Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Isaac A. Loge, Theodora Dragani, Benaiah U. Anabaraonye
Summary: This study investigated the effect of a commercial polymeric scale inhibitor on BaSO4 formation on surfaces and in the bulk phase. The findings showed that high inhibitor concentrations can prevent surface deposition, while intermediate concentrations could accelerate deposition. The enhanced deposition is likely due to the inhibitor predominantly inhibiting nucleation over crystal growth, resulting in the formation of stable surface structures that enhance the net deposition rate.
CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN
(2023)
Article
Physics, Multidisciplinary
Tomonari Mizoguchi, Yoshihito Kuno, Yasuhiro Hatsugai
Summary: The study proposes a method to read out the topological properties of a quantum quadrupole insulator through quench dynamics, introducing a new quantity to determine the topological character. Using an efficient numerical method, the research demonstrates that this new quantity can effectively indicate the topological properties in both noninteracting and interacting cases, and exhibits robustness against disorders.
PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Peru d'Ornellas, Ryan Barnett, Derek K. K. Lee
Summary: This study proposes a new local marker method for characterizing Chern insulator systems by measuring local cross conductivity in the bulk. The research finds that the marker corresponds to expressions for the Chern number and shows examples of its quantization and robustness against disorder in various systems.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Olga I. Vinogradova, Elena F. Silkina
Summary: This paper revisits the phenomenon of conductivity in electrolyte solutions confined in micro- and nanochannels, focusing on the impact of salt concentration on ion mobility and subsequently on conductivity. A systematic treatment of ion electrophoresis is presented, yielding equations for their zeta potentials and mobilities. These mobilities are then used to derive a simple expression for bulk conductivity, valid in a concentration range up to a few molars and more accurate than previous theories. The formalism is extended to charged channels, providing equations for conductivity in different modes, accounting for the reduction in electrophoretic mobility with salt concentration. This analysis offers a framework for interpreting measurements of electrolyte solution conductivity in both bulk and narrow channels.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tomonari Mizoguchi, Tohru Koma
Summary: We studied edge modes in topological semimetals, focusing on a Qi-Wu-Zhang-type square-lattice model and a Haldane-type honeycomb model. We found that the edge modes abruptly disappear within a certain range of model parameters, despite the nontrivial Chern number remaining unchanged.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Meng Li, Mengning Wang, Nifang Zhao, Hao Bai
Summary: A facile, universal, and scalable strategy has been developed to produce bulk materials with nacre-mimetic architecture and performance by ordered nucleation of ice crystals on a nanogrooved surface. The artificial nacre fabricated through this method exhibits superior strength and toughness compared to natural nacre and other nacre-mimetic materials. Large-sized, bulk artificial nacre can also be obtained using the directional freezing process.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sidra Khan, Jai Prakash, Shikha Chauhan, Amit Choudhary, Ashok M. Biradar
Summary: Dielectric spectroscopy is used to investigate the behavior of bulk mode and surface phenomenon in surface stabilized liquid crystal samples. The study reveals the significant influence of surface effect on the characteristics of GM phenomenon, as well as the presence of two molecular dynamics and mode transitions at different temperatures.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yizhao Chai, Xuesong Xie, Zhangxing He, Guangyi Guo, Pinji Wang, Zhenyue Xing, Bingan Lu, Shuquan Liang, Yan Tang, Jiang Zhou
Summary: By preparing a ZnIn alloy anode, reversibility and stability of Zn metal in aqueous Zn-ion batteries are achieved. The bulk phase structure of the ZnIn alloy and the evenly dispersed indium nucleation enable stable Zn deposition and prevent further nucleation. This method improves the Zn stripping process and effectively inhibits Zn dendrite growth.
Article
Materials Science, Coatings & Films
Ayush Arunachalam, S. Novia Berriel, Corbin Feit, Udit Kumar, Sudipta Seal, Kanad Basu, Parag Banerjee
Summary: A machine learning approach, specifically the k-nearest neighbor algorithm, is used to successfully train and predict film thickness from spectroscopic ellipsometry data, with high prediction accuracy.
