AMoRE searches for the neutrinoless double beta decay using 100 kg of enriched ^{100}Mo. Scintillating molybdate crystals coupled with a metallic magnetic calorimeter operate at milli-Kelvin temperatures to measure the energy of electrons emitted in the decay. AMoRE-I is a demonstrator for the full-scale AMoRE, operated at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory for over two years. The exposure was 8.02  kg year (or 3.89  kg_{^{100}Mo} year), and the total background rate near the Q value was 0.025±0.002  counts/keV/kg/year. We observed no indication of 0νββ decay and report a new lower limit of the half-life of ^{100}Mo 0νββ decay as T_{1/2}^{0ν}>2.9×10^{24}  yr at 90% confidence level. The effective Majorana mass limit range is m_{ββ}<(210-610)  meV using nuclear matrix elements estimated in the framework of different models, including the recent shell model calculations.

Vehicular emissions are major sources of gaseous and particulate matter pollutants in urban atmospheres. Stringent environmental regulations on vehicular emissions have been consistently implemented, leading to a substantial decrease in exhaust emissions. In contrast, non-exhaust emissions are increasing with the growing share of electric vehicles. Non-exhaust particulate matter emissions account for approximately 90% of total vehicular emissions. However, standardized guidelines for non-exhaust emissions have not been established, largely due to the challenges in estimating ambient concentrations from non-exhaust particulate matter sources. In this study, we performed a particulate matter simulation to investigate the quantitative impact of non-exhaust emissions in Seoul, using a coupled atmospheric chemistry–CFD model (CFD-Chem). We evaluated the model using various emission factors and determined the most accurate emission factor by comparing it with observed PM concentrations at the pedestrian level. Our simulated PM concentrations follow the diurnal variation of traffic volume, indicating a significant contribution of non-vehicular emissions to PM concentration at ground level. We observed that the impact of non-exhaust sources on pedestrians is higher in alleys than on main streets. Our results suggest that precise simulations are essential for establishing accurate and standardized guidelines for non-exhaust emissions.

In this study, the microstructure of an Mg-15at%Ni hydrogen storage alloy with a hypereutectic composition was observed, and the hydrogen absorption mechanism was analyzed by applying various solid-gas reaction models to the first hydrogenation kinetics profile. The alloy comprises 45.6 wt% Mg phase and 54.4 wt% Mg2Ni phase, featuring a microstructural characteristic which features dispersed, large-sized Mg2Ni primary phases coexisting with lamellar-structured Mg and Mg2Ni. Exposure of the lathe-processed Mg-15at%Ni alloy to 60 bar of H2 at 300 degrees C enhances its hydrogen absorption properties. The kinetics profile is divided into three parts based on where each tangent line meets and is fitted to the solid-gas reaction model. In section I, the initial hydrogen absorption phase, the JMA3D model was the most dominant, while the CV3D and GB3D models were most suitable for sections II and III, respectively. The surface oxide layer on the lathe-processed Mg-15at%Ni alloy does not appear to hinder the activation process in this study significantly.

AbstractAMoRE-II aims to search for neutrinoless double beta decay ($$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β ) with an array of 423 $$\hbox {Li}_2^{100}\hbox {MoO}_4$$ Li 2 100 MoO 4 crystals operating in the cryogenic system as the main phase of the Advanced Molybdenum-based Rare process Experiment (AMoRE). AMoRE has been planned to operate in three phases: AMoRE-pilot, AMoRE-I, and AMoRE-II. AMoRE-II is currently being installed at the Yemi Underground Laboratory, located approximately 1000 m deep in Jeongseon, Korea. The goal of the experiment is to reach an exclusion half-life sensitivity to the $$0\nu \beta \beta $$ 0 ν β β of $$^{100}$$ 100 Mo on the level of $$T^{0\nu \beta \beta }_{1/2} > 6 \times 10^{26}$$ T 1 / 2 0 ν β β > 6 × 10 26 year that covers completely the inverted Majorana neutrino mass hierarchy region of (15–46) meV. To achieve this, the background level of the experimental configurations and possible background sources of gamma and beta events should be well understood. We have intensively performed Monte Carlo simulations using the GEANT4 toolkit in all the experimental configurations with potential sources. We report the estimated background level that meets the $$10^{-4}$$ 10 - 4 counts/(keV$$\cdot $$ · kg$$\cdot $$ · year) requirement for AMoRE-II in the Region Of Interest (ROI) and show the projected half-life sensitivity based on the simulation study.

