The Superconducting Quantum Materials and Systems Center, a U. S. Department of Energy National Quantum Information Science Research Center, has conducted a comprehensive and coordinated study using superconducting transmon qubit chips with known performance metrics to identify the underlying materials-level sources of device-to-device performance variation. Following qubit coherence measurements, these qubits of varying base superconducting metals and substrates have been examined with various non-destructive and invasive material characterization techniques at Northwestern University, Ames National Laboratory, and Fermilab as part of a blind study. We find trends in variations of the depth of the etched substrate trench, the thickness of the surface oxide, and the geometry of the sidewall, which when combined, lead to correlations with the T1 lifetime across different qubits on the same chip. In addition, we provide a list of features that varied from device to device, for which the impact on performance requires further studies. Finally, we identify two low-temperature characterization techniques that may potentially serve as proxy tools for qubit measurements. These insights provide materials-oriented solutions to not only reduce performance variations across neighboring devices but also to engineer and fabricate devices with optimal geometries to achieve performance metrics beyond the state-of-the-art values.

Triple-conducting oxides (TCOs) are an emerging class of mixed ionic and electronically conducting materials that show great promise for oxygen reduction/evolution (ORR/OER) electrocatalysis-primarily in high-temperature ceramic electrochemical cells- but also in aqueous alkaline environments. Their high activity is attributed, at least in part, to their ability to incorporate and transport three mobile charge carriers: protons, oxygen vacancies, and electron-holes. Despite their promise, fundamental studies of TCOs are challenging, as transport dynamics from three charge carriers cannot be fully disentangled via traditional electrical measurement techniques. Characterizing proton dynamics in TCOs is particularly difficult as protons are generally the minority carrier, and their conduction response is typically obscured by the oxygen vacancies and electron holes. Here, we demonstrate successful isolation of the proton behavior in an archetypal TCO, BaCo0.4Fe0.4Zr0.1Y0.1O3-delta (BCFZY4411), using a combination of non-electrical techniques. We determine proton uptake and oxygen non-stoichiometry (delta) using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) and neutron diffraction (ND) are used to validate the oxidation state of Co and the delta values obtained through TGA. We apply H-1 solid-state magic-angle-spinning (MAS) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to provide insights into local structure, dynamics, and proton kinetics. Finally, the proton transport properties are further quantified using tracer isotope exchange with time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). Despite the very low proton concentrations in BCFZY4411 (<0.2 % under most conditions), our analysis suggests that the oxygen reduction and evolution reactions are nevertheless limited by the oxygen ion kinetics (e.g., oxygen surface exchange) rather than the proton kinetics at the reduced operating temperatures (<500 degrees C) that are targeted for electrochemical cell applications. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of proton behavior in BCFZY4411 and pave the way for advancing the fundamental study of TCOs.

Hydride precipitation in niobium-based, superconducting circuits is a damaging side-effect of hydrofluoric acid treatments used to clean and thin the Nb surface oxides and Si oxides. The precipitate microstructure is difficult to probe because of the high hydrogen mobility in the niobium matrix. In particular, destructive techniques used to prepare samples for elemental depth profiling can change the hydride structure. Here, we use X-ray surface scattering to non-destructively probe the depth distribution of precipitates in hydrided, epitaxial, niobium thin films. We find that the niobium hydride is confined within the top ten nm of the surface.

Ionogels, electrolytes containing an ionic liquid and a solid matrix, show potential for enhancing Li-ion battery performance and versatility. Such composite materials offer tunable mechanical properties with the advantages of ionic liquids, such as high ionic conductivity and nonflammability. However, ensuring proper interfacial contact between the gel and electrodes remains challenging. Here, the stability of epitaxial LiMn2O4 (111) electrode thin films was studied in an ionogel electrolyte containing lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM-TFSI) and h-BN nanoplatelets. In operando synchrotron X-ray scattering was employed to examine this electrode's interfacial and structural evolution during operation. Despite the ionic liquid's capability to suppress Mn dissolution, loss of crystallinity and formation of irreversible Li2Mn2O4 phase were found, attributed to an inadequate contact between the gel and the cathode.