JOURNAL OF VACUUM SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY A
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. Nakamura, S. Liang, G. C. Gardner, M. J. Manfra
Summary: This study experimentally verifies the importance of quantum Hall interferometers in studying fractional statistics, and estimates the effects of electrostatic parameters on interferometer behavior using two methods. The results show that these electrostatic parameters can account for the observed phase jumps and Aharonov-Bohm oscillations in the experiment.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Review
Polymer Science
Leire Sangroniz, Bao Wang, Yunlan Su, Guoming Liu, Dario Cavallo, Dujin Wang, Alejandro J. Muller
Summary: This study investigates fractionated crystallization, where multiple separated crystallization events are observed in semicrystalline polymers when the number of microdomains is significantly higher than the available number of heterogeneities. The origins of fractionated crystallization effects and their impact on nucleation and crystallization kinetics are discussed.
PROGRESS IN POLYMER SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuwen Ji, Jin Zheng, Zhanli Geng, Tingyuan Tan, Jun Hu, Lijuan Zhang, Yi Zhang
Summary: The propanol-water exchange method is a simple and highly reproducible approach to prepare uniform size and high concentration perfluorohexane (PFH) bulk nanodroplets, with the ability to regulate the size distribution and concentration by controlling the volume fraction of PFH and percentage of propanol. This study provides a useful strategy for medical applications in producing stable PFC nanodroplets with uniform size, high concentration, and good stability.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yong Han, Yingjun Chen, Yanli Feng, Yu Shang, Jun Li, Qing Li, Jianmin Chen
Summary: The study found that combustion of biomass and coal at low temperatures can produce significant elemental carbon (EC), possibly due to aromatics reducing EC nucleation barriers. The composition of fuels plays a crucial role in EC and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) formation at different ignition temperatures.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hannah E. Skipper, Brent Lawson, Xiaoyun Pan, Vera Degtiareva, Maria Kamenetska
Summary: Understanding and manipulating quantum interference effects in single molecule junction conductance can lead to the design of molecular-scale devices. In this study, quantum interference between σ and π molecular orbitals in a pyrazine molecule bridging source and drain electrodes was demonstrated. The researchers utilized measurements, analysis, and calculations to show that this phenomenon leads to distinct patterns of electron transport in nanoscale junctions, which can be controlled by manipulating the environmental pH. This work provides a conceptual framework for engineering quantum interference features in short molecular systems.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiao-Qing Yu, Ming-Sheng Wang, Guo-Cong Guo
Summary: Introduction of photochromic properties into semiconductors allows for smart behaviors, color-related applications, and new modulation approaches. This study demonstrates that photoexcitation of the pi-aggregate of viologen cation radicals can efficiently trigger reverse electron transfer, leading to the discovery of the first single-component all-optically photochromic semiconductor. This discovery challenges the traditional concept that viologen compounds cannot undergo light-induced reverse reactions and offers a potential avenue for achieving all-optical switches in single-component photochromic smart semiconductors based on electron-transfer functional motifs.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ferdinand Evers, Amnon Aharony, Nir Bar-Gill, Ora Entin-Wohlman, Per Hedegard, Oded Hod, Pavel Jelinek, Grzegorz Kamieniarz, Mikhail Lemeshko, Karen Michaeli, Vladimiro Mujica, Ron Naaman, Yossi Paltiel, Sivan Refaely-Abramson, Oren Tal, Jos Thijssen, Michael Thoss, Jan M. van Ruitenbeek, Latha Venkataraman, David H. Waldeck, Binghai Yan, Leeor Kronik
Summary: This article provides a critical overview of the theory of the chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS) effect and reviews its applications in electron processes. It discusses the latest developments in the understanding of the CISS effects in electron transmission, electron transport, and chemical reactions, and identifies the remaining challenges and research opportunities.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Phu Tran Phong Le, Shu Ni, Pierre-Alexis Repecaud, Emma van der Minne, Karin J. H. Van den Nieuwenhuijzen, Minh Duc Nguyen, Johan E. ten Elshof, Monica Morales-Masis, Gertjan Koster
