Featured
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Giant spin Hall effect in AB-stacked MoTe2/WSe2 bilayers
A giant spin Hall effect with long spin diffusion length and coexisting with ferromagnetism is observed in AB-stacked MoTe2/WSe2 moiré hetero-bilayers.
- Zui Tao
- , Bowen Shen
- & Kin Fai Mak
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| Open AccessProgrammable multispecific DNA-origami-based T-cell engagers
A synthetic nanocarrier based on DNA origami chassis offers control over valency, orientation and spatial arrangement of antibodies for simultaneously engaging immune signalling pathways, checkpoint inhibition and targeted co-stimulation in anticancer immunotherapy in vivo.
- Klaus F. Wagenbauer
- , Nhi Pham
- & Hendrik Dietz
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| Open AccessElectrical detection of the flat-band dispersion in van der Waals field-effect structures
The energy position of the van Hove singularity in a van der Waals flat-band system is detected by tunnelling (photo)currents within a field-effect structure.
- Gabriele Pasquale
- , Edoardo Lopriore
- & Andras Kis
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News & Views |
Observation of ultrafast ballistic orbital transport
Terahertz emission spectroscopy reveals long-distance ballistic orbital-angular-momentum transport in tungsten.
- M. Benjamin Jungfleisch
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News & Views |
An external speed control for nanopore reads
By integrating a 3D nanopositioner with a solid-state nanopore and surface-tethered molecules, precise spatiotemporal control over single DNA strands is achieved, enabling numerous re-reads and raising the signal-to-noise ratio far beyond previous solid-state nanopore methods.
- Sonja Schmid
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News & Views |
Shaken, not heated: DNA self-assembly at room temperature
DNA-origami nanostructures self-assembled at milder physicochemical parameters in magnesium-free conditions achieve structural complexities akin to those formed by thermal annealing at elevated temperatures, and open a route to assembling DNA nanomachines in physiological conditions.
- Elisa Franco
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| Open AccessDynamic matrices with DNA-encoded viscoelasticity for cell and organoid culture
DNA nanotechnology is used to develop fully synthetic, programmable and printable 3D cell-culture matrices with stress-relaxation crosslinkers that encode (nano)mechanical stability. The hydrogel performs on par with solubilized animal-basement-membrane-derived cell-culture matrices.
- Yu-Hsuan Peng
- , Syuan-Ku Hsiao
- & Elisha Krieg
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| Open AccessTime-domain observation of ballistic orbital-angular-momentum currents with giant relaxation length in tungsten
The observation of orbital currents with extended propagation lengths remains challenging. Here, Seifert et al. optically trigger ultrafast orbital currents in Ni|W|SiO2 stacks that seemingly propagate ballistically with a giant decay length and low velocity.
- Tom S. Seifert
- , Dongwook Go
- & Tobias Kampfrath
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Research Briefing |
Direct synthesis of MoS2 films on flexible substrates at low temperature
Monolayer MoS2, a two-dimensional semiconductor, was directly synthesized on polymer and ultrathin-glass substrates at 150 °C using a metal–organic chemical vapour deposition strategy. The high-quality MoS2 films enabled the construction of various integrated circuits on flexible substrates without the need for an additional transfer process.
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News & Views |
Effects of cholesterol on biomolecular corona
Cholesterol levels in biological fluids are shown to change the composition of the protein corona affecting the biological fate of nanoparticles.
- Negar Mahmoudi
- & Morteza Mahmoudi
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Electroactive membrane fusion-liposome for increased electron transfer to enhance radiodynamic therapy
Here the authors report on exoelectrogenic bacteria-derived membrane fusion-liposome-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles to mimic extracellular electron transfer to enhance superoxide anion production under low-dose X-ray irradiation for radiodynamic therapy.
- Ying-Chi Chen
- , Yi-Ting Li
- & Chen-Sheng Yeh
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Cholesterol modulates the physiological response to nanoparticles by changing the composition of protein corona
Here the authors report that the metabolome profile is an unexploited factor impacting the targeting efficacy and safety of nanomedicines, using cholesterol as an example, showing a way and need to develop personalized nanomedicines by harnessing disease-related metabolites.
