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

Microstructural origin of the simultaneous enhancements in strength and ductility of a nitrogen-doped high-entropy alloy

By doping a non-equiatomic CrMnFeCoNi high-entropy alloy with nitrogen, the researchers achieved a simultaneous increase in both strength and ductility by inducing short-range order (SRO) and promoting the continuous generation of nano-spaced stacking faults and deformation twins.

Xiaoxiang Wu, Zhujun Sun, Wenqi Guo, Chang Liu, Yong-Qiang Yan, Yan-Ning Zhang, Yuji Ikeda, Fritz Körmann, Jörg Neugebau (…)2026-02-11
🔬 materials science

Pressure dependent topological, superconducting, optoelectronic and thermophysical properties of Ta2Se chalcogenide: Theoretical insights

This first-principles study demonstrates that hydrostatic pressure (0–10 GPa) serves as a versatile tuning mechanism for the structural, electronic, optical, and superconducting properties of the Ta-rich layered chalcogenide Ta2Se\text{Ta}_2\text{Se}, confirming its dynamical stability and its classification as a phonon-mediated superconductor with a TcT_c of approximately 3.9 K.

Tauhidur Rahman, Jubair Hossan Abir, Sourav Kumar Sutradhar, Sraboni Saha Moly, Mst. Maskura Khatun, Md. Asif Afzal, Sal (…)2026-02-11
🔬 materials science

Multiscale Modeling of Metal/Oxide/Metal Conductive Bridging Random Access Memory Cells: from Ab Initio to Finite Element Calculations

This paper presents a multiscale simulation framework that integrates *ab initio* calculations with finite element modeling to accurately predict the I-V characteristics and resistance switching properties of CBRAM cells, enabling the reliable design and optimization of future memory devices.

Jan Aeschlimann, Fabian Durch, Christoph Weilenmann, Alexandros Emboras, Mathieu Luisier, Juerg Leuthold2026-02-11
🔬 applied physics

High-pressure X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy at fourth-generation synchrotron sources

This paper describes the development of a new experimental setup that utilizes the high flux of fourth-generation synchrotron sources to perform X-ray Photon Correlation Spectroscopy (XPCS) under multi-gigapascal pressures, demonstrating its feasibility through studies on metallic glasses.

Antoine Cornet, Alberto Ronca, Jie Shen, Federico Zontone, Yuriy Chushkin, Marco Cammarata, Gaston Garbarino, Michael Sp (…)2026-02-10
🔬 materials science

Break-down of the relationship between α-relaxation and equilibration in hydrostatically compressed metallic glasses

The study demonstrates that hydrostatic compression of metallic glasses creates unique metastable states that cannot be erased by simple α\alpha-relaxation upon heating, revealing that pressure-induced structural changes require an additional process beyond standard relaxation to reach equilibrium.

Antoine Cornet, Jie Shen, Alberto Ronca, Shubin Li, Nico Neuber, Maximilian Frey, Eloi Pineda, Thierry Deschamps, Christ (…)2026-02-10