Summary: Correlated metals with high carrier density and strongly correlated electron effects provide an alternative route to achieve transparent conducting materials. This study demonstrates that Ca2Nb3O10 nanosheets with different buffer layers promote the growth of high-quality 4d(2) SrMoO3 films on fused silica substrates, overcoming the use of expensive and size-limited single-crystal substrates.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Optics
Hosein Ghobadi, Herman L. Offerhaus, Jose A. Alvarez-Chavez, Monica Morales-Masis, Israel De Leon
Summary: Transparent Conducting Oxides (TCOs) in the Epsilon-Near-Zero (ENZ) spectral region exhibit a large and ultrafast intensity-dependent refractive index, which is highly dependent on material properties and measurement conditions. This study demonstrates that extensive nonlinear optical measurements can be avoided by analyzing the material's linear optical response. By considering thickness-dependent material parameters, the impact on absorption and field intensity enhancement under different measurement conditions can be determined, allowing for optimization of the nonlinear response. Experimental measurements of Indium-Zirconium Oxide (IZrO) thin films with varying thicknesses confirm the agreement between experiment and theory, and show that film thickness and excitation angle can be adjusted simultaneously for optimizing the nonlinear optical response, enabling flexible design of highly nonlinear TCO-based optical devices.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Tatiana Soto-Montero, Suzana Kralj, Wiria Soltanpoor, Junia S. Solomon, Jennifer S. Gomez, Kassio P. S. Zanoni, Abhyuday Paliwal, Henk J. Bolink, Christoph Baeumer, Arno P. M. Kentgens, Monica Morales-Masis
Summary: Vapor deposition shows great potential for scalable and industrial processing of perovskite solar cells, offering advantages such as toxicity-free processing, thickness control, and uniform coating. However, the different volatilities of the organic and inorganic components of perovskites currently require multiple thermal sources or two-step deposition. In this study, single-source, single-step pulsed laser deposition is demonstrated for the deposition of tunable MA(1-x)FA(x)PbI(3) thin films. The room temperature formation of cubic alpha-phase MA(1-x)FA(x)PbI(3) films is achieved by controlling laser ablation of a solid target with adjustable ratios of MAI:FAI:PbI2. The target-to-film transfer of the ablated species is confirmed, and proof-of-concept solar cells with 14% efficiency are demonstrated. This research paves the way for future developments in industry-compatible vapor deposition methods for perovskite solar cells.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tobias A. de Jong, Luuk Visser, Johannes Jobst, Ruud M. Tromp, Sense Jan van der Molen
Summary: Terrace-sized, single-orientation graphene can be grown on silicon carbide by thermal decomposition, but exhibits significant variation in electron transport properties. The moire pattern formed by lattice mismatch between the graphene and buffer layer leads to domain boundaries and edge dislocations. The coexistence of anisotropic stripe domains and isotropic trigonal domains causes intrinsic disorder in epitaxial graphene, and the growth process and substrate influence the domain orientation.
PHYSICAL REVIEW MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Kassio P. S. Zanoni, Daniel Perez-del-Rey, Chris Dreessen, Nathan Rodkey, Michele Sessolo, Wiria Soltanpoor, Monica Morales-Masis, Henk J. Bolink
Summary: This study investigates the application of SnO2-based electron transport layers (ETL) in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). It is found that by controlling the deposition parameters of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, SnO2 films with low roughness can be obtained. The concentration of oxygen in the background gas is also shown to affect the number of oxygen vacancies in the film. Solar cells with methyl-ammonium lead iodide perovskite absorber layer and SnO2 ETL deposited by PLD under optimized conditions achieve power conversion efficiencies exceeding 18%, comparable to those with atomic layer deposited SnO2 ETL.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Jan M. M. van Ruitenbeek, Richard Korytar, Ferdinand Evers
Summary: By introducing a simple model system, we have found that chirality-induced spin selectivity can be understood as the result of constructive interference of partial waves scattered by the spin-orbit terms. Forward scattering rates are found to be independent of spin, while back scattering is spin dependent over wide energy windows.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wiria Soltanpoor, Andrea E. A. Bracesco, Nathan Rodkey, Mariadriana Creatore, Monica Morales-Masis
