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Optical visualization of individual ultralong carbon nanotubes by chemical vapour deposition of titanium dioxide nanoparticles
The characterization and manipulation of carbon nanotubes is of relevance for a range of nanotechnology applications, but usually requires electron microscopes. Here Zhang et al. evaporate nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes to make them visible even under an optical microscope.
- Rufan Zhang
- , Yingying Zhang
- & Fei Wei
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Shaping colloids for self-assembly
Creating new materials requires novel approaches to design and synthesize small building particles. Sacanna et al. develop a versatile synthetic strategy to design and mass-produce colloidal building blocks starting from two different colloids that leads to selectively functionalized surface areas.
- Stefano Sacanna
- , Mark Korpics
- & Gi-Ra Yi
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Article
| Open AccessCoherent diffraction imaging of nanoscale strain evolution in a single crystal under high pressure
Extreme pressure can induce significant changes in a material’s mechanical response, but characterizing the evolution of these changes as they take place is challenging. Yang et al. demonstrate the use of coherent X-ray diffraction imaging to follow changes in the three-dimensional shape and strain fields within gold particles under pressure.
- Wenge Yang
- , Xiaojing Huang
- & Ho-kwang Mao
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Metallized DNA nanolithography for encoding and transferring spatial information for graphene patterning
The structuring of graphene is important towards its use in electronic applications. Here Strano et al. develop a fast and efficient lithography process enabling the transfer of shape information from self-assembled DNA templates to custom graphene patterns at a resolution of about 10 nm.
- Zhong Jin
- , Wei Sun
- & Michael S. Strano
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Article
| Open AccessDesign principle for increasing charge mobility of π-conjugated polymers using regularly localized molecular orbitals
Polymers are good potential processable materials for electronic components; however, their charge mobilities are quite low. Here, the authors show that wrapping polymers with macrocycles and localization of π-orbitals realizes an ideal orbital alignment for charge hopping with subsequently increased mobility.
- Jun Terao
- , Akihisa Wadahama
- & Yasushi Tsuji
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Stepwise self-assembly of C60 mediated by atomic scale moiré magnifiers
A promising route towards molecular devices is the self-assembly of atoms or molecules on a surface. Here, Gruznev et al. show that the synthesis of unique geometries of C60molecules on gold–indium-covered crystalline silicon is governed by moiré interference.
- D.V. Gruznev
- , A.V. Matetskiy
- & Y.L. Wang
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Article
| Open AccessQuantum engineering at the silicon surface using dangling bonds
The ability to add and move individual atoms on a surface with a scanning tunnelling microscope enables precise control over the electronic quantum states of the surface. Schofield et al. show that removing hydrogen atoms from a passivated silicon surface can be used to generate and control such states.
- S. R. Schofield
- , P. Studer
- & D. R. Bowler
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Magnetic spin imaging under ambient conditions with sub-cellular resolution
Detecting the magnetic spins of a small number of atoms is important for applications such as magnetic resonance imaging. Here, Steinert et al.demonstrate that nitrogen-vacancy defect centres in diamond allow spin detection at room temperature at length scales smaller than human cells.
- S. Steinert
- , F. Ziem
- & J. Wrachtrup
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| Open AccessQuantum dot imaging platform for single-cell molecular profiling
Multiplexed labelling of individual cells allows the direct observation of intracellular molecular composition, but is difficult to achieve with existing techniques. Here, self-assembled fluorescent nanoparticle probes and multicolour multicycle staining are used for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple biomolecules at subcellular resolution.
- Pavel Zrazhevskiy
- & Xiaohu Gao
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Epitaxial lift-off process for gallium arsenide substrate reuse and flexible electronics
The fabrication of electronic devices depends on semiconductor substrates for device growth. The etching technique implemented here by Cheng et al. allows the reuse of these substrates and suggests a more economic fabrication of electronic devices.
