Publications

Order by: publication date number of citations

• Tunable second harmonic generation in 2D materials: Comparison of different strategies

  Simone Grillo, Elena Cannuccia, Maurizia Palummo, Olivia Pulci, Claudio Attaccalite

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 081 (2024) · published 4 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Nonlinear optical frequency conversion, where optical fields interact with a nonlinear medium to generate new frequencies, is a key phenomenon in modern photonic systems. However, a major challenge with these techniques lies in the difficulty of tuning the nonlinear electrical susceptibilities that drive such effects in a given material. As a result, dynamic control of optical nonlinearities has remained largely confined to research laboratories, limiting its practical use as a spectroscopic tool. In this work, we aim to advance the development of devices with tunable nonlinear responses by exploring two potential mechanisms for electrically manipulating second-order optical nonlinearity in two-dimensional materials. Specifically, we consider two configurations: in the first, the material does not inherently exhibit second-harmonic generation (SHG), but this response is induced by an external field; in the second, an external field induces doping in a material that already exhibits SHG, altering the intensity of the nonlinear signal. In this work, we have studied these two configurations using a real-time ab-initio approach under an out-of-plane external field and including the effects of doping-induced variations in the screened electron-electron interaction. We then discuss the limitations of current computational methods and compare our results with experimental measurements.

  1 citation

• A $C^\ast$-algebraic view on the interaction of real- and reciprocal space topology in skyrmion crystals

  Pascal Prass, Fabian R. Lux, Emil Prodan, Duco van Straten, Yuriy Mokrousov

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 080 (2024) · published 4 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Understanding the interaction of real- and reciprocal space topology in skyrmion crystals is an open problem. We approach it from the viewpoint of $C^\ast$-algebras and calculate all admissible Chern numbers of a strongly coupled tight-binding skyrmion system on a triangular lattice as a function of Fermi energy and texture parameters. Our analysis reveals the topological complexity of electronic states coupled to spin textures, and the failure of the adiabatic picture to account for it in terms of emergent electromagnetism. On the contrary, we explain the discontinuous jumps in the real-space winding number in terms of collective evolution in real-, reciprocal, and mixed space Chern numbers. Our work sets the stage for further research on topological dynamics in complex dynamic spin textures coupled to external fields.

  1 citation

• Vector-like quarks: Status and new directions at the LHC

  Avik Banerjee, Elin Bergeaas Kuutmann, Venugopal Ellajosyula, Rikard Enberg, Gabriele Ferretti, Luca Panizzi

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 079 (2024) · published 4 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Experimental searches for vector-like quarks have until now only considered their decays into Standard Model particles. However, various new physics scenarios predict additional scalars, so that these vector-like quarks can decay to new channels. These new channels reduce the branching ratios into Standard Model final states, significantly affecting current mass bounds. In this article, we quantitatively assess the relevance and observability of single and pair production processes of vector-like quarks, followed by decays into both standard and exotic final states. We highlight the importance of large widths and the relative interaction strengths with Standard Model particles and new scalars. Then, we review the post-Moriond 2024 status of these models in light of available LHC data and discuss potential future strategies to enhance the scope of vector-like quark searches.

  14 citations

• Duality and hidden symmetry breaking in the q-deformed Affleck-Kennedy-Lieb-Tasaki model

  Tyler Franke, Thomas Quella

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 078 (2024) · published 2 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We revisit the question of string order and hidden symmetry breaking in the $q$-deformed AKLT model, an example of a spin chain that possesses generalized symmetry. We first argue that the non-local Kennedy-Tasaki duality transformation that was previously proposed to relate the string order to a local order parameter leads to a non-local Hamiltonian and thus does not provide a physically adequate description of the symmetry breaking. We then present a modified non-local transformation which is based on a recently developed generalization of Witten's Conjugation to frustration-free lattice models and capable of resolving this issue.

  2 citations

• Functional renormalization group approach for signal detection

  Vincent Lahoche, Dine Ousmane Samary, Mohamed Tamaazousti

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 077 (2024) · published 2 December 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  This review paper utilizes renormalization group techniques for signal detection in nearly continuous positive spectra. We emphasize the universal aspects of the analogue field-theory approach. The primary objective is to present an extended self-consistent construction of the analogue effective field-theory framework for data, which can be interpreted as a maximum entropy model. In particular, we leverage universality arguments to justify the $\mathbb{Z}_2$ symmetry of the classical action, highlighting the existence of both a large-scale (local) regime and a small-scale (nonlocal) regime. Secondly, in relation to noise models, we observe the universal relationship between phase transitions and symmetry breaking near the detection threshold. Finally, we address the challenge of defining the covariance matrix for tensor-like data. Based on the cutting graph prescription, we note the superiority of definitions that rely on complete graphs of large size for data analysis.

