arXiv subjects

M. Xu

Publications and source records attributed to M. Xu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Detection of MEMS Acoustics via Scanning Tunneling Microscopy

Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) have traditionally addressed vastly different length scales - one resolving atoms, the other engineering macroscopic motion. Here we unite these two fields to perform minimally invasive-measurements of high aspect-ratio MEMS resonators using the STM tip as both actuator and detector. Operating at cryogenic temperatures, we resolve acoustic modes of millimeter-scale, high-Q membranes with picometer spatial precision, without making use of lasers or capacitive coupling. The tunneling junction introduces negligible back-action or heating, enabling direct access to the intrinsic dynamics of microgram-mass oscillators. In this work we explore three different measurement modalities, each offering unique advantages. Combined, they provide a pathway to quantum-level readout and exquisite high-precision measurements of forces, displacements, and pressures at cryogenic conditions. This technique provides a general platform for minimally-perturbative detection across a wide range of nanomechanical and quantum devices.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2025

Rebrightenings of gamma-ray burst afterglows from an increasing magnetic inclination angle of a nascent magnetar

A nascent magnetar, accompanying a gamma-ray burst (GRB) explosion, releases enormous rotational energy via magnetic dipole radiation. The energy loss rate of the magnetar is determined by the strength of the magnetic field at the pole. We investigated the effect of the magnetic inclination angle on the energy loss rate. The released energy is injected into the GRB jet and shapes the light curves of GRB afterglow. Different evolutionary approaches lead to different curves shapes.A shallow decay phase in GRB X-ray afterglow may result from energy injection from a magnetar with a fixed inclination angle. A two-plateau phase may result from a decreasing inclination angle scenario. In this study, we considered an increasing inclination angle scenario. The energy loss rate of the magnetar increases as the magnetic inclination angle grows. Our analysis reveals that as the lost rotational energy injected into the GRB jet increases, rebrightening phases occur in the GRB afterglows. The rebrightening features are slight and short-lived. The observed afterglow rebrightening of GRB 170822A and GRB 230414B can be well explained within our framework. Some GRB X-ray afterglows that exhibit slight and early rebrightenings may result from an increasing magnetic inclination angle of a nascent magnetar.

astro-ph.HE↗

arXiv2025

Impact of edge turbulence spreading on broadening the heat flux width with plasma approaching the density limit

This paper investigates the impact of edge turbulence spreading on broadening the heat flux width in Ohmic-plasma approaching the density limit of the J-TEXT tokamak. At the plasma edge, the EXB shear flow collapses while turbulence transport and spreading enhances significantly when approaching the density limit. The heat flux width increases with normalized density. An energy production ratio model is used to quantify the contribution of edge turbulence spreading to the origin of the SOL turbulence. Experimental data show that the energy production ratio is much larger than 1, indicating that turbulence spreading at separatrix is the origin of the SOL turbulence. The heat flux widths increase with edge turbulence spreading as well as the energy production ratio. The impact of blob-induced transport on the heat flux width is investigated in detail. Especially, the average blob-induced spreading is about 81% of the total edge spreading in the high-density scenario. Blobs with larger radial scales enhance edge spreading into the SOL, thus dominating the SOL turbulence and consequently broadening the heat flux width. These results suggest that edge turbulence spreading plays a crucial role in broadening the heat flux width as plasma approaches the density limit.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2024

Performance assessment of the HERD calorimeter with a photo-diode read-out system for high-energy electron beams

The measurement of cosmic rays at energies exceeding 100 TeV per nucleon is crucial for enhancing the understanding of high-energy particle propagation and acceleration models in the Galaxy. HERD is a space-borne calorimetric experiment that aims to extend the current direct measurements of cosmic rays to unexplored energies. The payload is scheduled to be installed on the Chinese Space Station in 2027. The primary peculiarity of the instrument is its capability to measure particles coming from all directions, with the main detector being a deep, homogeneous, 3D calorimeter. The active elements are read out using two independent systems: one based on wavelength shifter fibers coupled to CMOS cameras, and the other based on photo-diodes read-out with custom front-end electronics. A large calorimeter prototype was tested in 2023 during an extensive beam test campaign at CERN. In this paper, the performance of the calorimeter for high-energy electron beams, as obtained from the photo-diode system data, is presented. The prototype demonstrated excellent performance, e.g., an energy resolution better than 1% for electrons at 250 GeV. A comparison between beam test data and Monte Carlo simulation data is also presented.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2023

