We develop a framework to describe gravitational wave propagation through a stochastic distribution of weak gravitational lenses beyond the geometric optics limit. We model the lens distribution as a static random background field and formulate the problem in the language of quenched disorder, treating the disorder averaged density matrix as the fundamental object from which observables are computed. Using the Schwinger Keldysh formalism, we construct a path-integral representation of the averaged density matrix and derive its explicit form perturbatively for a suitable class of couplings. The result naturally separates into a quadratic exponential term, which governs the suppression of phase sensitive contributions in the averaged description, and a purely oscillatory contribution, which modifies coherent propagation through a disorder-induced correction to the propagation kernel. This provides a unified description of interference, diffraction, and statistical fluctuations of the lens distribution within a single framework. We also identify the physical scales controlling the onset of coherence loss and illustrate the formalism in the case of Gaussian wave packets. More generally, the derivation applies to any system described by the same class of actions, making the framework relevant beyond gravitational wave lensing to wave propagation in disordered media.

This paper investigates certified upper bounds on the minimum distance of an explicit family of Calderbank-Shor-Steane quantum LDPC codes constructed from affine permutation matrices. All codes considered here have active Tanner graphs of girth eight. Rather than attempting to prove a general lower bound for the full code distance, we focus on constructing low-weight non-stabilizer logical representatives, which yield valid upper bounds once they are verified to lie in the opposite parity-check kernel and outside the stabilizer row space. We develop a unified framework for such witnesses arising from latent row relations, restricted-lift subspaces including block-compressed, selected-fiber, and CRT-stripe constructions, cycle- 8 elementary trapping-set structures, and decoder-failure residuals. In every case, search is used only to generate candidates; the reported bounds begin only after explicit kernel and row-space exclusion tests have been passed. For the latent part, we also identify a block-compression criterion under which the certification becomes exact. Applying these methods to representative APM-LDPC codes sharpens previously reported upper bounds and provides concrete certified values across the explored parameter range.

A standard approach to generate random pure quantum states relies on sampling from the Haar measure. However, the entanglement properties of such states present a fundamental challenge for their general applicability. Here, we introduce the $σ$-ensembles $\unicode{x2013}$ a family of random quantum states with only a single control parameter. Crucially, these states are designed such that they can be tuned between volume-law and area-law behavior, which has been a major obstacle thus far. We construct representatives of this ensemble by imposing a probability distribution on the eigenvalues of the successive subsystems, and subsequently reconstructing a compatible global state using the matrix product state (MPS) formalism. Due to their area-law entanglement, our approach circumvents the intractability of Haar-random pure states in classical simulations of quantum systems and is more representative of typical Hamiltonian ground states.

An $n$-qubit Dicke state of weight $k$, is the uniform superposition over all $n$-bit strings of Hamming weight $k$. Dicke states are an entanglement resource with important practical applications in the NISQ era and, for instance, play a central role in Decoded Quantum Interferometry (DQI). Furthermore, any symmetric state can be expressed as a superposition of Dicke states. First, we give explicit constant-depth circuits that prepare $n$-qubit Dicke states for all $k \leq \text{polylog}(n)$, using only multi-qubit Toffoli gates and single-qubit unitaries. This gives the first $\text{QAC}^0$ construction of super-constant weight Dicke states. Previous constant-depth constructions for any super-constant $k$ required the FANOUT$_n$ gate, while $\text{QAC}^0$ is only known to implement FANOUT$_k$ for $k$ up to $\text{polylog}(n)$. Moreover, we show that any weight-$k$ Dicke state can be constructed with access to FANOUT$_{\min(k,n-k)}$, rather than FANOUT$_n$. Combined with recent hardness results, this yields a tight characterization: for $k \leq n/2$, weight-$k$ Dicke states can be prepared in $\text{QAC}^0$ if and only if FANOUT$_k \in \text{QAC}^0$. We further extend our techniques to show that, in fact, \emph{any} superposition of $n$-qubit Dicke states of weight at most $k$ can be prepared in $\text{QAC}^0$ with access to FANOUT$_k$. Taking $k = n$, we obtain the first $O(1)$-depth unitary construction for arbitrary symmetric states. In particular, any symmetric state can be prepared in constant depth on quantum hardware architectures that support FANOUT$_n$, such as trapped ions with native global entangling operations.

