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At least 253 records · Page 14

Phase transitions and critical properties in the antiferromagnetic Ising model on a layered triangular lattice with allowance for intralayer next-nearest-neighbor interactions

The phase transitions (PTs) and critical properties of the antiferromagnetic Ising model on a layered (stacked) triangular lattice have been studied by the Monte Carlo method using a replica algorithm with allowance for the next-nearest-neighbor interactions. The character of PTs is analyzed using the histogram technique and the method of Binder cumulants. It is established that the transition from the disordered to paramagnetic phase in the adopted model is a second-order PT. Static critical exponents of the heat capacity (α), susceptibility (γ), order parameter (β), and correlation radius (ν) and the Fischer exponent η are calculated using the finite-size scaling theory. It is shown that (i) the antiferromagnetic Ising model on a layered triangular lattice belongs to the XY universality class of critical behavior and (ii) allowance for the intralayer interactions of next-nearest neighbors in the adopted model leads to a change in the universality class of critical behavior.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Phase Transitions and the Critical Properties of the Heisenberg Model on a Body-Centered Cubic Lattice

The Monte Carlo replica technique is used to study phase transitions and the thermodynamic and critical properties of the three-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnetic model on the body-centered cubic lattice with the inclusion of the interaction of the nearest and the next-nearest neighbors. The studies are performed for the proportions of the values of the exchange interactions of the nearest and the next-nearest neighbors in the range of values of k [0.0, 0.6]. The phase transition character is analyzed based on the histogram method. The overall set of static critical indices is calculated in terms of the theory of the finite-dimensional scaling. It is shown that the class of the critical behavior universality of this model is conserved in the above range of values of k.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Effect of Thermodynamic and Environmental Factors on Crystallization of DNA‐Origami Superlattices

The directed self‐assembly of nanoscale materials into ordered superlattices presents a powerful strategy for creating next‐generation materials with programmable mechanical, optical, and photonic properties. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) origami has emerged as a versatile scaffold for encoding nanoscale geometry and guiding the crystallization of complex 3D architectures. However, a systematic understanding of the parameters that govern the efficiency and quality of superlattice formation remains limited. In this study, we utilize octahedral DNA nanoscale frames as a model system to investigate the relative influence of key factors, including buffer composition, ionic strength, frame concentration, and thermal annealing protocols, on the size, order, and reproducibility of the resulting superlattices. Our findings provide a quantitative framework to rationally optimize DNA‐based assembly pathways. Structural characterization via small‐angle x‐ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and optical microscopy validates the quality and fidelity of the assembled lattices. Moreover, by templating these DNA frameworks into inorganic replicas, we establish general design principles that extend beyond biomolecular systems, providing a foundation for the synthesis of programmable materials in broader nanofabrication contexts.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Multifunctional Hydrogels with Reversible 3D Ordered Macroporous Structures

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) hydrogels prepared by colloidal crystals templating display highly reversible shape memory properties, as confirmed by indirect electron microscopy imaging of their inverse replicas and direct nanoscale resolution X-ray microscopy imaging of the hydrated hydrogels. Modifications of functional groups in the 3DOM hydrogels result in various materials with programmed properties for a wide range of applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Revisiting the Role of Conductivity and Polarity of Host Materials for Long-Life Lithium–Sulfur Battery

Despite their high theoretical energy density and low cost, lithium-sulfur batteries (LSBs) suffer from poor cycle life and low energy efficiency owing to the polysulfides shuttle and the electronic insulating nature of sulfur. Conductivity and polarity are two critical parameters for the search of optimal sulfur host materials. However, their role in immobilizing polysulfides and enhancing redox kinetics for long-life LSBs are not fully understood. In this work we have conducted an evaluation on the role of polarity over conductivity by using a polar but nonconductive platelet ordered mesoporous silica (pOMS) and its replica platelet ordered mesoporous carbon (pOMC), which is conductive but nonpolar. It is found that the polar pOMS/S cathode with a sulfur mass fraction of 80 wt% demonstrates outstanding long-term cycle stability for 2000 cycles even at a high current density of 2C. Furthermore, the pOMS/S cathode with a high sulfur loading of 6.5 mg cm -2 illustrates high areal and volumetric capacities with high capacity retention. Complementary physical and electrochemical probes clearly show that surface polarity and structure are more dominant factors for sulfur utilization efficiency and long-life, while the conductivity can be compensated by the conductive agent involved as a required electrode material during electrode preparation. The present findings shed new light on the design principles of sulfur hosts towards long-life and highly efficient LSBs.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Introduction of a bounded penalty function in contact‐assisted simulations of protein structures to omit false restraints