Nonlinear response theory for lossy superconducting quantum circuits

We introduce a numerically exact and computationally feasible nonlinear-response theory developed for lossy superconducting quantum circuits based on a framework of quantum dissipation in a minimally extended state space. Starting from the Feynman--Vernon path integral formalism for open quantum systems with the system degrees of freedom being the nonlinear elements of the circuit, we eliminate the temporally non-local influence functional of all linear elements by introducing auxiliary harmonic modes with complex-valued frequencies coupled to the nonlinear elements. In our work, we propose a concept of time-averaged observables, inspired by experiment, and provide an explicit formula for producing their quasiprobability distribution. We illustrate the consistency of our formalism with the well-established Markovian input-output theory by applying them the dispersive readout of a superconducting transmon qubit. For an important demonstration of our approach beyond weak coupling, we analyze the low-frequency linear response of a capacitively and resistively shunted Josephson junction and observe signatures of a much-debated quantum phase transition at a finite temperature. The developed framework enables a comprehensive fully quantum-mechanical treatment of nonlinear quantum circuits coupled to their environment, without the limitations of typical approaches to weak dissipation, high temperature, and weak drive. This versatile tool paves the way for accurate models of quantum devices and increased fundamental understanding of quanutm mechanics such as that of the quantum measurement.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2023

Optimization of WLS fiber readout for the HERD calorimeter

A novel 3-D calorimeter, composed of about 7500 LYSO cubes, is the key and crucial detector of the High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility to be installed onboard the China Space Station. Energy deposition from cosmic ray in each LYSO cube is translated by multiple wavelength shifting (WLS) fibers for multi-range data acquisition and real-time triggering. In this study, various methods of surface finish and encapsulation of the LYSO cube were investigated to optimize the amplitude from the WLS fiber end with the aim of improving the signal-to-noise ratio of Intensified scientific CMOS (IsCMOS) collection. The LYSO cube with five rough surfaces and a specular reflector achieves the maximum amplitude at the low-range fiber end, which is increased by roughly 44% compared to the polished cube with PTFE wrapping. The non-uniformity of amplitude at different positions on the LYSO cube surface was measured by X-ray and the positional correlation factor was derived for the entire cube. A simulation based on HERD CALO was conducted, which revealed that both the LYSO cube with five rough surfaces and the cube with rough bottom face exhibit superior energy resolution for electrons compared to the other two configurations.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2023

Unusual coercivity and zero field stabilization of fully saturated magnetization in single crystals of LaCrGe$_3$

LaCrGe$_3$ is an itinerant, metallic ferromagnet with a Curie temperature ($T_C$) of $\sim$ 86 K. Whereas LaCrGe$_3$ has been studied extensively as a function of pressure as an example of avoided ferromagnetic quantum criticality, questions about its ambient pressure ordered state remain; specifically, whether there is a change in the nature of the ferromagnetically ordered state below $T_C$ $\sim$ 86 K. We present anisotropic $M$($H$) isotherms, coupled with anisotropic AC susceptibility data, and demonstrate that LaCrGe$_3$ has a remarkable, low temperature coercivity associated with exceptionally sharp, complete magnetization reversals to and from fully polarized states. This coercivity is temperature dependent, it drops to zero in the 40 - 55 K region and reappears in the 70 - 85 K regions. At low temperatures LaCrGe$_3$ has magnetization loops and behavior that has previously associated with micromagnetic/nanocrystalline materials, not bulk, macroscopic samples.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2023

Superconductivity and magnetic and transport properties of single-crystalline CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Cr$_{x}$)$_{4}$As$_{4}$