Traditional weak-lensing mass reconstruction techniques suffer from various artifacts, including noise amplification and the mass-sheet degeneracy. In S. E. Hong et al., we demonstrated that many of these pitfalls of traditional mass reconstruction can be mitigated using a deep learning approach based on a convolutional neural network (CNN). In this paper, we present our improvements and report on the detailed performance of our CNN algorithm applied to next-generation wide-field (WF) observations. Assuming the field of view ( 3.degrees 5x3.degrees 5 ) and depth (27 mag at 5 sigma) of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, we generated training data sets of mock shear catalogs with a source density of 33 arcmin-2 from cosmological simulation ray-tracing data. We find that the current CNN method provides high-fidelity reconstructions consistent with the true convergence field, restoring both small- and large-scale structures. In addition, the cluster detection utilizing our CNN reconstruction achieves similar to 75% completeness down to similar to 1014 M circle dot. We anticipate that this CNN-based mass reconstruction will be a powerful tool in the Rubin era, enabling fast and robust WF mass reconstructions on a routine basis.

We study how a machine based on deep learning algorithms learns Krylov spread complexity in quantum systems with N x N random Hamiltonians drawn from the Gaussian unitary ensemble. Using thermofield double states as initial conditions, we demonstrate that a convolutional neural network-based algorithm successfully learns the Krylov spread complexity across all timescales, including the late-time plateaus where states appear nearly featureless and random. Performance strongly depends on the basis choice, performing well with the energy eigenbasis or the Krylov basis but failing in the original basis of the random Hamiltonian. The algorithm also effectively distinguishes temperature-dependent features of thermofield double states. Furthermore, we show that the system time variable of state predicted by deep learning is an irrelevant quantity, reinforcing that the Krylov spread complexity well captures the essential features of the quantum state, even at late times.

In this study, we aim to forecast monthly stock returns and analyze factors influencing stock prices in the Korean stock market. To find a model that maximizes the cumulative return of the portfolio of stocks with high predicted returns, we use machine learning models such as linear models, tree-based models, neural networks, and learning to rank algorithms. We employ a novel validation metric which we call the Cumulative net Return of a Portfolio with top 10% predicted return (CRP10) for tuning hyperparameters to increase the cumulative return of the selected portfolio. CRP10 tends to provide higher cumulative returns compared to out-of-sample R-squared as a validation metric with the data that we used. Our findings indicate that Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) and Gradient Boosted Regression Trees (GBRT) demonstrate better performance than other models when we apply a single model for the entire test period. We also take the strategy of changing the model on a yearly basis by assessing the best model annually and observed that it did not outperform the approach of using a single model such as LightGBM or GBRT for the entire period.

We selectively improved the viewing angle characteristics and light extraction efficiency of blue thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) by tailoring a nanofiber-shaped Si3N4 layer, which was used as an internal scattering layer. The diameter of the polymer nanofibers changed according to the mass ratio of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the polymer solution for electrospinning. The Si3N4 nanofiber (SNF) structure was fabricated by etching an Si3N4 film using the PAN/PMMA nanofiber as a mask, making it easier to adjust parameters, such as the diameter, open ratio, and height, even though the SNF structure was randomly shaped. The SNF structures exhibited lower transmittance and higher haze with increasing diameter, showing little correlation with their height. However, all the structures demonstrated a total transmittance of over 80%. Finally, by applying the SNF structures to the blue TADF OLEDs, the external quantum efficiency was increased by 15.6%. In addition, the current and power efficiencies were enhanced by 23.0% and 25.6%, respectively. The internal light-extracting SNF structure also exhibited a synergistic effect with the external light-extracting structure. Furthermore, when the viewing angle changed from 0 degrees to 60 degrees, the peak wavelength and CIE coordinate shift decreased from 20 to 6 nm and from 0.0561 to 0.0243, respectively. These trends were explained by the application of Snell's law to the light path and were ultimately validated through finite-difference time-domain simulations.

