No job too small - p419

doi:10.1038/nmat2195

The collective approach to science at the nanoscale.

Full Text - No job too small | PDF (191 KB) - No job too small

What diffraction limit? - pp420 - 422

Nikolay I. Zheludev

doi:10.1038/nmat2163

Several approaches are capable of beating the classical 'diffraction limit'. In the optical domain, not only are superlenses a promising choice: concepts such as super-oscillations could provide feasible alternatives.

Full Text - What diffraction limit? | PDF (191 KB) - What diffraction limit?

Memristors, motors and printer problems - p423

doi:10.1038/nmat2194

Full Text - Memristors, motors and printer problems | PDF (199 KB) - Memristors, motors and printer problems

Multiferroics: Towards a magnetoelectric memory - pp425 - 426

Manuel Bibes & Agnès Barthélémy

doi:10.1038/nmat2189

The room-temperature manipulation of magnetization by an electric field using the multiferroic BiFeO₃ represents an essential step towards the magnetoelectric control of spintronics devices.

Full Text - MultiferroicsTowards a magnetoelectric memory | PDF (338 KB) - MultiferroicsTowards a magnetoelectric memory

Computational materials science: Out of the scalar sand box - pp426 - 427

Gus L. W. Hart

doi:10.1038/nmat2190

With the extension of a popular computational method to its tensorial analogue, structural configurations that optimize anisotropic physical quantities can now be predicted.

Full Text - Computational materials scienceOut of the scalar sand box | PDF (347 KB) - Computational materials scienceOut of the scalar sand box

Conjugated Polymers: What makes a chromophore? - pp427 - 428

Benjamin J. Schwartz

doi:10.1038/nmat2191

The spectral complexity shown by conjugated polymers has been explained by interactions between chromophores in tangled chains, but experiments on model oligomers reveal that it may arise from the chromophores themselves.

Full Text - Conjugated PolymersWhat makes a chromophore? | PDF (174 KB) - Conjugated PolymersWhat makes a chromophore?

Electrochemistry: Electrons create a reaction - pp429 - 430

Toribio F. Otero

doi:10.1038/nmat2188

In an identification parade of chemical reactions using a single-electrode system, the charges generated by the mechanical rubbing of insulators are shown to be electrons rather than ions.

Full Text - ElectrochemistryElectrons create a reaction | PDF (158 KB) - ElectrochemistryElectrons create a reaction

Material Witness: Quantum writ large - p430

Philip Ball

doi:10.1038/nmat2187

Full Text - Material WitnessQuantum writ large | PDF (119 KB) - Material WitnessQuantum writ large

Molecular Machines: Nanoscale gadgets - pp431 - 432

Miguel A. Garcia-Garibay

doi:10.1038/nmat2192

Meeting their biological counterparts halfway, artificial molecular machines embedded in liquid crystals, crystalline solids and mesoporous materials are poised to meet the demands of the next generation of functional materials.

Full Text - Molecular MachinesNanoscale gadgets | PDF (289 KB) - Molecular MachinesNanoscale gadgets

Obituary: Daniel Chemla (1940–2008) - p433

Charles Shank, Shimon Weiss & Joseph Zyss

doi:10.1038/nmat2193

Physicist, karate master, and pioneer in optical properties of nanostructures

Full Text - ObituaryDaniel Chemla (1940–2008) | PDF (168 KB) - ObituaryDaniel Chemla (1940–2008)

Superlenses to overcome the diffraction limit - pp435 - 441

Xiang Zhang & Zhaowei Liu

doi:10.1038/nmat2141

The resolution of conventional optical instruments is limited to length scales of roughly the wavelength of the light used. Nanoscale superlenses offer a solution for achieving much higher resolutions that may find appllications in many imaging areas.

