Here, the author develops a symmetry-based framework that explains why certain centrosymmetric antiferromagnets exhibit a finite anomalous Hall effect (AHE). In antipolarly distorted lattices, the inversional invariance of the spin-orbit interaction allows the antiferromagnetic state to be represented as an effective ferromagnet in a suitable local frame. This mapping naturally accounts for the emergence of conventionally ferromagnetic responses, including the AHE and a net orbital magnetization, even though the spin magnetization vanishes globally.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 154413] Published Tue Sep 15, 2026

Three-dimensional topological insulators exhibit a quantized magnetoelectric effect described by a topological response theory. This hallmark result raises the question whether magnetoelectric effects rooted in topology also exist in lower dimensions. Here, the authors demonstrate a (quasi)topological magnetoelectric response in a class of two-dimensional antiferromagnets, which is similarly described by a topological response theory, yet in two dimensions and derived from topological semimetals. As such, the effect ultimately originates from a crystalline topological index in one dimension.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 154414] Published Tue Sep 15, 2026

In trilayer transition metal dichalcogenides, strong quantum fluctuations stabilize quadrupolar excitons. This study reveals how this state breaks down due to strong correlations at high exciton densities. Attractive interactions drive antiparallel dipolar correlations, explaining the redshift to blueshift transition observed in recent experiments. Furthermore, the authors predict novel correlation driven quantum phases, specifically an exciton droplet and a staggered dipolar crystal, and detail their distinct experimental signatures to guide future experimental explorations.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185116] Published Tue Sep 15, 2026

We usually understand a critical point as occurring at a phase transition separating two distinct phases. Certain quantum many-body systems host unusual critical points that are entirely contained in a single phase of matter but are nonetheless protected for topological reasons. Here, the authors give general conditions when such “diabolical” critical points should exist and explore new types of classical phase transitions in which they might occur.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185119] Published Tue Sep 15, 2026

Helimagnets naturally host odd-parity spin splitting — spin locked antisymmetrically to momentum — but their theoretical description is hindered by large, sometimes incommensurate magnetic supercells. Here, the authors show that the generalized Bloch theorem removes this barrier: bands, spin polarization, and wavefunctions of any single-$q$ helimagnet can be obtained in the primitive cell and downfolded in reciprocal space. From first principles for MnI${}_2$, NiI${}_2$, and MnTe${}_2$, the authors find splitting maximized for $p$-orbital bands, and band spin texture that directly encodes the magnetic ordering vector.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 144414] Published Mon Sep 14, 2026

Here, the authors propose a new concept of nonlinear pure spin current rooted in quantum geometry. A pure spin current carries electron spin sideways without a net charge current in the same direction, making it attractive for low-power devices. They predict a unique property that flipping the built-in electric polarization of a nonmagnetic material can reverse the pure spin current. This flipping behavior is absent in the conventional spin Hall effect, which has impeded potential applications of the spin Hall effect in spintronics for a long time. The systematic survey here identifies five crystal symmetry classes that allow this behavior, and quantum mechanical calculations predict it in five atomically thin ferroelectrics, paving the way for experimental detection and device application. The authors also propose an optical second-harmonic Kerr microscopy test with an estimated measurable signal, providing a practical route to verify electrically programmable, low-dissipation spin transport without magnetic order.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L171108] Published Mon Sep 14, 2026

Here, the authors use inelastic neutron scattering to investigate gapped Dirac magnons in the van der Waals ferromagnet CrI${}_3$. With high-quality single crystals, they directly resolve the characteristic winding of magnon spectral weight around the $K$ point of the hexagonal Brillouin zone, which provides a key signature of Dirac magnons. The authors further show that the magnon energies exhibit an approximately T${}^2$ thermal renormalization, consistent with magnon-magnon interactions.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 134413] Published Thu Sep 10, 2026

Recent numerical advances have renewed interest in the two-dimensional quantum $J_1$-$J_3$ Heisenberg antiferromagnet, but a detailed analytical theory has remained lacking. Here, the authors apply a semiclassical effective field theory and large-$N$ analysis. They show that previously overlooked interactions stabilize a quantum vestigial nematic phase at zero temperature, where discrete rotational symmetry is spontaneously broken despite the loss of long-range antiferromagnetic spiral order. This phase continues the known finite-temperature nematic phase, reflecting enhanced quantum fluctuations near the classical Lifshitz point.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 134414] Published Thu Sep 10, 2026

Van der Waals materials can be exfoliated into ultrathin sheets, suggesting that their magnetism should also be two-dimensional. Using resonant x-ray scattering, the authors reveal here a different picture in the Kitaev magnet RuBr${}_3$: zigzag magnetic correlations exhibit spectral weight redistribution along the interlayer direction. Bromine’s spatially extended 4$p$ orbitals strengthen interlayer magnetic interactions. The results demonstrate that an exfoliable crystal can host three-dimensional magnetism, challenging a common assumption about layered quantum materials and showing how ligand chemistry controls magnetic dimensionality.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L140404] Published Thu Sep 10, 2026

Topological protection is weakened at armchair interfaces in quantum valley Hall systems because the two valleys mix and open a gap in the interface states. Here, the authors demonstrate that an adiabatic mass domain wall suppresses intervalley mixing, restoring robust propagation of topological interface modes throughout the bulk band gap. Experiments on silicon MEMS waveguides confirm efficient transmission through 90°, 120°, and 150° bends, establishing adiabatic geometry as a general strategy for designing versatile topological waveguides.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 144103] Published Wed Sep 09, 2026

Spin-spin interactions of itinerant charge carriers in semiconductors are weak and rarely accessible for quantitative measurement. Here, the authors detect electron spin precession in a wide quantum well in an in-plane magnetic field through the spin Kerr effect at the exciton resonance of a narrow tunnel-coupled quantum well. Through theoretical modeling, they show that this effect is due to interwell electron-electron exchange. The narrow well exciton exchange splitting of only tens of microelectronvolts is measured from the Kerr signal.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185412] Published Wed Sep 09, 2026

The interaction between surface acoustic waves and spin waves may open new routes for compact and efficient passive microwave devices. The design of such devices requires understanding of the magnetoacoustic phenomena. Here, the authors use phase-resolved micro-optical imaging to detect and discriminate both types of waves in their micropatterned device. By tuning the magnetic field, the authors directly image the resonant magnetoacoustic coupling and provide experimental evidence for the coherent excitation of spin waves by the traveling acoustic wave.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L140403] Published Wed Sep 09, 2026