- Huan Tang
- , Ying Zhang
- & Jigang Wang
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A free-standing lithium phosphorus oxynitride thin film electrolyte promotes uniformly dense lithium metal deposition with no external pressure
A free-standing thin-film solid electrolyte (LiPON) shows remarkable mechanical flexibility and the ability to form uniform and dense lithium metal deposition for future solid-state batteries.
- Diyi Cheng
- , Thomas Wynn
- & Ying Shirley Meng
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News & Views |
Excitons in atomically thin materials flow faster than they fly
Recent experiments demonstrate ultrafast-fluid-like propagation of excitons in monolayers of MoS2.
- Mikhail M. Glazov
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| Open AccessIsothermal self-assembly of multicomponent and evolutive DNA nanostructures
In contrast to conventional thermal annealing approaches, the authors report on the self-assembly of complex mixtures of DNA at room or physiological temperature for generating user-defined programmable nanostructures capable of shape selection and transformation.
- Caroline Rossi-Gendron
- , Farah El Fakih
- & Damien Baigl
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Ultrafast exciton fluid flow in an atomically thin MoS2 semiconductor
Evidence is provided for the formation of a collective state of short-lived excitons whose propagation resembles that of a classical liquid flows, with a speed reaching ~6% the speed of light.
- Andrés Granados del Águila
- , Yi Ren Wong
- & Qihua Xiong
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Research Briefing |
Two-terminal reconfigurable and non-volatile photovoltaic detectors
Neuromorphic photodetectors are typically volatile and/or complex with multiple gates, leading to reduced energy efficiency for intelligent perception applications. Two-terminal MoS2 photodetectors have now been developed in which electrically driving the migration of sulfur vacancies enables dynamic modulation of the Schottky barriers and the realization of reconfigurable and non-volatile responsivities.
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News & Views |
A flexible feature for the long-reigning thermoelectric champion bismuth telluride
P-type and n-type exfoliated Bi2Te3 thin films show high power generation performance at room temperature for flexible thermoelectric devices.
- Takao Mori
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News & Views |
Electrokinetic manipulation of a nanowire
Integration of diverse techniques for in-plane electrokinetic control of a functionalized gold nanowire’s position and orientation enables applications in nanoscale manipulation, nano-assembly, and single-cell biochemical sensing.
- Allison H. Squires
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Multilayer spintronic neural networks with radiofrequency connections
Spintronic nano-neurons and synapses can be connected by radiofrequency signals into neural networks that are capable of classifying real-world radiofrequency inputs without digitization at high speed and with low energy costs—an important step for artificial intelligence at the edge.
- Andrew Ross
- , Nathan Leroux
- & Julie Grollier
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Staggered-layer-boosted flexible Bi2Te3 films with high thermoelectric performance
The development of flexible thermoelectrics is limited by the low power factor and brittleness of materials. Here the authors present strategy to turn Bi2Te3-based single crystals into flexible films with staggered-layer structure while maintaining superior thermoelectric performance.
- Yao Lu
- , Yi Zhou
- & Jiaqing He
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Development of epistatic YES and AND protein logic gates and their assembly into signalling cascades
Protein-based nanobiosensors with two epistatically interacting synthetic allosteric regulatory systems result in YES gate protein switches with large dynamic ranges and fast response times. These biosensors enable construction of rapid diagnostic tests compatible with clinical chemistry analysers.
- Zhong Guo
- , Oleh Smutok
- & Kirill Alexandrov
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Precise electrokinetic position and three-dimensional orientation control of a nanowire bioprobe in solution
A versatile electrokinetic trap overcomes rotational and translational Brownian motion for simultaneously controlling the two-dimensional position with a precision of up to 20 nm and 0.5° in the three-dimensional angle of an untethered nanowire under an optical microscope.
- Huaizhi Li
- , Daniel Teal
- & Donglei Emma Fan
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| Open AccessEnzyme-less nanopore detection of post-translational modifications within long polypeptides
Electro-osmosis in an anion-selective α-hemolysin nanopore is used to capture, unfold and transport polypeptides of over 1,200 residues, which allows the mapping of post-translational modifications in polypeptide chains by monitoring the ionic current at a single-molecule resolution.
- Pablo Martin-Baniandres
- , Wei-Hsuan Lan
- & Hagan Bayley
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Low-temperature growth of MoS2 on polymer and thin glass substrates for flexible electronics
Using metal–organic chemical vapour deposition, high-crystallinity MoS2 monolayers are grown directly on polymers and thin glass substrates at about 150 °C, thus avoiding any transfer process, preserving the electronic properties of MoS2.