Abstract - | Full Text - Superlenses to overcome the diffraction limit | PDF (646 KB) - Superlenses to overcome the diffraction limit

Subject Categories: Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Nanoscale materials

Biosensing with plasmonic nanosensors - pp442 - 453

Jeffrey N. Anker, W. Paige Hall, Olga Lyandres, Nilam C. Shah, Jing Zhao & Richard P. Van Duyne

doi:10.1038/nmat2162

Abstract - | Full Text - Biosensing with plasmonic nanosensors | PDF (1,187 KB) - Biosensing with plasmonic nanosensors

Subject Categories: Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Sensors and biosensors | Nanoscale materials

A complete representation of structure–property relationships in crystals - pp455 - 458

A. van de Walle

doi:10.1038/nmat2200

Cluster expansion has been a particularly successful computational method that has allowed the identification of the relationship between lattice configurations and scalar properties in crystals. A tensorial version of the method that will enable prediction of tensor-valued properties is now introduced. It is validated by predicting anisotropic properties relevant to semiconductor optoelectronic devices.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - A complete representation of structure–property relationships in crystals | PDF (409 KB) - A complete representation of structure–property relationships in crystals | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Electronic materials | Semiconductors | Computation, modelling and theory

See also: News and Views by Hart

High-frequency micromechanical resonators from aluminium–carbon nanotube nanolaminates - pp459 - 463

Jung Hoon Bak, Young Duck Kim, Seung Sae Hong, Byung Yang Lee, Seung Ran Lee, Jae Hyuck Jang, Miyoung Kim, Kookrin Char, Seunghun Hong & Yun Daniel Park

doi:10.1038/nmat2181

Composites with added carbon nanotubes are known for their improved mechanical strength. Laminates of thin films of aluminium and carbon nanotubes are now used for the fabrication of micromechanical resonators with significantly enhanced mechanical properties.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - High-frequency micromechanical resonators from aluminium–carbon nanotube nanolaminates | PDF (3,261 KB) - High-frequency micromechanical resonators from aluminium–carbon nanotube nanolaminates | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Composites | Mechanical properties | Nanoscale materials

Non-volatile ferroelectric control of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As - pp464 - 467

I. Stolichnov, S. W. E. Riester, H. J. Trodahl, N. Setter, A. W. Rushforth, K. W. Edmonds, R. P. Campion, C. T. Foxon, B. L. Gallagher & T. Jungwirth

doi:10.1038/nmat2185

Diluted magnetic semiconductor devices where magnetism can be controlled by an electric field are of significant interest for applications, as they combine the appealing properties of multiferroics with existing semiconductor technology. By using a ferroelectric polymer as the gate of a transistor device, non-volatile electric control over the magnetism of (Ga,Mn)As has now been achieved.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Non-volatile ferroelectric control of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As | PDF (320 KB) - Non-volatile ferroelectric control of ferromagnetism in (Ga,Mn)As

Subject Categories: Electronic materials | Semiconductors | Magnetic materials

Probing the structure of heterogeneous diluted materials by diffraction tomography - pp468 - 472

Pierre Bleuet, Eléonore Welcomme, Eric Dooryhée, Jean Susini, Jean-Louis Hodeau & Philippe Walter

doi:10.1038/nmat2168

X-ray diffraction computed tomography can provide high-resolution phase mapping of nanocrystalline and powdered crystalline materials. Moreover, a reverse analysis offers the possibility to extract, a posteriori, the scattering/diffraction pattern from a selected area of the tomography image.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Probing the structure of heterogeneous diluted materials by diffraction tomography | PDF (1,200 KB) - Probing the structure of heterogeneous diluted materials by diffraction tomography

Subject Categories: Nanoscale materials | Design synthesis and processing

Direct in situ determination of the polarization dependence of physisorption on ferroelectric surfaces - pp473 - 477

Dongbo Li, Mosha H. Zhao, J. Garra, A. M. Kolpak, A. M. Rappe, D. A. Bonnell & J. M. Vohs

doi:10.1038/nmat2198

The electric polarization of dipoles on the surface of a ferroelectric material can influence the energetics of materials adsorption. The demonstration of this effect on the physisorption kinetics of gases such as carbon dioxide may be used to control adsorption and surface chemistry on the nanoscale.