Here, the authors reveal contrasting magnetoelastic effects in the metallic frustrated magnet CrB${}_2$: softening associated with Fermi surface nesting in compressive modes and spin-Jahn-Teller fluctuations in the shear mode. These results highlight the distinct roles of longitudinal and transverse magnetoelastic couplings in frustrated metallic magnetism.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 144409] Published Tue Sep 08, 2026

The authors analyze here the competition and coexistence of magnetic, charge, and $d$-wave superconducting orders in the two-dimensional Hubbard model using renormalization-group-improved Hartree–Fock calculations. The resulting phase diagram reveals superconductivity coexisting with Néel order on the electron-doped side and with spiral or stripe order on the hole-doped side. In the stripe phase, the superconducting gap is spatially modulated together with the charge order.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185107] Published Tue Sep 08, 2026

Here, the authors revisit the question of the logarithmic renormalization of the Fermi velocity in graphene. Using large-scale Quantum Monte Carlo simulations of lattices with up to $2\times {10}^4$ interacting electrons, they directly connect experimental data with unbiased, nonperturbative calculations starting from a microscopic Hamiltonian. Their results reveal that even random-phase approximation corrections are quantitatively insufficient at realistic interaction strengths for suspended graphene, while continuum perturbation theory misses important lattice-scale effects. Remarkably, the optical conductivity still remains constant pointing to exact cancellation of different corrections.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185110] Published Tue Sep 08, 2026

Far from equilibrium, heat flux profiles can exhibit complex and rapidly evolving shapes, hindering the formulation of macroscopic heat transport equations for energy currents in nanostructured semiconductors. Here, the authors address this challenge by decomposing the phonon distribution into a smooth component that captures its slowly evolving features and an arbitrarily complex component that accounts for higher-order corrections. Combined with the Boltzmann transport equation, this decomposition enables the prediction of heat transport under extreme confinement by modeling the slowly evolving component deterministically using the finite element method, while capturing the rapidly evolving component stochastically through a Monte Carlo scheme.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L171301] Published Tue Sep 08, 2026

The authors demonstrate here that the charge value of transport mechanisms impacts the validity of thermodynamic uncertainty relations (TURs) in the context of quantum transport in nanoscale junctions. They show that the recently established quantum TUR can be violated by the presence of transport processes that carry more than one charge, like Andreev reflection processes. To adequately address thermodynamic constraints in systems containing higher-order charge transport mechanisms, the authors propose a modified quantum TUR suitable for noninteracting electronic transport.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L171401] Published Tue Sep 08, 2026

Four- or higher-order fermionic condensates can form in non-BCS multicomponent superconductors. Here, the authors present spectroscopic evidence for pairing correlations that appear well above the superconducting critical temperature in the highly overdoped Ba${}_{1-x}$K${}_x$Fe${}_2$As${}_2$ system with broken time-reversal symmetry (BTRS). The NMR and $\mu$SR findings show that multicomponent superconductivity appears homogeneously throughout the entire sample volume and that the BTRS state is unrelated to conventional spin magnetism.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 134504] Published Fri Sep 04, 2026

In single-crystal trigonal Te, the low-temperature Fano line shape of the Raman-active $A_1$ mode reflects interference between the phonon and an electronic continuum, whereas four-phonon scattering substantially shortens the lifetimes of low-frequency heat-carrying phonons and lowers the lattice thermal conductivity.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 134301] Published Thu Sep 03, 2026

The authors present here results from electrical magnetotransport measurements on microstructures of altermagnetic CrSb in pulsed fields up to 68 T. They study the temperature and field-orientation dependence of magnetic quantum oscillations in combination with first-principles calculations. The observed frequency spectrum agrees well with density functional theory calculations that take spin-orbit coupling into account, without invoking significant $ad$ $hoc$ band shifts. The findings validate the predicted electronic band structure of CrSb hosting multiple semimetallic bands and a locally alternating spin polarization.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185104] Published Thu Sep 03, 2026

Here, optical spin angular momentum is extended to nonmonochromatic electromagnetic fields, revealing that specific polychromatic configurations exhibit photonic spin precession governed by a Landau–Lifshitz-like equation. A precessing magnetic dipole realizes source-driven spin dynamics in the near field, while bichromatic two-wave interference additionally produces nutation. A generalized spin-continuity equation shows how sources act on optical spin through torque, establishing a direct link between photonic spin and magnetization dynamics.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 154403] Published Wed Sep 02, 2026

Here, the authors build a symmetry-based framework for rare-earth upconversion luminescence via deterministic polarization correlations among sequential absorption steps, previously assumed to be uncorrelated. Using polarization-resolved spectroscopy and crystal field modeling, they assign full Stark levels and irreducible representations for Er${}^{3+}$ in β-NaYF${}_4$ microrods and identify an approximate $C_3$ site symmetry. Since excited-state absorption inherits ground-state polarization constraints, both downshifting and upconversion luminescence exhibit excitation-wavelength-tunable, region-selective orthogonal excitation polarization responses.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 165403] Published Wed Sep 02, 2026

The spin quantum Hall effect is the superconducting counterpart of the integer quantum Hall effect. Here, the authors derive the long-distance nonlinear sigma model for a quantum network with random tunneling between chiral links carrying $N$ channels. Strong even–odd tunneling asymmetry breaks the saddle point down. Also, the triplet sector stays coupled to the singlet one and can turn anomalously soft. The longitudinal and spin Hall conductances can be tuned independently, giving a flexible platform for class-$C$ localization.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 185405] Published Wed Sep 02, 2026

Why does LaSc${}_2$H${}_{24}$ exhibit superior superconductivity compared with LaH${}_{10}$? Here, the authors indicate that scandium not only distorts the hydrogen cage structure but also creates MgB${}_2$-like Sc-H states at the Fermi level. This synergy enhances electron-phonon coupling, unifies strongly coupled H-H states with widely distributed Sc-H states on the Fermi surface, and leads to isotropic single-gap superconductivity with a higher superconductivity.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 154501] Published Tue Sep 01, 2026

Here, the authors map the temperature-pressure evolution of the bilayer nickelate La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_7$ and reveal that the suppression of tilts in oxygen octahedra is accompanied by a pronounced crossover toward a higher-carrier-density metallic state. By establishing the structural phase boundary over a broad temperature-pressure range, their results highlight the intimate interplay between lattice structure and electronic properties in this novel high-T${}_c$ superconductor.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L140102] Published Tue Sep 01, 2026

