Low dust mass and high star-formation efficiency at z>12 from deep ALMA observations

We investigate the dust mass build-up and star formation efficiency of two galaxies at $z>12$, GHZ2 and GS-z14-0, by combining ALMA and JWST observations with an analytical model that assumes dust at thermal equilibrium. We obtained $3\sigma$ constraints on dust mass of $\log M_{\rm dust}/M_{\odot}<5.0$ and $<5.3$, respectively. These constraints are in tension with a high dust condensation efficiency in stellar ejecta but are consistent with models with a short metal accretion timescale at $z>12$. Given the young stellar ages of these galaxies ($t_{\rm age}\sim10\,{\rm Myrs}$), dust grain growth via accretion may still be ineffective at this stage, though it likely works efficiently to produce significant dust in galaxies at $z\sim7$. The star formation efficiencies, defined as the SFR divided by molecular gas mass, reach $\sim10\,{\rm Gyr}^{-1}$ in a 10\,Myr timescale, aligning with the expected redshift evolution of `starburst' galaxies with efficiencies that are $\sim0.5$--$1\,{\rm dex}$ higher than those in main-sequence galaxies. This starburst phase seems to be common in UV-bright galaxies at $z>12$ and is likely associated with the unique conditions of the early phases of galaxy formation, such as bursty star formation and/or negligible feedback from super-Eddington accretion. Direct observations of molecular gas tracers like [C\,{\sc ii}] will be crucial to further understanding the nature of bright galaxies at $z>12$.