Momentum-space signatures of Berry flux monopoles in the Weyl semimetal TaAs

Since the early days of Dirac flux quantization, magnetic monopoles have been sought after as a potential corollary of quantized electric charge. As opposed to magnetic monopoles embedded into the theory of electromagnetism, Weyl semimetals (WSM) exhibit Berry flux monopoles in reciprocal parameter space. As a function of crystal momentum, such monopoles locate at the crossing point of spin-polarized bands forming the Weyl cone. Here, we report momentum-resolved spectroscopic signatures of Berry flux monopoles in TaAs as a paradigmatic WSM. We carried out angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy at bulk-sensitive soft X-ray energies (SX-ARPES) combined with photoelectron spin detection and circular dichroism. The experiments reveal large spin- and orbital-angular-momentum (SAM and OAM) polarizations of the Weyl-fermion states, resulting from the broken crystalline inversion symmetry in TaAs. Supported by first-principles calculations, our measurements image signatures of a topologically non-trivial winding of the OAM at the Weyl nodes and unveil a chirality-dependent SAM of the Weyl bands. Our results provide directly bulk-sensitive spectroscopic support for the non-trivial band topology in the WSM TaAs, promising to have profound implications for the study of quantum-geometric effects in solids.

Three-dimensional flux vacua from IIB on co-calibrated G2 orientifolds

We derive the 3D N = 1 superpotential for the closed string sector of type IIB supergravity on toroidal O5 orientifolds with co-calibrated G2 structure and RR background flux. We find that such compactifications can provide full closed string moduli stabilization on supersymmetric $$\hbox {AdS}_3$$ AdS 3 vacua, and once we include brane-supersymmetry-breaking we also find indication for the existence of classical 3D de Sitter solutions. The latter however are rather difficult to reconcile with the “shape” moduli stabilization and flux quantization. We also discuss the possibility of achieving scale separation in $$\hbox {AdS}_3$$ AdS 3 and $$\hbox {dS}_3$$ dS 3 vacua, but such effects seem to be hindered by the geometric flux quantization.

Giant fractional Shapiro steps in anisotropic Josephson junction arrays

Giant fractional Shapiro steps have been observed in Josephson junction arrays as resulting from magnetic flux quantization in the two-dimensional array. We demonstrate experimentally the appearance of giant fractional Shapiro steps in anisotropic Josephson junction arrays as unambiguous evidence of a skewed current phase relationship. Introducing anisotropy in the array results in a giant collective high frequency response that reflects the properties of a single junction, as evidenced by the observation of a Fraunhofer like magnetic field dependence of the total critical current of the system. The observed phase dynamics can be perfectly captured within an extended resistively shunted Josephson junction model. These results directly indicate the potential of Josephson junction arrays to explore the current phase relation in a very broad frequency range (down to 50 MHz) and in a wide variety of novel link materials exhibiting non-conventional current phase relationships.

Observation of half-quantum flux in the unconventional superconductor β-Bi2Pd

Magnetic flux quantization is one of the defining properties of a superconductor. We report the observation of half-integer magnetic flux quantization in mesoscopic rings of superconducting β-Bi2Pd thin films. The half-quantum fluxoid manifests itself as a π phase shift in the quantum oscillation of the superconducting critical temperature. This result verifies unconventional superconductivity of β-Bi2Pd and is consistent with a spin-triplet pairing symmetry. Our findings may have implications for flux quantum bits in the context of quantum computing.

Geometric momentum and angular momentum for charge-monopole system

For a charge-monopole pair, we have another definition of the orbital angular momentum, and the transverse part of the momentum including the vector potential turns out to be the so-called geometric momentum that is under intensive study recently. For the charge on the spherical surface with the monopole at the origin, the commutation relations between all components of both the geometric momentum and the orbital angular momentum satisfy the so(3,[Formula: see text]1) algebra. With construction of the geometrically infinitesimal displacement operator based on the geometric momentum, the so(3,[Formula: see text]1) algebra implies the Aharonov–Bohm phase shift. The related problems such as charge and flux quantization are also addressed.

Classical and quantum aspects of particle propagation in external gravitational fields

In the study of covariant wave equations, linear gravity manifests itself through the metric deviation [Formula: see text] and a two-point vector potential [Formula: see text] itself constructed from [Formula: see text] and its derivatives. The simultaneous presence of the two gravitational potentials is noncontradictory. Particles also assume the character of quasiparticles and [Formula: see text] carries information about the matter with which it interacts. We consider the influence of [Formula: see text] on the dispersion relations of the particles involved, the particles’ motion, quantum tunneling through a horizon, radiation, energy–momentum dissipation and flux quantization.