Suggestive but indirect evidence for pair-density-wave correlations has been reported in several high-$T_{\mathrm{c}}$ cuprates, yet a bulk-sensitive scattering signature of the expected subharmonic charge response has remained elusive. Here, the authors use resonant soft x-ray scattering to identify a reproducible subharmonic charge density wave response near half the primary charge-ordering wave vector in two La-based cuprates. The response emerges in the stripe-ordered, layer-decoupled superconducting regime, where charge, spin, and superconducting correlations are intertwined.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074514] Published Mon Aug 31, 2026

The authors report here the coexistence of cubic and uniaxial magnetic anisotropies in thick epitaxial bcc Fe(110)/GaAs(110) films, with the latter having a magnitude comparable to that of the former. Their interplay stabilizes an in-plane easy axis along the ⟨001⟩ directions that persists throughout the film volume for thicknesses up to 100 nm. This unconventional behavior gives rise to a depth-dependent magnetic response, with perpendicular standing spin-wave modes exhibiting distinct sensitivities to different regions of the film thickness. The study further identifies anisotropic strain as the microscopic origin of the observed in-plane uniaxial anisotropy.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094438] Published Mon Aug 31, 2026

Gyromorphs are disordered structures that retain quasi-long-range rotational order. They support unusually large, isotropic photonic band gaps, making them promising for technological applications. Here, the authors show that gyromorphs host higher-order topological insulating phases protected by rotational symmetry realized only on average, precisely where standard real-space diagnostics become ambiguous. They develop a diagnostic toolbox for average rotational symmetries that yields a consistent phase diagram, establishing gyromorphs as a new platform for statistical-symmetry-protected topology beyond crystals and quasicrystals.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080201] Published Mon Aug 31, 2026

Integrable quantum spin chains are distinguished by infinitely many nontrivial local conserved charges, whereas generic systems are expected to have none. Here, the authors prove this expectation for spin-½ chains with symmetric nearest-neighbor interactions. Outside the known integrable families, no model has even one such charge. Thus, within this class, there is no intermediate possibility: a chain is either in a known integrable family, with infinitely many such charges, or has none.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094437] Published Fri Aug 28, 2026

Superconductivity begins when electrons bind into pairs. Because electrons are fermions, exchanging the two partners in a pair must flip the sign of its wavefunction — and that minus sign can be paid for in four different currencies: the pair’s spin, its spatial shape, its orbital character, and, less obviously, the relative time between the two electrons. Sharing one minus sign among four ± choices leaves exactly eight allowed kinds of Cooper pair. Balatsky and Banerjee show here that this eightfold rule is one face of a larger structure. A pair also has a center of mass — a place and a moment — and a superconductor can order in those as well. Taking internal shape (ρ), internal timing (τ), spatial modulation (R), and temporal modulation (T) as four independent axes builds the Berezinskii–Abrahams hypercube: a sixteen-corner map of superconducting order. BCS sits at the origin; each single axis recovers a familiar family — $p$- and $d$-wave gaps, odd-frequency pairing, FFLO and pair-density waves, driven superconductors. The corners in-between are hybrids. A few have been touched; most are empty, and the far corner, with all four switched-on at once, has never been visited. The hypercube is at once a classification and a search map.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074511] Published Thu Aug 27, 2026

Pairing a ferromagnet with the MnBi${}_2$Te${}_4$ offers a promising route to efficient spin-to-charge conversion, but how well it performs across temperature had remained unmapped. Combining ferromagnetic resonance with inverse spin-Hall voltage measurements from 20–290 K, the authors show here that the spin-Hall angle stays nearly constant below approximately 130 K, then becomes unreliable as spin rectification and shifting damping take over. The results establish the material as a robust platform for cryogenic spin-orbit and topological spintronics.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074433] Published Wed Aug 26, 2026

The authors demonstrate here that the antiferromagnetic spin-½ Heisenberg model on the ruby lattice with second-neighbor interactions realizes a simplex valence-bond crystal state. Although singlet formation on the hexagonal plaquettes of the lattice appears to be a natural choice, the system instead selects simplices composed of two neighboring triangles. An effective spin-chirality description reveals how the interplay of spin and chiral degrees of freedom associated with individual triangles stabilizes simplex-based crystal order.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074435] Published Wed Aug 26, 2026

Here, the authors uncover size-dependent exciton formation and biexciton dynamics in AgInS${}_2$ quantum dots, an environmentally friendly I-III-VI semiconductor alternative. Exciton formation proceeds through phonon-mediated inter-valence-band hole relaxation. This process becomes progressively slower with decreasing quantum dot size, in contrast to the Coulomb-mediated relaxation characteristic of II-VI quantum dots. These dynamics govern the emergence of distinct exciton-to-biexciton transitions. The biexciton lifetime increases with crystallite size, with the largest quantum dots exhibiting partial biexciton emission.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 125420] Published Wed Aug 26, 2026

Four-phonon scattering is widely viewed as the leading higher-order correction to anharmonic phonon dynamics. Here, the authors identify a previously overlooked scattering channel, in which cubic and quintic anharmonicity combine to produce three-phonon-like scattering at the same perturbative order. First-principles calculations show that this mechanism rivals four-phonon scattering in silicon and can approach ordinary three-phonon scattering in strongly anharmonic AgCl, reshaping the microscopic picture of lattice dynamics and thermal transport.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L111202] Published Wed Aug 26, 2026

Magnon-phonon coupling has attracted considerable interest because of its potential applications in hybrid quantum systems and magnonic devices. Here, the authors show that the coupling constant evolves from real to complex as the external magnetic field is reduced, thereby causing a pronounced minimum in phonon transmittance near zero field. The results demonstrate that the phase and magnitude of the complex coupling constant can be tuned with magnetic field in strongly damped magnets, offering a platform for exploring novel regimes of magnon-phonon interaction.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 084426] Published Tue Aug 25, 2026

Magnetic noise spectroscopy provides direct access to spontaneous magnetization fluctuations in correlated magnetic systems. Here, the authors investigate how demagnetizing fields influence magnetic noise spectra. By combining magnetic noise and ac susceptibility measurements across samples of different sizes and shapes, they show that sample geometry plays a decisive role in the measured fluctuations and must therefore be treated as a key experimental control parameter when probing intrinsic dynamics. Their results underscore the importance of boundary conditions and establish a framework for quantitatively comparing magnetic noise measurements with microscopic theories.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094433] Published Tue Aug 25, 2026

