🔬 Category

cond-mat.mtrl-sci

4239 papers

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.

🔬 applied physics

Electropolishing-Induced Topographic Defects in Niobium: Insights and Implications for Superconducting Radio Frequency Applications

This study reveals that electropolishing, despite producing visually smooth niobium surfaces, introduces microscopic sloped-step defects at grain boundaries that enhance magnetic fields and suppress the superheating limit, thereby compromising the performance of superconducting RF cavities and influencing the efficacy of subsequent impurity-based heat treatments.

Oleksandr Hryhorenko, Anne-Marie Valente-Feliciano, Eric M. Lechner2026-02-18
🔬 mesoscale physics

Interlayer Pores Play a Limited Role in Diffusion Through Hydrated Na-MMT: Insights from a Multiscale, Experimentally Anchored Model

This study presents a multiscale, experimentally anchored computational framework revealing that interlayer pores play a minimal role in water diffusion through hydrated Na-MMT at densities of 0.8–1.3 g/cm³, with transport primarily dominated by free pores and successfully capturing the material's anisotropic behavior.

Yaoting Zhang, Mikaella Brillantes, Justine Kuczera, Keyvan Ferasat, Mia L. San Gabriel, Scott Briggs, Chang Seok Kim, G (…)2026-02-18
🔬 materials science

Reducing the strain required for ambient-pressure superconductivity in bilayer nickelates

This study reports the discovery of ambient-pressure superconductivity in bilayer nickelate films grown on LaAlO3 (001) substrates, which achieve the necessary state with nearly half the compressive strain (-1.2%) previously required on SrLaAlO4 (001), thereby offering a new platform to systematically investigate the superconducting phase diagram and ground state.

Yaoju Tarn, Yidi Liu, Florian Theuss, Jiarui Li, Bai Yang Wang, Jiayue Wang, Vivek Thampy, Zhi-Xun Shen, Yijun Yu, Harol (…)2026-02-18
🔬 materials science

A cascade model for the defect-driven etching of porous GaN distributed Bragg reflectors

This study utilizes 3D FIB-SEM tomography to propose a "cascade" model for defect-driven electrochemical etching of porous GaN DBRs, revealing how etchant propagates through vertical nanopipes and horizontal pores and demonstrating that higher voltages promote continuous, kebab-like structures by altering dislocation etching probabilities.

Ben Thornley, Maruf Sarkar, Saptarsi Ghosh, Martin Frentrup, Menno J. Kappers, Thom R. Harris-Lee, Rachel A. Oliver2026-02-18
🔬 applied physics

Fluorine-substitution-dependent phase diagram and superconducting properties of Sm-based oxypnictides synthesized by a high-pressure growth technique

This study demonstrates that high-pressure synthesis significantly extends the fluorine substitution range and enhances the superconducting performance of SmFeAsO1-xFx bulk samples, achieving a maximum critical temperature of 57 K and a critical current density of 10^4 A cm^-2 while establishing a dome-shaped phase diagram.

Mohammad Azam, Tatiana Zajarniuk, Ryszard Diduszko, Taras Palasyuk, Cezariusz Jastrzebski, Andrzej Szewczyk, Hiraku Ogin (…)2026-02-18
🔬 materials science

Full-Field Damage Monitoring in Architected Lattices Using In situ Electrical Impedance Tomography

This paper demonstrates the first in situ implementation of electrical impedance tomography within tunable architected lattices to achieve real-time, full-field monitoring of damage evolution and fracture localization in 3D-printed multifunctional composites, establishing a scalable sensing modality for autonomous intelligent materials and digital twin applications.

Akash Deep, Andrea Samore, Alistair McEwan, Andrew McBride, Shanmugam Kumar2026-02-18
🔬 materials science

Intrinsic low-spin state and strain-tunable anomalous Hall scaling in high-quality SrRuO3 (111) films

This study reports the growth of high-quality SrRuO3 (111) films with record-low resistivity, revealing an intrinsic low-spin Ru ground state and demonstrating that epitaxial strain can tune the relative contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms to the anomalous Hall effect.

Harunori Shiratani, Yuki K. Wakabayashi, Yoshiharu Krockenberger, Masaki Kobayashi, Kohei Yamagami, Takahito Takeda, Shi (…)2026-02-18
🔬 mesoscale physics

Photoionization of temperature-controlled nanoparticles in a beam: Accurate and efficient determination of ionization energies and work functions

This paper presents a highly precise and efficient experimental method for determining the ionization energies and work functions of temperature-controlled alkali metal nanoparticles in a beam by combining a stable condensation source, thermalization, tunable photoionization, and automated data analysis using the universal Fowler function.

Atef A. Sheekhoon, Abdelrahman O. Haridy, Sebastian Pedalino, Vitaly V. Kresin2026-02-18
🔬 mesoscale physics

Temperature-dependent photoionization thresholds of alkali-metal nanoparticles reveal thermal expansion and the melting transition

This study demonstrates that high-resolution photoionization threshold measurements of 7–9 nm sodium and potassium nanoparticles can detect thermal expansion and a distinct melting transition, revealing a melting point suppression of nearly 100 K that aligns with Gibbs-Thomson predictions.

Abdelrahman O. Haridy, Atef A. Sheekhoon, Vitaly V. Kresin2026-02-18