369 papers
A scalable infrastructure for strontium optical clocks with integrated photonics
Optical atomic clocks provide exceptionally accurate and precise signals for timekeeping and precision measurements, but they require high-power, free-space laser configurations that limit scalability. We introduce and explore a scalable infrastructure for strontium (Sr) optical-lattice clocks that incorporates co-design of atomic-beam slowing and a magneto-optical trap (MOT) from an effusion source, generation of complex, three-dimensional free-space laser configurations with a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and metasurface (MS) optics, and laser stabilization to a frequency-comb supercontinuum generated with integrated nonlinear photonics. With these elements, we realize MOTs of all stable strontium isotopes ($^{84}$Sr, $^{86}$Sr, $^{87}$Sr, $^{88}$Sr) with populations commensurate with natural abundances, demonstrating precise beam control and robustness. Access to laser-cooled alkaline-earth atoms with scalable integrated photonics enables system engineering for optical clocks, quantum sensing, and quantum information, and our experiments demonstrate extensible technologies that advance toward a Sr optical clock largely free of bulk optics.
2604.03229Apr 2026
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Enhanced nanocomposite susceptibility by field-alignment of superparamagnetic particles
Nanocomposites comprised of insulated magnetic single-domain particles are promising candidates for high-frequency, eddy current free, soft magnetic materials, but tend to suffer from low magnetic susceptibility ($<20$). Particle alignment has been proposed to increase nanocomposite susceptibility and reduce magnetic losses but experimental verification has been lacking. Here, magnetic nanocomposites containing 3-57 vol\% field-aligned 11$\pm$3 nm maghemite particles in a poly-vinyl matrix were investigated for potential use as high-frequency inductor core materials. The particles were aligned by a homogenous static alignment field during nanocomposite drying, fixating the particle orientation. Particle aggregation was disproved by small-angle scattering. The dependence of the alignment field strength and particle concentration on the nanocomposite's susceptibility and hysteresis losses were investigated from DC up to 922 kHz by vibrating sample magnetometry, AC-susceptibility and high-frequency hysteresis measurements. Nanocomposite susceptibility increased super-linearly with particle fraction due to weak particle interactions. Alignment of the particles increased the nanocomposite susceptibility from 21 to 50 for samples with a particle content of 57 vol\%. Hence, the synergy between particle alignment and interaction allows for a higher than expected susceptibility of nanocomposites. The results show that magnetically aligning particles in a nanocomposite reduces magnetic losses when using well-dispersed single-domain superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Measured nanocomposite susceptibility could be modelled by a combination of directional dependent Debye-models including mean-field interaction effects and partial particle alignment. Measured susceptibility of 50 is among the highest obtained for nanocomposites, making it a relevant candidate for applications in power electronics.
2603.29983Mar 2026
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A general framework for the study of electrostatic point charges in multilayer planar structures
We develop a general framework for the electrostatic analysis of point charges in multilayer planar structures with arbitrary layer thicknesses and material parameters. Starting from a Hankel-transform analysis, we derive alternative representations of the solution and establish a Stokes-like formulation based on ``generalized reflection coefficients,'' yielding a systematic and physically transparent treatment of multilayer media. This approach extends classical image theory to parameter regimes in which the conventional image-charge series (which has an infinite number of terms) diverges. The formulation applies to arbitrary permittivity values, including negative permittivities, where overscreening effects and plasmon-resonant conditions may occur. In these regimes, we show that the boundary-value problem no longer has a unique solution because homogeneous (source-free) modes appear; and we derive Cauchy-principal-value integral representations for the particular solution. We also introduce an asymptotic ``phantom-image'' method that replaces a divergent infinite image series by a finite set of effective sources, thus providing a computationally efficient approximation in large-reflection regimes. These results furnish both practical computational tools and additional mathematical insight into the structure of electrostatic image theory in layered media.