- Cheng-Wei Cheng
- , Kuen-Ting Shiu
- & Devendra K. Sadana
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Article
| Open AccessIn vivo recordings of brain activity using organic transistors
Flexible organic electronic devices have the potential to serve as biosensors in living animals. Khodagholy et al. show that organic transistors can be used to record brain activity in rats and demonstrate that they have a superior signal-to-noise ratio compared with electrodes due to local signal amplification.
- Dion Khodagholy
- , Thomas Doublet
- & George G. Malliaras
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A low-temperature method to produce highly reduced graphene oxide
The chemical reduction of graphene oxide can provide large quantities of reduced graphene oxide for potential application in electronics and composite materials. Feng et al. report a highly efficient low-temperature one-pot reduction of graphene oxide that uses sodium-ammonia solution as the reducing agent.
- Hongbin Feng
- , Rui Cheng
- & Jinghong Li
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Surface-passivated GaAsP single-nanowire solar cells exceeding 10% efficiency grown on silicon
The use of III-V semiconductor nanowires can overcome the need for lattice matching in multi-junction solar cells, which restricts the choice of materials and their bandgaps. This work demonstrates efficient solar cells with GaAsP single nanowires with tunable bandgap and grown on low-cost Si substrates.
- Jeppe V. Holm
- , Henrik I. Jørgensen
- & Martin Aagesen
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A synthetic nanomaterial for virus recognition produced by surface imprinting
The recognition of viruses by synthetic materials is historically difficult. Here, a templating procedure using silica nanoparticles coated with organosilanes is used to form virus-imprinted particles, possessing both shape and chemical imprints, capable of virus recognition at picomolar concentrations.
- Alessandro Cumbo
- , Bernard Lorber
- & Patrick Shahgaldian
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Scalable fabrication of high-power graphene micro-supercapacitors for flexible and on-chip energy storage
Microscale supercapacitors are promising alternative energy-storage devices; however, their use has been limited by the need for complicated fabrication techniques. This work reports the scalable fabrication of graphene supercapacitors with planar geometry that achieve power densities of up to 200 W cm−3.
- Maher F. El-Kady
- & Richard B. Kaner
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Engineering the architectural diversity of heterogeneous metallic nanocrystals
Engineering heterogeneous metallic nanocrystals could produce diverse materials with tunable properties. Here the authors develop a strategy for the rational and independent programming of each architecture-determining element, such as the shape, size and spatial relationship of the component nanocrystals.
- Yue Yu
- , Qingbo Zhang
- & Jim Yang Lee
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New diluted ferromagnetic semiconductor with Curie temperature up to 180 K and isostructural to the ‘122’ iron-based superconductors
Diluted magnetic semiconductors are promising spintronic materials, however the simultaneous doping of charge and magnetic moment has prevented synthesis of bulk samples. This work reports the synthesis of a bulk magnetic semiconductor (Ba1−xKx)(Zn1−yMny)2As2with Curie temperatures up to 180 K.
- K. Zhao
- , Z. Deng
- & C. Q. Jin
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Solution-phase epitaxial growth of noble metal nanostructures on dispersible single-layer molybdenum disulfide nanosheets
The ‘wet’ chemical epitaxial growth of nanostructures on semiconducting surfaces is usually hindered by surface defects. Here, the authors show that large surface area single-layer molybdenum disulphide is an ideal substrate for epitaxial growth of a range of metallic nanoparticles.
- Xiao Huang
- , Zhiyuan Zeng
- & Hua Zhang
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| Open AccessNanoscale imaging and spontaneous emission control with a single nano-positioned quantum dot
The emission properties of quantum dots make them ideal for probing plasmonic nanostructures, but their small size makes them difficult to manipulate. Ropp et al.use a microfluidic system to accurately place single quantum dots around silver nanowires to probe the local density of optical states.