We present a comprehensive study of the nonproportionality of NaI(Tl) scintillation detectors within the context of dark matter search experiments. Our investigation, which integrates COSINE-100 data with supplementary $γ$ spectroscopy, measures light yields across diverse energy levels from full-energy $γ$ peaks produced by the decays of various isotopes. These $γ$ peaks of interest were produced by decays supported by both long and short-lived isotopes. Analyzing peaks from decays supported only by short-lived isotopes presented a unique challenge due to their limited statistics and overlapping energies, which was overcome by long-term data collection and a time-dependent analysis. A key achievement is the direct measurement of the 0.87 keV light yield, resulting from the cascade following electron capture decay of $^{22}$Na from internal contamination. This measurement, previously accessible only indirectly, deepens our understanding of NaI(Tl) scintillator behavior in the region of interest for dark matter searches. This study holds substantial implications for background modeling and the interpretation of dark matter signals in NaI(Tl) experiments.

COSINE-100 is a direct dark matter search experiment, with the primary goal of testing the annual modulation signal observed by DAMA/LIBRA, using the same target material, NaI(Tl). In previous analyses, we achieved the same 1 keV energy threshold used in the DAMA/LIBRA's analysis that reported an annual modulation signal with 11.6 sigma significance. In this article, we report an improved analysis that lowered the threshold to 0.7 keV, thanks to the application of Multi-Layer Perception network and a new likelihood parameter with waveforms in the frequency domain. The lower threshold would enable a better comparison of COSINE-100 with new DAMA results with a 0.75 keV threshold and account for differences in quenching factors. Furthermore the lower threshold can enhance COSINE-100's sensitivity to sub-GeV dark matter searches.

Luminous efficiency is a pivotal factor for assessing the performance of optoelectronic devices, wherein light loss caused by diverse factors is harvested and converted into the radiative mode. In this study, we demonstrate a nanoscale vacuum photonic crystal layer (nVPCL) for light extraction enhancement. A corrugated semi-transparent electrode incorporating a periodic hollow-structure array was designed through a simulation that utilizes finite-difference time-domain computational analysis. The corrugated profile, stemming from the periodic hollow structure, was fabricated using laser interference lithography, which allows the precise engineering of various geometrical parameters by controlling the process conditions. The semi-transparent electrode consisted of a 15 nm thick Ag film, which acted as the exit mirror and induced microcavity resonance. When applied to a conventional green organic light-emitting diode (OLED) structure, the optimized nVPCL-integrated device demonstrated a 21.5% enhancement in external quantum efficiency compared to the reference device. Further, the full width at half maximum exhibited a 27.5% reduction compared to that of the reference device, demonstrating improved color purity. This study presents a novel approach by applying a hybrid thin film electrode design to optoelectronic devices to enhance optical efficiency and color purity.

Josephson junctions enable dissipation-less electrical current through metals and insulators below a critical current. Despite being central to quantum technology based on superconducting quantum bits and fundamental research into self-conjugate quasiparticles, the spatial distribution of super current flow at the junction and its predicted evolution with current bias and external magnetic field remain experimentally elusive. Revealing the hidden current flow, featureless in electrical resistance, helps understanding unconventional phenomena such as the nonreciprocal critical current, i.e., Josephson diode effect. Here we introduce a platform to visualize super current flow at the nanoscale. Utilizing a scanning magnetometer based on nitrogen vacancy centers in diamond, we uncover competing ground states electrically switchable within the zero-resistance regime. The competition results from the superconducting phase re-configuration induced by the Josephson current and kinetic inductance of thin-film superconductors. We further identify a new mechanism for the Josephson diode effect involving the Josephson current-induced phase. The nanoscale super current flow emerges as a new experimental observable for elucidating unconventional superconductivity, and optimizing quantum computation and energy-efficient devices.

