Phase transitions and critical phenomena articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hydrogenation is an effective way to tune the property of metal oxides. Here, the authors report a simple approach to hydrogenate VO2 in acid solution under ambient conditions by placing a small piece of low workfunction metal on VO2 surface.

    • Yuliang Chen
    • , Zhaowu Wang
    •  & Yi Luo

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Superconductor-insulator transitions predominantly occur in highly disordered thin films. Here, Saito et al. report that a quantum metallic state transforms via the quantum Griffiths state to a weakly localized metal at high magnetic fields in a crystalline two-dimensional superconductor.

    • Yu Saito
    • , Tsutomu Nojima
    •  & Yoshihiro Iwasa

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Glass formers show dynamics over a broad range of timescales, presenting a hurdle to understanding the glass transition. Here, the authors find that the dynamics of glass-forming liquids are governed by the same mechanisms over different timescales, effectively reducing the phase diagram from two to one dimension.

    • H. W. Hansen
    • , A. Sanz
    •  & K. Niss

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Displacive martensitic transformations through lattice distortion usually involve a change from one crystal structure to another. Here however, the authors “melt” metastable Ti alloys during cooling and show that a martensitic transformation can lead to the formation of an intragranular amorphous phase.

    • Long Zhang
    • , Haifeng Zhang
    •  & Simon Pauly

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Our understanding of material instabilities in soft solids remains elusive mainly due to the mathematical challenges in capturing localised phenomena within nonlinear elastic materials. Ciarletta develops an analytical theory to describe the nucleation threshold of creases in agreement with experiments.

    • P. Ciarletta

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Deuterating a hydrogen bond can change the bond’s geometry, a phenomenon known as the geometric isotope effect (GIE). Here, the authors find that a hydrogen-bonded host–guest crystal, imidazolium hydrogen terephthalate, exhibits significant GIE on its hydrogen bonds, changing its crystal phases and bulk dielectric properties.

    • Chao Shi
    • , Xi Zhang
    •  & Wen Zhang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The existence of interfaces, separating distinct relaxing regions, has been predicted in glass  theory, but a direct proof remains challenging due to the amorphous nature of glasses. Ganapathi et al. identify and measure the surface tension of these interfaces in bulk supercooled colloidal liquids.

    • Divya Ganapathi
    • , K. Hima Nagamanasa
    •  & Rajesh Ganapathy

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Several organic materials exhibit spin liquid phases, which are predicted to host exotic spinon excitations that emerge from non-local quantum effects. Here, the authors identify a quasi-continuous phase transition in κ-(ET)2Cu2(CN)3 that may be associated with the presence of spinons.

    • Tetsuya Furukawa
    • , Kazuhiko Kobashi
    •  & Kazushi Kanoda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Intermolecular interactions have a crucial role in the adsorption of molecules on a surface, however their role in promoting phase transitions is less well known. Here, the authors report an abnormal phase transition between a high-density liquid crystal and low-density solid in the case of carbon monoxide on Cu(111), driven by intermolecular interactions and entropy.

    • Wenbin Li
    • , Longjuan Kong
    •  & Lan Chen

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Rare-earth nickelates undergo a metal-to-insulator transition accompanied by the formation of ordered lattice distortions, but the role of the lattice in the metallic phase remains unclear. Here the authors provide evidence that the metal is a polaronic liquid that freezes into the insulating state.

    • Jacob Shamblin
    • , Maximilian Heres
    •  & Steven Johnston

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The improper ferroelectric mechanism of YMnO3 has been difficult to observe directly but is important for understanding its other interesting properties such as multiferroicity. Bansal et al. use neutron scattering and ab initio calculations to show that phonons drive the transition, confirming earlier theories.

    • Dipanshu Bansal
    • , Jennifer L. Niedziela
    •  & Olivier Delaire

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Understanding the electromagnetic responses at subwavelength scales is important for achieving tunability. Using a combination of the near-field and far-field spectroscopy, the authors demonstrate a heavy fermion metamaterial with tunable dual-band optical responses by selectively and separately modifying the 4f and 5d band electrons.

    • Stephanie N. Gilbert Corder
    • , Xinzhong Chen
    •  & Mengkun Liu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Heterogeneous nucleation is a process that mediates the birth of many crystalline materials, but is not fully understood. Here, the authors show that the study of precritical cluster fluctuations paves new ways for the identification of polymorphism, polymorphic control and theoretical modeling.

    • Martin Fitzner
    • , Gabriele C. Sosso
    •  & Angelos Michaelides

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Crystallising a bulk metallic glass usually results in separate phases. Here, the authors use metallic glass nanorods to show that as the sample size approaches the nucleation scale lengths, the crystallization behavior is dictated by the lack of nuclei and nanorods crystallise into a single phase.

    • Sungwoo Sohn
    • , Yujun Xie
    •  & Judy J. Cha

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Charge-lattice coupling plays a central role in the exotic behaviors of multiferroic complex oxides, such as manganites, however, obtaining a microscopic picture is challenging. Here, Savitzky et al. map periodic lattice displacement fields at the picometer scale to study local order-disorder competition.

