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ALT Fig. 4. Anomalous Hall conductivity σ x y at T = 0 as a function of Fermi energy E F / v for four LPL amplitudes. Panel (a) shows σ x y for the trivial AM. Although no topological transition occurs, σ x y develops a nontrivial energy dependence with increasing A 0 , because the broken C 4 z T symmetry allows Berry curvature to accumulate. Panel (b) shows σ x y for the QSH AM. As A 0 increases through A 0 c 1 , a quantized plateau σxy=+e2/h emerges in the gap region, characteristic of the Chern insulating phase. The dashed line marks the transition value. Panel (c) verifies the exact even symmetry σxy(EF)=σxy(−EF), with a residual RMS error of 7.1×10−17e2/h, confirming the particle–hole-like symmetry ɛ→−ɛ of the Berry curvature in this model. Panel (d) tracks the spin-resolved Chern numbers C↑, C↓ and the total σxy as functions of A0, unambiguously identifying the QSH (C=0), Chern (C=−1), and trivial (C=0) phases with critical amplitudes A0c1=0.521 and A0c2=0.918.

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ALT Fig. 1. (a) The two target types shot during this experiment indicated by targets A and B. (b) Schematic of the experimental setup used to collect VISAR and in situ XRD data at HED and MEC, not to scale. VISAR measured the particle velocity at the Al-LiF interface of the A-type targets. The two Varex detectors on HED enable approximately half of the Debye-Scherrer XRD pattern to be collected, and an example 2D diffraction image from laser-shocked Nb at 82(26) GPa (Run 1547 HED) is shown with × 2.6 magnification. (c) Representative VISAR image for a type-A target (Run 1718 HED). The pink arrow indicates the width of the XFEL beam in the vertical direction at HED (showing the shock was planar over the probed region) and t = 0 ns represents the time at which the drive laser was turned on.

ALT Fig. 8. Diffusion pathways for a xenon atom in the bulk UO 2 lattice via the direct (a) and indirect mechanisms (b), differentiated by the temporary dissociation of the uranium vacancy in the indirect pathway. Corresponding energy profiles for these pathways (c) and (d) are shown relative to the lowest-energy configuration. Errors are given as the standard deviation between committee member predictions.

ALT Fig. 1. Quantum-fluctuation-induced high-harmonic generation in graphene. (a) HHG spectrum of graphene driven by ω − 2 ω bicircular quantum field with amplitude squeezing applied parallel to the 2 ω component. The corresponding classical spectrum is shown in gray for comparison. (b) HHG spectra for amplitude squeezing and phase squeezing applied parallel ( ∥ ) and perpendicular ( ⊥ ) to the 2 ω component. Helicity-resolved HHG spectra mapping the distinct signatures of (c) ∥ and (d) ⊥ squeezing configurations. Top panels: Blue-shaded Lissajous profiles represent the quantum light for amplitude squeezing and phase squeezing applied ∥ or ⊥ to the 2 ω component; the corresponding classical light is shown by solid lines.

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Fermi surface studies of altermagnetic CrSb from Shubnikov–de Haas oscillations 3 September, 2026 The authors present here results from electrical magnetotransport measurements on microstructures of altermagnetic CrSb in pulsed fields up to 68 T. They study the temperature and field-orientation dependence of magnetic quantum oscillations in combination with first-principles calculations. The observed frequency spectrum agrees well with density functional theory calculations that take spin-orbit coupling into account, without invoking significant 𝑎𝑑 ℎ⁡𝑜𝑐 band shifts. The findings validate the predicted electronic band structure of CrSb hosting multiple semimetallic bands and a locally alternating spin polarization. Sajal Naduvile Thadathil et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 185104 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Temperature-dependent Fano response and higher-order anharmonicity in single-crystal tellurium 3 September, 2026 In single-crystal trigonal Te, the low-temperature Fano line shape of the Raman-active 𝐴1 mode reflects interference between the phonon and an electronic continuum, whereas four-phonon scattering substantially shortens the lifetimes of low-frequency heat-carrying phonons and lowers the lattice thermal conductivity. Peng Wu et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 134301 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Class 𝐶 quantum network model with random tunneling and its nonlinear sigma model representation 2 September, 2026 The spin quantum Hall effect is the superconducting counterpart of the integer quantum Hall effect. Here, the authors derive the long-distance nonlinear sigma model for a quantum network with random tunneling between chiral links carrying 𝑁 channels. Strong even–odd tunneling asymmetry breaks the saddle point down. Also, the triplet sector stays coupled to the singlet one and can turn anomalously soft. The longitudinal and spin Hall conductances can be tuned independently, giving a flexible platform for class-𝐶 localization. D. S. Katkov, M. V. Parfenov, and I. S. Burmistrov Phys. Rev. B 114, 185405 (2026)

