Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raouf Barboza, Stefano Marni, Fabrizio Ciciulla, Farooq Ali Mir, Giovanni Nava, Federico Caimi, Annamaria Zaltron, Noel A. Clark, Tommaso Bellini, Liana Lucchetti
Summary: In this study, we investigated the electrostatic behavior of ferroelectric liquid droplets on a lithium niobate ferroelectric crystal substrate. The droplets exhibit explosive emission of fluid jets upon entering the ferroelectric phase, mostly at the interface, which eventually form secondary droplets.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Gang Xue, Wenping Geng, Wenxiao Fu, Jinlong He, Caiqin Zhao, Kaixi Bi, Xiaojun Qiao, Huifen Wei, Yikun Shi, Xiujian Chou
Summary: In the post Moore era, silicon-based sensors are unable to meet the requirements of micro/nano sensing with small size and high precision. Researchers have developed a high-quality thin film based on lithium niobate (LN) single crystal with excellent electromechanical, photoelectric, and piezoelectric properties. This thin film enables high-precision sensing at small sizes, providing a comprehensive approach for the preparation of ferroelectric domain devices.
MATERIALS & DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Optics
D. Chatzitheocharis, D. Ketzaki, G. Patsamanis, E. Chatzianagnostou, K. Vyrsokinos
Summary: This paper presents a thorough simulation-based analysis for the design of multi-step couplers bridging seamlessly plasmonic barium titanate oxide (BTO) ferroelectric phase shifters and thick silicon nitride (Si3N4) waveguides for the O-band. The proposed plasmonic platforms are formed by CMOS-compatible Copper (Cu) material and include hybrid plasmonic waveguides (HPW) and plasmonic metal-insulator-metal (MIM) slot waveguides. Numerical simulations are conducted to identify the optimum geometries, resulting in coupling losses of 1.75dB for the HPW geometry and 1.29dB for the MIM configuration, with confinement factors of 31.39% and 56.2%, respectively.
Article
Physics, Applied
Peter A. Hegarty, Henrik Beccard, Lukas M. Eng, Michael Ruesing
Summary: Recent analyses using polarization resolved second-harmonic microscopy have revealed the characteristics and topology of ferroelectric domain walls. However, careful interpretation and separation of various contributing factors are necessary due to the complex effects observed in the microscopy. This study demonstrates a method to selectively block the strong Cerenkov-type contrast and reveals other contrast mechanisms that were previously hidden.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Optics
Sen Wang, Shan Liu, Dawei Liu, Ningning Wang, Ruwei Zhao, Yongxing Liu, Ziliang LI, Guangrui Mao, Feifei Chen, Yan Sheng, Tianxiang Xu, Wieslaw Krolikowski
Summary: Direct femtosecond laser writing is an essential technique for engineering material properties in three dimensions. The impact of laser wavelengths on domain inversion is still unclear.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Heyuan Guan, Jiyu Hong, Xiaoli Wang, Jingyuan Ming, Zilong Zhang, Aijie Liang, Xinyang Han, Jiangli Dong, Wentao Qiu, Zhe Chen, Huihui Lu, Han Zhang
Summary: This study successfully achieved n- and p-doping of graphene simultaneously through the ferroelectric polarization of Lithium niobate, resulting in a high-sensitivity and broadband p-n junction photodetector with excellent optoelectronic properties.
ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sushmitha Vinikumar, Clarissa Schoenecker
Summary: Droplet wetting and manipulation are crucial in various applications, and the effect of external voltage or surface charge, known as electrowetting, has been extensively studied. However, spreading dynamics on charged surfaces, such as ferroelectric lithium niobate, have not been investigated before. This study explores the spreading behavior on lithium niobate and finds significant differences compared to classic surfaces, with prolonged spreading times and polarization-dependent contact angles. The results highlight the importance of adsorption layers and provide insights into the wetting dynamics of charged materials.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES A-PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ENGINEERING ASPECTS
(2023)
Review
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Dennis Meier, Sverre M. Selbach
Summary: Ferroelectric domain walls have emerged as a new type of interface with spatial mobility, offering a wide range of functional electric and magnetic properties for next-generation nanotechnology. Study on the interaction of domain walls and point defects provides new routes for local property design.