Superconducting microwave resonators are critical to quantum computing and sensing technologies. Additionally, they are common proxies for superconducting qubits when determining the effects of performance-limiting loss mechanisms such as from two-level systems (TLSs). The extraction of these loss mechanisms is often performed by measuring the internal quality factor Qi as a function of power or temperature. In this work, we investigate large temporal fluctuations of Qi at low powers over periods of 12–16 h (relative standard deviation σQi/Qi=13%). These fluctuations are ubiquitous across multiple resonators, chips, and cooldowns. We are able to attribute these fluctuations to variations in the TLS loss tangent due to two main indicators. First, measured fluctuations decrease as power and temperature increase. Second, for interleaved measurements, we observe correlations between low- and medium-power Qi fluctuations and an absence of correlations with high-power fluctuations. Agreement with the TLS loss tangent mean is obtained by performing measurements over a time span of a few hours. We hypothesize that, in addition to decoherence, due to coupling to individual near-resonant TLS, superconducting qubits are affected by these observed TLS loss tangent fluctuations.

One-dimensional nanostructures such as carbon nanotubes rely on strong and directional interactions that stabilize their high aspect ratio shapes from fracture. This requirement has precluded making isolated, long, thin organic nanotubes by stacking molecular macrocycles, as their noncovalent stacking interactions are generally too weak. Here we report high aspect ratio (>103), lyotropic nanotubes of stacked, macrocyclic, iminium salts, which are formed by protonation of the corresponding imine-linked macrocycles. Iminium ion formation establishes cohesive interactions that are two orders-of-magnitude stronger than the neutral macrocycles, as estimated by molecular dynamics simulations. Nanotube formation stabilizes the iminium ions, which otherwise rapidly hydrolyze, and is reversed and restored upon addition of bases and acids. Acids generated by irradiating a photoacid generator or sonicating chlorinated solvents also induced nanotube assembly, allowing these nanostructures to be coupled to diverse stimuli, and, once assembled, they can be fixed permanently by crosslinking their pendant alkenes. As the largest, and the first macrocyclic chromonic liquid crystals, macrocyclic iminium salts are easily accessible through a modular design and provide a means to rationally synthesize structures that mimic the morphology and rheology of carbon nanotubes and biological tubules.

The size, shape, and charge of structures, such as proteins and amphiphile assemblies, respond in an interconnected manner to solution ionic conditions. We analyze assemblies of an amphiphile (C16K2), with two ionizable amino acids [lysine (K)] coupled to a 16-carbon alkyl tail, via small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), nonlinear Poisson-Boltzmann theory (nl-PB), and hybrid Monte Carlo-molecular dynamics (MC-MD) simulations. SAXS revealed structural transitions from spherical micelles to cylindrical micelles to bilayers with increasing pH. By combining SAXS-determined structural information and nl-PB, we derived the molecular degree of ionization as a function of pH. The back-calculated titration curves matched the experimental data over an extended pH range, without adjustable parameters. Similarly, the SAXS data on the evolution of spherical micelle structure with ionic strength were combined with nl-PB and MC-MD to derive the bare and effective charges. MC-MD, which considered finite ion sizes, showed that bare and effective charges saturate quickly with increasing salt concentration. Furthermore, the calculated effective charges closely matched results from Zeta-potential measurements. The presented approach has advantages over customary methods for charge regulation, such as the Henderson-Hasselbalch (HH) or Hill models, where molecular ionization/deionization in assemblies is described by effective pKs that are distinct from the pK for isolated molecules. However, these models lack a physical explanation for these pK shifts. By contrast, our approach of combining structural details with an electrostatic model and simulations provides a more intuitive understanding of structure-charge coupling and a framework for understanding charge regulation in many synthetic and biological systems.

This study explores the manifold consequences of introducing copper into an alkaline earth metal (A = Mg, Ca, or Sr) pyrovanadate compound (A2V2O7) framework. Thus, powder X-ray diffraction coupled with Rietveld refinement showed that phase pure alloys, namely, Mg0.67Cu1.33V2O7, CaCuV2O7, and SrCuV2O7 could be obtained via solution combustion synthesis. Local structure distortions from copper insertion into the A2V2O7 compound framework were revealed by Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Importantly, the Cu2-xAxV2O7 alloy framework is shown below to be an excellent platform for demonstrating the complementarity of the two outcomes of bandgap photon absorption, namely, photovoltaic or photoelectrochemical (PEC) activity versus photoluminescence (PL). Thus, PL from the parent pyrovanadate was quenched when copper was introduced; concomitantly, PEC activity emerged for the semiconductor alloys. Changes in the electronic band structures on copper introduction were experimentally probed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and Kelvin probe measurements. These data were complemented by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Finally, the magnetic attributes of the three alloys are discussed via both experiment and theory.