Sub-Neptune exoplanets frequently exhibit muted transmission spectra, with GJ 1214 b being the most prominent example. Following years of intense observing campaigns yielding featureless planetary spectra, recent observations with JWST revealed the first possible atmospheric signatures. We present high-resolution transmission spectroscopy of GJ 1214 b based on eight transits obtained with the CRIRES$^+$ spectrograph in the K band. We used SYSREM to remove telluric and stellar signals and searched for signatures of H2O, CO, CH4, H2S, NH3, and CO2 using the cross-correlation technique. We obtained non-detections for the first five molecules and used injection recovery tests to derive upper limits on the atmosphere. For CO$_2$ we measure a CCF signal at S/N ~ 3.6, with a detailed investigation showing no obvious indication that it is caused by correlated noise. A Welch t-test confirmed the in-trail and out-of-trail distributions to be different at $3.4 σ$ confidence. A Bayesian retrieval framework with free chemistry, resulted in volume mixing ratios corresponding to a metallicity of $[\mathrm{M/H}]=0.48^{+0.89}_{-1.70}$, an opacity deck pressure of $\log_{10}(P_\mathrm{c}) = -3.04^{+2.52}_{-1.53}$ and a planet temperature of $T_\mathrm{iso}=398^{+283}_{-197}$ K, consistent with a value intermediate between the day- and night-side T-p's derived from JWST data. While these values correspond to relatively large signal amplitudes predicted for CO2 features in the mid-infrared, they are compatible with JWST NIRSpec observations within the models' $1.5σ$ uncertainties. Further modelling and additional data are required to confirm the atmospheric signatures and obtain a comprehensive interpretation of low- and high-resolution data. Overall, our results support previous findings that CO2 is likely to be a significant component of the atmosphere of GJ 1214 b.

Neutrino self-interactions delay the onset of free-streaming in the early universe, leaving distinct, scale-dependent signatures on the matter power spectrum. We investigate these signatures in post-reionization 21-cm intensity mapping and the Lyman-$α$ (Ly$α$) forest at redshifts $z \sim 2$--$3.5$, and forecast the constraints achievable with upcoming surveys using Fisher matrix analysis. Modeling neutrino self-interactions through an effective four-fermion parameterization with coupling $G_{\rm eff}$, we compute modifications to the Ly$α$ and 21-cm auto- and cross-power spectra for both strongly interacting (SI$_ν$, $\log_{10}G_{\mathrm{eff}} = -1.77$) and moderately interacting (MI$_ν$, $\log_{10}G_{\mathrm{eff}} = -5$) scenarios. We then combine these with forecasts for a representative next-generation cosmic microwave background (CMB) mission to evaluate the capabilities of SKA1-Mid and PUMA. We find that the Ly$α$--21-cm cross-correlation provides a systematics-resilient probe of the interaction signal, and decisively breaks the degeneracy between the primordial scalar power spectrum amplitude ($A_s$) and $G_{\rm eff}$ that limits CMB only analysis, particularly for the SI$_ν$ mode. Furthermore, the CMB+PUMA combination emerges as the optimal survey configuration for both regimes, reaching 1$σ$ constraints of $\mathcal{O}(10^{-3})$ on $σ(\log_{10}G_{\rm eff})$ for the SI$_ν$ mode and $\mathcal{O}(10^{-2})$ for the MI$_ν$ mode. Compared to the CMB-only baseline, this represents an improvement of approximately one order of magnitude for the SI$_ν$ mode, and nearly two orders of magnitude for the MI$_ν$ mode. We show that this conclusion holds uniformly over the full range of coupling strengths from $\log_{10}G_{\rm eff} = -6$ to $-1.77$.

Cell-cell adhesion is widely hypothesised to maintain cohesion within the long streams of follower cells that trail leader subpopulations during collective migration, including in neural crest cell migration, angiogenesis, and cancer cell invasion. Mathematically, non-local advection-diffusion equations provide the canonical continuum framework within which to study such adhesive cell-cell interactions. Here, we study a minimal model of leader-follower migration within this framework, in which leaders migrate at constant velocity while followers are attracted to leaders and to one another over a finite spatial interaction range. Numerical simulations reveal that, although the model can maintain small cohorts of travelling follower cells, the size of these cohorts is limited by the adhesive interaction lengthscale, and is far below what is needed to reproduce the extended streams observed in vivo. This points to a structural limitation of the standard non-local adhesion formulation and highlights the need for the development of extended continuum models capable of sustaining long, coherent migratory streams through purely mass-conserving collective cell movement.