Members of the CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Cr$_{x}$)$_{4}$As$_{4}$ series have been synthesized by high-temperature solution growth in single crystalline form and characterized by X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, magnetic and transport measurements. The effects of Cr substitution on the superconducting and magnetic ground states of CaKFe$_4$As$_4$ ($T_c$ = 35 K) have been studied. These measurements show that the superconducting transition temperature decreases monotonically and is finally suppressed below 1.8 K as $x$ is increased from 0 to 0.038. The magnetic transition temperature increases in a roughly linear manner as Cr substitution increases. A temperature-composition (\textit{T}-\textit{x}) phase diagram is constructed, revealing a half-dome of superconductivity with the magnetic transition temperature, $T^*$, appearing near 22~K for $x$ $\sim$ 0.017 and rising slowly up to 60~K for $x$ $\sim$ 0.077. The $T$-$x$ phase diagrams for CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$$T$$_{x}$)$_4$As$_4$ for $T$ = Cr and Mn are essentially the same despite the nominally different band filling; this is in marked contrast to $T$ = Co and Ni series for which the $T$-$x$ diagrams scale by a factor of two, consistent with the different changes in band filling Co and Ni would produce when replacing Fe. Superconductivity of CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Cr$_{x}$)$_{4}$As$_{4}$ is also studied as a function of magnetic field. A clear change in $H^\prime_{c2}$($T$)/$T_c$, where $H^\prime_{c2}$($T$) is d$H_{c2}$($T$)/d$T$, at $x$ $\sim$ 0.012 is observed and probably is related to change of the Fermi surface due to magnetic order. Coherence length and the London penetration depths are also calculated based on $H_{c1}$ and $H_{c2}$ data. Coherence lengths as the function of $x$ also shows changes near $x$ = 0.012, again consistent with Fermi surfaces changes associated with the magnetic ordering seen for higher $x$-values.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2023

Antiferromagnetic order and its interplay with superconductivity in CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$)$_4$As$_4$

The magnetic order for several compositions of CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$)$_4$As$_4$ has been studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), M\"ossbauer spectroscopy, and neutron diffraction. Our observations for the Mn-doped 1144 compound are consistent with the hedgehog spin vortex crystal (hSVC) order which has previously been found for Ni-doped $\text{Ca}\text{K}\text{Fe}_4\text{As}_4$. The hSVC state is characterized by the stripe-type propagation vectors $(\pi\,0)$ and $(0\,\pi)$ just as in the doped 122 compounds. The hSVC state preserves tetragonal symmetry at the Fe site, and only this SVC motif with simple AFM stacking along $\textbf{c}$ is consistent with all our observations using NMR, M\"ossbauer spectroscopy, and neutron diffraction. We find that the hSVC state in the Mn-doped 1144 compound coexists with superconductivity (SC), and by combining the neutron scattering and M\"ossbauer spectroscopy data we can infer a quantum phase transition, hidden under the superconducting dome, associated with the suppression of the AFM transition temperature ($T_\text{N}$) to zero for $x\approx0.01$. In addition, unlike several 122 compounds and Ni-doped 1144, the ordered magnetic moment is not observed to decrease at temperatures below the superconducting transition temperature ($T_\text{c}$).

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2022

Development of the photo-diode subsystem for the HERD calorimeter double-readout

The measurement of cosmic-ray individual spectra provides unique information regarding the origin and propagation of astro-particles. Due to the limited acceptance of current space experiments, protons and nuclei around the "knee" region ($\sim1\ PeV$) can only be observed by ground based experiments. Thanks to an innovative design, the High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility will allow direct observation up to this energy region: the instrument is mainly based on a 3D segmented, isotropic and homogeneous calorimeter which properly measures the energy of particles coming from each direction and it will be made of about 7500 LYSO cubic crystals. The read-out of the scintillation light is done with two independent systems: the first one based on wave-length shifting fibers coupled to Intensified scientific CMOS cameras, the second one is made of two photo-diodes with different active areas connected to a custom front-end electronics. This photo-diode system is designed to achieve a huge dynamic range, larger than $10^7$, while having a small power consumption, few mW per channel. Thanks to a good signal-to-noise ratio, the capability of a proper calibration, by using signals of both non-interacting and showering particles, is also guaranteed. In this paper, the current design and the performance obtained by several tests of the photo-diode read-out system are discussed.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2022

Superconductivity and phase diagrams of CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$)$_{4}$As$_{4}$ single crystals