2603.28962Mar 2026
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Magnetic field induced modification of a first-order ferromagnetic transition in Eu2In
We present a comprehensive study of the temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent magnetization, specific heat, and local crystal structure across the first-order ferromagnetic-paramagnetic transition in Eu$_2$In. Anomalies in the magnetocaloric response are observed near $H \approx 25$~kOe, including changes in field scaling of magnetic entropy, local entropy exponent, and universal master curve, which suggest an apparent weakening of the first-order character of the transition. However, quantitative analysis of the magnetocaloric parameters together with modified Arrott plots demonstrates that the transition remains first order up to at least 70~kOe. Specific-heat measurements reveal a field-induced splitting of the sharp zero-field anomaly into a doublet, providing a natural explanation for the change in the magnetocaloric response. Magnetic field dependent extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements show no detectable field-induced changes in the local coordination environment of Eu. We therefore attribute these observations to a magnetic field induced two-step transition process in Eu$_2$In.
2603.27390Mar 2026
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Reconfiguring room-scale magnetoquasistatic wireless power transfer with hierarchical resonators
Magnetoquasistatic wireless power transfer can deliver substantial power to mobile devices over near-field links. Room-scale implementations, such as quasistatic cavity resonators, extend this capability over large enclosed volumes, but their efficiency drops sharply for centimeter-scale or misoriented receivers because the magnetic field is spatially broad and weakly coupled to small coils. Here, we introduce hierarchical resonators that act as selectively activated relays within a room-scale quasistatic cavity resonator, capturing the ambient magnetic field and re-emitting it to concentrate flux at a target receiver. This architecture reconfigures the wireless power environment on demand and enables localized energy delivery to miniature devices. Experimentally, the hierarchical link improves power transfer efficiency by more than two orders of magnitude relative to direct room-scale transfer and delivers up to 500 mW of DC power to a 15 mm receiver. We further demonstrate selective multi-relay operation and field reorientation for furniture-embedded charging scenarios. These results establish a scalable route to reconfigurable wireless power delivery for miniature and batteryless devices in room-scale environments.
2603.27305Mar 2026
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Hot LO Phonon-Induced RF Nonlinearity in GaN High-Electron-Mobility Transistors
Hot longitudinal optical (LO) phonons in GaN have recently been identified as a major factor degrading the DC performance of GaN high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) by 30-60%, despite their ultrafast decay. However, their impact on large-signal RF performance, particularly RF linearity, remains poorly understood. Using full-band transport simulations of a fabricated GaN HEMT, we show that even ultrafast LO phonons with a lifetime of 30 fs degrade the output 1-dB compression point and the third-order output intercept power by ~3 dB compared to the case without LO phonon heating. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that improvements in transconductance ($g_\textrm{m}$) flatness do not necessarily translate into improved RF linearity because multiple nonlinear mechanisms contribute to the transistor response, and their combined effect cannot be captured by $g_\mathrm{m}$ flatness alone. This work clarifies a persistent ambiguity in the literature regarding using $g_\mathrm{m}$ flatness as a proxy for RF linearity and establishes fundamental phonon-induced limits on the RF performance of GaN HEMTs.
2603.27133Mar 2026
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Patched-Wall Quasistatic Cavity Resonators for 3-D Wireless Power Transfer
Traditional wireless power transfer (WPT) systems are largely limited to 1-D charging pads or 2-D charging surfaces and therefore do not support a truly ubiquitous device-powering experience. Although room-scale WPT based on multimode quasistatic cavity resonance (QSCR) has demonstrated full-volume coverage by leveraging multiple resonant modes, existing high-coverage implementations require obstructive internal conductive structures, such as a central pole. This letter presents a new structure, termed the patched-wall QSCR, that eliminates such internal obstructions while preserving full-volume coverage. By using conductive wall segments interconnected by capacitors, the proposed structure supports two complementary resonant modes that cover both the peripheral and central regions without obstructions within the charging volume. Electromagnetic simulations show that, by selectively exciting these two resonant modes, the proposed structure achieves a minimum power-transfer efficiency of 48.1% across the evaluated 54 m^3 charging volume while preserving an unobstructed interior space.