Kitaev interaction can generate unusual quantum states and is usually sought in compounds with strongly spin-orbit-coupled magnetic ions. Here, the authors combine neutron scattering with calculations of magnetic structure and excitations to establish sizable Kitaev and off-diagonal interactions in the spin-1 triangular magnet NiI${}_2$, with spin-orbit coupling supplied instead by surrounding iodine atoms. These interactions stabilize its canted proper-screw order and open an excitation gap. This finding extends the search for Kitaev physics into high‑spin systems with intrinsically weak ionic spin–orbit coupling.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080405] Published Tue Aug 25, 2026

Here, the authors demonstrate that high-harmonic spectroscopy from lower-order to higher-order topological insulators reveals distinct contributions from bulk, edge, and corner electronic states. By systematically resolving these emission channels, they establish how topological features evolve across different classes of topological materials and clarify the microscopic origin of the emitted harmonics. Their results provide a unified framework for understanding and exploiting high-harmonic generation as a probe of topological quantum matter.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 084307] Published Mon Aug 24, 2026

Here, the authors implement the recently proposed Swing-UP of the quantum emitter population (SUPER) scheme to investigate the coherent preparation of exciton and biexciton states in GaAs quantum dots using two red-detuned laser pulses. The experiments show that, by tuning the polarization and energy of the utilized pulses, one can achieve highly efficient preparation of an individual exciton state, a coherent superposition of fine-structure-split exciton states, or the biexciton state, establishing the SUPER scheme as a versatile tool for selective quantum-state preparation.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105306] Published Mon Aug 24, 2026

Edge transport is a powerful probe of anyons in fractional quantum Hall states. Here, the authors develop a nonequilibrium bosonization theory of interacting fractional quantum Hall edges, enabling a unified treatment of full counting statistics, anyon correlations, and tunneling transport far from equilibrium. For multimode edges, the theory reveals how interaction-induced fractionalization affects anyon dynamics through mutual braiding phases. It further predicts distinct signatures in experimentally accessible Fano factors, providing a route to probe anyonic braiding and fractionalization in nonequilibrium transport.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105418] Published Mon Aug 24, 2026

Internal vibrations of the superconducting condensate, such as clapping modes and Bardasis-Schrieffer modes, are often invisible to linear optical spectroscopy due to crystallographic selection rules. Here, the authors show how, in threefold-symmetric valley-polarized superconductors, trigonal warping allows these modes to absorb light at linear order. Consequently, the modes appear in both components of the optical conductivity tensor. The authors then discuss how rhombohedral graphene multilayers provide natural candidate materials in which to probe superconducting collective excitations by microwave spectroscopy.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080507] Published Mon Aug 24, 2026

Recent advances in quantum gas microscopy have enabled measurement of multipoint correlations in quantum gases. For a Fermi gas without interactions these correlations are quantized, reflecting the topology of the Fermi sea. Interactions modify this result, but in a certain limit the deviation from quantization is predicted to depend only on the Landau Fermi liquid parameters. This manuscript presents perturbative calculations that clarify the limit in which the correlations are universal and quantitatively predict the correlations in a Fermi gas with a weak contact interaction.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105133] Published Fri Aug 21, 2026

The electronic structure of graphene nanoribbons is determined by boundary conditions at their edges. Here, the authors establish a consistent continuum framework showing that zigzag and armchair boundary conditions must be imposed simultaneously in finite geometries. Tight-binding validation demonstrates that the continuum model reproduces the spectrum with machine-precision accuracy, establishing precise criteria for correctly applying Dirac Hamiltonians to realistic graphene nanostructures.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115413] Published Fri Aug 21, 2026

Some nanoplatelets — flat, rectangular, colloidally-grown, semiconductor nanostructures — lie in an intermediate confinement regime, where common strong and weak confinement wave function factorizations fail. However, solving the full Schrödinger equation is computationally demanding or infeasible for electron-hole complexes that require four (exciton), six (trion), or eight (biexciton) dimensions. Here, the authors invent tensor network methods to retrieve the unfactorized high-dimensional ground and excited exciton and trion states, including their oscillator strength, and low-dimensional wave function projections.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 125310] Published Thu Aug 20, 2026

Here, the authors show how magnetic fields expose the hidden quasiband structure of 30° twisted bilayer graphene, a quasicrystal with 12-fold rotational symmetry but no translational symmetry. Their Landau-level theory reveals quantized orbits of quasiband pockets, unusual spectral patterns, and magneto-optical selection rules enforced by quasicrystalline symmetry, providing a route to quantum magneto-optics in broader quasiperiodic van der Waals materials.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105412] Published Wed Aug 19, 2026

Here, the authors propose a new first-principles method for describing double-ionization spectroscopies. By coupling the particle-particle two-body Green’s function with the three- electron–one-hole and three-hole–one-electron channels of the four-body Green’s function, the approach captures both quasiparticle and satellite features that can appear, for example, in Auger spectroscopy. The method relies on the multichannel Dyson equation, which couples multiple Green’s functions through a multichannel self-energy. Importantly, approximations to the self-energy can be made static while still reproducing satellite features.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 125117] Published Wed Aug 19, 2026

Here, the authors show that pump-probe spectroscopy provides distinctive signatures of fracton phases through lineon-planon braiding. The restricted mobility of excitations enables an emergent planon bound state and leads to strikingly different long-time responses upon swapping the pump and probe polarizations. These responses reveal braiding statistics, bound-state formation, and the subdimensional mobility of fractionalized excitations, thereby distinguishing fracton phases from conventional topologically ordered spin liquids.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105124] Published Mon Aug 17, 2026

Here, the authors use determinant quantum Monte Carlo simulations to obtain high-resolution single-particle spectra of the doped Hubbard model, uncovering a pronounced electron-hole asymmetry. At low hole doping, proximity to the Mott gap suppresses antinodal coherence and produces Fermi arcs, whereas under electron doping, more coherent quasiparticles and stronger antiferromagnetic correlations generate hot spots. Probe-dependent pseudogap temperatures support a smooth crossover driven by strong correlations rather than a sharp phase transition.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105126] Published Mon Aug 17, 2026

Motivated by the recent interest in the criticality of open quantum many-body systems, the authors investigate here nonlinear sigma models with complexified couplings as a general framework for nonunitary field theory. Applying the perturbative renormalization group analysis to the tenfold symmetric spaces, the authors demonstrate that fixed points with complex scaling dimensions and critical exponents arise generically, without counterparts in conventional nonlinear sigma models with real couplings. The results elucidate universal aspects of critical phenomena in complexified field theory.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115112] Published Mon Aug 17, 2026