Over the last decade, the development of Josephson devices based on van der Waals (vdW) materials has advanced rapidly, representing a paradigm shift driven by the advent of 2D materials. The diverse vdW materials library, combined with advanced fabrication techniques, enables the integration of materials with vastly disparate properties for scientific exploration. The vdW Josephson junctions (JJs) offer a unique route to explore novel functionalities and associated physics that remain inaccessible in conventional JJs, which have reached an industrial level in terms of fabrication. Beyond material diversity, vdW crystalline materials offer fundamental new control over device symmetries, enabling the realization of Hamiltonians unique to 2D systems. Furthermore, the long relaxation times of myriad excitations in 2D heterostructures open possibilities for creating exquisite quantum sensors, with the 2D material itself acting as an efficient bus for transmitting excitations to the active sensing element. This creative explosion in vdW-based superconducting electronics is rapidly growing, and our review highlights the resulting devices and physics. The confluence of vdW JJs with twistronics and topology has the potential to redefine superconducting quantum technology, enabling applications from quantum computation to ultra-sensitive hybrid sensors. While opportunities abound with vdW JJs, the challenge of scalability must be surmounted for translation into real-world devices. This review synthesizes current developments and offers a roadmap for researchers navigating this burgeoning field.

We theoretically investigate the generation of non-Gaussian quantum states, specifically Schrödinger cat-like states (SCLSs), via degenerate dual-pump spontaneous four-wave mixing in a $χ^{(3)}$-based microring resonator. By introducing a unitary transformation that exactly decouples the self-phase modulation (SPM) and cross-phase modulation (XPM) terms, we reduce the full nonlinear Hamiltonian to an effective three-mode interaction. The resulting dynamics (decoupled and full Hamiltonians) are studied using the Lindblad master equation, accounting for cavity losses. Unlike semiclassical or parametric approximations, our full quantum mechanical approach explicitly includes quantum pump depletion, which enables the emergence and observation of non-Gaussian features. We compute the Wigner function, photon number distributions, quadrature variances, Fano factor, Schmidt number, and fidelity to characterize the generated states. For the non-dissipative case, we find that the signal mode $\hat{b}_3$ or $\hat{a}_3$ exhibits clear non-Gaussian features with a structured Wigner function and even-dominated photon number distribution, characteristic of an even coherent state. In the presence of dissipation ($γ_j = 0.2$), the interference fringes become faint, odd photon numbers appear, and the fidelity with the ideal state remains high ($>0.9$), indicating robustness. The pump mode $\hat{b}_1$ or $\hat{a}_1$ remains Gaussian, while both modes display super-Poissonian statistics and entanglement ($>2$). Our results demonstrate that degenerate dual-pump spontaneous four-wave mixing in microring resonators is a promising platform for generating and controlling cat-like states under dissipative conditions.

Node embeddings act as the information interface for graph neural networks, yet their empirical impact is often reported under mismatched backbones, splits, and training budgets. This paper provides a controlled benchmark of embedding choices for graph classification, comparing classical baselines with quantum-oriented node representations under a unified pipeline. We evaluate two classical baselines alongside quantum-oriented alternatives, including a circuit-defined variational embedding and quantum-inspired embeddings computed via graph operators and linear-algebraic constructions. All variants are trained and tested with the same backbone, stratified splits, identical optimization and early stopping, and consistent metrics. Experiments on five different TU datasets and on QM9 converted to classification via target binning show clear dataset dependence: quantum-oriented embeddings yield the most consistent gains on structure-driven benchmarks, while social graphs with limited node attributes remain well served by classical baselines. The study highlights practical trade-offs between inductive bias, trainability, and stability under a fixed training budget, and offers a reproducible reference point for selecting quantum-oriented embeddings in graph learning.