Members of the CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_{x}$)$_{4}$As$_{4}$ series have been synthesized in single crystalline form and characterized by elemental analysis, thermodynamic and transport measurements. These measurements show that the superconducting transition temperature decreases monotonically and is finally suppressed below 1.8 K. For $x$-values greater than 0.016, signatures of a magnetic transition can be detected in both thermodynamic and transport measurements in which kink-like features allow for the determination of the transition temperature, $T^*$, that increases as Mn substitution increases. A temperature-composition ($T$-$x$) phase diagram is constructed, revealing a half-dome of superconductivity with the magnetic transition temperature, $T^*$, appearing near 26 K for $x$ $\sim$ 0.017 and rising slowly up to 33 K for $x$ $\sim$ 0.036. Specific heat data are used to track the jump in specific heat at $T_c$; The CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Mn$_x$)$_4$As$_4$ data does not follow the scaling of $\Delta$$C_{p}$ with $T_{c}^3$ as many of the other Fe-based superconducting systems do. Elastoresistivity coefficients, $2m_{66}$ and $m_{11}-m_{12}$, as a function of temperature are also measured. $2m_{66}$ and $m_{11}-m_{12}$ are qualitatively similar to CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Ni$_x$)$_4$As$_4$. This may indicate that the magnetic order in Mn substituted system may be still the same as CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Ni$_x$)$_4$As$_4$. A clear change in $H^\prime_{c2}$($T$)/$T_c$, where $H^\prime_{c2}$($T$) is d$H_{c2}$($T$)/d$T$, at $x$ $\sim$ 0.015 is observed and probably is related to change of the Fermi surface due to magnetic order. Coherence lengths and the London penetration depths are also calculated based on $H_{c1}$ and $H_{c2}$ data. Coherence lengths as the function of $x$ also shows the changes near $x$ = 0.015.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2021

Experimental Evidence of Nonlinear Avalanche Dynamics of Energetic Particle Modes

Recent observations in HL-2A tokamak give new experimental evidences of energetic particle mode (EPM) avalanche. In a strong EPM burst, the mode structure propagates radially outward within two hundred Alfv\'en time, while the frequency of the dominant mode changes self-consistently to maximize wave-particle power exchange and mode growth. This suggests that significant energetic particle transport occurs in this avalanche phase, in agreement with theoretical framework of EPM convective amplification. A simplified relay runner model yields satisfactory interpretations of the measurements. The results can help understanding the nonlinear dynamics of energetic particle driven modes in future burning plasmas, such as ITER.

physics.plasm-ph↗

arXiv2020

Magnetic detwinning and biquadratic magnetic interaction in EuFe2As2 revealed by 153Eu NMR

In the nematic state of iron-based superconductors, twin formation often obscures the intrinsic, anisotropic, in-plane physical properties.Relatively high in-plane external magnetic fields $H_{\rm ext}$ greater than the typical lab-scale magnetic fields 10--15 T are usually required to completely detwin a sample. However, recently a very small in-plane $H_{\rm ext} \sim$ 0.1 T was found to be sufficient for detwinning the nematic domains in EuFe$_2$As$_2$. To explain this behavior, a microscopic theory based on biquadratic magnetic interactions between the Eu and Fe spins has been proposed. Here, using $^{153}$Eu nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements below the Eu$^{2+}$ ordering temperature, we show experimental evidence of the detwinning under small in-plane $H_{\rm ext}$. Our NMR study also reveals the evolution of the angles between the Eu and Fe spins during the detwinning process, which provides the first experimental evidence for the existence of biquadratic coupling in the system.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Metavalent bonding in crystalline solids: how does it collapse?

The chemical bond is one of the most powerful, yet controversial concepts in chemistry, explaining property trends in solids. Recently, a novel type of chemical bonding has been identified in several higher chalcogenides, characterized by a unique property portfolio, unconventional bond breaking and sharing of about one electron between adjacent atoms. Metavalent bonding is a fundamental type of bonding besides covalent, ionic and metallic bonding, raising the pertinent question, if there is a well-defined transition between metavalent and covalent bonding. For three different pseudo-binary lines, namely GeTe1-xSex, Sb2Te3(1-x)Se3x and Bi2-2xSb2xSe3, a sudden drop in several properties, including the optical dielectric constant, the Born effective charge, the electrical conductivity as well as the bond breaking is observed once a critical Se or Sb concentration is reached. This finding provides a blueprint to explore the impact of metavalent bonding on attractive properties utilized in phase change materials and thermoelectrics.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2019