- Anh Tuan Hoang
- , Luhing Hu
- & Jong-Hyun Ahn
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Step engineering for nucleation and domain orientation control in WSe2 epitaxy on c-plane sapphire
Surface chemistry controls the location of WSe2 nucleation on a stepped sapphire substrate. Preferential nucleation at either the top or bottom step edge can be used to minimize mirror twin domains and produce unidirectional WSe2 monolayers.
- Haoyue Zhu
- , Nadire Nayir
- & Joan M. Redwing
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Close the cancer–immunity cycle by integrating lipid nanoparticle–mRNA formulations and dendritic cell therapy
Overcoming the immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment is a challenge. A strategy to close the cancer–immunity cycle has been reported by integrating lipid nanoparticle–mRNA formulations and dendritic cell therapy to promote tumour elimination and develop antitumour immunity.
- Yuebao Zhang
- , Xucheng Hou
- & Yizhou Dong
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Universal, label-free, single-molecule visualization of DNA origami nanodevices across biological samples using origamiFISH
Signal amplification through hybridization chain reaction by targeting conserved regions of the M13mp18 bacteriophage-based scaffold sequences is used for in situ imaging of unlabelled DNA origami nanostructures.
- Wendy Xueyi Wang
- , Travis R. Douglas
- & Leo Y. T. Chou
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News & Views |
Controlling topological states in bilayer graphene
Topological parameters of channels network created in twisted bilayer graphene can be controlled by lithium atoms intercalation.
- Tatiana Latychevskaia
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Coherent control of a high-orbital hole in a semiconductor quantum dot
Coherent manipulation of hole-orbital states in semiconductor quantum dots is achieved through stimulated Auger processes, opening doors to new types of orbital-based solid-state quantum photonic devices.
- Jun-Yong Yan
- , Chen Chen
- & Feng Liu
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Dynamic topological domain walls driven by lithium intercalation in graphene
Lithium intercalation in a graphene/buffer system on SiC locally changes the stacking order from AB/BA to AA and drives dynamic motions of topological domain walls constructed between the lithium-intercalated domains.
- Yukihiro Endo
- , Xue Yan
- & Wen-Xin Tang
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Minimizing heat generation in quantum dot light-emitting diodes by increasing quasi-Fermi-level splitting
Quantum dot LED brightness can be enhanced at low driving voltage using a monolayer of large quantum dots to reduce the packing number in the emitting layer and minimize heat generation.
- Yan Gao
- , Bo Li
- & Zuliang Du
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Reconfigurable, non-volatile neuromorphic photovoltaics
A neuromorphic photovoltaic detector with highly tunable responsivity and simultaneous non-volatile storage of image data has been demonstrated in a neural network, representing a transformative leap in the compactness and function of visual perception hardware.
- Tangxin Li
- , Jinshui Miao
- & Weida Hu
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Oriented lateral growth of two-dimensional materials on c-plane sapphire
Interaction of two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide grains with exposed oxygen–aluminium atomic plane in sapphire is a more dominant factor than step-edge docking in controlling the single-crystal epitaxy of these materials.
- Jui-Han Fu
- , Jiacheng Min
- & Vincent Tung
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News & Views |
The sum of symmetries is lower than its parts
A Berry curvature dipole can be generated at certain symmetry-mismatched van der Waals hetero-interfaces even though each material has no Berry curvature dipole in its band structure.
- Paul Seifert
- & Christoph Kastl
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Research Briefing |
Photomechanical molecular machines enable control of cell signalling
Intercellular calcium waves (ICW) are mechanosensitive signalling phenomena that coordinate cellular responses in key physiological processes. The force applied by light-activated molecular machines is shown to remotely stimulate ICW. The ICW induced by these molecular machines can be exploited to regulate downstream functions, such as muscle contraction, in vitro and in vivo.
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Sign reversal of the Josephson inductance magnetochiral anisotropy and 0–π-like transitions in supercurrent diodes
A sudden inversion of the supercurrent diode effect is revealed in both inductance and critical current measurements in ballistic Josephson junctions. A simple analytical model shows that the inversion is associated with a ground state jump, the elusive 0−π-like transition.