NATURE REVIEWS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Physics, Applied
Xinyu Li, Guangyuan Li, Zhihang Zhang, Wenjing Zhai, Wenhao Zheng, Liufang Chen, Lin Lin, Xiaohui Zhou, Zhibo Yan, J. -M. Liu
Summary: Habituation, a basic form of behavioral plasticity, is important for organisms to adjust their behaviors in response to external stimulation. However, few devices can mimic habituation, which includes opposite responses to the same repeated stimulus. In this study, a device of Au/LiTaO3/Pt was fabricated to demonstrate synaptic plasticity and habituation behavior, which was dependent on stimulus intensity and frequency. The habituation behavior was found to originate from the evolution of conductive domain walls in LiTaO3 ferroelectric.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Stefano Marni, Giovanni Nava, Raouf Barboza, Tommaso Giovanni Bellini, Liana Lucchetti
Summary: The motion of ferroelectric liquid sessile droplets deposited on a ferroelectric lithium niobate substrate can be controlled by a light beam of moderate intensity. The droplets are attracted or repelled depending on the side of the substrate exposed to light irradiation. Furthermore, moving the beam allows for long-distance movement of the droplets on the substrate, indicating the coupling between the droplet polarization and the polarization induced in the substrate.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Optics
Xijie Liang, Heyuan Guan, Kaiwen Luo, Zhigang He, Aijie Liang, Weina Zhang, Qijing Lin, Zuoxin Yang, Haoran Zhang, Cheng Xu, Hanrong Xie, Fengli Liu, Fengkai Ma, Tiefeng Yang, Huihui Lu
Summary: A high-performance LN/WS2 based photodetector is achieved through van der Waals integration, combining the properties of LN and WS2. The light induced carriers in WS2 increase and the pyroelectric charges of LN asymmetrically inject into WS2, creating an n(-)/n(+) homojunction and improving the on-state current. The sudden removal of the laser enhances polarization in the LN lattice, limiting carriers in WS2 and achieving a lower dark current. This work enables the complementary integration of 2D materials and ferroelectric LN and provides a feasible approach for high-performance LN-based photodetectors.
LASER & PHOTONICS REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Xiaochan Li, Boon Chin Heng, Yunyang Bai, Qianqian Wang, Min Gao, Ying He, Xinwen Zhang, Xuliang Deng, Xuehui Zhang
Summary: The study confirms the dose-response effect of surface electrical charge on SHED neural differentiation and provides insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved.
BIOACTIVE MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Applied
C. J. McCluskey, A. Kumar, A. Gruverman, I. Luk'yanchuk, J. M. Gregg
Summary: Ferroelectric domain walls usually have enhanced electrical conductivity, but in lead germanate, head-to-head and tail-to-tail walls are electrically insulating. Recent studies suggest that this is because polar divergence is obviated by domain bifurcation and suspected local dipolar rotation. A study using tomographic piezoresponse force microscopy on triglycine sulfate confirms that mutual domain bifurcation and suspected local dipolar rotation are not unique to lead germanate and may be widely present in other uniaxial ferroelectrics.
APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
S. M. Aksarin, A. V. Smirnova, V. A. Shulepov, P. S. Parfenov, V. E. Strigalev, I. K. Meshkovskiy
Summary: Integrated optical modulators based on Ti-indiffused LiNbO3 waveguides are widely used for broadband devices with high coupling efficiency at 1.5 μm wavelength. However, the ferroelectric nature of LiNbO3 crystal causes fluctuations in parameters, such as thermal dependent DC-drift and excess optical losses. Understanding the origin of instability is important to develop effective compensation methods.