How do chemical and structural modifications to the supporting crystal surface affect the subsequent van der Waals (vdW) or quasi(Q)-vdW epitaxial growth of 2D nanocrystals? Developing an atomic-scale picture of such an interfacial system is crucial for understanding its impact on the physical and chemical properties of the supported 2D materials. The elucidation of the interfacial structure and chemistry needed to promote the Q-vdW epitaxial growth of 2D tungsten disulfide (WS2) nanocrystals contributes to the growth mechanism understanding, thus pushing forward the integration of such atomically thin semiconductors toward real field-effect transistor applications. In addition to an atomic-force microscopy top view, we showcase a combination of X-ray techniques for a top-to-bottom investigation of the complexities of the buried interface structures. This approach uses X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray standing wave excited X-ray fluorescence, and crystal truncation rod scattering to produce a highly resolved chemical-state-specific 3D atomic map for the extended interface structure of WS2/alpha-Al2O3(001). Employing these detailed analysis methods, along with density functional theory to further refine the picoscale structure, we demonstrate how two different types of interface engineering during the pregrowth stage lead to significant differences in the chemical and structural modifications to the terminal surface of c-face sapphire, which in turn leads to substantial differences in the submonolayer growth of supported WS2 2D nanocrystals in terms of lateral domain sizes, epitaxial registry, vdW gaps, and stability.

Heterogeneous catalysts dominate the chemical industry but, unlike homogeneous catalysts, typically feature diverse, incompletely defined active sites. Thus, describing their structure-activity relationships remains challenging. In contrast, molecularly defined single-site heterogeneous catalysts (SSHCs) are poised to address these challenges and provide new avenues for catalysis research and development. The present study explores eco-friendly H2 production mediated by discrete MoO2 sites supported on carbon nano-horns (CNHs) and active for alcohol dehydrogenation. Although informative, detailed extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS,) kinetic measurements, and density functional theory (DFT) analysis alone cannot provide a full molecular picture of the reaction pathway. Here, using single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM), we propose the identification of four key catalytic intermediates anchored to CNHs and uncover a new reaction pathway involving alkoxide/hemiacetal equilibration and acetal oligomerization. These intermediates are inferred through a combination of theory and SMART-EM, showcasing the potential of SMART-EM as a complementary tool for exploring mechanistic hypotheses in catalysis.

We present a novel transmon qubit fabrication technique that yields systematic improvements in T$_1$ relaxation times. We fabricate devices using an encapsulation strategy that involves passivating the surface of niobium and thereby preventing the formation of its lossy surface oxide. By maintaining the same superconducting metal and only varying the surface structure, this comparative investigation examining different capping materials, such as tantalum, aluminum, titanium nitride, and gold, and film substrates across different qubit foundries definitively demonstrates the detrimental impact that niobium oxides have on the coherence times of superconducting qubits, compared to native oxides of tantalum, aluminum or titanium nitride. Our surface-encapsulated niobium qubit devices exhibit T$_1$ relaxation times 2 to 5 times longer than baseline niobium qubit devices with native niobium oxides. When capping niobium with tantalum, we obtain median qubit lifetimes above 300 microseconds, with maximum values up to 600 microseconds, that represent the highest lifetimes to date for superconducting qubits prepared on both sapphire and silicon. Our comparative structural and chemical analysis suggests why amorphous niobium oxides may induce higher losses compared to other amorphous oxides. These results are in line with high-accuracy measurements of the niobium oxide loss tangent obtained with ultra-high Q superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities. This new surface encapsulation strategy enables even further reduction of dielectric losses via passivation with ambient-stable materials, while preserving fabrication and scalable manufacturability thanks to the compatibility with silicon processes.

