Research articles

Photonic processors are limited by the bulkiness of discrete components and wiring complexity. An experiment now demonstrates a reprogrammable two-dimensional waveguide that performs neural network inference through multimode wave propagation.

Strongly coupled light–matter systems could offer enhanced manipulation of topological phenomena. Now, tunable non-Hermitian effects are demonstrated with exciton–polaritons induced by a twist degree of freedom.

Protein patterns enable cellular processes. A general theory now identifies a non-equilibrium mechanism that generates an effective interfacial tension, shaping the geometry and intrinsic length scales of steady-state protein patterns.

A device for rectifying supercurrents at liquid-nitrogen temperature with high efficiency is demonstrated. This is a practical step towards implementing dissipationless electronics.

The Hubbard model describes the physics of strongly correlated electron systems, but is difficult to solve. Now, a scheme to systematically and efficiently relate the exactly solvable Hatsugai–Kohmoto model to the Hubbard model has been identified.

Coherently projecting a quantum state may allow it to be probed from a distance. This is now demonstrated for a Yu–Shiba–Rusinov state using a quantum corral.

Quantum low-density parity-check codes are anticipated to be an efficient approach to quantum error correction. Now it has been proven that these codes can be time-efficient with only a constant overhead in the required number of qubits.

Finding a classical description of a quantum state can require resource-intensive tomography protocols. It has now been shown that, for bosonic systems, tomography is extremely inefficient in general, but can be done efficiently for some useful states.

Magnetic toroidal invariance generates transverse electromagnetic effects in materials with broken symmetries. Now a distinct magnetic response is shown to emerge in ferro-rotational systems in which both inversion and time-reversal symmetries are preserved.

Malaria parasites move on helical trajectories when infecting their hosts. Now it is shown that they use right-handed chirality to control their motion patterns, and that this chirality is linked to the way they release adhesion molecules.

A proposed theoretical explanation for the electronic behaviour of moiré graphene is the coexistence of light and heavy electrons. Now local thermoelectric measurements hint that this model could be accurate.

Optical spin defects in semiconductors are crucial for applications, but it is often difficult to establish their microscopic origin. A mechanism for the spin behaviour of a family of bright emitters in hexagonal boron nitride has now been identified.

Water has remarkable dynamic properties; a transition from a fragile to a strong liquid has been proposed to explain how they change on cooling. Experiments now show evidence for such a transition in bulk supercooled water at around 233 K.

The standard band structure picture cannot be applied to amorphous materials as they lack crystal symmetry. Now a first-principles approach that captures the possibility of band-like electron transport in amorphous solids is presented, with In₂O₃ as an example.

Attosecond control of electrons in nanostructures requires resolving dynamics in the optical near field. Now, an experiment finds low-energy spectral stripes that track subcycle electron emission and allow the isolation of attosecond electron bursts.

Lacking translational symmetry, the momentum-space description of quasicrystals is distinct from that of fully crystalline materials. Now, a quasicrystal with two 2D layers links different momenta from the individual layers, allowing new excitons to form.

The common description of strong-field light–matter interaction neglects the quantum-optical nature of the driving field. Now signatures of strong-field photoemission appear in electron energy spectra when driving with non-classical light.

Nonlinear thermoelectric transport arising from inversion-symmetry breaking has been predicted theoretically. Now, the nonlinear chiral thermoelectric Hall effect has been experimentally demonstrated for tellurium at room temperature.

Photonic quasiparticles are neutral, so controlling them by coupling with external fields is generally impossible. Now, by synthesizing a two-level photonic system, coupling with an electric field becomes possible and enables electrical control.

The hunt for a quantum spin liquid has involved many different material families and models. Now, Zn-barlowite has been found to have similar behaviour to another candidate material, herbertsmithite, hinting there may be universal physical behaviour.