More Like this

1. Student attitudes toward quantum information science and technology in a high school outreach program

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.20.020126  

   Darienzo, Michele; Kelly, Angela M; Schneble, Dominik; Wei, Tzu-Chieh (October 2024, Physical Review Physics Education Research)

   [This paper is part of the Focused Collection in Investigating and Improving Quantum Education through Research.] With the current growth in quantum information science and technology (QIST), there is an increasing need to prepare precollege students for postsecondary QIST study and careers. This mixed methods, explanatory sequential research focused on students’ affective outcomes from a one-week, 25-h summer program for U.S. high school students in grades 10–12. The workshop structure was based upon psychosocial theories of self-determination and planned behavior, where QIST aspirations may be facilitated and viewed as achievable choices if students acquire disciplinary knowledge, self-efficacy, normative expectancy of their capacity in the field, and awareness of vocational roles. The program featured lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences in classical and quantum physics and quantum computing. Students’ attitudes toward QIST ( $N=77$)—including self-efficacy, self-concept, relevance, career aspirations, and perceptions of quantitative fluency—showed improvement with a medium effect size, even though treatment students entered the program with more positive QIST attitudes when compared with a control group of high school physics students ( $N=65$). Postprogram interviews with $n=12$participants identified several explanatory themes: (i) Students tended to comprehend classical and quantum topics taught through multiple representations, regardless of whether they had taken physics previously; (ii) students experienced some challenges with mathematics and science concepts that support quantum understanding, yet they revealed a willingness to learn new concepts outside of their comfort zone; (iii) students expressed motivation for pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and/or quantum-related careers in the future, as well as increased QIST self-concept, largely through understanding the relevance of QIST in solving technological problems; and (iv) students reported increased self-efficacy in understanding QIST topics and performing related tasks. This informal summer program showed promise in promoting positive student attitudes toward QIST, a critical emerging field in advancing technological solutions for global challenges. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less
2. Optimization Tools for Distance-Preserving Flag Fault-Tolerant Error Correction

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PRXQuantum.5.020336  

   Pato, Balint; Tansuwannont, Theerapat; Huang, Shilin; Brown, Kenneth R (May 2024, PRX Quantum)

   Lookup-table decoding is fast and distance preserving, making it attractive for near-term quantum computer architectures with small-distance quantum error-correcting codes. In this work, we develop several optimization tools that can potentially reduce the space and time overhead required for flag fault-tolerant quantum error correction (FTQEC) with lookup-table decoding on Calderbank-Shor-Steane (CSS) codes. Our techniques include the compact lookup-table construction, the meet-in-the-middle technique, the adaptive time decoding for flag FTQEC, the classical processing technique for flag information, and the separate $X$- and $Z$-counting technique. We evaluate the performance of our tools using numerical simulation of hexagonal color codes of distances 3, 5, 7, and 9 under circuit-level noise. Combining all tools can result in an increase of more than an order of magnitude in the pseudothreshold for the hexagonal color code of distance 9, from $(1.34\pm 0.01)\times {10}^{-4}$to $(1.43\pm 0.07)\times {10}^{-3}$. Published by the American Physical Society2024 

   more » « less
3. Observation of Enhanced Long-Range Elliptic Anisotropies Inside High-Multiplicity Jets in $pp$ Collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.142301  