The impossibility of simultaneously cloning non-orthogonal states lies at the foundations of quantum theory. Even when allowing for approximation errors, cloning an arbitrary unknown pure state requires as many initial copies as needed to fully learn the state. Rather than arbitrary unknown states, modern quantum learning theory often considers structured classes of states and exploits such structure to develop learning algorithms that outperform general-state tomography. This raises the question: How do the sample complexities of learning and cloning relate for such structured classes? We answer this question for an important class of states. Namely, for $n$-qubit stabilizer states, we show that the optimal sample complexity of cloning is $Θ(n)$. Thus, also for this structured class of states, cloning is as hard as learning. To prove these results, we use representation-theoretic tools in the recently proposed Abelian State Hidden Subgroup framework and a new structured version of the recently introduced random purification channel to relate stabilizer state cloning to a variant of the sample amplification problem for probability distributions that was recently introduced in classical learning theory. This allows us to obtain our cloning lower bounds by proving new sample amplification lower bounds for classes of distributions with an underlying linear structure. Our results provide a more fine-grained perspective on No-Cloning theorems, opening up connections from foundations to quantum learning theory and quantum cryptography.

We introduce a systematic framework to construct nonlocal observables with extensive quantum Fisher information (QFI) density in stabilizer codes. The construction maps stabilizer generators to dual Ising spins whose correlators equal string order parameters, converting hidden nonlocal order into a metrologically accessible observable. Applying this to monitored cluster codes and the toric code, we identify transitions in the QFI scaling from an extensive regime, where long-range string order prevails, to an intensive one driven by competing single-site measurements.

Determining whether two graphs are isomorphic is a fundamental problem with practical applications in areas such as molecular chemistry or social network analysis, yet it remains a challenging task, with exact solutions often being computationally expensive. We address this task using persistent homology built on motif-based filtrations of graphs, a method from topological data analysis that summarizes the shape of data by tracking the persistence of structural features along filtrations. Specifically, we use edge-weighting schemes based on the densities of triangles, chordless squares, and chordless pentagons, which have been shown to be effective for detecting network dimensionality. Our cycle-density filtrations distinguish non-isomorphic graphs perfectly or nearly perfectly across four demanding graph families, many of which exhibit symmetries. We outperform curvature-based, degree-based, and Vietoris--Rips filtrations, and match or exceed the accuracy of egonet-distance methods while incurring a lower computational cost. The expressive power of our filtrations goes beyond isomorphism testing: because they capture rich structural information from graphs, they consistently achieve top performance on property prediction tasks using real-world data, and exhibit high sensitivity to edge rewiring and removal. Together, these findings establish cycle-density filtrations as an effective and computationally tractable framework for graph comparison and characterization, bridging topological data analysis and network science.

We develop a quantum algorithm for estimating the free energy as well as the total Gibbs state of interacting quantum Coulomb gases and molecular systems in dimensions $d \in \{2,3\}$ at finite temperature. These systems lie beyond the reach of existing methods due to their singular interactions and infinite-dimensional Hilbert space structure. First, we show that the free energy of the full many-body Hamiltonian can be approximated by that of the same Hamiltonian with a finite-rank low-energy truncation of the interaction, with an explicit error bound polynomial in the particle number. This reduces the problem to a controlled finite-rank perturbation problem. Second, we introduce a quantum Gibbs sampling scheme tailored to this truncated system, based on a class of quantum Markov semigroups. Our main analytical result establishes that the associated generator has a strictly positive spectral gap for every truncation, implying exponential convergence to the target Gibbs state. This provides, to our knowledge, the first rigorous mixing-time guarantee for Gibbs sampling in a Coulomb interacting continuous-variable quantum system. Finally, we give an explicit quantum circuit implementation of the dynamics and derive an end-to-end complexity bound for approximating the free energy and the Gibbs state itself. Our results provide a mathematically rigorous route to quantum algorithms for free energy estimation in interacting quantum systems, without relying on classical approximations such as the Born-Oppenheimer reduction.

Stationary black hole geometries with non-degenerate Cauchy horizons are classically unstable due to mass inflation. At extremality, mass inflation is absent, but a different dynamical instability arises: the Aretakis instability. In this work, we investigate the properties of degenerate horizons and their associated Aretakis instabilities. By studying examples with increasingly higher-order horizon degeneracy, we show that the Aretakis instability weakens as the degree of degeneracy grows. Motivated by these results, we propose a new black hole geometry characterized by an infinitely degenerate horizon, which we argue is stable under Aretakis-type perturbations and may therefore provide a concrete realization of a "graveyard" end state for these objects.

