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1. Low leakage current in heteroepitaxial ${\mathrm{Al}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Sc}}_{0.3}\mathrm{N}$ ferroelectric films on $\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{N}$

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.23.014036  

   Yazawa, Keisuke; Evans, Charles; Dickey, Elizabeth C; Tellekamp, M Brooks; Brennecka, Geoff L; Zakutayev, Andriy (January 2025, Physical Review Applied)

   Wurtzite $(\mathrm{Al},\mathrm{Sc})\mathrm{N}$ferroelectrics are attractive for microelectronics applications due to their chemical and structural compatibility with wurtzite semiconductors, such as $\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{N}$and $(\mathrm{Al},\mathrm{Ga})\mathrm{N}$. However, the leakage current in epitaxial stacks reported to date should be reduced for reliable device operation. Here, we demonstrate low leakage current in epitaxial ${\mathrm{Al}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Sc}}_{0.3}\mathrm{N}$films on $\mathrm{Ga}\mathrm{N}$with well-saturated ferroelectric hysteresis loops that are orders of magnitude lower (i.e., 0.07 A ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}$) than previously reported films (1–19 A ${\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}$) having similar or better structural characteristics. We also show that, for these high-quality epitaxial $(\mathrm{Al},\mathrm{Sc})\mathrm{N}$films, structural quality (edge and screw dislocations), as measured by diffraction techniques, is not the dominant contributor to leakage. Instead, the small leakage in our films is limited by thermionic emission across the interfaces, which is distinct from the large leakage due to trap-mediated bulk transport in the previously reported $(\mathrm{Al},\mathrm{Sc})\mathrm{N}$films. To support this conclusion, we show that ${\mathrm{Al}}_{0.7}{\mathrm{Sc}}_{0.3}\mathrm{N}$on lattice-matched ${\mathrm{In}}_{0.18}{\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.82}\mathrm{N}$buffers with improved structural characteristics but higher interface roughness exhibit increased leakage characteristics. This demonstration of low leakage current in heteroepitaxial $(\mathrm{Al},\mathrm{Sc})\mathrm{N}$films and understanding of the importance of interface barrier and surface roughness can guide further efforts toward improving the reliability of wurtzite ferroelectric devices. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

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2. Observation of quantum entanglement in top quark pair production in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13$  TeV

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6633/ad7e4d  

   CMS_Collaboration, The (October 2024, Reports on Progress in Physics)

   Abstract Entanglement is an intrinsic property of quantum mechanics and is predicted to be exhibited in the particles produced at the Large Hadron Collider. A measurement of the extent of entanglement in top quark-antiquark ( $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$) events produced in proton–proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV is performed with the data recorded by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC in 2016, and corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 36.3 fb⁻¹. The events are selected based on the presence of two leptons with opposite charges and high transverse momentum. An entanglement-sensitive observableDis derived from the top quark spin-dependent parts of the $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$production density matrix and measured in the region of the $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$production threshold. Values of $D<-1/3$are evidence of entanglement andDis observed (expected) to be $-{0.480}_{-0.029}^{+0.026}$( $-{0.467}_{-0.029}^{+0.026}$) at the parton level. With an observed significance of 5.1 standard deviations with respect to the non-entangled hypothesis, this provides observation of quantum mechanical entanglement within $\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}$pairs in this phase space. This measurement provides a new probe of quantum mechanics at the highest energies ever produced. 

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3. Ultrasensitive multispecies spectroscopic breath analysis for real-time health monitoring and diagnostics

   https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105063118  

   Liang, Qizhong; Chan, Ya-Chu; Changala, P. Bryan; Nesbitt, David J.; Ye, Jun; Toscano, Jutta (October 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences)