Indium-based amorphous metal oxides (AMOs) are important materials that enable a wide range of electronic and optoelectronic applications. The metal cations that substitute for In are known to effectively tune the material properties as well as to retain the desirable amorphous state when subjected to high operating temperatures. While much attention focuses on property tuning, there is less focus on those fundamental factors that enhance thermal stability. Hence, in this paper, we employ in situ X-ray scattering and ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) to systematically study the effects of secondary cations on the crystallization process. A series of amorphous (In1-x M x )2O3 thin films (M = Sn, Zn, and Ga; x = 5, 10, 20, and 30%) are grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) under identical deposition conditions. The films are then annealed isochronally, and the degree of crystallinity, crystallization temperature (T c), and crystallization time (tau c) are determined by a quantitative analysis of the time-evolved X-ray scattering patterns. All doped films have a T c higher than the corresponding undoped films, and significantly higher T c values (>400 degrees C) are found at the higher degrees of Zn and Ga substitution (20 and 30%). For the same level of substitution, T c increases in the order Sn > Zn > Ga, suggesting increasing crystallization barriers and local structural disorder. All crystallized films are in the common cubic phase except for IZO-20%, where an additional rhombohedral phase is observed throughout the crystallization process. The pole figure analysis reveals the detailed preferred orientations buried in postannealed crystalline films. Complementary ab initio molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the as-deposited AMOs provide an informative theoretical perspective. The medium-range structures characterized by the value and variance of effective coordination numbers around metal and oxygen atoms are found to play an important role in explaining the observed crystallization dynamics in these oxides.

Colloidal crystals have applications in water treatments, including water purification and desalination technologies. It is, therefore, important to understand the interactions between colloids as a function of electrolyte concentration. We study the assembly of DNA-grafted gold nanoparticles immersed in concentrated electrolyte solutions. Increasing the concentration of divalent Ca2+ ions leads to the condensation of nanoparticles into face-centered-cubic (FCC) crystals at low electrolyte concentrations. As the electrolyte concentration increases, the system undergoes a phase change to body-centered-cubic (BCC) crystals. This phase change occurs as the interparticle distance decreases. Molecular dynamics analysis suggests that the interparticle interactions change from strongly repulsive to short-range attractive as the divalent-electrolyte concentration increases. A thermodynamic analysis suggests that increasing the salt concentration leads to significant dehydration of the nanoparticle environment. We conjecture that the intercolloid attractive interactions and dehydrated states favour the BCC structure. Our results gain insight into salting out of colloids such as proteins as the concentration of salt increases in the solution.

Heterogeneous catalysts dominate the chemical industry but typically feature diverse, incompletely defined active sites. Thus, describing structure-activity relationships, unlike homogeneous catalysts, remains challenging. In contrast, molecularly defined single-site heterogeneous catalysts (SSHCs), using appropriate tools, are poised to address these challenges and provide new avenues for catalysis research and development. The present study explores eco-friendly H2 production mediated by discrete MO2 sites supported on carbon nanohorns (CNHs) and active for alcohol dehydrogenation. While informative, detailed ensemble EXAFS/XANES, XPS, kinetic measurements, and DFT analysis alone cannot provide a full molecular picture of the reaction pathway. Here, using single-molecule atomic-resolution time-resolved electron microscopy (SMART-EM), we identify four key catalytic intermediates anchored to the CNHs and uncover a new reaction pathway involving alkoxide/hemiacetal equilibration and acetal oligomerization. These intermediates are identified solely by theory and SMART-EM, and this advance highlights the potential of SMART-EM to establish and verify mechanistic hypotheses in catalysis.

Realizing fast energy dissipation in crystalline materials over macroscopic length scales is critical for energyefficient devices and applications toward a carbon-neutral society but is usually dominated by electron-lattice interactions that cap the energy dissipation at the phonon velocity. Going beyond this velocity has been the focus of many studies, and the physical limit is the Fermi velocity where the energy is predominantly carried away by electrons throughout the materials. However, whether and how the Fermi velocity can be reached over macroscopic distances experimentally remain largely elusive. Here we show ultrafast energy dissipation at the Fermi velocity in the magnetocaloric metal LaFe10.6Co1.0Si1.4. Using time-resolved powder x-ray diffraction, we observe negative thermal expansion of the lattice throughout the micron-sized crystals in less than 600 fs with an incident optical fluence higher than 8 J cm-2. The ultrafast timescale is in sharp contrast to the normal energy dissipation and shows the existence of a macroscopic momentum-relaxing electron mean free path immediately after the optical excitation. Our findings open a different regime in energy dissipation and demonstrate the possibility of manipulating macroscopic material properties by strong optical pulses.