If you think that the band theory of orbital magnetization is a closed chapter of condensed matter physics, think again. The original theory was developed for noninteracting electrons. But what if interactions are included? Current density functional theory offers a simple and formally exact way to include interactions. But the reason why this works is more subtle than the authors initially thought.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115113] Published Mon Aug 17, 2026

In experiments on Bernal bilayer graphene under perpendicular electric field, quantum oscillations have shown the presence of electronic nematic states in some ranges of hole density. Here, the authors perform a Hartree-Fock study to numerically determine where nematic states develop in the system as hole density and displacement field are varied. Nematic phases are found close to the boundary between fully and partially isospin polarized phases. An analytic criterion for the appearance of nematicity is also derived. It is in good agreement with the numerical results.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115114] Published Mon Aug 17, 2026

Real surfaces are rough on many length scales, but flash-temperature theories have traditionally assumed single-scale contacts. Müser and Persson derive here an analytical multiscale theory of frictional heating and verify it against numerical simulations. They show that the classical models can fail dramatically for realistic rough surfaces. The work provides a quantitative framework for predicting thermal hotspots in systems ranging from rubber friction to earthquake faults.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115407] Published Fri Aug 14, 2026

Nitrogen-vacancy centers and substitutional nitrogen (P1 centers) in diamond have until now been the only solid-state electron spin defects known to reach millisecond spin relaxation times (T${}_1$) at room temperature. Here, the authors report spin dynamics and optical spin polarization of the WAR5 defect in diamond, hypothesized to be the neutral oxygen vacancy center. Its T${}_1$ is among the longest of any solid-state spin defect: ~1 ms at room temperature, rising to ~14 minutes at 4 K.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074105] Published Thu Aug 13, 2026

Here, the authors use zero- and transverse-field muon-spin rotation/relaxation to probe multiband, multigap superconductivity in Li${}_{0.95}$FeAs, a representative 111-family Fe-based superconductor. They find no detectable time-reversal-symmetry breaking and a bulk superfluid response consistent with nodeless superconductivity. By comparing the measured superfluid density with band weights derived from published photoemission studies, they show that sheets carrying intermediate and small gaps dominate, while the largest-gap sheet contributes only weakly, reconciling gap scales reported by bulk- and surface-sensitive probes.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094509] Published Thu Aug 13, 2026

Trilayer nickelates provide a tunable platform for investigating the interplay between structural geometry, electron correlation, and unconventional superconductivity. By directly comparing Pr${}_4$Ni${}_3$O${}_{10}$ and La${}_4$Ni${}_3$O${}_{10}$, this work uncovers an orbital differentiation enhanced by structural modification in Pr${}_4$Ni${}_3$O${}_{10}$, where orbitals become selectively incoherent and significantly renormalized, while orbitals remain coherent. This dichotomy leads to a marked suppression of interorbital hybridization in Pr${}_4$Ni${}_3$O${}_{10}$. This work suggests that the interlayer bonding angle serves as an active tuning parameter for the electronic properties, bridging multiorbital correlated physics and superconductivity in nickelates.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L111105] Published Thu Aug 13, 2026

Here, the authors show that quantum Monte Carlo adsorption energies can inherit a distinct error from the gas-phase molecules used as references. They introduce a hybrid thermodynamic cycle that retains quantum Monte Carlo for molecule–surface binding while using coupled-cluster benchmarks for molecular formation. Applications to oxygenated intermediates on Pt(111) and carbon-containing intermediates on Cu(111) reveal chemically specific corrections and provide a practical route to more balanced surface thermochemistry.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 125107] Published Wed Aug 12, 2026

Under Earth’s core-like pressures, iron’s expected hexagonal structure energetically competes with other cubic forms. This study probes the state of iron near its melting temperature using series of femtoseconds x-rays pulses of the European XFEL. Between 120–160 GPa, a stable hexagonal phase is confirmed, with brief transient disordered or cubic phases appearing. Above 200 GPa, a new diffraction peak emerges, characteristic of a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure. Following this uncommon kinetic and pressure-temperature path, the bcc structure is shown to be stable, providing exciting insights into the kinetics, stability, and transformation mechanisms of iron under these conditions.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094103] Published Mon Aug 10, 2026

Optical cavities can reshape materials through quantum vacuum fluctuations, even without external illumination. Here, the authors develop a unified first-principles framework that treats electrons, atomic vibrations, polarization, and optical response on equal footing. Applied to gallium nitride, the approach predicts cavity-induced changes in electronic structure, lattice vibrations, dielectric response, and light absorption, together with measurable terahertz transmission shifts. The framework opens a route to engineering solid-state properties using the quantum vacuum.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105111] Published Mon Aug 10, 2026

The authors introduce here a new mechanism that produces a Hall-like transverse response in time-reversal-invariant materials, driven entirely by geometric effects. A tilted potential interface causes electron wave packets to undergo a refractionlike deflection upon transmission, generating a finite transverse current and Hall-like conductance without magnetic fields or broken time-reversal symmetry. The analytical framework and numerical simulations across multiple lattice models and device geometries establish the conductance signatures, while real-time wave-packet dynamics confirms the geometric origin and robustness of this effect.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105406] Published Mon Aug 10, 2026

Most moiré superlattices studied to date are two-dimensional, but a recently discovered one-dimensional counterpart raises the question of whether it can host genuinely one-dimensional electronic states. Here, the authors show that lattice relaxation in twisted bilayer WTe${}_2$ generates nearly one-dimensional electronic bands and reveal the microscopic origin of this behavior. They also develop a general theoretical framework for understanding and predicting one-dimensional moiré superlattices in a broad class of anisotropic layered materials.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105407] Published Mon Aug 10, 2026

The electron-phonon interaction governs superconductivity, electrical transport, and the optical response of solids, and is now routinely computed from first principles. These calculations typically assume that lattice vibrations live forever, but in reality anharmonic interactions between phonons give them finite lifetimes. The authors derive here a tractable expression that includes this phonon dephasing into the electron-phonon scattering rate, implement it within standard computational workflows, and apply it to silicon, silicon carbide, and lead telluride, thus opening a long-neglected regime to systematic first-principles study.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 084303] Published Fri Aug 07, 2026

Here, the authors reveal that monolayer NbSe${}_2$ and related transition metal dichalcogenides host obstructed atomic bands near the Fermi level. By constructing $ab$ $initio$ six-, three-, and single-band Wannier models, they identify remarkably compact obstructed Wannier functions and an unusual dominance of next-nearest-neighbor hopping. These results provide a transparent low-energy framework for investigating how quantum geometry shapes charge order, electron–phonon coupling, and superconductivity in NbSe${}_2$.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 125104] Published Fri Aug 07, 2026