First Paragraph - | Full Text - Direct in situ determination of the polarization dependence of physisorption on ferroelectric surfaces | PDF (898 KB) - Direct in situ determination of the polarization dependence of physisorption on ferroelectric surfaces

Subject Categories: Electronic materials | Catalytic materials | Surface and thin films

Electric-field control of local ferromagnetism using a magnetoelectric multiferroic - pp478 - 482

Ying-Hao Chu, Lane W. Martin, Mikel B. Holcomb, Martin Gajek, Shu-Jen Han, Qing He, Nina Balke, Chan-Ho Yang, Donkoun Lee, Wei Hu, Qian Zhan, Pei-Ling Yang, Arantxa Fraile-Rodríguez, Andreas Scholl, Shan X. Wang & R. Ramesh

doi:10.1038/nmat2184

Multiferroic materials are of interest because they allow control of their magnetic properties through electric fields. However, room-temperature magnetoelectrics often show antiferromagnetic order, reducing the effects of such coupling. A novel approach demonstrates switchable electric field control over a local magnetic field through the indirect route of exchange bias.

Abstract - | Full Text - Electric-field control of local ferromagnetism using a magnetoelectric multiferroic | PDF (1,402 KB) - Electric-field control of local ferromagnetism using a magnetoelectric multiferroic

Subject Categories: Electronic materials | Magnetic materials | Surface and thin films

See also: News and Views by Bibes & Barthélémy

Electronic structures of interfacial states formed at polymeric semiconductor heterojunctions - pp483 - 489

Ya-shih Huang, Sebastian Westenhoff, Igor Avilov, Paiboon Sreearunothai, Justin M. Hodgkiss, Caroline Deleener, Richard H. Friend & David Beljonne

doi:10.1038/nmat2182

Understanding how excited states behave at heterojunctions between polymers in blends is fundamental to designing better organic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. A quantum-mechanical molecular-scale model of how excitations behave at heterojunctions has been developed, showing an unexpectedly wide but specific range of excitonic states.

Abstract - | Full Text - Electronic structures of interfacial states formed at polymeric semiconductor heterojunctions | PDF (705 KB) - Electronic structures of interfacial states formed at polymeric semiconductor heterojunctions

Subject Categories: Polymers | Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials | Materials for energy | Computation, modelling and theory

Optical gain by a simple photoisomerization process - pp490 - 497

Francisco Gallego-Gómez, Francisco del Monte & Klaus Meerholz

doi:10.1038/nmat2186

Organic holographic materials are pursued as versatile and cheap data-storage materials. However, previously such materials either needed the application of an external electric field or had mostly poor efficiencies. Now, a novel recording process based on a photoisomerization process demonstrates significantly improved writing properties of holograms.

Abstract - | Full Text - Optical gain by a simple photoisomerization process | PDF (446 KB) - Optical gain by a simple photoisomerization process | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Polymers | Optical, photonic and optoelectronic materials

Interstitial oxide ion conductivity in the layered tetrahedral network melilite structure - pp498 - 504

Xiaojun Kuang, Mark A. Green, Hongjun Niu, Pawel Zajdel, Calum Dickinson, John B. Claridge, Laurent Jantsky & Matthew J. Rosseinsky

doi:10.1038/nmat2201

Fast-ion conductors are needed to reduce the operating temperature of solid-oxide fuel cells. The identification of the conduction mechanism in electrolytes where conduction is based on mobile oxygen interstitials rather than the usual anion vacancies offers a generic design principle for novel solid electrolytes.

Abstract - | Full Text - Interstitial oxide ion conductivity in the layered tetrahedral network melilite structure | PDF (1,381 KB) - Interstitial oxide ion conductivity in the layered tetrahedral network melilite structure | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Ceramics | Materials for energy

Electrostatic electrochemistry at insulators - pp505 - 509

Chongyang Liu & Allen J. Bard

doi:10.1038/nmat2160

The nature of electrostatic charges produced at the surface of insulators by rubbing is the subject of a long-standing discussion. The charges created on polytetrafluoroethylene by rubbing with polymethylmethacrylate are identified here to be electrons rather than ions.

Abstract - | Full Text - Electrostatic electrochemistry at insulators | PDF (365 KB) - Electrostatic electrochemistry at insulators | Supplementary information

Subject Categories: Polymers | Surface and thin films

See also: News and Views by Otero