    • Benjamin H. Savitzky
    • , Ismail El Baggari
    •  & Lena F. Kourkoutis

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Barocaloric materials offer promise in solid-state cooling devices, but few materials have been show to display giant barocaloric effects near room temperature. Here, the authors demonstrate that solid electrolyte AgI displays giant inverse barocaloric effects near its superionic phase transition at ~420 K.

    • Araceli Aznar
    • , Pol Lloveras
    •  & Lluís Mañosa

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Applications of rare-earth nickelates are hampered by lack of global understanding of the interplay among various degrees of freedom. Here, Mercy et al. propose that the metal-insulator transition of nickelates arises from the softening of an oxygen breathing distortion, providing a united picture of electronic, structural and magnetic properties.

    • Alain Mercy
    • , Jordan Bieder
    •  & Philippe Ghosez

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Multiplex networks consist of a collection of interacting layers and occur in social and technological systems. Here Osat et al. investigate optimal percolation which relates to the process of optimally dismantling multiplex networks and show that simplified versions of this problem lead to error.

    • Saeed Osat
    • , Ali Faqeeh
    •  & Filippo Radicchi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Replica symmetry breaking describes identical copies of a randomly interacting system exhibiting different dynamics. Here, Pierangeli et al. observe this critical phenomenon in the optical wave propagation inside a disordered nonlinear waveguide.

    • Davide Pierangeli
    • , Andrea Tavani
    •  & Eugenio DelRe

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Collective self-organized behavior can be observed in a variety of systems such as colloids and microswimmers. Here O’Keeffe et al. propose a model of oscillators which move in space and tend to synchronize with neighboring oscillators and outline five types of collective self-organized states.

    • Kevin P. O’Keeffe
    • , Hyunsuk Hong
    •  & Steven H. Strogatz

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Our understanding of shock metamorphism and thus the collision of planetary bodies is limited by a dependence on ex situ analyses. Here, the authors perform in situ analysis on shocked-produced densified glass and show that estimates of impactor size based on traditional techniques are likely inflated.

    • A. E. Gleason
    • , C. A. Bolme
    •  & W. L. Mao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Complex phase transformations in β-stabilised titanium alloys can dramatically change their α and β microstructures, providing tailorability for aerospace or biomaterial applications. Here the authors show that Ti-Nb alloys exhibit giant thermal expansions and identify two new pathways that lead to α phase formation.

    • Matthias Bönisch
    • , Ajit Panigrahi
    •  & Jürgen Eckert

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Previous transport studies of graphite in strong magnetic fields have found a sequence of phase transitions with a still unresolved microscopic origin. Here the authors present ultrasound measurements enabling sharper resolution and demonstrating the thermodynamic nature of these transitions.

    • D. LeBoeuf
    • , C. W. Rischau
    •  & B. Fauqué

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Whilst superconductivity usually appears when magnetic order is suppressed, the role of charge is less known. Here, Kawasaki et al. report a charge density wave (CDW) above the superconducting transition induced by an in-plane magnetic field in Bi2Sr2-x La x CuO6, with the CDW onset temperature scaling with the pseudogap temperature.

    • S. Kawasaki
    • , Z. Li
    •  & Guo-qing Zheng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Cascade propagation models represent a range of processes on networks, such as power-grid blackouts and epidemic outbreaks. Here the authors investigate temporal profiles of avalanches and show how nonsymmetric average avalanche shapes can occur at criticality.

    • James P. Gleeson
    •  & Rick Durrett

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The origin of the volume collapse of cerium, the only elemental metal with a critical point in the solid phase, remains elusive. Here the authors show that, near the critical point, the f-electrons make cerium lose its compressive strength while maintaining a finite shear strength—which makes cerium unexpectedly auxetic.

    • Magnus J. Lipp
    • , Zs. Jenei
    •  & W. J. Evans

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The overlap between different phases has hindered the understanding of how each phase affects superconductivity in FeSe. Here, Matsuura et al. achieve a complete separation of non-magnetic nematic and antiferromagnetic phases for FeSe1-x S x , observing a tetragonal phase in between with a strikingly enhanced T c.

    • K. Matsuura
    • , Y. Mizukami
    •  & T. Shibauchi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Water and ammonia are major constituents of icy planet interiors, however their phase behaviour under extreme conditions remain relatively unknown. Here, the authors show that ammonia monohydrate transforms under pressure into an alloy composed of molecules as well as ions, owing to a topological frustration.

    • C. Liu
    • , A. Mafety
    •  & S. Ninet

  • Article
    | Open Access

    In magnetic shape memory Heusler alloys, the premartensite phase is believed to be a precursor state of the martensite phase with preserved austenite phase symmetry. Here, the authors show that the premartensite is a stable phase with its own crystallographic symmetry resulting from the stepped growth of Bain distortions in the lattice.