COSINE-100 is a dark matter direct detection experiment with 106kg NaI(Tl) as the target material. 210Pb and daughter isotopes are a dominant background in the WIMP region of interest and are detected via β decay and α decay. Analysis of the α channel complements the background model as observed in the β/γ channel. We present the measurement of the quenching factors and Monte Carlo simulation results and activity quantification of the α decay components of the COSINE-100 NaI(Tl) crystals. The data strongly indicate that the α decays probabilistically undergo two possible quenching factors but require further investigation. The fitted results are consistent with independent measurements and improve the overall understanding of the COSINE-100 backgrounds. Furthermore, the half-life of 216Po has been measured to be 143.4±1.2 ms, which is consistent with and more precise than most current measurements.

In a PN junction, the separation between positive and negative charges leads to diode transport. In the past few years, the intrinsic diode transport in noncentrosymmetric polar conductors has attracted great interest, because it suggests novel nonlinear applications and provides a symmetry-sensitive probe of Fermi surface. Recently, such studies have been extended to noncentrosymmetric superconductors, realizing the superconducting diode effect. Here, we show that, even in a centrosymmetric crystal without directional charge separation, the spins of an antiferromagnet (AFM) can generate a spatial directionality, leading to an AFM diode effect. We observe large second-harmonic transport in a nonlinear electronic device enabled by the compensated AFM state of even-layered MnBi2Te4. We also report a novel electrical sum-frequency generation (SFG), which has been rarely explored in contrast to the well-known optical SFG in wide-gap insulators. We demonstrate that the AFM enables an in-plane field-effect transistor and harvesting of wireless electromagnetic energy. The electrical SFG establishes a powerful method to study nonlinear electronics built by quantum materials. The AFM diode effect paves the way for potential device concepts including AFM logic circuits, self-powered AFM spintronics, and other applications that potentially bridge nonlinear electronics with AFM spintronics.

Cervical adenocarcinomas constitute for approximately 10%-20% of all invasive cervical cancers. Villoglandular adenocarcinomas (VGAs) are a rare subtype of cervical adenocarcinoma, representing approximately 5% of all cases of cervical adenocarcinomas. Herein, we report the case of a 49-year-old perimenopausal woman successfully treated for VGA. The patient presented to the hospital with a primary complaint of vaginal discharge persisting for 7 months with worsening symptoms. She had no underlying medical conditions or history of oral contraceptive use. A punch biopsy revealed an adenocarcinoma, and a human papillomavirus (HPV) test indicated positive for HPV-16. The patient underwent a radical hysterectomy with bilateral pelvic lymph node dissection, and a pathological diagnosis of VGA was established. After surgery, the patient underwent a 6-week course of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with cisplatin. During the 42 months of follow-up, no signs of disease recurrence or metastasis were observed. Because of the limitations of specimen acquisition, achieving a precise diagnosis through cervicovaginal cytology and punch biopsy is challenging. Instead, conization should be considered to prevent misdiagnosis.

We report the results of a search for inelastic scattering of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) off 127I nuclei using NaI(Tl) crystals with a data exposure of 97.7 kg center dot years from the COSINE-100 experiment. The signature of inelastic WIMP -127I scattering is a nuclear recoil accompanied by a 57.6 keV gamma-ray from the prompt deexcitation, producing a more energetic signal compared to the typical WIMP nuclear recoil signal. We found no evidence for this inelastic scattering signature and set a 90% confidence level upper limit on the WIMP-proton spin-dependent, inelastic scattering cross section of 1.2 x 10-37 cm2 at the WIMP mass 500 GeV/c2.