Contact‐assisted simulations, the contacts being predicted or determined experimentally, have become very important in the determination of the structures of proteins and other biological macromolecules. In this work, the effect of contact‐distance restraints on the simulated structures was investigated with the use of multiplexed replica exchange simulations with the coarse‐grained UNRES force field. A modified bounded flat‐bottom restraint function that does not generate a gradient when a restraint cannot be satisfied was implemented. Calculations were run with (i) a set of four small proteins, with contact restraints derived from experimental structures, and (ii) selected CASP11 and CASP12 targets, with restraints as used at prediction time. The bounded penalty function largely omitted false contacts, which were usually inconsistent. It was found that at least 20% of correct contacts must be present in the restraint set to improve model quality with respect to unrestrained simulations. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Lubecka, Emilia A.↗

Coherent Random Lasing in Subwavelength Quasi‐2D Perovskites

Abstract Quasi‐2D lead halide perovskites have garnered increasing interest as lasing gain media. Relatively simple fabrication, high refractive index, and unique quantum well structure encourage their use in traditional cavity lasers and cavity‐free systems called random lasers (RLs). Despite tremendous advances reported thus far, coherent random lasing in quasi‐2D perovskite subwavelength films has not been reported. Consequently, coherent optical feedback mechanisms in quasi‐2D perovskite systems are still unexplored. Here, this work reports the observation of coherent random lasing in subwavelength quasi‐2D perovskite films. Statistical analysis of spectral measurements reveals Lévy‐like intensity fluctuations, replica symmetry breaking confirms random lasing, and the coherent modes are studied with spectral and spatial correlation techniques. The observed coherent lasing modes are found to be extended states that arise from the random crystal grain structure during fabrication and span the entire pump volume. These modes out‐compete diffusive lasing due to their coherence.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Computational models of direct and indirect X‐ray breast imaging detectors for in silico trials

Abstract Background To facilitate in silico studies that investigate digital mammography (DM) and breast tomosynthesis (DBT), models replicating the variety in imaging performance of the DM and DBT systems, observed across manufacturers are needed. Purpose The main purpose of this work is to develop generic physics models for direct and indirect detector technology used in commercially available systems, with the goal of making them available open source to manufacturers to further tweak and develop the exact in silico replicas of their systems. Methods We recently reported on an in silico version of the SIEMENS Mammomat Inspiration DM/DBT system using an open‐source GPU‐accelerated Monte Carlo x‐ray imaging simulation code (MC‐GPU). We build on the previous version of the MC‐GPU codes to mimic the imaging performances of two other Food and Drug Administration (FDA)‐approved DM/DBT systems, such as Hologic Selenia Dimensions (HSD) and the General Electric Senographe Pristina (GSP) systems. In this work, we developed a hybrid technique to model the optical spread and signal crosstalk observed in the GSP and HSD systems. MC simulations are used to track each x‐ray photon till its first interaction within the x‐ray detector. On the other hand, the signal spread in the x‐ray detectors is modeled using previously developed analytical equations. This approach allows us to preserve the modeling accuracy offered by MC methods in the patient body, while speeding up secondary carrier transport (either electron–hole pairs or optical photons) using analytical equations in the detector. The analytical optical spread model for the indirect detector includes the depth‐dependent spread and collection of optical photons and relies on a pre‐computed set of point response functions that describe the optical spread as a function of depth. To understand the capabilities of the computational x‐ray detector models, we compared image quality metrics like modulation transfer function (MTF), normalized noise power spectrum (NNPS), and detective quantum efficiency (DQE), simulated with our models against measured data. Please note that the purpose of these comparisons with measured data would be to gauge if the model developed as part of this work could replicate commercially used direct and indirect technology in general and not to achieve perfect fits with measured data. Results We found that the simulated image quality metrics such as MTF, NNPS, and DQE were in reasonable agreement with experimental data. To demonstrate the imaging performance of the three DM/DBT systems, we integrated the detector models with the VICTRE pipeline and simulated DM images of a fatty breast model containing a spiculated mass and a calcium oxalate cluster. In general, we found that the images generated using the indirect model appeared more blurred with a different noise texture and contrast as compared to the systems with direct detectors. Conclusions We have presented computational models of three commercially available FDA‐approved DM/DBT systems, which implement both direct and indirect detector technology. The updated versions of the MC‐GPU codes that can be used to replicate three systems are available in open source format through GitHub.

Sengupta, Aunnasha↗

Holographic entanglement for Chern-Simons terms

We derive the holographic entanglement entropy contribution from pure and mixed gravitational Chern-Simons(CS) terms in AdS$_{2k+1}$. This is done through two different methods : first, by a direct evaluation of CS action in a holographic replica geometry and second by a descent of Dong's derivation applied to the corresponding anomaly polynomial. In lower dimensions $(k=1,2)$, the formula coincides with the Wald-Tachikawa formula for black hole entropy from gravitational CS terms. New extrinsic curvature corrections appear for $k\geq 3$ : we give explicit and concise expressions for the two pure gravitational CS terms in AdS$_7$ and present various consistency checks, including agreements with the black hole entropy formula when evaluated at the bifurcation surface.