2603.26636Mar 2026
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Radar Cross-Section Reduction of the Nozzle of an Airborne Platform Using Lightweight Auxetic Metamaterials
The nozzle of an aircraft is a major source of radar scattering from the rear aspect of the aircraft, which undergoes higher operational temperatures. In order to reduce the radar scattering of these nozzles, high temperature radar absorbing materials (RAM) are essential. The thickness of these RAM typically increases to attain RCS reduction at lower frequencies, which subsequently leads to a higher weight of the structure. Therefore, this research study investigates the weight advantages of a star auxetic (SA) lattice made up of barium titanate to reduce the RCS of aircraft exhaust nozzles in the frequency range of 8-18 GHz. Modelling of SA with a complicated aircraft structure may lead to complexities in terms of Computer Aided Design and electromagnetic modelling and higher computational time for solving the electromagnetic problem using exact solvers. In order to simplify the computational problem, a homogenization and modified transfer matrix method is used to generate the RL performance. The RL from the proposed in-house tools is also compared with the Floquet port analysis. The RL performance obtained from the proposed method is also validated against experimental data. Comparative analyses are performed between SA and solid pure block (PB) barium titanate samples over 32761 SA and PB thickness combinations. Results show that selected SA samples with the same thickness achieve weight saving of approximately 60%, with 20dB lower RL than PB. The median RCS of the nozzle rear aspect also indicates that the SA-based barium titanate has an advantage in terms of weight penalty with similar or better RCS performance. The study demonstrates that auxetic metamaterials will be a multifunctional, lightweight, thermally stable, and radar absorbent structure for high temperature aircraft applications.
2603.26622Mar 2026
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Quantum Magnetometers for Infrastructure Inspection and Monitoring
Damage in infrastructure is often hidden until it becomes costly or dangerous. Common examples include corrosion under insulation, early fatigue damage in steel, corrosion of embedded reinforcement, and abnormal current flow in batteries and power equipment. Magnetic methods are attractive because they can sense through coatings, insulation, and concrete cover without couplants, but field performance is often limited by lift-off, low-frequency drift, background magnetic noise, and the weak low-frequency response of pickup coils. This review examines two room-temperature quantum receiver platforms: optically pumped atomic magnetometers (OPMs) and nitrogen-vacancy (NV) diamond magnetometers. Rather than treating them as stand-alone sensors, we compare them as parts of a full measurement chain that includes source physics, geometry, readout, calibration, and interpretation. The literature is organized into four magnetic signal classes: driven induction responses, leakage fields in magnetic flux leakage inspection, passive self-fields linked to stress or corrosion, and fields produced by operational currents. OPMs are strongest for low-frequency, phase-referenced induction measurements, while NV sensors are strongest for near-surface field mapping, vector or gradient measurements, and differential current sensing in compact solid-state heads. Across all applications, deployment depends less on best-case sensitivity than on usable bandwidth, dynamic range, background rejection, geometry control, calibration, and validation. The clearest path to field use is therefore robust instrument engineering tied to qualification methods that reflect real inspection conditions.
2604.03288Mar 2026
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Real-space topological singularities in structured flexural waves
Real-space singularities underpin diverse wave phenomena yet remain largely unexplored in elastic wave systems. We report the observation of real-space topological singularities in structured flexural waves on finite-sized solids. These singularities are robust against perturbations and annihilate only through topological phase transitions. Moreover, they imprint dislocation lines on the radiated sound field, generating acoustic vortices in free space from an achiral source and structure. Our findings bridge continuum mechanics and topological physics, establishing elastic waves as a platform for exploring complex topological textures in real space and paving the way towards singular phononics.
