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.

🔬 mesoscale physics

Ultrafast terahertz conductivity in epitaxial graphene nanoribbons: an interplay between photoexcited and secondary hot carriers

This study utilizes optical pump-terahertz probe spectroscopy to reveal that ultrafast photoconductivity in epitaxial graphene nanoribbons exhibits a non-monotonic fluence dependence driven by an interplay between negative-sign conductivity from secondary hot carriers at low fluences and positive-sign conductivity from excess carriers at high fluences, resulting in complex variations in mobility and plasmonic resonance.

Arvind Singh, Hynek Němec, Jan Kunc, Petr Kužel2026-03-02
🔬 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