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ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Orthogonal excitation polarization dictated by site symmetry in upconversion luminescence of 𝛽−NaYF4:Er3+ microrods 2 September, 2026 Here, the authors build a symmetry-based framework for rare-earth upconversion luminescence via deterministic polarization correlations among sequential absorption steps, previously assumed to be uncorrelated. Using polarization-resolved spectroscopy and crystal field modeling, they assign full Stark levels and irreducible representations for Er3+ in β-NaYF4 microrods and identify an approximate 𝐶3 site symmetry. Since excited-state absorption inherits ground-state polarization constraints, both downshifting and upconversion luminescence exhibit excitation-wavelength-tunable, region-selective orthogonal excitation polarization responses. Liji Wang et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 165403 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Optical spin precession 2 September, 2026 Here, optical spin angular momentum is extended to nonmonochromatic electromagnetic fields, revealing that specific polychromatic configurations exhibit photonic spin precession governed by a Landau–Lifshitz-like equation. A precessing magnetic dipole realizes source-driven spin dynamics in the near field, while bichromatic two-wave interference additionally produces nutation. A generalized spin-continuity equation shows how sources act on optical spin through torque, establishing a direct link between photonic spin and magnetization dynamics. Abanoub Mikhail et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 154403 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION NMR evidence of pairing fluctuations above 𝑇𝑐 and absence of spin magnetism in the time-reversal symmetry-breaking state of Ba1−𝑥⁢K𝑥⁢Fe2⁢As2 4 September, 2026 Four- or higher-order fermionic condensates can form in non-BCS multicomponent superconductors. Here, the authors present spectroscopic evidence for pairing correlations that appear well above the superconducting critical temperature in the highly overdoped Ba1−𝑥K𝑥Fe2As2 system with broken time-reversal symmetry (BTRS). The NMR and 𝜇SR findings show that multicomponent superconductivity appears homogeneously throughout the entire sample volume and that the BTRS state is unrelated to conventional spin magnetism. Florian Bärtl et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 134504 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Isotropic superconductivity in the room-temperature superconductor LaSc2⁢H24 1 September, 2026 Why does LaSc2H24 exhibit superior superconductivity compared with LaH10? Here, the authors indicate that scandium not only distorts the hydrogen cage structure but also creates MgB2-like Sc-H states at the Fermi level. This synergy enhances electron-phonon coupling, unifies strongly coupled H-H states with widely distributed Sc-H states on the Fermi surface, and leads to isotropic single-gap superconductivity with a higher superconductivity. Zefang Wang et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, 154501 (2026)

ALT EDITORS' SUGGESTION Metallic crossover through the tilt-free transition in La3⁢Ni2⁢O7 at high pressure and temperature 1 September, 2026 Here, the authors map the temperature-pressure evolution of the bilayer nickelate La3Ni2O7 and reveal that the suppression of tilts in oxygen octahedra is accompanied by a pronounced crossover toward a higher-carrier-density metallic state. By establishing the structural phase boundary over a broad temperature-pressure range, their results highlight the intimate interplay between lattice structure and electronic properties in this novel high-T𝑐 superconductor. Bastien Michon et al. Phys. Rev. B 114, L140102 (2026)