2603.21883Mar 2026
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Resonance-enhanced integrated acousto-optic beam steering
Optical beam steering is a key technology for free-space optical communication, sensing, and imaging. Mechanical beam steering systems suffer from limited scanning speed and bulky form factors, while existing solid-state solutions rely on pixelated synthetic aperture that requires complex fabrication and control architectures. Integrated acousto-optic beam steering (AOBS) is an emerging technology that enables continuous one-dimensional beam steering using integrated acoustic transducers and fixed-wavelength laser sources. Here, we integrate AOBS with an optical ring resonator on the same thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) platform to significantly enhance beam steering efficiency and system functionality. The resulting device achieves a resonance-enhanced beam steering efficiency of up to 20% over a 18 degrees field of view. Moreover, by leveraging integrated electro-optic control, we dynamically lock the ring-resonator's resonance to a chirped laser frequency, enabling frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) LiDAR operation. By combining lithium niobate's piezoelectric and electro-optic properties, this work establishes a compact, efficient, and scalable beam-steering platform with co-integrated acousto-optic modulation and electro-optic control for multifunctional applications.
2603.18191Mar 2026
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Experimental Limit on Neutron Orbital Angular Momentum Detection Using Polarized 3He
A recent proposal suggested that neutron orbital angular momentum (OAM) states could be detected via spin-polarized absorption in polarized 3He, with predicted cross-section variations linked to the neutron's OAM. We experimentally tested this hypothesis using spin-polarized neutron beams with OAM =-2 to 2, generated by fork-dislocation phase-gratings, and transmitted through a polarized 3He cell. Within statistical precision, no OAM-dependent change in the absorption cross section was observed. This null result places stringent constraints on polarized 3He-based OAM detection schemes. The absence of an effect in the given regime is traced to the proposal's disregard of the spatial character of neutron OAM: unlike spin, OAM arises from the transverse phase structure of the wavefunction and couples only through spatial gradients and overlap. The transverse extent of neutron OAM modes expands rapidly, producing a doughnut-shaped intensity profile with negligible overlap with on-axis 3He nuclei, while off-axis capture samples only a locally uniform phase and reduces the interaction to the known spin dependence. These results clarify the limits of absorptive nuclear methods for probing neutron OAM and emphasize the necessity of spatially resolved interactions in any viable detection scheme.
2603.16655Mar 2026
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Applicability of Radiowave Anechoic Chambers for Acoustic Free-Field Measurements on the Example of the Chamber at ITMO University
Acoustic anechoic chambers allow free-field measurements required for the verification of effects under investigation and for the characterization of developing devices. However, the construction of an anechoic chamber is a labor-intensive process that requires a lot of resources, which is why these facilities are rather rare. An analogous statement can be made about radiowave chambers. At the same time, it is known that materials for radiowave absorption might absorb acoustic waves as well, and it can be expected that some chambers can be utilized for both electromagnetic and acoustic free-field measurements. This work examines the feasibility of the radiowave anechoic chamber of ITMO University (Saint-Petersburg, Russia) for acoustic measurements. The acoustic properties of the chamber coatings are estimated via measurements and numerical calculations. Characterization of sound pressure level, background noise level, and reverberation time is performed in accordance with the ISO 3745:2012 standard. The key conclusion is that the chamber can be considered as an acoustic anechoic chamber, but only for specific frequency ranges and distances from the source, which depend on the measurement directions.
2603.16556Mar 2026
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A semi-analytical geometrical acoustics method for numerical simulation of ultrasound based motion sensing
We present a semi-analytical geometrical acoustics method to numerically simulate ultrasonic signal characteristics pertinent to motion sensing applications in indoor environments. The proposed methodology treats motion sensing from the first-principles in the sense that the expressions for acoustic field from the source, that scattered by the target and then received at the receiver are all derived from a kinematic standpoint incorporating target motion into consideration. A series of examples are presented throughout to demonstrate the effect of source directivity, wall reflections, and motion trajectories on the Doppler signal strength and frequency characteristics observed for motion sensing applications. Finally, we present a comparison of simulated results with experimental results on data acquired with a human target moving in an environment with an ultrasonic source and receiver. We specifically compare the baseband signal characteristics and their corresponding Short-time Fourier Transforms that depict Doppler frequency characteristics and show them to be in good qualitative agreement.
