We derive the general continuum model for a bilayer system of staggered-flux square lattices, with arbitrary elastic deformation in each layer. Applying this general continuum model to the case where the two layers are rigidly rotated relative to each other by a small angle, we obtain the band structure of the twisted bilayer staggered-flux square lattice. We show that this band structure exhibits a magic continuum in the sense that an exponential reduction of the Dirac velocity and bandwidths occurs in a large parameter regime.

We study several approaches to orbital optimization in selected configuration interaction (SCI) plus perturbation theory methods and test them on the ground and excited states of three molecules using the semistochastic heat-bath configuration interaction method. We discuss the ways in which the orbital optimization problem in SCI resembles and differs from that in complete active space self-consistent field.

DNA torsional elastic properties play a crucial role in DNA structure, topology, and the regulation of motor protein progression. However, direct measurements of these parameters are experimentally challenging. Here, we present a constant-extension method integrated into an angular optical trap to directly measure torque during DNA supercoiling. We measured the twist persistence length of extended DNA to be 22 nm under an extremely low force (∼0.02 pN) and the twist persistence length of plectonemic DNA to be 24 nm.

Using self-organizing human models of gastrulation, we previously showed that (1) BMP4 initiates the cascade of events leading to gastrulation, (2) BMP4 signal reception is restricted to the basolateral domain, and (3) in a human-specific manner, BMP4 directly induces the expression of NOGGIN. Here, we report the surprising discovery that in human epiblasts, NOGGIN and BMP4 were secreted into opposite extracellular spaces. Interestingly, apically presented NOGGIN could inhibit basally delivered BMP4.

Stripe phases, in which the rotational symmetry of charge density is spontaneously broken, occur in many strongly correlated systems with competing interactions1–11. However, identifying and studying such stripe phases remains challenging. Here we uncover stripe phases in WSe2/WS2 moiré superlattices by combining optical anisotropy and electronic compressibility measurements. We find strong electronic anisotropy over a large doping range peaked at 1/2 filling of the moiré superlattice. The 1/2 state is incompressible and assigned to an insulating stripe crystal phase.

Superconducting quantum metamaterials are expected to exhibit a variety of novel properties, but have been a major challenge to prepare as a result of the lack of appropriate synthetic routes to high-quality materials. Here, the discovery of synthesis routes to block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly-directed niobium nitrides and carbonitrides is described. The resulting materials exhibit unusual structure retention even at temperatures as high as 1000 °C and resulting critical temperature, Tc, values comparable to their bulk analogues.

The observation of replica bands by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has ignited interest in the study of electron-phonon coupling at low carrier densities, particularly in monolayer FeSe/SrTiO3, where the appearance of replica bands has motivated theoretical work suggesting that the interfacial coupling of electrons in the FeSe layer to optical phonons in the SrTiO3 substrate might contribute to the enhanced superconducting pairing temperature.

Pair density wave (PDW) states are defined by a spatially modulating superconductive order parameter. To search for such states in transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), we used high-speed atomicresolution scanned Josephson-tunneling microscopy. We detected a PDW state whose electron-pair density and energy gap modulate spatially at the wave vectors of the preexisting charge density wave (CDW) state.

Image-like data from quantum systems promises to offer greater insight into the physics of correlated quantum matter. However, the traditional framework of condensed matter physics lacks principled approaches for analyzing such data. Machine learning models are a powerful theoretical tool for analyzing image-like data including many-body snapshots from quantum simulators. Recently, they have successfully distinguished between simulated snapshots that are indistinguishable from one and two point correlation functions.

Two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials have attracted much recent interest with unique properties emerging at the few-layer limit. Beyond the reported impacts on the static magnetic properties, the effects of reducing the dimensionality on the magnetization dynamics are also of fundamental interest and importance for 2D device development. In this report, we investigate the spin dynamics in atomically thin antiferromagnetic FePS3 of varying layer numbers using ultrafast pump-probe spectroscopy.