    • Sanjay Singh
    • , B. Dutta
    •  & D. Pandey

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Artificial magnetic nanostructures enable the study of competing frustrated interactions with more control over the system parameters than is possible in magnetic materials. Farhan et al. present a two-dimensional lattice geometry where the frustration can be controlled by tuning the unit cell parameters.

    • Alan Farhan
    • , Charlotte F. Petersen
    •  & Sebastiaan van Dijken

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Materials with a Kitaev spin liquid ground state are sought after as models of quantum phases but candidates so far form either zig-zag or incommensurate magnetic order. Ruiz et al. find a crossover between these states in β-Li2IrO3 under weak magnetic fields, indicating strongly frustrated spin interactions.

    • Alejandro Ruiz
    • , Alex Frano
    •  & James G. Analytis

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The magnetism-induced chirality in electron transportation is of fundamental importantance in condensed matter physics but the origin is still unclear. Here the authors demonstrate that the asymmetric electron scattering by chiral spin fluctuations can be the key to the electrical magnetochiral effect in MnSi.

    • T. Yokouchi
    • , N. Kanazawa
    •  & Y. Tokura

  • Article
    | Open Access

    An analog quantum simulation scheme has been explored with a quantum hardware based on a superconducting circuit. Here the authors investigate the time evolution of the quantum Rabi model at ultra-strong coupling conditions, which is synthesized by slowing down the system dynamics in an effective frame.

    • Jochen Braumüller
    • , Michael Marthaler
    •  & Alexey V. Ustinov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    It is expected that introducing charge carriers into an exotic quantum spin liquid state may lead to an unconventional metal but there are no clear realizations of a metallic spin liquid. Here, the authors present a spin liquid candidate that also shows evidence of strange metal behavior.

    • Hiroshi Oike
    • , Yuji Suzuki
    •  & Kazushi Kanoda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The study of phase transitions in quantum ferromagnets has shown that the approach to a continuous quantum ferromagnetic transition is typically interrupted by either a tricritical point or a new magnetic phase. Here the authors show that LaCrGe3 exhibits both these features in its phase diagram.

    • Udhara S. Kaluarachchi
    • , Sergey L. Bud’ko
    •  & Valentin Taufour

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Due to reduced dimensionality, the properties of 2D materials are often different from their 3D counterparts. Here, the authors identify the emergence of a unique charge density wave (CDW) order in monolayer TiTe2 that challenges the current understanding of CDW formation.

    • P. Chen
    • , Woei Wu Pai
    •  & T.-C. Chiang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance is promising for next generation memory devices but limited by the low efficiency and functioning temperature. Here the authors achieved 20% tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance at room temperature in magnetic tunnel junctions with one α′-FeRh magnetic electrode.

    • X. Z. Chen
    • , J. F. Feng
    •  & F. Pan

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Quantum phase transitions are governed by Landau-Ginzburg theory and the exceptions are rare. Here, Li et al. propose a type of Landau-forbidden quantum critical points induced by gapless fermions in two-dimensional Dirac semimetals.

    • Zi-Xiang Li
    • , Yi-Fan Jiang
    •  & Hong Yao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The nuclear fuel uranium dioxide is of intrinsic interest due to its industrial applications but it also exhibits intriguing electronic and magnetic properties. Here, the authors demonstrate how its complex magnetic structure and interactions give rise to a strong piezomagnetic effect.

    • M. Jaime
    • , A. Saul
    •  & K. Gofryk

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The universality class for plastic yield in amorphous materials remains controversial. Here authors present a tensorial mesoscale model that captures both complex shear patterns and avalanche scaling behaviour, which differs from mean-field models and suggests a distinct type of critical phenomenon.

    • Zoe Budrikis
    • , David Fernandez Castellanos
    •  & Stefano Zapperi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    (Ba,Ca)(Zr,Ti)O3ceramics have attracted interest as lead-free materials with large piezoelectric responses. Here, the authors use an atomistic model to show the electromechanical properties are due to a complex microstructure and polarization fluctuations in the narrowly stable orthorhombic phase.

    • Yousra Nahas
    • , Alireza Akbarzadeh
    •  & L. Bellaiche

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Identifying intermediates during phase transitions is critical for our understanding of correlated materials, but difficult to achieve experimentally. Here, the authors report a surface coordination route to stabilize and directly image a phase-transition intermediate during the metal-insulator transition in vanadium dioxide.

    • Zejun Li
    • , Jiajing Wu
    •  & Yi Xie

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Parity-time (PT) symmetry has been mainly studied in optical and weakly interacting open quantum systems without many-body correlations. Here the authors show that in a strongly correlated many-body system the interplay between correlations and PT symmetry leads to the emergence of new critical phenomena.

    • Yuto Ashida
    • , Shunsuke Furukawa
    •  & Masahito Ueda

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Films of iron-rhodium alloy undergo a magnetic transition at 100°C, and so are attractive for applications, but a detailed understanding of the transition mechanism has not been achieved. Here, the authors use electron holography to quantitatively map the transition’s progress through the film depth.

    • C. Gatel
    • , B. Warot-Fonrose
    •  & M.J. Casanove

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