2603.15874Mar 2026
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Physics-Informed Deep Neural Network Design of Reactively Loaded Metasurfaces
A tandem deep neural network approach is presented for the inverse design of reactively loaded metasurfaces with prescribed far-field radiation characteristics. The proposed approach integrates a deep neural network (DNN) with a physics-based microwave network forward solver. The DNN maps target far-field patterns to distributions of reactive loads across the metasurface unit cells. The predicted distribution of reactive loads is evaluated by the forward solver to compute the resulting radiation pattern and guide the learning process through a cosine-similarity loss function. The forward solver enables a fast evaluation of the metasurface's electromagnetic response, significantly reducing the computational cost required for training. The proposed approach is applied to a metasurface with aperture-coupled unit cells loaded with reactances. Several design examples are presented to demonstrate the accurate synthesis of shaped and steered radiation patterns. Full-wave electromagnetic simulations are performed to validate the accuracy of the designed beamforming metasurfaces.
2603.15430Mar 2026
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Effect of spin disorder on the specific loss power of a nanomagnet
Spin non-collinearities in magnetic nanostructures arise from a variety of sources, including structural defects, finite-size effects, boundary or surface effects, Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya exchange coupling, and magnetic vortex formation. While strong forms of spin disorder generally require a numerical treatment, relatively weak non-collinearities induced by surface anisotropy are amenable to the analytical framework of the effective one-spin problem (EOSP). In this work, we exploit this framework to present a qualitative, semi-analytical study of the effect of spin disorder on the specific loss power (SLP) of a single nanomagnet within linear-response theory. Surface-induced spin misalignment mainly manifests as an additional quartic (cubic-symmetry) contribution to the anisotropy energy, parametrized by the ratio $ζ\equiv K_4/K_2$. We derive a semi-analytical expression for the SLP as a function of $ζ$ by combining the $ζ$-dependent equilibrium susceptibility and the relaxation rate obtained within Langer's approach. Our results show that, for systems in the slow-relaxation regime, the SLP is enhanced by spin misalignment, predominantly through the increase of the relaxation rate caused by the lowering of the effective energy barrier. Retaining the full Debye factor reveals that for moderate reduced barriers $σ$, where the system is close to the superparamagnetic regime, the SLP can actually \emph{decrease} with increasing spin disorder. The enhancement is asymmetric with respect to the sign of $ζ$ and depends on the nanomagnet shape (sphere versus cube) through the geometric prefactors in the EOSP mapping.
2603.15376Mar 2026
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ANNA: a toolbox for Newtonian Noise Analysis
The Einstein Telescope (ET) is a third-generation underground gravitational wave observatory designed to achieve an unprecedented sensitivity down to 3 Hz. Waves propagating in the soil due to anthropogenic or natural vibration sources generate density fluctuations which cause gravitational attraction, resulting in motion of the mirrors of the laser interferometer known as Newtonian noise. The latter is computed by integrating density fluctuations due to seismic wave fields over the soil domain surrounding the test mass. ANNA Newtonian Noise Analysis is a toolbox that computes Newtonian Noise from a seismic wave field defined on a finite element mesh, using Gaussian quadrature. 3D finite element meshes composed of linear and quadratic tetrahedral (4-node and 10-node) and brick (8-node and 20-node) elements are supported. The user computes (or interpolates) a seismic wave field on a finite element mesh and the toolbox computes the total Newtonian noise, as well as the bulk and surface contributions. ANNA runs in the MATLAB programming and numeric computing platform and is compatible with the open-source GNU Octave Scientific Programming Language; a Python version is also available. The toolbox is verified for plane P- and S-waves propagating in an elastic homogeneous full space with a mirror suspended in a spherical cavity, assuming that the wavelength is much larger than the radius of the cavity, so that wave scattering can be ignored. Excellent agreement with analytical solutions is obtained. Similar good agreement is reported for the Newtonian noise on a test mass suspended at a finite distance above the free surface of a homogeneous elastic halfspace in which a Rayleigh wave propagates. The proposed finite element framework provides a physically consistent and computationally efficient approach for computing gravitational-seismic coupling in heterogeneous media.