Photonic architectures are one of the leading platforms for demonstrating quantum computational advantage, with Boson Sampling and Gaussian Boson Sampling as the primary schemes. Yet, we lack for these photonic primitives a systematic theoretical understanding of linear cross-entropy benchmarking (LXEB), which is a central tool for testing quantum advantage proposals. In this work, we develop a representation-theoretic framework for the classical computation of average LXEB scores and second moments of output probability distributions, covering a range of quantum advantage experiments based on scattering $n$-photon states through $m$-mode Haar-random interferometers. Our methods apply in any regime, including the saturated regime, where the (expected) number of photons is comparable to the number of optical modes. The same second-moment techniques also allow us to prove anticoncentration for traditional Fock-state Boson Sampling in the saturated regime. Interestingly, for Gaussian Boson Sampling second moments are not sufficient to establish a meaningful anticoncentration statement. The technical core of our approach rests on decomposing two copies of the $n$-particle bosonic space $\mathrm{Sym}^n(\mathbb{C}^m)$ into irreducible representations of $\mathrm{U}(m)$. This reduces two-copy Haar averages to computing purities of initial states after partial traces over particles, highlighting the role that particle entanglement plays for LXEB and anticoncentration.

We present a lattice QCD study of dilepton production in charmonium transitions, specifically focusing on the $1^{+-} \to 0^{-+}$ and $1^{++} \to 1^{--}$ processes: $h_c \to η_c \ell^+ \ell^-$ and $χ_{c1} \to J/ψ\ell^+ \ell^-$, where $\ell = e, μ$. The relevant hadronic matrix elements are computed using gauge field configurations generated by the Extended Twisted Mass Collaboration with $N_f = 2+1+1$ dynamical Wilson--Clover twisted-mass fermions at four lattice spacings. Simulations are performed at physical dynamical $u$, $d$, $s$, and $c$ quark masses, except for the coarsest lattice, where the lightest sea quark mass corresponds to a slightly heavier pion mass. A controlled continuum extrapolation is carried out. In the continuum limit for the $h_c$ decays, we obtain $Γ(h_c \to η_c e^+ e^-) = 5.45(19)~\mathrm{keV}$, and $Γ(h_c \to η_c μ^+ μ^-) = 0.635(22)~\mathrm{keV}$. For the $χ_{c1}$ decays, we find: $Γ(χ_{c1} \to J/ψe^+ e^-)= 2.869(90)~\mathrm{keV}$, and $Γ(χ_{c1} \to J/ψμ^+ μ^-) = 0.1993(72)~\mathrm{keV}$. Our results for the $χ_{c1}$ decays show good compatibility with experimental data. However, our prediction for the $h_c \to η_c e^+ e^- $ decay rate is approximately $3σ$ larger than the BESIII result. We also present predictions for the differential decay widths as functions of the dilepton invariant mass, $q^2$, and for angular observables sensitive to longitudinal transition form factors, which are inaccessible in radiative decays with real photon emission. These results constitute the first fully dynamical lattice QCD predictions for dilepton decay rates in $h_c$ and $χ_{c1}$ charmonium transitions, including their differential distributions and angular observables. They provide benchmark predictions for future experimental studies.

In this work, we build a novel frequency-momentum space for $(d+1)$-dimensional de Sitter (dS) correlators from first principles. This construction follows directly from the decomposition into unitary irreducible representations (UIRs) of the spacetime isometry group $\mathrm{SO}(1,d+1)$. While the spatial momentum space is given by the standard $d$-dimensional Fourier transform, the frequency space arises from diagonalising the quadratic Casimir operator, leading to the $(d+1)$-dimensional Kontorovich-Lebedev-Fourier (KLF) transform. We show that square-integrable functions decompose only along the principal series, whereas more general functions can receive discrete contributions from other UIRs. Applying this framework to the bulk CFT two-point function reproduces its Källén-Lehmann representation. Using the path integral formulation, we derive the Feynman rules for in-in perturbation theory in KLF space, leading to the introduction of KLF-space correlators, which are simply related to late-time correlation functions through a reduction formula. Furthermore, the KLF-space formulation sheds light on the simple mathematical structure of perturbative computations. In particular, the propagators take the form of simple rational functions, and tree-level diagrams can be written as spectral integrals over known meromorphic functions, as demonstrated in the example of the single-exchange four-point function. At the loop level, we show, through the example of the self-energy correction to the scalar propagator, that the group-theoretical nature of the construction allows the momentum integral to be recast as an orthogonality relation among $\mathrm{SO}(1,d+1)$ Clebsch-Gordan coefficients.

