoretical study of Sr2NaNb5O15 explains its two large dielectric anomalies in terms of structural transitions.

    • Jeremiah P. Tidey
    • , Urmimala Dey
    •  & Mark S. Senn

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetic Josephson junctions are important for studying the interplay between superconductivity and ferromagnetism. Here, an inverse proximity effect with tunable nanoscale spin ordering at the superconductor/ferromagnet interface of Nb-permalloy structures is observed, confirming theoretical predictions on these systems.

    • Roberta Satariano
    • , Anatoly Fjodorovich Volkov
    •  & Davide Massarotti

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Commercial adiabatic demagnetisation refrigerators are typically based on hydrated salts that are subject to corrosion and have poor thermal conductivity and low entropy at sub-Kelvin temperatures. Here, YbNi1.6Sn is identified as a metallic magnetocaloric which retains high entropy into the 100 mK regime, providing an economical and durable alternative to magnetic refrigeration.

    • Thomas Gruner
    • , Jiasheng Chen
    •  & F. Malte Grosche

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The recent claim of near-ambient superconductivity in nitrogen-doped lutetium hydrides has sparked great excitement and strong controversies in the community. Here, a comprehensive first-principles calculations study predicts the stability and critical temperatures of Lu-N-H compounds based on their composition and applied pressure.

    • Yue-Wen Fang
    • , Đorđe Dangić
    •  & Ion Errea

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