Summary: This study demonstrates the deposition of SnO2 buffer layer using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) for p-i-n perovskite solar cells (PSCs) at room temperature. The PLD SnO2-based solar cells show comparable efficiencies to those fabricated using atomic layer deposition (ALD), but with the advantages of solvent-free room temperature processing and wafer-scale production.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xingchen Chen, Mio Poortvliet, Sense Jan van der Molen, Michiel J. A. de Dood
Summary: Researchers have successfully controlled the type of junction by stacking 2H-NbSe2 flakes and found that the shape of interference patterns is not only determined by the type of junction, but also by the magnetic field orientation and interface geometry.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Peter S. Neu, Makars Siskins, Eugene E. Krasovskii, Rudolf M. Tromp, Sense Jan van der Molen
Summary: In van der Waals (vdW) materials, the electron mean free path (MFP) is influenced by discrete states in the unoccupied band structure. However, measurements on vdW materials lack energy resolution except for graphene. In this study, reflection and transmission spectra of freestanding few-layered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) samples were obtained, revealing enhanced electron transmissivity states above the vacuum level. A quantum-mechanical calculation confirmed an understanding of elastic scattering in MoS2, and a model was developed to extract the inelastic MFP spectrum.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Tobias A. de Jong, Xingchen Chen, Johannes Jobst, Eugene E. Krasovskii, Ruud M. Tromp, Sense Jan Molen
Summary: Stacking domain boundaries in Van der Waals heterostacks exhibit different contrast in BF-LEEM depending on their depth and size, with amplitude contrast being dominant for shallow boundaries between the top two graphene layers and phase contrast being strong for small domains. We derive a general rule-of-thumb for the expected BF-LEEM contrast of domain boundaries in Van der Waals materials.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Julian Skolaut, Jedrzej Tepper, Federica Galli, Wulf Wulfhekel, Jan M. van Ruitenbeek
Summary: Determining the conductivity of molecular layers is crucial in molecular electronics. We utilized conductive atomic force microscopy to investigate the influence of gold substrate roughness on conductivity variation, finding that substrate roughness plays a crucial role.
BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
W. Dednam, S. Tewari, E. B. Lombardi, J. J. Palacios, J. M. van Ruitenbeek, C. Sabater
Summary: This article studies the dynamic bonding of gold atoms on surfaces under low coordination conditions using low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy. By conducting experiments with an atomically sharp gold tip and utilizing classical molecular dynamics simulations and density-functional theory calculations, the differences in bonding behavior between different positions are elucidated, as well as providing information on the crystalline classification of the STM tips based on their performance.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dmitry Dzhigaev, Yury Smirnov, Pierre-Alexis Repecaud, Lucas Atila Bernardes Marcal, Giovanni Fevola, Dina Sheyfer, Quentin Jeangros, Wonsuk Cha, Ross Harder, Anders Mikkelsen, Jesper Wallentin, Monica Morales-Masis, Michael Elias Stuckelberger
Summary: Understanding the grain morphology and kinetics of solid-phase crystallization is crucial for controlling the functional properties of polycrystalline materials. In this study, in situ coherent X-ray diffraction imaging and transmission electron microscopy were used to quantitatively elucidate the kinetics of single-grain growth in Zr-doped In2O3 films. The results show that the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov theory, which describes the average kinetics of polycrystalline films growth, can also be applied to single grains. This research provides important insights into the understanding and control of the crystallization processes of transparent conductive oxides and other polycrystalline materials at the nanoscale.
COMMUNICATIONS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Yury Smirnov, Pierre-Alexis Repecaud, Leonard Tutsch, Ileana Florea, Kassio P. S. Zanoni, Abhyuday Paliwal, Henk J. Bolink, Pere Roca Cabarrocas, Martin Bivour, Monica Morales-Masis
Summary: The use of pulsed laser deposition (PLD) for tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) fabrication at different pressures showed improved performance in perovskite cells but potential increase in series resistance in silicon heterojunction (SHJ) cells. The optimized ITO films with high carrier density achieved over 21% SHJ efficiency, while reducing ITO thickness and using TiOx for optical compensation led to SHJ devices with reduced indium consumption and efficiencies of over 22%.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2022)