- Chad Ropp
- , Zachary Cummins
- & Edo Waks
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Quantitative experimental determination of site-specific magnetic structures by transmitted electrons
Understanding magnetic materials at the nanoscale is important for the development of novel applications, but has been hampered by a lack of suitable experimental techniques. Here, the use of transmitted electrons permits the determination of atomic site-specific magnetic information.
- Z.Q. Wang
- , X.Y. Zhong
- & J. Zhu
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Composite-pulse magnetometry with a solid-state quantum sensor
Quantum magnetometry in the solid state is usually affected by short coherence times and control errors that limit the sensitivity. This work demonstrates a continuous-driving scheme based on composite pulses that improves both these shortcomings and can be used in variable sensing environments.
- Clarice D. Aiello
- , Masashi Hirose
- & Paola Cappellaro
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The essential role of carefully optimized synthesis for elucidating intrinsic material properties of (Ga,Mn)As
The electronic band structure of (Ga,Mn)As has been debated due to contrasting reports of experimental findings from samples differently synthesized. Nĕmec et al.show that a careful optimization of the synthesis protocol is necessary to evaluate the intrinsic semiconducting and magnetic properties of (Ga,Mn)As.
- P. Nĕmec
- , V. Novák
- & T. Jungwirth
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Holographic detection of the orbital angular momentum of light with plasmonic photodiodes
Sub-wavelength structures can be used to convert between light and plasmon polaritons. Genevetet al. design holographic plasmonic interfaces that couple vortex light beams to surface plasmons, allowing them to detect the orbital angular momentum of the beam with a simple silicon photodiode.
- Patrice Genevet
- , Jiao Lin
- & Federico Capasso
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Review Article |
Moving from static to dynamic complexity in hydrogel design
Hydrogels are water-containing polymer networks that have been applied in various biological settings. Burdick and Murphy review recent advances in the development of dynamic hydrogels whose properties and mechanics change in response to biological signals.
- Jason A. Burdick
- & William L. Murphy
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| Open AccessDirect writing of electronic devices on graphene oxide by catalytic scanning probe lithography
Controlled nanoscale reduction of graphene oxide could aid the development of graphene-based electronics. Here, a relatively mild technique is reported that uses a platinum-coated atomic force microscope tip to catalyse the reduction of graphene oxide to graphene.
- Kun Zhang
- , Qiang Fu
- & Jianguo Hou
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A general method for the large-scale synthesis of uniform ultrathin metal sulphide nanocrystals
Ultrathin metal sulphides are attractive components for electronic and optical devices and are promising anode materials for lithium-ion batteries. Here, a universal, soft colloidal templating strategy is employed for the large-scale synthesis of uniform, ultrathin metal sulphide nanomaterials.
- Yaping Du
- , Zongyou Yin
- & Hua Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessCorrelative infrared–electron nanoscopy reveals the local structure–conductivity relationship in zinc oxide nanowires
High-resolution characterisation techniques enable us to better understand the properties of nanoscale materials and devices. By combining electron microscopy and infrared nanoscopy, Stiegleret al.demonstrate a general approach to simultaneously probe the structural, chemical and electronic properties of a nanostructure.
- J.M. Stiegler
- , R. Tena-Zaera
- & R. Hillenbrand
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Measuring the size of individual particles from three-dimensional imaging experiments
The degree of polydispersity of colloidal suspensions is known to have consequences for their physical properties. Kuritaet al. present a general method for determining the sizes of individual particles, and thus the polydispersity, using only the coordinates of the centre positions of spherical particles.
- Rei Kurita
- , David B. Ruffner
- & Eric R. Weeks
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Fabrication of flexible and freestanding zinc chalcogenide single layers
Ultrathin inorganic materials hold promise for a variety of applications, including flexible electronics. This work presents a fabrication method that permits the synthesis of large and flexible freestanding layers of zinc selenide that display a high-photocurrent density.