The MCORD detector is a modular scintillator-based system employing silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) and FPGA-based digital signal processing, designed for applications such as cosmic muon detection, veto systems, and detector calibration support. In this work, we investigate the influence of ambient temperature variations on detector performance, with particular emphasis on SiPM gain stability. Several automatic temperature compensation loops were implemented to stabilize the operating voltage of the sensors. Based on controlled laboratory measurements, we evaluate the effectiveness of different control strategies, including variations in temperature averaging time and threshold response criteria. The performance of each approach is compared in terms of gain stability and response dynamics. We identify the optimal temperature control configuration for planned MCORD measurements and present recent modifications to the detector electronics, including updated software for AFE control. Additionally, we describe modifications made to the detectors electronics since the previous publication, including new software developed to control the AFE electronics.

The 2-Forrelation problem provides an optimal separation between classical and quantum query complexity and is also the problem used for separating $\mathsf{BQP}$ and $\mathsf{PH}$ relative to an oracle. A natural question is therefore to ask what are the minimal quantum resources needed to solve this problem. We show that 2-Forrelation can be solved using Instantaneous Quantum Polynomial-time ($\mathsf{IQP}$) circuits, a restricted model of quantum computation in which all gates commute. Concretely, two $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuits with two quantum queries and efficient classical processing suffice. For the signed variant of 2-Forrelation, even a single $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuit and query suffices. This answers a recent open question of Girish (arXiv:2510.06385) on the power of commuting quantum computations. We use this to show that $(\mathsf{BPP}^{\mathsf{IQP}})^O \not\subseteq \mathsf{PH}^O$ relative to an oracle $O$, strengthening the result of Raz and Tal (STOC 2019). Our results show that $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuits can be used for classically hard decision problems, thus providing a new route for showing quantum advantage with $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuits, avoiding the verification difficulties associated with sampling tasks. We also prove Fourier growth bounds for $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuits in terms of the size of their accepting set. The key ingredient is an algebraic identity of the quadratic function $Q(x) = \sum_{i < j} x_ix_j$ that allows extracting inner-product phases within an $\mathsf{IQP}$ circuit.

If the Universe underwent a cosmic phase transition, it may have left behind a network of cosmic strings. When these strings arise from the breaking of a gauge symmetry, their decay produces a significant stochastic background of gravitational waves. In contrast, if they originate from the breaking of a global symmetry, their decay predominantly yields Nambu-Goldstone bosons, which can persist as dark matter or dark radiation. In this work, we assess the detectability of this particle spectrum using a range of cosmological probes. We employ semi-numerical methods to estimate the resulting energy density and compute the associated matter power spectrum. We then compare these predictions with observations of the cosmic microwave background, Lyman-$α$ forest, large-scale structure surveys, and the UV luminosity function, thereby deriving constraints on the Nambu-Goldstone boson mass and the symmetry-breaking scale. Finally, we present projections for the sensitivity of upcoming cosmic microwave background missions.

We develop a primal bootstrap framework for effective field theories in the presence of a graviton pole, based on finite-resolution sampling rather than smearing, while also allowing direct control over the number of subtractions. We show that this approach reproduces the known projective bounds obtained from smearing in $D{\ge}6$, while yielding slightly stronger bounds in $D{=}5$. This method also makes it straightforward to impose linearized unitarity directly and provides an access to the extremal spectra. Applying the method to crossing-symmetric dispersion relations, we derive new non-projective bounds that fix the overall scale of the EFT couplings. In $D{=}5$, for example, we find that $\frac{M}{M_{\rm P}}{\lesssim}7.8$, showing that the EFT cutoff cannot be taken parametrically larger than the Planck scale. At the extremal values of the couplings, the spectra exhibit a surprising structure: for projective bounds, they exhibit peaks around quadratic Regge-like trajectories, while for the non-projective bounds they form sharp quadratic bands. In the latter case, the leading coefficients further display an inverse-quadratic dependence on the band number.