Article
Physics, Applied
Peter A. Hegarty, Lukas M. Eng, Michael Ruesing
Summary: Second harmonic (SH) microscopy is a powerful tool for studying crystalline systems, including ferroelectrics and their domain walls. This study demonstrates the generation of SH signals in bulk media and the inhibition of the Cerenkov mechanism using anomalous dispersion. The relative strength of the Cerenkov compared to other SH contrast mechanisms in domain walls can be quantitatively estimated.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jia Lin, Aidan P. McCann, Naphannop Sereesongsaeng, Jonathan M. Burden, Alhareth A. Alsa'd, Roberta E. Burden, Ileana Micu, Richard Williams, Sandra Van Schaeybroeck, Emma Evergren, Paul Mullan, Jeremy C. Simpson, Christopher J. Scott, James F. Burrows
Summary: Expression of the deubiquitinase USP17 is induced by various stimuli and it plays important roles in cell functions, including regulation of lysosome positioning and trafficking, lysosomal protease secretion, and plasma membrane repair.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Jindaporn Yaothak, Jeremy C. Simpson, Linda F. Heffernan, Yuh-Show Tsai, Chung-Chih Lin
Summary: The Golgi apparatus and membrane tubules are crucial for membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells. A semi-automated 2D tracking system, 2D-GolgiTrack, has been established to quantify morphological changes and movements of Golgi elements during membrane trafficking events, providing accurate tracking results for visual interpretation. This tracking system enables biologists to better understand the molecular mechanisms of membrane traffic involving the Golgi apparatus and associated tubules.
MEDICAL & BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING & COMPUTING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Genevieve E. Melling, Ross Conlon, Paschalia Pantazi, Elizabeth R. Dellar, Priya Samuel, Luis Alberto Baena-Lopez, Jeremy C. Simpson, David R. F. Carter
Summary: Assessing the genuine uptake of extracellular vesicles (EVs) is crucial for understanding their functional roles. This study used two commonly used fluorescent dyes, PKH26 and C5-maleimide-Alexa633, to measure the bona fide labeling of EVs. The results showed poor colocalization between the labeled EVs and the dyes, indicating that the dye signal is not associated with EVs. These findings highlight the need for optimization and standardization in how researchers assess genuine EV signals using these tools.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Mark Stitch, Rayhaan Z. Boota, Alannah S. Chalkley, Tony D. Keene, Jeremy C. Simpson, Paul A. Scattergood, Paul I. P. Elliott, Susan J. Quinn
Summary: The synthesis and photophysical characterization of two osmium(II) polypyridyl complexes containing dppz or dppp2 ligands and TAP ancillary ligands are reported. These complexes exhibit complex electrochemistry, bind to and stabilize DNA, and are internalized by mammalian cells and localize in the nucleus.
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Andrew O'Connor, Irene Jurado-Martin, Margaritha M. M. Mysior, Anotidaishe L. L. Manzira, Joanna Drabinska, Jeremy C. C. Simpson, Mary Lucey, Kirsten Schaffer, Rita Berisio, Siobhan McClean
Summary: Universal stress proteins (USPs) are important for adaptation to environmental conditions and play a key role in chronic cystic fibrosis infection. Among them, USP76 is involved in host cell attachment and survival in CF macrophages.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Boxiao Fu, Vasileios Tzitzios, Qiancheng Zhang, Brian Rodriguez, Michael Pissas, Maria Veronica Sofianos
Summary: In this study, manganese mono-boride nanoflakes were synthesized using a simple one-pot chemical reduction method at room temperature. The influence of specific surface area and boron content on the magnetic and electrocatalytic properties of the synthesized nanoflakes was investigated. The sample with the highest specific surface area and boron content showed the best magnetic and electrocatalytic properties in the HER, while the sample with the lowest specific surface area and boron content exhibited the best electric conductivity and electrocatalytic properties in the OER.
