Condensed matter physics and materials science form a dynamic partnership, exploring how the collective behavior of atoms gives rise to the unique properties of solids and liquids. This field bridges the gap between fundamental quantum mechanics and the practical engineering of everything from flexible electronics to superconductors, turning abstract theories into tangible innovations that shape our daily lives.

At Gist.Science, we process every new preprint in this category directly from arXiv to make these complex discoveries accessible to everyone. Our team generates both plain-language overviews and detailed technical summaries for each paper, ensuring that researchers, students, and curious minds alike can grasp the latest breakthroughs without getting lost in dense jargon.

Below are the latest papers in condensed matter and materials science, organized by their most recent publication dates.

🔬 materials science

Diverse polymorphism in Ruddlesden-Popper chalcogenides

This study employs machine-learned interatomic potentials to simulate Ban+1ZrnS3n+1Ba_{n+1}Zr_nS_{3n+1} Ruddlesden-Popper chalcogenides, revealing diverse new polymorphs, unique structural behaviors like negative thermal expansion and ascending symmetry breaking, and layer-dependent tilt patterns driven by the competition between octahedral rotations and interface rumpling.

Prakriti Kayastha, Erik Fransson, Paul Erhart, Lucy Whalley2026-03-02
🔬 materials science

Ultrafast Terahertz Photoconductivity and Near-Field Imaging of Nanoscale Inhomogeneities in Multilayer Epitaxial Graphene Nanoribbons

This study investigates the broadband terahertz conductivity and ultrafast photoconductivity of multilayer epitaxial graphene nanoribbons, revealing that near-field imaging detects nanoscale inhomogeneities while far-field spectroscopy distinguishes doped substrate layers from quasi-neutral layers that exhibit high mobility and strong positive photoconductivity driven by carrier temperature-dependent scattering mechanisms.

Arvind Singh, Jan Kunc, Tinkara Troha, Hynek Němec, Petr Kužel2026-03-02
🔬 materials science

Implementation and application of a DFT+U+U+V+V approach within the all-electron FLAPW method

This paper presents a first-principles implementation of the DFT+U+U+V+V formalism within the all-electron FLAPW method using the FLEUR code, demonstrating improved accuracy for diverse materials ranging from covalent semiconductors to charge-transfer insulators by incorporating intersite Coulomb interactions derived via the constrained random-phase approximation.

Wejdan Beida, Gustav Bihlmayer, Christoph Friedrich, Gregor Michalicek, Daniel Wortmann, Stefan Blügel2026-03-02
🔬 materials science

Buried Stressor Engineering for Position-Controlled InGaAs Quantum Dots with Local Density Variation for Integrated Quantum Photonics

This paper demonstrates a monolithic, two-step epitaxial growth method using buried stressors to fabricate precisely positioned, site-controlled InGaAs quantum dots with tunable local densities, enabling the integration of single-photon sources and microlasers on a single photonic chip for advanced quantum technologies.

Martin Podhorský, Maximilian Klonz, Lux Böhmer, Sebastian Kulig, Chirag C. Palekar, Petr Klenovský, Sven Rodt, Stephan R (…)2026-03-02
🔬 materials science

Exploring the extremes: atomic basis for multi-elemental materials science under complex thermodynamic conditions

This paper introduces a chemistry-agnostic, information-entropy-maximization protocol for generating training data that overcomes the limitations of current machine-learning interatomic potentials in complex, multi-elemental systems, thereby enabling robust and unbiased simulation of materials under extreme thermodynamic conditions.

Anton Bochkarev, Yury Lysogorskiy, Aparna Subramanyam, Ralf Drautz, Danny Perez2026-03-02
🔬 materials science

Defect-Engineered h-BN as a Platform for Single-Atom HER Catalysts: Descriptor Screening Refined by Electrochemical Stability Analysis

This study utilizes a multi-step computational framework combining DFT-based descriptor screening with electrochemical stability analysis to identify Pd anchored at boron vacancies in defect-engineered h-BN as a robust, pH-tolerant single-atom catalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction, while highlighting the necessity of stability filtering to eliminate initially promising but unstable candidates like Cu at nitrogen vacancies.

Ana S. Dobrota, Natalia V. Skorodumova, Igor A. Pašti2026-03-02