Magnetic correlations of doped Mott insulators hold the key to the unusual characteristics of many quantum materials. Recent experiments with ultracold atoms in optical lattices have provided new information about the magnetic properties of the Fermi-Hubbard model on a square lattice. We demonstrate that recent measurements indicate that a single doping-dependent energy scale determines both static correlations and dynamical response of these systems. To understand these experimental findings, we employ a self-consistent formalism to describe the coupling between antiferromagnetic magnons and doped holes, and we uncover the emergence of a universal magnetic energy scale at finite doping, which we denote by $J^*$. We present the single- and two-magnon spectral properties at finite doping and discuss the appearance of a bimagnon peak in lattice-modulation spectroscopy, at frequencies set by $J^*$. Furthermore, we argue that this same energy scale sets the onset of pseudogap phenomena, leading to the hypothesis $k_BT^* = c J^*$, with $c$ an order one number. We identify another low-energy scale emerging from our analysis of magnetic excitations, and argue that it controls the stability of Néel order at the lowest temperatures, ultimately driving a transition to an incommensurate spin-density-wave at finite doping. We discuss the relation between this low-energy scale and the nature of fermionic quasiparticles. Our analysis suggests that stability of the commensurate antiferromagentic phase at finite doping can be controlled experimentally by introducing additional quasiparticle broadening via disorder or low-frequency noise.

Quantum state purification, which operates not by identifying and correcting specific errors but by repeatedly projecting multiple noisy copies onto special subspaces, provides a syndrome-free alternative to quantum error correction. Existing purification protocols, however, generally assume unconstrained operations and thus overlook the energetic restrictions inherent in realistic quantum devices. Here, we establish a general framework for universal state purification under energy-conservation constraints for depolarizing noise. We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the nonexistence of universal energy-preserving purification and, whenever such purification is feasible, analytically determine the optimal performance and the corresponding protocols. We further show how the optimal protocols can be systematically implemented using only energy-preserving operations. Numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. Our framework recovers the standard purification setting as a special case and naturally extends to scenarios assisted by external energy resources. These results identify fundamental physical limits on state distillation and provide an energy-efficient route to quantum error mitigation.

We explore the expected performance of a semiconducting spin cQED quantum processor for Multiple Hypothesis Tracking (MHT) algorithm via a quantum annealing procedure. From two different benchmarking scenarios we evaluate this type of quantum annealer on a quantum emulator in which we incorporated both dynamical coherent errors and incoherent errors. From estimate of the reset, measurement and annealing time of the processor, we find that cQED-spin processors could reach a total run time of around 50 ms. This makes this technology promising for potential real time application such as radar tracking.

We study the orientational dynamics of superparamagnetic colloidal dimers that carry both an induced magnetic moment, proportional to the applied field, and an effective permanent moment. In a static, uniform magnetic field, dimers that are permanently fixed together hop between two preferred in-plane angles, developing a bimodal steady-state orientation distribution. When the same field is periodically reversed, we observe a sharp, field-controlled change in the dynamical response from small hopping events with $Δθ\ll π$ to full $Δθ\approx π$ rotations on each field flip. We show that both the static bistability and the switching bifurcation can be rationalised by a magnetic response in the dimer that consists of both a strong induced and weak body-fixed component. This leads to a complex orientational energy/potential landscape, with coupled roll-yaw rotations of the dimer responsible for the bistable dynamics. By combining the misorientation between dimer axis and field, bifurcation field strength and short-time orientational variance, we determine the magnitude and orientation of the net permanent dipole, thereby characterising details of the internal magnetic structure of the particles via microscopy.