1/N Expansion↗

Linearity of holographic entanglement entropy

Here, we consider the question of whether the leading contribution to the entanglement entropy in holographic CFTs is truly given by the expectation value of a linear operator as is suggested by the Ryu-Takayanagi formula. We investigate this property by computing the entanglement entropy, via the replica trick, in states dual to superpositions of macroscopically distinct geometries and find it consistent with evaluating the expectation value of the area operator within such states. However, we find that this fails once the number of semi-classical states in the superposition grows exponentially in the central charge of the CFT. Moreover, in certain such scenarios we find that the choice of surface on which to evaluate the area operator depends on the density matrix of the entire CFT. This nonlinearity is enforced in the bulk via the homology prescription of Ryu-Takayanagi. We thus conclude that the homology constraint is not a linear property in the CFT. We also discuss the existence of entropy operators in general systems with a large number of degrees of freedom.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

De Sitter space is sometimes not empty

Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the Hilbert space of an isolated de Sitter universe is one dimensional but can appear larger when probed by a gravitating observer. To test this idea, we compute the von Neumann entropy of a field theory in a two-dimensional de Sitter universe which is entangled in a thermal-like state with the same field theory on a disjoint, asymptotically anti-de Sitter (AdS) black hole. Previously, it was shown that the replica trick for computing the entropy of such entangled gravitating systems requires the inclusion of a non-perturbative effect in quantum gravity — novel wormholes connecting the two spaces. Here we show that: (a) the expected wormholes connecting de Sitter and AdS universes exist, avoiding a no-go theorem via the presence of sources on the AdS boundary; (b) the entanglement entropy vanishes if the nominal entropy of the de Sitter cosmological horizon (S ds = $A^{dS}_{horizon}$/4G N ) is less than the entropy of the AdS black hole horizon (S BH = $A^{AdS}_{horizon}$/4G N ), i.e., S dS < S BH ; (c) the entanglement entropy is finite when S dS > S BH . Thus, the de Sitter Hilbert space is effectively nontrivial only when S dS > S BH . The AdS black hole we introduce can be regarded as an “observer” for de Sitter space. In this sense, our result is a non-perturbative generalization of the recent perturbative argument that the algebra of observables on the de Sitter static patch becomes nontrivial in the presence of an observer.

2D gravity↗

Coarse-grained fixed-point tensor networks and holographic reflected entropy in 3D gravity

We use the framework of fixed-point BCFT tensor networks to present a microscopic CFT derivation of the correspondence between reflected entropy (RE) and entanglement wedge cross section (EW) in AdS 3 /CFT 2 , for both bipartite and multipartite settings. These fixed-point tensor networks, obtained by triangulating Euclidean CFT path integrals, allow us to explicitly construct the canonical purification via cutting-and-gluing CFT path integrals. Employing modular flow in the large-c limit, we demonstrate that these intrinsic CFT manipulations reproduce bulk geometric prescriptions, without assuming the AdS/CFT dictionary. The emergence of bulk geometry is traced to coarse-graining over heavy states in the large-c limit. Universal coarse-grained BCFT data for compact 2D CFTs, through the relation to Liouville theory with ZZ boundary conditions, yields hyperbolic geometry on the Cauchy slice. The corresponding averaged replica partition functions reproduce all candidate EWs, arising from different averaging patterns, with the dominant one providing the correct RE and EW. In this way, many heuristic tensor-network intuitions in toy models are made precise and established directly from intrinsic CFT data.

AdS-CFT correspondence↗

A canonical purification for the entanglement wedge cross-section

In AdS/CFT we consider a class of bulk geometric quantities inside the entanglement wedge called reflected minimal surfaces. The areas of these surfaces are dual to the entanglement entropy associated to a canonical purification (the GNS state) that we dub the reflected entropy. From the bulk point of view, we show that half the area of the reflected minimal surface gives a reinterpretation of the notion of the entanglement wedge cross-section. We prove some general properties of the reflected entropy and introduce a novel replica trick in CFTs for studying it. The duality is established using a recently introduced approach to holographic modular flow. We also consider an explicit holographic construction of the canonical purification, introduced by Engelhardt and Wall; the reflected minimal surfaces are simply RT surfaces in this new spacetime. We contrast our results with the entanglement of purification conjecture, and finally comment on the continuum limit where we find a relation to the split property: the reflected entropy computes the von Neumann entropy of a canonical splitting type-I factor introduced by Doplicher and Longo.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Leading order corrections to the quantum extremal surface prescription

