Theoretical particle physics articles within Nature Communications

Featured

• Article
  19 December 2023 | Open Access

  Strongly interacting matter exhibits deconfined behavior in massive neutron stars

  Neutron stars contain matter at extremely high densities, the properties of which are reflected in the corresponding equation of state (EoS). Here, the authors argue that the inferred properties of the neutron-star-matter EoS point to the likely presence of deconfined quark matter in the cores of the most massive stable neutron stars.

  • Eemeli Annala
  • , Tyler Gorda
  •  & Aleksi Vuorinen

• Article
  11 December 2023 | Open Access

  Nanophotonics for pair production

  The authors propose electron-positron creation by scattering of gamma-rays and polaritons, enabling the synthesis of ultrafast, localized positron sources and introducing the possibility to exploit nanophotonics for particle physics.

  • Valerio Di Giulio
  •  & F. Javier García de Abajo

• Article
  07 February 2023 | Open Access

  Hadronic uncertainties versus new physics for the W boson mass and Muon g − 2 anomalies

  The tension between measured W mass and its Standard Model prediction might arise from uncertainties in the hadronic contribution, and the same is true for the muon g − 2. Here, the authors show that such a common origin for the two anomalies is unlikely, while a model involving leptoquarks might explain them both.

  • Peter Athron
  • , Andrew Fowlie
  •  & Bin Zhu

• Article
  08 September 2022 | Open Access

  QED radiative corrections for accelerator neutrinos

  Precisely calculating differences between muon- and electron-neutrino interactions is difficult, but is vital for correctly interpreting neutrino oscillation experiments. Here, the authors determine the effect of electromagnetic quantum corrections in the predicted ratio of v_e and v_μ cross sections.

  • Oleksandr Tomalak
  • , Qing Chen
  •  & Kevin S. McFarland

• Article
  14 June 2021 | Open Access

  Lattice quantum electrodynamics in (3+1)-dimensions at finite density with tensor networks

  Tensor network simulations of lattice gauge theories may overcome the limitations of the Monte Carlo approach, but results have been limited to 1+1 and 2+1 dimensions so far. Here, the authors report a tree-tensor-based numerical study of a 3+1d truncated U(1) lattice gauge theory with fermionic matter.

  • Giuseppe Magnifico
  • , Timo Felser
  •  & Simone Montangero

• Article
  15 January 2018 | Open Access

  Experimental quantum simulation of fermion-antifermion scattering via boson exchange in a trapped ion

  Simulation of quantum field theory using quantum systems would in principle allow avoidance of the exponential overhead required for classical simulations. Here, the authors use a multilevel trapped ion to simulate the processes of self-interaction and particle-antiparticle creation/annihilation.

  • Xiang Zhang
  • , Kuan Zhang
  •  & Kihwan Kim

• Article | 13 October 2015

  Electrically tunable multiple Dirac cones in thin films of the (LaO)₂(SbSe₂)₂ family of materials

  The ability to electrically control Dirac cones is essential for exploring the physics and applications of Dirac materials. Here, the authors combine ab initio calculations and analytical models to predict that (LaO)₂(SbSe₂)₂is a Dirac material with multiple electrically-tunable Dirac cones.

  • Xiao-Yu Dong
  • , Jian-Feng Wang
  •  & Chao-Xing Liu

• Article
  06 October 2015 | Open Access

  Effect of interfaces on the nearby Brownian motion

  Brownian motion of biomolecules and colloidal particles near solid walls is expected to be rather different from that in bulk, but the details have been highly controversial. Here, Huang and Szlufarska show a general breakdown of traditional no-slip boundary conditions at short timescales that clarifies the controversy.

  • Kai Huang
  •  & Izabela Szlufarska

• Article
  23 September 2015 | Open Access

  Multiply periodic states and isolated skyrmions in an anisotropic frustrated magnet

  Skyrmions—magnetic vortices with an additional twist—have only been observed in a small number of chiral magnets, all with specific non-centrosymmetric structure. Here, the authors suggest that skyrmions can be found in many frustrated magnets as long as they meet a specific set of criteria.

  • A. O. Leonov
  •  & M. Mostovoy

• Article
  22 September 2015 | Open Access

  Experimental observation of N00N state Bloch oscillations

  Bloch oscillations consist of periodic spreading and relocalization of particle wave functions, but have been so far observed only in separable states. Here the authors observe them for two-photon N00N states in integrated photonic circuits, revealing transitions from particle bunching to anitbunching.

  • Maxime Lebugle
  • , Markus Gräfe
  •  & Alexander Szameit

• Article
  16 September 2015 | Open Access

  Bloch-like waves in random-walk potentials based on supersymmetry

  Various approaches based on the iterative search have failed in the deterministic creation of bandgaps in random networks. Here Yu et al. reveal a deterministic pathway to bandgaps in random-walk potentials by applying the notion of supersymmetry to the wave equation.

  • Sunkyu Yu
  • , Xianji Piao
  •  & Namkyoo Park

• Article
  27 March 2015 | Open Access

  Signatures of the Giant Pairing Vibration in the ¹⁴C and ¹⁵C atomic nuclei

  The Giant Pairing Vibration is a collective mode in an atomic nucleus caused by coherence between particle-particle excitations, which has so far eluded detection. Cappuzzello et al. present signatures for its existence via heavy-ion-induced two-neutron transfer reactions in carbon nuclei.

  • F. Cappuzzello
  • , D. Carbone
  •  & A. Vitturi

• Article
  06 September 2011 | Open Access

  Measurement of the inelastic proton–proton cross-section at √s=7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

  The measurement of the total cross-section of proton–proton collisions is of fundamental importance for particle physics. Here, the first measurement of the inelastic cross-section is presented for proton–proton collisions at an energy of 7 teraelectronvolts using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider.

  • G. Aad
  • , B. Abbott
  •  & L. Zwalinski