• Inferring flavor mixtures in multijet events

  Ezequiel Alvarez, Yuling Yao

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 076 (2024) · published 28 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Multijet events with heavy-flavors are of central importance at the LHC since many relevant processes–such as $t\bar t$, $hh$, $t\bar t h$ and others–have a preferred branching ratio for this final state. Current techniques for tackling these processes use hard-assignment selections through $b$-tagging working points, and suffer from systematic uncertainties because of the difficulties in Monte Carlo simulations. We develop a flexible Bayesian mixture model approach to simultaneously infer $b$-tagging score distributions and the flavor mixture composition in the dataset. We model multidimensional jet events, and to enhance estimation efficiency, we design structured priors that leverages the continuity and unimodality of the $b$-tagging score distributions. Remarkably, our method eliminates the need for a parametric assumption and is robust against model misspecification–It works for arbitrarily flexible continuous curves and is better if they are unimodal. We have run a toy inferential process with signal $bbbb$ and backgrounds $ccbb$ and $cccc$, and we find that with a few hundred events we can recover the true mixture fractions of the signal and backgrounds, as well as the true $b$-tagging score distribution curves, despite their arbitrariness and nonparametric shapes. We discuss prospects for taking these findings into a realistic scenario in a physics analysis. The presented results could be a starting point for a different and novel kind of analysis in multijet events, with a scope competitive with current state-of-the-art analyses. We also discuss the possibility of using these results in general cases of signals and backgrounds with approximately known continuous distributions and/or expected unimodality.

  1 citation

• Benchmarking quantum computer simulation software packages: State vector simulators

  Amit Jamadagni Gangapuram, Andreas M. Läuchli, Cornelius Hempel

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 075 (2024) · published 26 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Rapid advances in quantum computing technology lead to an increasing need for software simulators that enable both algorithm design and the validation of results obtained from quantum hardware. This includes calculations that aim at probing regimes of quantum advantage, where a quantum computer outperforms a classical computer in the same task. High performance computing (HPC) platforms play a crucial role as today's quantum devices already reach beyond the limits of what powerful workstations can model, but a systematic evaluation of the individual performance of the many offered simulation packages is lacking so far. In this Technical Review, we benchmark several software packages capable of simulating quantum dynamics with a special focus on HPC capabilities. We develop a containerized toolchain for benchmarking a large set of simulation packages on a local HPC cluster using different parallelisation capabilities, and compare the performance and system size-scaling for three paradigmatic quantum computing tasks. Our results can help finding the right package for a given simulation task and lay the foundation for a systematic community effort to benchmark and validate upcoming versions of existing and also newly developed simulation packages.

  5 citations

• Entanglement Hamiltonian and effective temperature of non-Hermitian quantum spin ladders

  Pei-Yun Yang, Yu-Chin Tzeng

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 074 (2024) · published 20 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  Quantum entanglement plays a crucial role not only in understanding Hermitian many-body systems but also in offering valuable insights into non-Hermitian quantum systems. In this paper, we analytically investigate the entanglement Hamiltonian and entanglement energy spectrum of a non-Hermitian spin ladder using perturbation theory in the biorthogonal basis. Specifically, we examine the entanglement properties between coupled non-Hermitian quantum spin chains. In the strong coupling limit ($J_\mathrm{rung}\gg1$), first-order perturbation theory reveals that the entanglement Hamiltonian closely resembles the single-chain Hamiltonian with renormalized coupling strengths, allowing for the definition of an ad hoc temperature. Our findings provide new insights into quantum entanglement in non-Hermitian systems and offer a foundation for developing novel approaches for studying finite temperature properties in non-Hermitian quantum many-body systems.

  4 citations

• Trials factor for semi-supervised NN classifiers in searches for narrow resonances at the LHC

  Benjamin Lieberman, Salah-Eddine Dahbi, Andreas Crivellin, Finn Stevenson, Nidhi Tripathi, Mukesh Kumar, Bruce Mellado

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 073 (2024) · published 13 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  To mitigate the model dependencies of searches for new narrow resonances at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC), semi-supervised Neural Networks (NNs) can be used. Unlike fully supervised classifiers these models introduce an additional look-elsewhere effect in the process of optimising thresholds on the response distribution. We perform a frequentist study to quantify this effect, in the form of a trials factor. As an example, we consider simulated $Z\gamma$ data to perform narrow resonance searches using semi-supervised NN classifiers. The results from this analysis provide substantiation that the look-elsewhere effect induced by the semi-supervised NN is under control.

• NNLL-fast 2.0: Coloured sparticle production at the LHC run 3 with $\sqrt{S}$ = 13.6 TeV

  Wim Beenakker, Christoph Borschensky, Michael Krämer, Anna Kulesza, Eric Laenen, Judita Mamužić, Laura Moreno Valero

  SciPost Phys. Core 7, 072 (2024) · published 13 November 2024 | Toggle abstract · pdf

  We report on updated precision predictions for total cross sections of coloured supersymmetric particle production at the LHC with a centre-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{S} = 13.6$ TeV, computed with the modern PDF4LHC21 set. The cross sections are calculated at an approximated NNLO accuracy in QCD and contain corrections from the threshold resummation of soft-gluon emission up to NNLL accuracy as well as Coulomb-gluon contributions including bound-state terms. The corrections are found to increase the cross sections and reduce the theoretical uncertainty as compared to the best available fixed-order calculations. These predictions constitute the state-of-the-art calculations and update the existing results for $\sqrt{S} = 13$ TeV. We make our new results publicly available in the version 2.0 update to the code package \textsc{NNLL-fast}.

  3 citations