The electron-phonon interaction governs properties from electrical conductivity to superconductivity, and first-principles calculations of it typically assume that phonons have infinite lifetimes. Here, the authors go beyond this approximation, presenting a theory and first-principles implementation of electrons coupling to finite-lifetime phonons dephased by anharmonic phonon-phonon interactions. In metallic MgB${}_2$, this dephasing opens new scattering channels that strongly enhance electron-phonon scattering and suppress the calculated conductivity, improving agreement with experiment and pointing to a broader role for phonon lifetimes in anharmonic metals.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080304] Published Fri Aug 07, 2026

Here, the authors combine nuclear magnetic resonance and single-crystal neutron diffraction to constrain a plausible magnetic structure model for the incommensurate antiferromagnetic state of the semiconducting 5$f$ van der Waals magnet $\alpha$-UTe${}_3$. The model captures strong spin anisotropy and spatially modulated ordered moments, suggesting that this unusual order develops near a quantum critical point associated with crystal-field singlet induced magnetism in a layered actinide system with highly anisotropic 5$f$ electrons.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080402] Published Fri Aug 07, 2026

Using temperature-, field-, and angle-dependent Raman scattering, the authors observe here a sharp magnon coexisting with a broad spinon continuum in the quasi-one-dimensional quantum magnet SeCuO${}_3$. Both excitations exhibit identical angular dependence governed by the same Raman scattering symmetry. This common scattering symmetry demonstrates that coherent magnons emerge from the confinement of fractionalized spinons inherent to a one-dimensional quantum magnet.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 074407] Published Thu Aug 06, 2026

Here, the authors use element-specific x-ray microscopy to image antiferromagnetic cluster octupole domain structures in focused ion-beam fabricated Mn${}_3$Sn devices. The magnetic contrast arises from pre-edge x-ray magnetic circular dichroism that is independent of the small net moment, revealing how mesoscale textures evolve under applied magnetic fields and link to the anomalous Hall response. The results establish x-ray microscopy as a powerful route to image domain structures in time-reversal symmetry breaking antiferromagnets.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094409] Published Thu Aug 06, 2026

Here, the authors focus on a representative pair of simple closed-pocket Fermi surfaces in hole-doped RuO${}_2$ and establish a quasilinear correlation between the local magnetic moment of Ru atoms and quantum-oscillation-based signature of spin splitting. Combined with the distinct quantum oscillation characteristics of the nonmagnetic, intermediate, and stable altermagnetic regimes, this correlation provides experimentally accessible fingerprints for identifying magnetic states and tracking altermagnetic spin splitting in hole-doped RuO${}_2$.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094410] Published Thu Aug 06, 2026

The authors demonstrate here electrically generated and controllable 2D-like excitons in a heterostructure where such behavior would not normally be expected, and develop an analytical model to explain the results. The potential impact is twofold: the work introduces voltage-tunable H-band electroluminescence as a new gate-defined excitonic emitter platform, and it shows that single-heterojunction devices can support unexpectedly bright electroluminescence through electrostatic confinement rather than a conventional quantum well heterostructure.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L111301] Published Thu Aug 06, 2026

Ising superconductors are two-dimensional materials that can host an unconventional superconducting state stabilized by strong spin-valley locking. Here, the authors theoretically propose the use of magnetic impurities as local probes of the superconducting state by studying Yu-Shiba-Rusinov bound states. They identify experimentally accessible signatures, including the bound-state spectrum and the supercurrent between the sample and a superconducting STM tip.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094502] Published Wed Aug 05, 2026

$T_d$-WTe${}_2$ is a Weyl semimetal, which exhibits unique physical properties of electronic states, such as the Lifshitz transition. Here, using ultrafast laser spectroscopy, the authors reveal contribution of phonon-electron scattering only for the low-frequency $A_1$ optical phonon, in addition to conventional phonon-phonon scattering at low temperatures. The findings of the phonon-electron scattering path possibly induced by the Lifshitz transition pave the way for further exploration of the electronic structure and transport properties in a wide range of quantum materials.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L080303] Published Wed Aug 05, 2026

A simple interlayer-coupling mechanism drives the transition from type-I to type-II higher-order semimetal phases in phononic crystals. Here, the authors realize a type-II higher-order Weyl phononic crystal supporting coexisting Fermi arc surface states and hinge states. Boundary engineering through unit-cell rotation enables selective activation of hinge states, opening new opportunities for programmable topological wave manipulation.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 084102] Published Tue Aug 04, 2026

The authors develop here a unified and highly efficient framework for computing thermal entropy in the doped Hubbard model. The framework comprises four complementary schemes that express the entropy as integrals over temperature, interaction strength, and chemical potential, with integrands involving only fundamental observables including total energy, fermion density, and double occupancy. They also derive useful Maxwell relations and grand potential formulas. The schemes are validated using numerically unbiased quantum Monte Carlo calculations, showing excellent cross-scheme consistency and quantitative agreement with other methods. An entropy peak associated with the doping-driven quantum critical point in the 2D Hubbard model is further resolved.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115101] Published Tue Aug 04, 2026

Here, the authors extend quasiparticle GW theory to the superconducting state, combining Eliashberg electron-phonon pairing with dynamical Coulomb screening from plasmons. The resulting superconducting quasiparticle GW (s-qpGW) framework avoids the spurious plasmon-driven superconductivity of fully self-consistent GW, reproduces standard Eliashberg results for bulk Nb, and correctly predicts the absence of superconductivity in doped monolayer graphene, while revealing how acoustic plasmons can reduce Coulomb pair breaking in two-dimensional systems.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 094501] Published Mon Aug 03, 2026

Most first-principles calculations on noncollinear systems published to date have been performed using exchange-correlation approximations that neglect exchange-correlation spin torque and are not U(1)$\times$SU(2) gauge invariant. Within the framework of spin-current density functional theory (SCDFT), the authors present here the development and implementation—in the Vienna $ab$ $initio$ simulation package—of a functional that addresses these fundamental issues. Applications to the Cr${}_3$ molecule and the antiferromagnetic crystal MnO are presented. SCDFT captures transverse spin gradients that are key to describing magnetic exchange.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 105101] Published Mon Aug 03, 2026