Detecting electronic hot spots is important for understanding the heat dissipation and thermal management of electronic and semiconductor devices. Optical thermoreflective imaging is being used to perform precise temporal and spatial imaging of heat on wires and semiconductor materials. We apply quantum squeezed light to perform thermoreflective imaging on micro-wires, surpassing the shot-noise limit of classical approaches. We obtain a far-field temperature sensing accuracy of 42 mK after 50 ms of averaging and show that a $256\times256$ pixel image can be constructed with such sensitivity in 10 minutes. We can further obtain single-shot temperature sensing of 1.6 K after only 10 $\mathrm{\mu s}$ of averaging enabling dynamical study of heat dissipation. Not only do the quantum images provide accurate spatio-temporal information about heat distribution, but the measure of quantum correlation provides additional information, inaccessible by classical techniques, that can lead to a better understanding of the dynamics. We apply the technique to both Al and Nb microwires and discuss the applications of the technique in studying electron dynamics at low temperatures.

Superconducting niobium (Nb) thin films have recently attracted significant attention due to their utility for quantum information technologies. In the processing of Nb thin films, fluoride-based chemical etchants are commonly used to remove surface oxides that are known to affect superconducting quantum devices adversely. However, these same etchants can also introduce hydrogen to form Nb hydrides, potentially negatively impacting microwave loss performance. Here, comprehensive materials characterization of Nb hydrides formed in Nb thin films as a function of fluoride chemical treatments is presented. In particular, secondary-ion mass spectrometry, X-ray scattering, and transmission electron microscopy reveal the spatial distribution and phase transformation of Nb hydrides. The rate of hydride formation is determined by the fluoride solution acidity and the etch rate of Nb2O5, which acts as a diffusion barrier for hydrogen into Nb. The resulting Nb hydrides are detrimental to Nb superconducting properties and lead to increased power-independent microwave loss in coplanar waveguide resonators. However, Nb hydrides do not correlate with two-level system loss or device aging mechanisms. Overall, this work provides insight into the formation of Nb hydrides and their role in microwave loss, thus guiding ongoing efforts to maximize coherence time in superconducting quantum devices. This study provides comprehensive materials characterization of niobium (Nb) hydrides formed in Nb thin films as a function of fluoride chemical treatments that are commonly employed in the fabrication of superconducting qubits. This work provides insight into the formation of Nb hydrides and their role in microwave loss, thus guiding ongoing efforts to maximize coherence time in superconducting quantum devices. image

On December 5, 2022, an indirect drive fusion implosion on the National Ignition Facility (NIF) achieved a target gain G_{target} of 1.5. This is the first laboratory demonstration of exceeding "scientific breakeven" (or G_{target}>1) where 2.05 MJ of 351 nm laser light produced 3.1 MJ of total fusion yield, a result which significantly exceeds the Lawson criterion for fusion ignition as reported in a previous NIF implosion [H. Abu-Shawareb et al. (Indirect Drive ICF Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.129.075001]. This achievement is the culmination of more than five decades of research and gives proof that laboratory fusion, based on fundamental physics principles, is possible. This Letter reports on the target, laser, design, and experimental advancements that led to this result.

The interfacial structure formed by Pt nanoparticles grown epitaxially on a SrTiO3 (001) surface by pulsed laser deposition was studied by X-ray standing-wave (XSW) excited core-level photoelectron emission. The XSW-generated 3D atomic map of the Pt and interfacial oxygens for the oxidized Pt/SrTiO3 interface differs significantly from that of the as-deposited interface. After oxidation, the Pt atoms shifted upward and their atomic occupation at fcc-like sites evolved as the oxidation temperature increased. Interfacial oxygen atoms were differentiated from bulk O atoms by the chemical shift in the binding energy of their 1s electrons. After oxidation, the interfacial oxygen atoms rearranged to form a TiO2 bilayer at the interface. These results provide a more complete description of the strong metal-support interaction process at the interface.