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

   A search for collective effects inside jets produced in proton-proton collisions is performed via correlation measurements of charged particles using the CMS detector at the CERN LHC. The analysis uses data collected at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13\mathrm{TeV}$, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of $138{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. Jets are reconstructed with the anti- $k_{\mathrm{T}}$algorithm with a distance parameter of 0.8 and are required to have transverse momentum greater than 550 GeV and pseudorapidity $\left|{\eta }^{\text{jet}}\right|<1.6$. Two-particle correlations among the charged particles within the jets are studied as functions of the particles’ azimuthal angle and pseudorapidity separations ( $\mathrm{\Delta }{\varphi }^{*}$and $\mathrm{\Delta }{\eta }^{*}$) in a jet coordinate basis, where particles’ ${\eta }^{*}$, ${\varphi }^{*}$are defined relative to the direction of the jet. The correlation functions are studied in classes of in-jet charged-particle multiplicity up to $N_{\mathrm{ch}}^{\mathrm{j}}\approx 100$. Fourier harmonics are extracted from long-range azimuthal correlation functions to characterize azimuthal anisotropy for $\left|\mathrm{\Delta }{\eta }^{*}\right|>2$. For low- $N_{\mathrm{ch}}^{\mathrm{j}}$jets, the long-range elliptic anisotropic harmonic, $v_2^{*}$, is observed to decrease with $N_{\mathrm{ch}}^{\mathrm{j}}$. This trend is well described by Monte Carlo event generators. However, a rising trend for $v_2^{*}$emerges at $N_{\mathrm{ch}}^{\mathrm{j}}\gtrsim 80$, hinting at a possible onset of collective behavior, which is not reproduced by the models tested. This observation yields new insights into the dynamics of jet evolution in the vacuum. © 2024 CERN, for the CMS Collaboration2024CERN 

   more » « less
4. Test of Lepton Flavor Universality with $B_s^0\to \varphi {\ell }^{+}{\ell }^{-}$ Decays

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.134.121803  

   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)

   Lepton flavor universality in rare $b\to s$transitions is tested for the first time using $B_s^0$meson decays. The measurements are performed using $pp$collision data collected by the LHCb experiment between 2011 and 2018, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of $9{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$. Branching fraction ratios between the $B_s^0\to \varphi e^{+}{e}^{-}$and $B_s^0\to \varphi {\mu }^{+}{\mu }^{-}$decays are measured in three regions of dilepton mass squared, $q^2$, with $0.1<q^2<1.1$, $1.1<q^2<6.0$, and $15<q^2<19{\mathrm{GeV}}^2/c^4$. The results agree with the standard model expectation of lepton flavor universality. © 2025 CERN, for the LHCb Collaboration2025CERN 

   more » « less
5. Highly excited electron cyclotron for QCD axion and dark-photon detection

   https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.111.075022  

   Fan, Xing; Gabrielse, Gerald; Graham, Peter W; Ramani, Harikrishnan; Wong, Samuel_S Y; Xiao, Yawen (April 2025, Physical Review D)

   We propose using highly excited cyclotron states of a trapped electron to detect meV axion and dark-photon dark matter, marking a significant improvement over our previous proposal and demonstration [One-electron quantum cyclotron as a milli-ev dark-photon detector, .]. When the axion mass matches the cyclotron frequency ${\omega }_c$, the cyclotron state is resonantly excited, with a transition probability proportional to its initial quantum number, $n_c$. The sensitivity is enhanced by taking $n_c\sim {10}^6{\left(\frac{0.1\mathrm{meV}}{{\omega }_c}\right)}^2$. By optimizing key experimental parameters, we minimize the required averaging time for cyclotron detection to $t_{\mathrm{ave}}\sim {10}^{-6}$s, permitting detection of such a highly excited state before its decay. An open–end-cap trap design enables the external photon signal to be directed into the trap, rendering our background-free detector compatible with large focusing cavities, such as the BREAD proposal, while capitalizing on their strong magnetic fields. Furthermore, the axion conversion rate can be coherently enhanced by incorporating layers of dielectrics with alternating refractive indices within the cavity. Collectively, these optimizations enable us to probe the QCD axion parameter space from 0.1 to 2.3 meV (25–560 GHz), covering a substantial portion of the predicted postinflationary QCD axion mass range. This sensitivity corresponds to probing the kinetic mixing parameter of the dark photon down to $\epsilon \approx 2\times {10}^{-16}$. Published by the American Physical Society2025 

   more » « less