For cellular functions such as division and polarization, protein pattern formation driven by NTPase cycles is a central spatial control strategy. Operating far from equilibrium, no general theory links microscopic reaction networks and parameters to the pattern type and dynamics in these protein systems. Here we discover a generic mechanism giving rise to an effective interfacial tension organizing

A full microscopic description of the correlated insulators and superconductivity that occur in the flat bands of magic angle twisted bilayer graphene has not yet been found. Electronic transport and scanning tunnelling microscopy experiments have suggested a dichotomy between local and extended electronic orbitals, but definitive evidence for the coexistence of these two carrier types is still sought

Attosecond science—the control of electrons by ultrashort laser pulses—is developing into lightfield-driven, or petahertz, electronics. Optical-field-driven nanostructures provide elements for such electronics, which rely on understanding electron dynamics in the optical near field. Here we report near-field-induced low-energy stripes in carrier-envelope-phase-dependent electron spectra—a spectral

Quasicrystals are characterized by atomic arrangements having long-range order without periodicity. Van der Waals bilayers provide an opportunity to controllably vary the atomic alignment between two layers from a periodic moiré crystal to an aperiodic quasicrystal. Here we reveal that in a dodecagonal WSe2 quasicrystal, two separate valleys in separate layers are brought arbitrarily close in momentum

Attosecond science relies on driving photoemitted electrons with the strong optical field of a laser pulse, which represents an intense classical coherent state of light. Bright squeezed vacuum is a quantum state of light that is also intense enough to drive strong-field physics. However, its mean optical electric field is zero, suggesting that, in a semi-classical view, electrons should not experience

The nonlinear thermoelectric effect lies at the basis for certain thermoelectric phenomena, such as heat rectification and power generation using thermal fluctuations. Recent theoretical advances have indicated that chiral materials can display exotic nonlinear thermoelectric transport arising from inversion-symmetry breaking. However, an experimental demonstration has yet to be achieved. Here we report

Photonic topological quasiparticles, such as skyrmions and hopfions, are structured light fields with versatile topological configurations in space and time domains. This makes them promising information carriers for various topology-based applications. However, effectively controlling photonic quasiparticles by using external fields remains challenging because they are, in essence, neutral particles

A quantum spin liquid is an exotic quantum state of matter characterized by fluctuating spins that may exhibit long-range entanglement. Among the possible host candidates for a quantum spin liquid ground state, the S = 1/2 kagome lattice antiferromagnet is particularly promising. Here we measure a spin excitation spectrum consistent with a quantum spin liquid using high-resolution inelastic neutron

Electrons, phonons and photons are three particles or quasiparticles whose interactions and related elementary excitations are essential for understanding complex phenomena in condensed-matter physics. Paradigmatic examples include polarons arising from electron–phonon interactions and polaritons, from photon–phonon interactions. However, the overall excitation of direct coupling among the three has

The second law of thermodynamics is a fundamental concept in physics, characterizing the convertibility between thermodynamic states through a single function—entropy. An important question in quantum information theory has been whether an analogous second law can be established for resources in quantum information processing, such as entanglement. In 2008, a formulation was proposed, linking resource

Forces applied to cellular membranes lead to transient membrane tension gradients. The way membrane tension propagates away from the stimulus site into the membrane reservoir is a key property in cellular adaptation. However, it remains unclear how tension propagation in membranes is regulated and how it depends on the cell type. Here we investigate plasma membrane tension propagation in cultured Caenorhabditis

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides and organic semiconductors have emerged as promising material platforms for optoelectronic devices. Combining the two is predicted to yield emergent properties while retaining the advantages of each. In organic semiconductors, the optoelectronic response is typically dominated by localized Frenkel-type excitons, whereas transition metal dichalcogenides

Synchronization is a widespread phenomenon in natural and engineered systems, governing the emergence of collective dynamics in different domains including biology and classical and quantum physics. In quantum many-body systems, synchronization has emerged as a tool to probe out-of-equilibrium behaviour and internal correlations. Supersolids—quantum phases that combine crystalline order and superfluidity—offer

The ability to coherently control and read out qubits is a crucial requirement for any quantum processor. Individual nuclear spins in solid-state systems have been used as long-lived qubits with control and readout performed using individual electron spin ancilla qubits that can be addressed either electrically or optically. Here we present a platform for quantum information processing, consisting

The precise quantification of the limits to manipulating quantum resources lies at the core of quantum information theory. However, standard information-theoretic analyses do not consider the actual computational complexity involved in performing certain tasks. Here we address this issue within the realm of entanglement theory, finding that accounting for computational efficiency substantially changes

Transition metal dichalcogenide moiré homobilayers have emerged as a platform in which magnetism, strong correlations and topology are intertwined. In a large magnetic field, the energetic alignment of states with different spin in these systems is dictated by both strong Zeeman splitting and the structure of the Hofstadter’s butterfly spectrum, yet the latter has been difficult to probe experimentally

Van der Waals heterostructures host many-body quantum phenomena that are tunable in situ using electrostatic gates. Their constituent two-dimensional materials and gates can naturally form plasmonic self-cavities, confining light in standing waves of current density due to finite-size effects. The plasmonic resonances of typical graphite gates fall in the gigahertz to terahertz range, corresponding

A remarkable characteristic of quantum computing is the potential for reliable computation despite faulty qubits. This can be achieved through quantum error correction, which is typically implemented by repeatedly applying static syndrome checks, permitting correction of logical information. Recently, the development of time-dynamic approaches to error correction has enabled different codes and implementations

Free electrons are a universal source of electromagnetic fields, and fundamentally their quantized energy exchange may facilitate generating tunable quantum light. Because the quantum features of the emitted radiation are encoded in the joint electronic and photonic state, they can only be revealed by a measurement accessing both subsystems. Here we demonstrate the coherent parametric generation of

Conventional phases of matter can be characterized by the symmetries they break, one example being water ice whose crystalline structure breaks the continuous translation symmetry of space. Recently, breaking of time-translation symmetry was observed in non-equilibrium systems, producing so-called time crystals. Here we investigate different kinds of partial temporal ordering, stabilized by non-periodic

Metals with partially filled core atomic shells can form quasiparticles at a low temperature arising from the hybridization of the core level and conduction electrons. The thermodynamic and spectroscopic properties of these metals can be understood as those of a simple metal, but with a significant mass enhancement over the free electron mass—commonly referred to as heavy fermions. In most heavy-fermion

Many physiological processes, such as the shear flow alignment of endothelial cells in the vasculature, depend on the transition of cell layers between disordered and ordered phases. Here we demonstrate that such a transition is driven by the non-monotonic evolution of nematic topological defects in a layer of endothelial cells and the emergence of string excitations that bind the defects together