We show that a naïve application of the quantum extremal surface (QES) prescription can lead to paradoxical results and must be corrected at leading order. The corrections arise when there is a second QES (with strictly larger generalized entropy at leading order than the minimal QES), together with a large amount of highly incompressible bulk entropy between the two surfaces. We trace the source of the corrections to a failure of the assumptions used in the replica trick derivation of the QES prescription, and show that a more careful derivation correctly computes the corrections. Using tools from one-shot quantum Shannon theory (smooth min- and max-entropies), we generalize these results to a set of refined conditions that determine whether the QES prescription holds. We find similar refinements to the conditions needed for entanglement wedge reconstruction (EWR), and show how EWR can be reinterpreted as the task of one-shot quantum state merging (using zero-bits rather than classical bits), a task gravity is able to achieve optimally efficiently.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Large N algebras and generalized entropy

We construct a Type II ∞ von Neumann algebra that describes the large N physics of single-trace operators in AdS/CFT in the microcanonical ensemble, where there is no need to include perturbative 1/N corrections. Using only the extrapolate dictionary, we show that the entropy of semiclassical states on this algebra is holographically dual to the generalized entropy of the black hole bifurcation surface. From a boundary perspective, this constitutes a derivation of a special case of the QES prescription without any use of Euclidean gravity or replicas; from a purely bulk perspective, it is a derivation of the quantum-corrected Bekenstein-Hawking formula as the entropy of an explicit algebra in the G → 0 limit of Lorentzian effective field theory quantum gravity. In a limit where a black hole is first allowed to equilibrate and then is later potentially re-excited, we show that the generalized second law is a direct consequence of the monotonicity of the entropy of algebras under trace-preserving inclusions. Finally, by considering excitations that are separated by more than a scrambling time we construct a “free product” von Neumann algebra that describes the semiclassical physics of long wormholes supported by shocks. We compute Rényi entropies for this algebra and show that they are equal to a sum over saddles associated to quantum extremal surfaces in the wormhole. Surprisingly, however, the saddles associated to “bulge” quantum extremal surfaces contribute with a negative sign.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

The holographic shape of entanglement and Einstein’s equations

We study shape-deformations of the entanglement entropy and the modular Hamiltonian for an arbitrary subregion and state (with a smooth dual geometry) in a holographic conformal field theory. More precisely, we study a double-deformation comprising of a shape deformation together with a state deformation, where the latter corresponds to a small change in the bulk geometry. Using a purely gravitational identity from the Hollands-Iyer-Wald formalism together with the assumption of equality between bulk and boundary modular flows for the original, undeformed state and subregion, we rewrite a purely CFT expression for this double deformation of the entropy in terms of bulk gravitational variables and show that it precisely agrees with the Ryu-Takayanagi formula including quantum corrections. As a corollary, this gives a novel, CFT derivation of the JLMS formula for arbitrary subregions in the vacuum, without using the replica trick. Finally, we use our results to give an argument that if a general, asymptotically AdS spacetime satisfies the Ryu-Takayanagi formula for arbitrary subregions, then it must necessarily satisfy the non-linear Einstein equation.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Thermal Bekenstein-Hawking entropy from the worldsheet

We define and compute the leading sphere diagram contribution to the entropy of the BTZ black hole supported by Kalb-Ramond flux in bosonic string theory. In a winding condensate description, integrating exactly over the constant mode for the radial direction of AdS 3 reduces the problem to one of the correlation functions of winding operators in the free theory. The volume of the residual PSL(2,ℂ) gauge group of the sphere is canceled by the action of conformal transformations on the winding interaction insertions. We formulate a precise version of the replica trick in terms of (infinitesimally) non-integer winding condensates to produce the entropy of the BTZ black hole. The resulting entropy can be calculated from the one-point function of a non-local operator on the worldsheet.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Holographic measurement in CFT thermofield doubles

We extend the results of arXiv:2209.12903 by studying local projective measurements performed on subregions of two copies of a CFT 2 in the thermofield double state and investigating their consequences on the bulk double-sided black hole holographic dual. We focus on CFTs defined on an infinite line and consider measurements of both finite and semi-infinite subregions. In the former case, the connectivity of the bulk spacetime is preserved after the measurement. In the latter case, the measurement of two semi-infinite intervals in one CFT or of one semi-infinite interval in each CFT can destroy the Einstein-Rosen bridge and disconnect the bulk dual spacetime. In particular, we find that a transition between a connected and disconnected phase occurs depending on the relative size of the measured and unmeasured subregions and on the specific Cardy state the measured subregions are projected on. We identify this phase transition as an entangled/disentangled phase transition of the dual CFT system by computing the post-measurement holographic entanglement entropy between the two CFTs. We also find that bulk information encoded in one CFT in the absence of measurement can sometimes be reconstructed from the other CFT when a measurement is performed, or can be erased by the measurement. Finally, we show that a purely CFT calculation of the Renyi entropy using the replica trick yields results compatible with those obtained in our bulk analysis.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