Here, the authors show that inductive coupling between a superconducting resonator and a short, wide two-dimensional material-based Josephson junction induces a phase transition in the global light–matter ground state. The resulting phase, which spontaneously breaks time-reversal symmetry, carries a finite equilibrium supercurrent at phase difference $\varphi =\pi$, where an isolated conventional Josephson junction carries no equilibrium supercurrent. The hybrid light–matter excitation spectrum provides spectroscopic fingerprints of the transition, while highly transparent transport channels determine the critical coupling.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 115401] Published Mon Aug 03, 2026

Flat band dispersion in two-dimensional materials is often associated with correlated electronic phases. Here, the authors show that a flat region in the valence band of bilayer graphene can be accessed by gapping it via proximity to a twisted monolayer graphene. Their experiments reveal a series of transitions driven by doping, electric and magnetic field (consistent with a single-particle description), as well as partially isospin‑polarized phases promoted by electronic correlations and preserved in presence of the twisted monolayer.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L111402] Published Mon Aug 03, 2026

Here, the authors present a framework for identifying superconducting order directly from the two-particle reduced density matrix, via the Penrose-Onsager criterion. Beyond detecting a condensate, the method reconstructs the Cooper pair wave function and resolves its symmetry without prior assumptions. Applied to the Hubbard model, it characterizes uniform $s$-wave, finite-momentum FFLO, and fragmented supersolid states — the last revealing an unexpected triplet $p$-wave component alongside the dominant $d$ wave.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 055133] Published Thu Jul 30, 2026

Magnetic tunnel junctions driven by stochastic spin-transfer switching can be coupled through simple electrical circuits to realize tunable Ising-like interactions. A Markov-chain model predicts the collective behavior of coupled junctions from single-device measurements, providing a foundation for probabilistic spintronic hardware.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 014426] Published Wed Jul 29, 2026

$Zitterbewegung$, the trembling motion caused by interband coherence, is usually viewed as a purely quantum effect. Here, the author shows that it also has a natural place in semiclassical electron dynamics as an additional velocity term. This term explains the electric-field-induced position shift of Bloch electrons and reveals a direct connection to the minimum conductivity of massless Dirac fermions.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L020305] Published Wed Jul 29, 2026

The altermagnetic material $\alpha$-MnTe and its magnetic properties have been attracting a lot of attention recently. Here, the authors investigate the low-energy spin-wave mode in an applied magnetic field utilizing electron spin resonance spectroscopy. In a specific geometry of the experiment, the spin-wave Goldstone mode acquires a gap, controlled by the magnetic field. The universal $\nu /T$ behavior of the resonance linewidth suggests thermally assisted magnon-magnon collisions as the key magnetic relaxation mechanism in $\alpha$-MnTe.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L020407] Published Wed Jul 29, 2026

Here, the authors propose a general framework to understand the relationship between structural connectivity and topological classification. Their approach can be applied to arbitrary finite chiral structures that may have a highly complex connectivity and lack a natural bulk description, in contrast to most classification schemes. Furthermore, by splitting the structure into sections, they show that many systems exhibit a richer classification than predicted with a purely symmetry-based approach. Tied to the topological phases they classify, unusual localization and transport phenomena are predicted and experimentally demonstrated.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 024210] Published Tue Jul 28, 2026

Magnetic materials with nontrivial band topology combine key concepts of modern solid-state physics and are expected to broaden the range of emergent quantum phases. At the same time, external pressure has proven to be a viable tool in manipulating the band topology and magnetism. Using first-principle simulations combined with optical spectroscopy measurements, the authors show here how the correlation effects are largely responsible for the suppression of the ferromagnetic state in a prototypical Weyl semimetal Co${}_3$Sn${}_2$S${}_2$ under external pressure.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 024423] Published Tue Jul 28, 2026

Here, the authors formulate muon spin relaxation as a non-Markovian open quantum spin problem, allowing temporally correlated magnetic noise and retarded environmental response to be treated on equal footing. Applied to Li${}_{0.73}$CoO${}_2$, the approach explains zero- and weak-longitudinal-field $\mu$SR spectra with a common parameter set and connects the observed relaxation to Li-driven field fluctuations.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034313] Published Tue Jul 28, 2026

Dislocation mobility in concentrated alloys is normally extracted from driven molecular dynamics, one costly simulation per data point. Here the authors obtain it instead from equilibrium lattice dynamics: integrating out the phonons on the Keldysh contour gives a causal memory kernel, whose zero-frequency limit is the dislocation’s phonon drag coefficient. The authors show drag to vary non-monotonically with composition, and that averaging the chemistry discards a positive variance term, so effective medium estimates underpredict drag by about 2 to 8.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034116] Published Mon Jul 27, 2026

Surface plasmon polaritons are a cornerstone of nanophotonics, yet an effective quantum model with a clear microscopic foundation has remained elusive. Here, the authors develop a microscopic quantum theory valid for arbitrary metal-dielectric geometries. In particular, they show that these excitations arise from the nonperturbative coupling of bulk plasmons to the electromagnetic vacuum. Their theory reveals that metal-dielectric interfaces naturally realize ultrastrong light-matter coupling, giving rise to unconventional ground-state quantum fluctuations controlled by geometry and refractive index.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 055421] Published Mon Jul 27, 2026

Chains with ramped or disordered energy profiles exhibit suppressed coherent quantum transport. Incoherent processes, however, can partially overcome this suppression. Here, the authors optimize transport in chains with power-law tunneling as a function of individual site dephasing rates. The dynamics are simulated using the Lindblad quantum master equation, with gradient ascent employed for optimization. The study identifies distinct strategies for enhancing transport in different models. For chains with ramped energy landscape, an alternating pattern of site-dependent dephasing optimizes transport.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034210] Published Fri Jul 24, 2026

How do La${}_3$Ni${}_2$O${}_7$ thin films behaves under modest hydrostatic pressure? The authors here investigate epitaxial thin films under substrate selection, oxygen treatment, and hydrostatic pressure, and reveal tunable transport behavior, where modest pressure drives a transition from Fermi liquid-like metallicity toward non-Fermi liquid response. These findings highlight strain- and pressure-enabled control of bilayer nickelate thin films, offering a concise pathway to explore exotic low-temperature electronic states.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 055128] Published Fri Jul 24, 2026

Noncollinear antiferromagnets Mn${}_{3}X$ ($X$=Sn, Ge) possess out-of-plane spin polarization that enables field-free magnetization switching. However, its microscopic origin remains under debate, specifically whether it arises from the antiferromagnetic order dependent magnetic spin Hall effect or antiferromagnetic order independent spin swapping. To address this issue here, the authors comparatively evaluate the spin torques in single-crystal Mn${}_3$Ge/Py bilayers with different crystallographic orientations using spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance technique. Their results reveal that both mechanisms coexist with comparable magnitudes, responsible for the out-of-plane spin polarization.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L020403] Published Wed Jul 22, 2026