We search for energetic electron recoil signals induced by boosted dark matter (BDM) from the galactic center using the COSINE-100 array of NaI(Tl) crystal detectors at the Yangyang Underground Laboratory. The signal would be an excess of events with energies above 4 MeV over the well-understood background. Because no excess of events are observed in a 97.7  kg·yr exposure, we set limits on BDM interactions under a variety of hypotheses. Notably, we explored the dark photon parameter space, leading to competitive limits compared to direct dark photon search experiments, particularly for dark photon masses below 4 MeV and considering the invisible decay mode. Furthermore, by comparing our results with a previous BDM search conducted by the Super-Kamionkande experiment, we found that the COSINE-100 detector has advantages in searching for low-mass dark matter. This analysis demonstrates the potential of the COSINE-100 detector to search for MeV electron recoil signals produced by the dark sector particle interactions.

We report that low-temperature ozone calcination allowed MFI type polycrystalline zeolite membranes to maximize theirp-/o-xylene separation factor (as high as ca. 2000) by suppressing defect formation. Conventional high-temperature calcination and rapid thermal processing, which provide poor and marked p-/o-xylene sepa-ration abilities, respectively, were used for comparison. The corresponding defect structures were quantitatively analyzed by image processing of fluorescence confocal optical microscopy images combined with membrane permeation modeling, revealing the main defects (grain boundary defects and cracks) and their tortuosity, porosity, and size. To the best of our knowledge, we, for the first time, demonstrated that in contrast to common belief, the minor portion of wider cracks instead of the major portion of narrower grain boundary defects determined the final permeation rates. Specifically, the MFI membrane prepared by high-temperature calcination contained many grain boundary defects (narrow; ca. 1 nm) and few cracks (wide; ca. 20 nm) that accounted for ca. 0.1% and 99.8%, respectively, of the slowly permeating o-xylene molar flux. In contrast, the ozone-treated MFI membranes, which only possessed grain boundary defects, achieved the high p-/o-xylene separation per-formance, underlining the need for the selective reduction in the number of wider cracks rather than ubiquitous, narrow grain boundary defects.

As the most scaled memory solution at present, we for the first time developed and begun volume production of 14nm DRAM to extend the continuous shrink trend in semiconductor memory industry. In the new era of 14nm node DRAM and beyond, process integration and device performance are both essential due to the rapid increase of memory cell disturbance and resistance. To resolve the difficulty of process integration, five-layer EUV processes and L-CNT (Line-type storage node contact) scheme were devised, reducing the number of process steps by approximately 20%. To boost device performance, extremely shallow doping engineering played a pioneering role to advance the performance of PMOS transistor by 40% in terms of contact resistance. Our 14nm DRAM will provide the finest and most advanced solution for the next-generation DRAM platform–DDR5 and beyond.

This study presents the feasibility of a dual-mode high-pass birdcage RF coil to acquire MR images at both 1H and 23Na frequencies at ultra-high-field MR scanner, 7 T. A dual-mode circuit (DMC) in the dual-mode birdcage (DMBC) RF coil operates at two frequencies, addressing the limitations of sensitivity reduction and isolation between two frequencies as in traditional dual-tuned RF coil. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) based electromagnetic (EM) simulations were performed to verify the RF coil at each frequency on the three-dimensional human head model. The DMBC RF coil resonated at proton (1H) and sodium (23Na) frequencies, and also single-tuned high-pass birdcage RF coils were constructed for both 1H and 23Na frequencies. The bench test performance of the RF coils was evaluated using network analysis parameters, including the measurement of scattering parameters (S-parameters) and quality factors (Q-factors). Q-factor of the DMBC coil at 1H port was 10.2% lower than that of 1H single-tuned birdcage (STBC) coil, with a modest SNR reduction of 6.5%. Similarly, the Q-factor for the DMBC coil at 23Na port was 12.3% less than that of 23Na STBC coil, and the SNR showed a minimal reduction of 5.4%. Utilizing the DMBC coil, promising 1H and 23Na MR images were acquired compared to those by using STBC coils. In conclusion, deploying a DMBC 1H/23Na coil has been demonstrated to overcome traditional constraints associated with dual-tuned RF coils, achieving this with only nominal signal attenuation across both nuclei operational frequencies.