- Yongfu Sun
- , Zhihu Sun
- & Yi Xie
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Direct dynamic imaging of non-adiabatic spin torque effects
The torque contributions exerted by spin-polarized currents on magnetic structures are not fully understood due to the difficulty in discerning their relative weight. Pollardet al. propose a novel method to directly determine the value of the competing spin transfer torques by in-situLorentz microscopy.
- S.D. Pollard
- , L. Huang
- & Y. Zhu
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Dynamics of multiple phases in a colossal-magnetoresistive manganite as revealed by dielectric spectroscopy
Correlated electron oxide materials have rich phase diagrams with magnetic or electronic properties. Using a p-n junction configuration, Shenget al. explore the dielectric response of different phases in manganite thin films and uncover their dynamic transport properties.
- Zhigao Sheng
- , Masao Nakamura
- & Yoshinori Tokura
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Direct printing of nanostructures by electrostatic autofocussing of ink nanodroplets
Ink-jet printing methods are an attractive approach to nanofabrication, where electrohydrodynamic control allows for flexible and cheap fabrication. Here, a new approach is presented using electrostatic nanodroplet autofocussing to produce high aspect ratio nanoscale structures like plasmonic nanoantennas.
- P. Galliker
- , J. Schneider
- & D. Poulikakos
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| Open AccessValley-selective circular dichroism of monolayer molybdenum disulphide
The monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenide molybdenum disulphide has recently attracted attention owing to its distinctive electronic properties. Cao and co-workers present numerical evidence suggesting that circularly polarized light can preferentially excite a single valley in the band structure of this system.
- Ting Cao
- , Gang Wang
- & Ji Feng
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| Open AccessStrong-coupling d-wave superconductivity in PuCoGa5 probed by point-contact spectroscopy
The heavy-fermion material PuCoGa5 is characterized by unconventional superconducting properties. By combining point-contact spectroscopy and first-principles calculations, this study reveals a d-wave symmetry in the system's order parameter.
- D. Daghero
- , M. Tortello
- & R. Caciuffo
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Organic transistors with high thermal stability for medical applications
Organic electronic devices are promising for many applications, particularly in biomedical research, but are hindered by thermal instability and low melting points. Now, organic thin-film transistors are shown with excellent thermal properties that can withstand medical sterilization processes.
- Kazunori Kuribara
- , He Wang
- & Takao Someya
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Atom-specific spin mapping and buried topological states in a homologous series of topological insulators
Strategies to tune the surface properties of topological insulators are essential, if they are to find use in applications. Using a combination of theoretical and experimental techniques, this study examines how the properties of ordered ternary topological insulators vary with the content of group IV elements.
- Sergey V. Eremeev
- , Gabriel Landolt
- & Evgueni V. Chulkov
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Momentum-dependent multiple gaps in magnesium diboride probed by electron tunnelling spectroscopy
The electronic structure of superconducting magnesium diboride is predicted theoretically to have a distribution of energy gap values. Chenet al. observe this distribution of values experimentally, by means of high-resolution electron tunnelling spectroscopy.
- Ke Chen
- , Wenqing Dai
- & X. X. Xi
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Revealing the role of defects in ferroelectric switching with atomic resolution
Ferroelectric materials are characterized by a spontaneous polarization, which in practical applications is manipulated by an electric field. This study examines how defects affect the switching with atomic resolution, by usingin situaberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy.
- Peng Gao
- , Christopher T. Nelson
- & Xiaoqing Pan
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Magnetic resonance force microscopy of paramagnetic electron spins at millikelvin temperatures
Magnetic resonance force microscopy is a scanning probe technique capable of detecting and imaging electron spins. Vinanteet al.bring the operating temperature of this method into the millikelvin temperature regime, revealing spin diffusion phenomena that were hitherto inaccessible.
- A. Vinante
- , G. Wijts
- & T.H. Oosterkamp
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Three-dimensional high-resolution quantitative microscopy of extended crystals
X-ray ptychography has been used to extend the field of view in high-resolution quantitative imaging. Godardet al. develop Bragg-mode ptychography to reconstruct, in three dimensions, a crystalline specimen that is too large to be studied as a single object with a coherence-limited X-ray beam.
