Nature Physics

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0949-y

Standard topological invariants commonly used in static systems are not enough to fully capture the topological properties of Floquet systems. In a periodically driven quantum gas, chiral edge modes emerge despite all Chern numbers being equal to zero.

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0947-0

A memory device is proposed that uses a dynamical modification of the stacking order of few-layer WTe2 to encode information. The change in stacking modifies both the Berry curvature and the Hall transport, allowing two states to be distinguished.

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0935-4

Observations of flying snakes inform the development of a dynamical model of gliding taking undulation into account. This work suggests that aerial undulation has a different function in snakes than in other animals.

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0955-0

Transport and optical conductivity measurements reveal the non-Fermi liquid behaviour in correlated semimetal Nd2Ir2O7. The result implies the emergent collective charge transport in this compound, not reconcilable with conventional band theory.

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0943-4

Strong-field-induced nonlinearities from the injection of electrons into the conduction band contribute to harmonic generation in amorphous quartz. Close to the damage threshold, they dominate over intraband and interband contributions.

Nature Physics, Published online: 29 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0946-1

The spin polarization of a quantum Hall system is determined by a spin-resolved tunnelling method. This technique shows a substantial regime where the weakly interacting composite fermion picture is not valid.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0937-2

Experiments show how the magnetic order in antiferromagnets can be manipulated through lattice vibrations excited by a laser. This induces a large and reversible magnetic moment at very high speed.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0944-3

Acoustic waves that carry orbital angular momentum are amplified as they pass through an absorbing disk when the rotation rate exceeds the frequency of the incident wave, thus providing an experimental demonstration of Zel’dovich amplification.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0932-7

An efficient method has been proposed through which the properties of a complex, large-scale quantum system can be predicted without fully characterizing the quantum state.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0954-1

An elegant experiment showing that acoustic waves are amplified after scattering by a rotating body demonstrates an effect predicted in 1971 by Yakov Zel’dovich. This result has implications for the understanding of scattering from black holes.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0942-5

The quantum Hall effect is realized in a two-dimensional quantum gas system consisting of one spatial dimension and one synthetic dimension encoded in the atomic spin. Measurements show distinct bulk properties rooted in the topological structure.

Nature Physics, Published online: 22 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0936-3

This paper shows how lattice distortions induced by a laser pulse can create a ferrimagnetic moment in an antiferromagnet. This mechanism gives a magnetic response that is orders of magnitude larger than using mechanical strain.

Nature Physics, Published online: 18 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0966-x

Author Correction: A brief history of nuclear fusion

Nature Physics, Published online: 18 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0945-2

Quantum cascade lasers are bright and compact semiconductor lasers that emit light in the mid- to far-infrared spectral region. The use of a closed ring cavity has now set them on the path towards ultrafast pulses.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0930-9

The structures of stingers of living organisms are surprisingly similar despite their vastly different lengths. Now, stingers are found to obey a unifying mechanistic principle that characterizes the stingers resistance to buckling.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0933-6

The quantum effective action describing non-equilibrium dynamics of a many-body system can be inferred from experiment using analogue quantum simulators. Here is an example of how it works for a quasi-one-dimensional spinor Bose gas out of equilibrium.

Nature Physics, Published online: 15 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0924-7

The arrangement of a sequence of stimuli affects how humans perceive information. Here, the authors show experimentally that humans perceive information in a way that depends on the network structure of stimuli.

Nature Physics, Published online: 11 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0940-7

Since the 1950s, international cooperation has been the driving force behind fusion research. Here, we discuss how the International Atomic Energy Agency has shaped the field and the events that have produced fusion’s global signature partnership.

Nature Physics, Published online: 08 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0941-6

The contribution of partners and families to scientists’ work is often overlooked. It should be acknowledged and supported more.

Nature Physics, Published online: 08 June 2020; doi:10.1038/s41567-020-0951-4

A laser–plasma experiment has recreated shock waves in collisionless, weakly magnetized conditions and evidenced electron acceleration to relativistic energies, offering unprecedented insight into a long-standing problem in astrophysics.