2603.15157Mar 2026
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Nonabelian elastic metamaterials using holonomies acquired by crossing degeneracies
Embedding nonabelian features into elastic metamaterials promises remarkable opportunities for wave control in many practical applications such as surface acoustic wave devices, mode multiplexers, and on-material computation. Nevertheless, current realizations are limited to arrangements of coupled resonators with fine-tuned interactions, limiting their applicability to continuous media. This theoretical and numerical study introduces a design principle for continuous nonabelian elastic metamaterial waveguides. The basic configuration consists of a composite waveguide made of multiple cylindrical waveguides coupled by spatially varying elements. These elements are engineered to follow geometrically-controlled parameter variations that cross selected degeneracies and produce a targeted nonabelian holonomy. The strategy based on crossing degeneracies fundamentally differs from abelian geometric phases, where parameters avoid and encircle degeneracies, or nonabelian Wilczek-Zee phases, where parameters are fine-tuned to maintain degeneracies throughout their cycle. The resulting holonomy transfers an input longitudinal excitation in one rod to an output response in another rod. When two such waveguides are concatenated, their ordering dictates the output response, thereby revealing the emergence of nonabelian dynamics. The nonabelian behavior persists across a broad range of frequencies and under perturbations to the geometry of coupling elements or cylinder diameters. These results establish a robust, effective, and practical route to leverage nonabelian physics in elastic metamaterials.
2603.13979Mar 2026
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MgB$_2$ Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detector
Thermal Kinetic Inductance Detectors (TKIDs) inherently combine the phonon-limited noise performance of traditional bolometers with the array scalability and responsivity of superconducting kinetic inductance detectors. Using a superconducting resonator as the thermally sensitive element provides high responsivity and tunable dynamic range, with phonon noise set by the cryogenic operating temperature of the free-standing membrane. In this work, MgB$_2$-based TKIDs are demonstrated operating from below 1 K up to 20 K with characterized noise-equivalent power (NEP) using integrated on-membrane heaters. A comprehensive characterization of electrical, thermal, and noise properties is presented. Phonon noise-limited performance is demonstrated from 4 to 8 K.
2603.13153Mar 2026
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Efficient Scattering Synthesis for Beyond-Diagonal Non-Local RISs Coupled with Passive Load Networks
Realizing advanced functionalities with high efficiencies via reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (RISs) and reflectarrays requires configurations with strong electromagnetic non-local responses. The traditional approach to achieving strong non-locality has relied on modeling and synthesizing RISs with diagonal load impedance matrices composed of highly dense subwavelength structuring of arrays. In such designs, non-locality is not directly tunable, thereby limiting design flexibility and operational efficiency. This work proposes a rigorous co-simulation-based design and optimization framework for beyond-diagonal RISs with directly controllable non-locality. The co-simulation approach is based on non-local load and coupling networks, integrating electromagnetic antenna characterization with circuit-level modeling of cascaded load networks. The method benefits from additional degrees of freedom by generalizing the conventional diagonal load impedance matrix to a non-diagonal form through a non-local coupling network model. Wide-angle anomalous reflectors based on finite linear and infinite periodic arrays are designed and numerically validated, demonstrating that the proposed non-local loads embedded in realistic cascaded load networks with associated circuitry achieve significantly higher reflection efficiencies than diagonal load matrices at the given element density. Alternatively, for a fixed efficiency target, the required element density can be significantly reduced for efficient synthesis of beyond-diagonal RIS without compromising the performance of wave manipulations.
2603.12815Mar 2026
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