Article
Cell Biology
Linda F. Heffernan, Pia M. Suckrau, Teerna Banerjee, Margaritha M. Mysior, Jeremy C. Simpson
Summary: Membrane traffic pathways are critical for connecting different compartments of the endomembrane system in mammalian cells. This study identifies three proteins, VAMP4, STX5, and SCFD1/SLY1, as important regulators of the fusion of Golgi-derived Rab6 carriers at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), using a systematic RNA interference screen. Depletion of SCFD1/SLY1 prevents membrane fusion, suggesting its essential role in this pathway.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sawsan Almohammed, Mohammed Benali Kanoun, Souraya Goumri-Said, Mir Waqas Alam, Agata Fularz, Abdullah Alnaim, James H. H. Rice, Brian J. J. Rodriguez
Summary: Self-assembling nanostructured peptide gels, particularly Fmoc-FF gels, offer promising applications in sensing, drug delivery, and energy harvesting. By controlling the water content and temperature, the structure tunability of Fmoc-FF gels can be achieved. Incorporating metal nanoparticles in the gel formation allows for optical sensing applications. The observations also suggest the potential use of these peptide materials in bioimaging and sensing applications.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Federico Cerrone, Binbin Zhou, Agathe Mouren, Luc Averous, Stephen Conroy, Jeremy C. Simpson, Kevin E. O'Connor, Tanja Narancic
Summary: Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are considered as a potential replacement for petrochemical plastics. This study demonstrates that a metabolically versatile Pseudomonas umsongensis can synthesize a blend of short chain length (scl) and medium chain length (mcl)-PHA. The resulting blend exhibits specific physical and mechanical properties.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Eve O'Reilly, Karima Khalifa, Joanne Cosgrave, Haleema Azam, Maria Prencipe, Jeremy C. Simpson, William M. Gallagher, Antoinette S. Perry
Summary: Research found that cannabinoids, specifically CBD, can inhibit the proliferation and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells, suggesting its potential as a future chemotherapeutic agent.
JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Clement Agoni, Ilias Stavropoulos, Anna Kirwan, Margharitha M. Mysior, Therese Holton, Tilen Kranjc, Jeremy C. Simpson, Helen M. Roche, Denis C. Shields
Summary: This study identified and synthesized peptides from milk protein Alpha-S1-casein that were predicted to be cell-penetrating. The peptides showed cell penetrating behavior without affecting cell homeostatic mechanisms. Further investigation is warranted to explore their potential bioactivities.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alessandro Prencipe, Samuel Gyger, Mohammad Amin Baghban, Julien Zichi, Katharina D. Zeuner, Thomas Lettner, Lucas Schweickert, Stephan Steinhauer, Ali W. Elshaari, Katia Gallo, Val Zwiller
Summary: This study reports on the implementation of superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors on thin film lithium niobate ridge nano-waveguides, which shows great potential for on-chip quantum optics experiments.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Arwa Bazaid, Fengyuan Zhang, Qiancheng Zhang, Sabine Neumayer, Denise Denning, Stefan Habelitz, Ana Marina Ferreira, Brian J. Rodriguez
Summary: Since the discovery of piezoelectricity in bone in 1957, there has been a debate about the functional role of collagen piezoelectricity. The investigation of piezoelectricity in collagen has generated interest in bone remodeling, but there are conflicting reports about its presence in a humid environment. This study used lateral piezoresponse force microscopy to investigate the electromechanical properties of type I collagen from a rat tail tendon at the nanoscale, and found that collagen retains its piezoelectric behavior even in a biologically relevant humidity range.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Srikanth Kolagatla, Gearoid A. Collins, Jason I. Kilpatrick, Emrullah Kargin, Kevin M. Ryan, Brian J. Rodriguez
Summary: A systematic study was conducted on lithium-silicon nanowire electrodes in charged and discharged states, with and without the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer. Kelvin probe force microscopy in air was used to characterize the pristine and cycled nanowires. By correlating the changes in morphology with contact potential difference mapping, insights into SEI layer formation, growth, and its effect on battery performance were obtained.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Biomaterials
Niamh Geoghegan, Mark O'Loughlin, Colm Delaney, Keith D. Rochfort, Meabh Kennedy, Srikanth Kolagatla, Lucia Podhorska, Brian J. Rodriguez, Larisa Florea, Susan M. Kelleher
Summary: In this study, we demonstrate the fabrication of micropillar arrays using a combination of direct laser writing and nanoimprint lithography. By using two diacrylate monomers, polycaprolactone dimethacrylate (PCLDMA) and 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate (HDDA), we were able to create copolymer formulations that could be controllably degraded in the presence of base. The topography of the micropillars could be varied over a short period of time, and their degradation was attributed to the presence of PCL. These materials showed compatibility with mammalian cells, making them potentially useful for biomedical applications in microfabrication contexts.
BIOMATERIALS SCIENCE
(2023)