Shape adaptive shape memory alloy hybrid composites (SMAHCs) are composites that incorporate shape memory alloys (SMAs) to realize shape transformation. Despite the availability of numerous analytical and finite element models for predicting the transient response of SMAHCs, many approaches exhibit limitations with respect to the thermomechanical coupling and comprehensive experimental validation. Therefore, this paper presents a coupled, multiphysics, 3D finite element approach for the simulation of a SMAHC actuator, integrating mechanical, thermal and electromagnetic solvers in the Finite Element Code ANSYS LS-DYNA. The proposed approach employs a micromechanical constitutive model implemented in ANSYS LS-DYNA, to accurately capture the complex thermomechanical phase transformation of SMAs. A key feature of the model is the ability to prescribe a defined martensitic pre-strain through a preceding simulation step, in which an initially scaled SMA wire is mechanically loaded and stretched to its nominal length. This procedure enables partial detwinning of the martensitic microstructure and provides a physically motivated initialization of the material state. Joule heating of the SMA wires, as well as varying mechanical loads and ambient temperature conditions, are explicitly considered. The simulation results are validated against experimental data and a fully coupled transient staggered scheme model to assess the predictive capability of the 3D approach. The results show good qualitative agreement, reproducing the characteristic hysteresis of actuator deflection as a function of temperature. Quantitatively, the predicted deflections are of the correct order of magnitude, although marginally outside the 95 % experimental confidence interval. Overall, a consistent trend between simulation and experiment is observed, giving rise to possibility of simulating more complex SMAHC systems.

Bars play an integral role in regulating star formation (SF) in spiral galaxies, from triggering central starbursts to driving quenching. The diverse SF morphologies observed in local barred galaxies reflect different evolutionary stages of the bar, motivating studies across these stages. Here we study 12 nearby barred galaxies (z=0.01-0.06) identified as centrally quenched galaxies (having extended star-forming discs but quenched inner regions) by leveraging the differences in SFRs between the MPA-JHU and GSWLC catalogues. However, they exhibit residual central emission in the SDSS 3" fibre spectral region. Emission line analysis shows that this emission originates from either ongoing SF or LINER-like activity, suggesting diverse central ionization mechanisms. Using spatially resolved UV-optical colour maps from SDSS (r-band) and GALEX (FUV and NUV band) imaging data, we find that discs are star-forming and bluer in colour (NUV-r < 4 mag) while the bulge and bar regions are systematically redder (NUV-r > 4 mag) and dominated by older stellar populations. The NUV-r radial colour profiles show a clear transition from red to blue colours at the bar end with a corresponding median stellar age of ~ 1 Gyr. Compared to fully centrally quenched barred galaxies from our earlier work which lack SDSS fibre emission, these galaxies remain systematically bluer at similar radii, despite showing NUV-r > 4 mag inside the bar suggesting an intermediate stage in bar-driven quenching. We also estimate black hole masses associated with kinetic-mode AGN feedback and find them below the threshold (logM_BH < 8.0). Adding this with the presence of pseudo bulges, our results support bars as the primary drivers of quenching, with these galaxies representing an evolutionary phase just before their inner regions are completely quenched.

We study the penetration of an external magnetic field into a superconductor with collinear $d$-wave altermagnetic order. We demonstrate that instead of circular Abrikosov vortices, the magnetic field generates elliptical vortices with their major axis oriented along one of the crystallographic axis, along which the altermagnetic spin splitting is maximal. Upon reversing the component of the magnetic field parallel to the altermagnetic Néel vector, the vortices reorient towards the other crystallographic axis with maximal spin splitting. We demonstrate that this effect originates from an altermagnetism-induced anisotropy of the effective mass, which is controlled by the coupling between the external magnetic field and the Néel vector. As a consequence, a superconducting film hosting such altermagnetic order and containing pinning defects exhibits nonreciprocal magnetization curves under reversal of the magnetic field parallel to its Néel vector, due to the different vortex--vortex interaction energies for the two field orientations. Our results broaden the understanding of the coexistence of altermagnetism and superconductivity, both in materials hosting these orders intrinsically or in superconductor/altermagnet hybrid structures, and open new experimental avenues for exploring supercurrent vortices in these systems.

Rare and very rare decays of third-generation particles, including $b$-hadrons and $τ$ leptons, provide sensitive probes of physics beyond the Standard Model (SM). Unlike direct searches limited by collider energies, they probe new physics at much higher energy scales. Many of these decays have SM-predicted branching fractions below the sensitivity of current detectors. These proceedings report on recent LHCb searches, including several first searches and results setting the most stringent limits to date. In particular, searches for $b \to s τ^+τ^-$, $b \to s τ^\pm e^\mp$, $b \to s μ^\pm e^\mp$, and $τ^- \to μ^-μ^+μ^-$ are presented, alongside searches for lepton-number-violating processes and loop-suppressed annihilation decays.