Magnonic excitations are investigated in the CrOCl van der Waals (vdW) antiferromagnet with absorption experiments in a broad continuous energy range. In an external magnetic field, the dispersions of magnon branches characteristic of different magnetic orders are subsequently observed, revealing a strong biaxial anisotropy, hysteretic magnon spectra, as well as the formation of spatially separated magnetic phases. Theexperiments here show that competing exchange interactions broaden the options to generate different kinds of magnonic excitations within the same vdW material.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 024419] Published Tue Jul 21, 2026

ErMgGaO${}_4$ is a quantum antiferromagnet, wherein pseudospin-½ degrees of freedom decorate two-dimensional triangular planes. Powder ErMgGaO${}_4$ shows a freezing transition near $T_g$ ~ 2.5 K, about 1/6 of its Curie-Weiss temperature. The authors observe here a continuum of inelastic neutron scattering, and estimate are its spin-Hamiltonian within a theoretical $J_1$-$J_2$-$\mathrm{\Delta }$ model. This places ErMgGaO${}_4$ close to the quantum phase boundary between the expected spin liquid and the stripy ordered phases. Elastic scattering shows two-dimensional Warren lineshapes near $T_g$, which elucidate the competition between stripy and 120° spin correlations.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034421] Published Tue Jul 21, 2026

Disorder-free localization is usually associated with dynamics far from equilibrium. Here, the authors uncover a new mechanism in the low-energy sector of clean, gapless quantum magnets: transient localization from mass-imbalanced fractionalization. Studying the dynamical response in the gapless phase of a translation-invariant Kitaev ladder model, they show that fractionalization creates a coherent superposition of quasistatic flux-disorder configurations in the ground state, preserving translation symmetry while strongly suppressing correlation spreading and energy transport.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034423] Published Tue Jul 21, 2026

The Coulomb drag among charge carriers in doped graphene can be strong enough to induce hydrodynamics. Building in a Coulomb collision term within the $ab$ $initio$ 𝚎𝚕𝚙𝚑𝚋𝚘𝚕𝚝 transport code suite, the authors demonstrate here that this Coulomb drag can lead to the formation of an electron-hole bifluid. The same phenomenon leads to negative spectral conductivity and a strong violation of the Wiedemann-Franz law near charge neutrality. This work sets a new state-of-the-art in Boltzmann-based charge transport computations.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L051405] Published Mon Jul 20, 2026

Combined low-frequency elastodynamics and resonant ultrasound spectroscopy on RbSCN across its improper ferroelastic phase transition reveal superelastic softening and, uniquely, a discontinuous Young’s modulus jump with frequency-dependent damping at $T$* < $T_c$, mimicking a first-order transition. Thermal cycling above $T$* erases ferroelastic domains. A compressible pseudospin model links $T$* to collective domain switching when the critical pinning stress σ${}_c$($T$) falls below the applied stress, yielding σ${}_c$($T$) in excellent accord with experiment.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034113] Published Fri Jul 17, 2026

Here, the authors demonstrate that decoupling rare-earth Gd$M_2$ ($M$=Cu, Ag, and Au) monolayers from metallic substrates transforms low-temperature supported surface alloys into room-temperature ferromagnets. Substrate removal enhances magnetic exchange interactions through charge redistribution, and eliminating structural buckling further modifies the competing exchange interactions. Freestanding GdAu${}_2$ exhibits perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and a symmetry-tunable anomalous Hall effect, providing a platform for two-dimensional magnetic and topological spintronics.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034419] Published Fri Jul 17, 2026

In monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, an electronic Wigner crystal imprints a weak umklapp branch in the exciton spectrum. The authors develop here a field-theoretical description of an exciton coupled to the crystal’s gapless phonons and solve it using a self-consistent Born approximation. The interactions create new exciton polarons, with phonon-assisted interband processes playing a key role and substantially weakening the umklapp peak. The authors map out the density dependence and predict when phonons qualitatively modify the optical Wigner-crystal signature.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 065122] Published Fri Jul 17, 2026

Why are perfect superconducting diodes so elusive? Here, the author shows that near-perfect diode behavior requires singularities in the equilibrium free energy landscape. This explains why high efficiencies arise more naturally in engineered Josephson devices and predicts that unexpectedly large efficiencies in equilibrium superconductors imply hidden structure in the free energy landscape.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L020505] Published Fri Jul 17, 2026

Floquet topological systems support boundary states pinned at discrete quasienergies. Here, the authors experimentally realize Floquet edge states with fractional quasienergies $\pi /3$ and $2\pi /3$ in an acoustic waveguide array, establishing a new family of fractional Floquet edge states beyond the conventional 0 and $\pi$ quasienergy paradigm.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034207] Published Thu Jul 16, 2026

Here, the authors theoretically propose an approach to probe Floquet topological phases utilizing the non-Hermitian skin effect of reflected waves. They demonstrate that in periodically driven systems, unique topological signatures are robustly encoded in the reflection signals at the boundaries. This work provides a practical framework for experimentally identifying nonequilibrium topological phenomena without needing bulk measurements.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 034310] Published Thu Jul 16, 2026

Here, the authors establish a comprehensive theory for the recently observed “next-generation” even-denominator fractional quantum Hall states and reveal that they are topologically equivalent to Bonderson-Slingerland phases. They present numerical simulations showing significant and systematic microscopic differences between the two families of states: next-generation states are favored in the lowest Landau level, while Bonderson-Slingerland states are favored in the first excited level. Finally, the authors prove that essential universal properties of topological edges are preserved under flux attachment and leverage this result to predict experimental signatures of next-generation even-denominator states.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, 065121] Published Thu Jul 16, 2026

How can particle statistics influence the competition between charge motion and magnetic order in doped antiferromagnets? Here, the authors use large-scale numerical calculations to establish the $T=0$ phase diagram of the 2D antiferromagnetic bosonic $t$-$J$ model. They show that mobile bosonic holes stabilize partially filled stripes at low doping, akin to those in high-$T_c$ cuprate superconductors, and drive transitions to polarized ferromagnetic phases via Nagaoka polaron formation. These predictions provide clear targets for future experiments in ultracold-atom quantum simulators.

[Phys. Rev. B 114, L051105] Published Wed Jul 15, 2026