Analysis of the London penetration depth in Ni-doped CaKFe4As4

We report combined experimental and theoretical analysis of superconductivity in CaK(Fe$_{1-x}$Ni$_x$)$_4$As$_4$ (CaK1144) for $x=$0, 0.017 and 0.034. To obtain the superfluid density, $ρ=\left(1+Δλ_L(T)/λ_L(0) \right)^{-2}$, the temperature dependence of the London penetration depth, $Δλ_L (T)$, was measured by using tunnel-diode resonator (TDR) and the results agreed with the microwave coplanar resonator (MWR) with the small differences accounted for by considering a three orders of magnitude higher frequency of MWR. The absolute value of $λ_L (T \ll T_c) \approx λ_L(0)$ was measured by using MWR, $λ_L (\mathrm{5~K}) \approx 170 \pm 20$ nm, which agreed well with the NV-centers in diamond optical magnetometry that gave $λ_L (\mathrm{5~K}) \approx 196 \pm 12$ nm. The experimental results are analyzed within the Eliashberg theory, showing that the superconductivity of CaK1144 is well described by the nodeless s$_{\pm}$ order parameter and that upon Ni doping the interband interaction increases.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2019

Photo Switching of Protein Dynamical Collectivity

We examine changes in the picosecond structural dynamics with irreversible photobleaching of red fluorescent proteins mCherry, mOrange2 and TagRFP-T. Measurements of the protein dynamical transition using terahertz time-domain spectroscopy show in all cases an increase in the turn-on temperature in the bleached state. The result is surprising given that there is little change in the protein surface, and thus the solvent dynamics held responsible for the transition should not change. A spectral analysis of the measurements guided by quasiharmonic calculations of the protein absorbance reveals that indeed the solvent dynamical turn-on temperature is independent of the thermal stability and photostate however the protein dynamical turn-on temperature shifts to higher temperatures. This is the first demonstration of switching the protein dynamical turn-on temperature with protein functional state. The observed shift in protein dynamical turn-on temperature relative to the solvent indicates an increase in the required mobile waters necessary for the protein picosecond motions: that is these motions are more collective. Melting-point measurements reveal that the photobleached state is more thermally stable and structural analysis of related RFPs shows that there is an increase in internal water channels as well as a more uniform atomic root mean squared displacement. These observations are consistent with previous suggestions that water channels form with extended light excitation providing O2 access to the chromophore and subsequent fluorescence loss. We report that these same channels increase internal coupling enhancing thermal stability and collectivity of the picosecond protein motions. The terahertz spectroscopic characterization of the protein and solvent dynamical onsets can be applied generally to measure changes in collectivity of protein motions.

physics.bio-ph↗

arXiv2019

Robust quantitative single-exposure laser speckle imaging with true flow speckle contrast in the temporal and spatial domains

A systematic and robust laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) method and procedure is presented, covering the LSCI system calibration, static scattering removal, and measurement noise estimation and correction to obtain a true flow speckle contrast and the flow speed from single-exposure LSCI measurements. We advocate to use as the speckle contrast instead of the conventional contrast K as the former relates simply to the flow velocity and is with additive noise alone. We demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed true flow speckle contrast by imaging phantom flow at varying speeds, showing that (1) the proposed recipe greatly enhances the linear sensitivity of the flow index (inverse decorrelation time) and the linearity covers the full span of flow speeds from 0 mm/s to 40 mm/s; and (2) the true flow speed can be recovered regardless of the overlying static scattering layers and the type of speckle statistics (temporal or spatial). The fundamental difference between the apparent temporal and spatial speckle contrasts is further revealed. The flow index recovered in the spatial domain is much more susceptible to static scattering and exhibit a shorter linearity range than that obtained in the temporal domain. The proposed LSCI analysis framework paves the way to estimate the true flow speed in the wide array of laser speckle contrast imaging applications.

physics.app-ph↗

arXiv2019

Secure quantum remote state preparation of squeezed microwave states

Quantum communication protocols based on nonclassical correlations can be more efficient than known classical methods and offer intrinsic security over direct state transfer. In particular, remote state preparation aims at the creation of a desired and known quantum state at a remote location using classical communication and quantum entanglement. We present an experimental realization of deterministic continuous-variable remote state preparation in the microwave regime over a distance of 35 cm. By employing propagating two-mode squeezed microwave states and feedforward, we achieve the remote preparation of squeezed states with up to 1.6 dB of squeezing below the vacuum level. We quantify security in our implementation using the concept of the one-time pad. Our results represent a significant step towards microwave quantum networks between superconducting circuits.

quant-ph↗