- P. Godard
- , G. Carbone
- & V. Chamard
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Towards hybrid superlattices in graphene
The controllable modification of graphene by chemical functionalization can modulate its optical and electronic properties. Sunet al. devise a functionalisation-based method to pattern graphane/graphene superlattices within a single sheet of graphene.
- Zhengzong Sun
- , Cary L. Pint
- & James M. Tour
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Article
| Open AccessA new regime for mechanical annealing and strong sample-size strengthening in body centred cubic molybdenum
Mechanical annealing is a process through which the dislocation density in submicrometre metal crystals can be removed purely by applying a mechanical stress. This study shows that mechanical annealing occurs in body centred cubic molybdenum, and not only in face centred crystals as previously thought.
- Ling Huang
- , Qing-Jie Li
- & Evan Ma
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Article
| Open AccessCoupling artificial molecular spin states by photon-assisted tunnelling
Tunnelling transitions triggered by microwave irradiation between coupled quantum dots have generally been assumed to be spin-conserving. This study shows that this condition is violated in the presence of spin–orbit coupling, thus opening new possibilities for manipulating a two–spin qubit system by microwave irradiation.
- L.R. Schreiber
- , F.R. Braakman
- & L.M.K. Vandersypen
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Functionalized arrays of Raman-enhancing nanoparticles for capture and culture-free analysis of bacteria in human blood
Detecting bacteria in clinical samples usually requires culture processes that are time consuming and impede rapid diagnoses. Now, a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopic method is reported that allows the label- and culture-free detection and analysis of bacteria.
- Ting-Yu Liu
- , Kun-Tong Tsai
- & Yuh-Lin Wang
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Article
| Open AccessNanomechanical DNA origami 'single-molecule beacons' directly imaged by atomic force microscopy
DNA origami involves the folding of long single-stranded DNA into designed structures that may aid the development of useful nanomechanical DNA devices. In this study, DNA origami pliers and forceps are shown to undergo conformational changes on single-molecule binding.
- Akinori Kuzuya
- , Yusuke Sakai
- & Makoto Komiyama
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| Open AccessMeasuring single-nanoparticle wetting properties by freeze-fracture shadow-casting cryo-scanning electron microscopy
Being able to determine the wetting properties of individual nanoparticles would aid the preparation of particles with controlled surface properties. Isaet al. develop an in situ freeze-fracture shadow-casting method and use this to determine structural and thermodynamic properties of various 10 nm particles at fluid interfaces.
- Lucio Isa
- , Falk Lucas
- & Erik Reimhult
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Direct imaging of Joule heating dynamics and temperature profiling inside a carbon nanotube interconnect
The use of carbon nanotubes in nanoelectronics requires an understanding of their resistive, or Joule, heating at interconnects. Here, Joule heating dynamics are imaged in real time by following the evolution of resistive hot spots with a transmission electron microscope.
- Pedro M.F.J. Costa
- , Ujjal K. Gautam
- & Dmitri Golberg
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| Open AccessMesoscale flux-closure domain formation in single-crystal BaTiO3
Flux-closure patterns are rarely observed in ferroelectric materials and almost exclusively form at the nanoscale. McQuaidet al. report mesoscopic dipole closure patterns formed in free-standing single-crystal lamellae of BaTiO3, thought to result from an unusual set of experimental conditions.
- R.G.P. McQuaid
- , L.J. McGilly
- & J.M. Gregg
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Imaging local electronic corrugations and doped regions in graphene
The unoccupied electronic levels of graphene are modified by corrugation, doping and presence of impurities. Here, the authors map discrete electronic domains within a single graphene sheet using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and provide insight into the modification of unoccupied levels.
- Brian J. Schultz
- , Christopher J. Patridge
- & Sarbajit Banerjee