- A. Costa
- , C. Baumgartner
- & C. Strunk
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Molecular machines stimulate intercellular calcium waves and cause muscle contraction
Intercellular calcium waves drive numerous biological processes. Here light-activated molecular machines that—via nanomechanical action—stimulate ICW are reported, opening up avenues for the modulation of downstream biological processes using molecular-scale devices.
- Jacob L. Beckham
- , Alexis R. van Venrooy
- & James M. Tour
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Transport by circulating myeloid cells drives liposomal accumulation in inflamed synovium
PEGylated liposomal accumulation in inflamed regions has mainly been attributed to the enhanced permeation and retention effect. An arthritis model that chemotactically attracted myeloid cells shows that monocytes and neutrophils play an essential role in liposome delivery towards inflamed joints.
- Joke Deprez
- , Rein Verbeke
- & Ine Lentacker
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Hybrid electronic–photonic sensors on a fibre tip
By controlling the current and measuring the voltage via the fibre, a hybrid electronic–photonic sensor consisting of a p–i–n junction located on the fibre-tip junction can be used as an electrical sensor with optical readout.
- L. Picelli
- , P. J. van Veldhoven
- & A. Fiore
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Research Briefing |
A shock-absorbing material made from a mechanosensitive protein
Certain proteins have been optimized over millennia to exhibit shock-absorbing capabilities. To harness these capabilities, synthetic biology was used to incorporate the mechanosensitive protein talin into a hydrogel. The resulting talin shock-absorbing material (TSAM) retains the mechanical properties of talin and can absorb the impact of, as well as capture, supersonic projectiles.
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| Open AccessNext-generation protein-based materials capture and preserve projectiles from supersonic impacts
An engineered version of the mechanosensitive protein talin was used as a monomer in combination with a synthetic chemical crosslinker to form a hydrogel. This shock-absorbing material is shown to capture and preserve projectiles fired at 1.5 km s−1.
- Jack A. Doolan
- , Luke S. Alesbrook
- & Benjamin T. Goult
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News & Views |
Coherent spin waves driving domain wall motion in insulators
Magnetic domain walls can modulate spin-wave transport in perpendicularly magnetized channels, while magnon spin current can drive domain wall motion in the bi-doped yttrium iron garnet channel device.
- Philipp Pirro
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News & Views |
Stable and pure single-photons from greener quantum dots
Solution-processed, environmentally-benign quantum dots are able to emit stable streams of very pure single-photons with an optical coherence time reaching 250 picoseconds.
- Yuxuan Li
- & Kaifeng Wu
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Review Article |
Exceptional points and non-Hermitian photonics at the nanoscale
This Review discusses the latest theoretical progress related to exceptional points in non-Hermitian physics and the associated implications for emerging technologies in nanophotonics.
- Aodong Li
- , Heng Wei
- & Lin Chen
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Highly stable and pure single-photon emission with 250 ps optical coherence times in InP colloidal quantum dots
Colloidal quantum dots are a potential source of scalable single-photon emitters, but they typically exhibit broad emission linewidths. Proppe et al. show narrow-linewidth emission from heavy-metal-free InP/ZnSe/ZnS dots with coherence times of up to 250 ps.
- Andrew H. Proppe
- , David B. Berkinsky
- & Moungi G. Bawendi
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Efficient solvent- and hydrogen-free upcycling of high-density polyethylene into separable cyclic hydrocarbons
Ru nanoparticles on HZSM-5 catalysed solvent- and hydrogen-free upcycling of high-density polyethylene into a separable distribution of linear (C1 to C6) and cyclic (C7 to C15) hydrocarbons.
- Junjie Du
- , Lin Zeng
- & Jie Zeng
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News & Views |
Quantum friction with water effectively cools graphene electrons
Coupling between electrons and water hydrons at the graphene–water interface provides a new way to cool heat in graphene.
- Sarah B. King
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Fluorescence-amplified nanocrystals in the second near-infrared window for in vivo real-time dynamic multiplexed imaging
Lanthanide downshifting nanoparticles with tunable emissions in the NIR-IIb sub-window (1,500–1,700 nm) region are ideal for deep-tissue imaging. Biofunctionalized core–shell, cubic-phase thulium-based nanoprobes show the non-invasive imaging of murine cerebral vasculature and the tracking of single immune cells and their extravasation in an inflammatory microenvironment.
- Yiwei Yang
- , Ying Chen
- & Fan Zhang