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1. Search for heavy pseudoscalar and scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair in proton–proton collisions at $\sqrt{s}=13\text{TeV}$

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6633/ae2207  

   Collaboration, The CMS (December 2025, Reports on Progress in Physics)

   Abstract A search for pseudoscalar or scalar bosons decaying to a top quark pair ( $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ ) in final states with one or two charged leptons is presented. The analyzed proton–proton collision data was recorded at $\sqrt{s}=13\text{TeV}$ by the CMS experiment at the CERN LHC and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 138  ${\text{fb}}^{-1}$ . The invariant mass $m_{\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}}$ of the reconstructed $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ system and variables sensitive to its spin and parity are used to discriminate against the standard model $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ background. Interference between pseudoscalar or scalar boson production and the standard model $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ continuum is included, leading to peak-dip structures in the $m_{\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}}$ distribution. An excess of the data above the background prediction, based on perturbative quantum chromodynamics (QCD) calculations, is observed near the kinematic $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ production threshold, while good agreement is found for high $m_{\mathrm{t}\overline{\mathrm{t}}}$ . The data are consistent with the background prediction if the contribution from a simplified model of a color-singlet ${}^1{\text{S}}_0^{\left[1\right]}$ $\text{t}\overline{\text{t}}$ quasi-bound state ${\eta }_{\mathrm{t}}$ , inspired by nonrelativistic QCD, is added. Upper limits at 95% confidence level are set on the coupling between the pseudoscalar or scalar bosons and the top quark for boson masses in the range 365–1000 GeV, relative widths between 0.5% and 25%, and two background scenarios with or without ${\eta }_{\mathrm{t}}$ contribution. 

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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. Observation of a cross-section enhancement near the $t\overline{t}$ production threshold in $\sqrt{s}=13$  TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6633/ae60a0  

   ATLAS (May 2026, Reports on Progress in Physics)

   Abstract A measurement of $t\overline{t}$ production is presented in the invariant-mass region near the pair production threshold, $m_{t\overline{t}}\sim 345$  GeV, in final states with two charged leptons and multiple jets. The measurement is based on $140{\mathrm{fb}}^{-1}$ of proton–proton collision data collected at $\sqrt{s}=13$  TeV with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The data are compared to two models of $t\overline{t}$ production: a baseline model including only perturbative quantum chromodynamics (pQCD) predictions for the hard process at approximate next-to-next-to leading order accuracy in the strong coupling, and an extended model that, in addition, incorporates non-relativistic QCD simulations that also include the formation of colour-singlet quasi-bound-states near the $t\overline{t}$ threshold. The agreement between the data and the models is quantified via a profile-likelihood fit to the reconstructed $m_{t\overline{t}}$ distributions, in bins of two angular observables sensitive to spin-correlations in the $t\overline{t}$ system. An excess of events is observed over the baseline pQCD prediction, with an observed significance over 8 standard deviations. This excess is consistent with the formation of colour-singlet and spin-singletS-wave quasi-bound $t\overline{t}$ states, as predicted by non-relativistic QCD, and corresponds to an observed cross-section of ${9.3}_{-1.3}^{+1.4}$  pb. 

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4. Enhanced stability and bulk superconducting properties of Ag intercalated Bi _1.6 Pb _0.4 Sr ₂ Ca ₂ Cu ₃ O ${}_{10+\delta }$

   https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6668/ae5690  

   Gonzalez_Arevalo, D; Do, Huu T; Mark, Alexander C; Rodriguez, David; Zangeneh, Danial; Klie, Robert F; Hemley, Russell J; Man, N K (April 2026, Superconductor Science and Technology)

   Abstract Cuprate high-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) have long stood a promising candidates for various applications due to their high critical temperature ( $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ ) at ambient pressure. Practical limitations such as low bulk critical current densities ( $J_{\mathrm{c}}^{\mathrm{B}}$ ), sample inhomogeneities and chemical instability, however, have hindered their applicability. Increasing ${\mathit{T}}_{\mathrm{c}}$ , $J_{\mathrm{c}}^{\mathrm{B}}$ and the upper critical fields as well as maintaining the chemical stability in cuprates are therefore major goals for these materials science. Here, we characterize the electronic and structural properties of an Ag intercalated ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{1.6}{\mathrm{Pb}}_{0.4}{\mathrm{Sr}}_2{\mathrm{Ca}}_2{\mathrm{Cu}}_3{\mathrm{O}}_{10+\delta }$ sample prepared using a novel growth technique. The sample demonstrates enhanced electrical properties that have remained nearly constant over 8 years, while the non-silver Bi-2223 exhibits much degradation in both high- $T_{\mathrm{c}}$ fractional phase and superconducting properties. We correlate these bulk electronic properties with structural probes to determine the critical role of Ag in these samples. The enhanced properties of these Ag intercalated cuprates suggest novel synthesis pathways will be key in developing more practical superconductors for applications. 

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5. 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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