   Breath analysis enables rapid, noninvasive diagnostics, as well as long-term monitoring of human health, through the identification and quantification of exhaled biomarkers. Here, we demonstrate the remarkable capabilities of mid-infrared (mid-IR) cavity-enhanced direct-frequency comb spectroscopy (CE-DFCS) applied to breath analysis. We simultaneously detect and monitor as a function of time four breath biomarkers— ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_3$OH, ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{H}}_4$, ${\mathrm{H}}_2$O, and HDO—as well as illustrate the feasibility of detecting at least six more ( ${\mathrm{H}}_2$CO, ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_6$, OCS, ${\mathrm{C}}_2{\mathrm{H}}_4$, ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{S}}_2$, and ${\mathrm{N}\mathrm{H}}_3$) without modifications to the experimental apparatus. We achieve ultrahigh detection sensitivity at the parts-per-trillion level. This is made possible by the combination of the broadband spectral coverage of a frequency comb, the high spectral resolution afforded by the individual comb teeth, and the sensitivity enhancement resulting from a high-finesse cavity. Exploiting recent advances in frequency comb, optical coating, and photodetector technologies, we can access a large variety of biomarkers with strong carbon–hydrogen-bond spectral signatures in the mid-IR. 

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4. Observation of the $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$ Meson and Suppression of $\mathrm{\Upsilon }$ States in Pb-Pb Collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}=5.02\mathrm{TeV}$

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.022302  

   Tumasyan, A; Adam, W; Andrejkovic, J W; Bergauer, T; Chatterjee, S; Damanakis, K; Dragicevic, M; Escalante_Del_Valle, A; Hussain, P S; Jeitler, M; et al (July 2024, Physical Review Letters)

   The production of $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons in lead-lead (Pb-Pb) and proton-proton ( $pp$) collisions is studied in their dimuon decay channel using the CMS detector at the LHC. The $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$meson is observed for the first time in Pb-Pb collisions, with a significance above 5 standard deviations. The ratios of yields measured in Pb-Pb and $pp$collisions are reported for both the $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons, as functions of transverse momentum and Pb-Pb collision centrality. These ratios, when appropriately scaled, are significantly less than unity, indicating a suppression of $\mathrm{\Upsilon }$yields in Pb-Pb collisions. This suppression increases from peripheral to central Pb-Pb collisions. Furthermore, the suppression is stronger for $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(3S\right)$mesons compared to $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$mesons, extending the pattern of sequential suppression of quarkonium states in nuclear collisions previously seen for the $J/\psi$, $\psi \left(2S\right)$, $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(1S\right)$, and $\mathrm{\Upsilon }\left(2S\right)$mesons. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration2024CERN 

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5. Study of ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0$ and ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0$ Decays to $\mathrm{\Lambda }{h}^{+}{h}^{\prime -}$ and Evidence for $CP$ Violation in ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to \mathrm{\Lambda }{K}^{+}{K}^{-}$ Decays

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.101802  

   Aaij, R; Abdelmotteleb, A_S W; Abellan_Beteta, C; Abudinén, F; Ackernley, T; Adefisoye, A A; Adeva, B; Adinolfi, M; Adlarson, P; Agapopoulou, C; et al (March 2025, Physical Review Letters)

   A study of ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0$and ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0$decays to $\mathrm{\Lambda }{h}^{+}{h}^{\prime -}$( $h^{(\prime )}=\pi ,K$) is performed using $pp$collision data collected by the LHCb experiment during LHC Runs 1–2, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. The branching fractions for these decays are measured using the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to {\mathrm{\Lambda }}_c^{+}(\to \mathrm{\Lambda }{\pi }^{+}){\pi }^{-}$decay as a control channel. The decays ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to \mathrm{\Lambda }{\pi }^{+}{\pi }^{-}$and ${\mathrm{\Xi }}_b^0\to \mathrm{\Lambda }{K}^{-}{\pi }^{+}$are observed for the first time. For decay modes with sufficient signal yields, $CP$asymmetries are measured in the full and localized regions of the final-state phase space. Evidence is found for $CP$violation in the ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to \mathrm{\Lambda }{K}^{+}{K}^{-}$decay, interpreted as originating primarily from an asymmetric ${\mathrm{\Lambda }}_b^0\to N^{*+}{K}^{-}$decay amplitude. The measured $CP$asymmetries for other decays are compatible with zero. © 2025 CERN, for the LHCb Collaboration2025CERN 

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