Review Articles

Holographic duality establishes a connection between quantum gravity and strongly correlated many-body systems, providing a unique opportunity to study quantum black holes in the laboratory. In this Review, Sachdev–Ye–Kitaev models, which illustrate this duality, are discussed, along with their potential realization in ultracold gases, graphene, semiconducting nanowires and 3D topological insulators.

Combining low-dimensional and 3D perovskites is a promising approach to achieve stable and efficient solar cells. In this Review, we discuss the structural, optical and photophysical properties of low-dimensional perovskites, compare the stability and efficiency of 2D and 3D perovskite devices, and consider 2D/3D composites as a strategy to increase the stability of perovskite solar cells.

Inorganic semiconductor devices enable the formation of functional interfaces with cells and tissues to detect or provide physical stimuli. In this Review, inorganic semiconductor materials are discussed for electronic and optoelectronic sensing, optoelectronic and photothermal stimulation and photoluminescent in vivo imaging.

Sound waves can be manipulated using structurally designed 2D materials of subwavelength thickness. This emerging field, namely, acoustic metasurfaces, is driven by the desire to control acoustic wave propagation using compact devices.

Cells can be transplanted into the body to both repair injured or diseased tissue and restore tissue function. This Review discusses how biomaterial design strategies can be used to improve cell survival, influence the fate of transplanted cells, and favourably manipulate the host microenvironment and the immune system.

Graphene-integrated photonics is a platform for wafer-scale manufacturing of modulators, detectors and switches for next-generation datacom and telecom systems. This Review describes how these functions can be achieved with graphene layers placed on top of optical waveguides, acting as passive light guides, thus simplifying the current technology. In addition, a roadmap of the technological requirements for the datacom and telecom markets is presented.

A responsive material in the form of a polymer or hydrogel can be combined with a signal transduction element in the form of plasmonic particles, resulting in hybrid plasmonic polymer nanocomposites. In this Review, the fabrication and applications of such nanocomposites are discussed. The applications described focus on optical data storage, sensing and imaging and the use of photothermal gels for in vivo therapy.

There is increasing interest in the liquid, glass and amorphous solid states of coordination polymers and metal–organic frameworks. In this Review, we discuss the background and terminology of this emerging field, categorize example structures and provide an outlook for the future direction of the field.

This Review discusses how biomaterials can be used to recreate and understand the influence of specific tumour microenvironment properties on cancer progression and highlights materials-based strategies to capture, detect and assess metastatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) is a powerful experimental technique that can directly visualize electronic structures of materials. In this Review, the basic principles of ARPES are introduced, and its application to quantum materials, with a focus on topological quantum materials and transition metal dichalcogenides, is discussed.

The past four decades have seen breathtaking developments in techniques and applications using synchrotron radiation for the characterization of heterogeneous catalysts and catalytic processes. In this Review, we discuss recent advances, focusing on spatial and temporal explorations of the solid catalyst.

Photon spectroscopies provide insight into a wide range of materials. In this Review, theoretical and computational efforts to understand, simulate and predict the results of photon spectroscopies are assessed for systems both in and out of equilibrium, with a focus on advances that reveal information about correlated materials.

Interactions of nanoparticles with the kidneys affect their transport, clearance, targeting, therapeutic efficacy and biosafety in the body. This Review discusses nano–bio interactions of nanoparticles in the kidneys and highlights their potential for the detection and treatment of disease.

Organ-on-a-chip devices can recreate key aspects of human physiology in vitro, offering an alternative to animal models for preclinical drug testing. This Review examines how tissue barrier properties, parenchymal tissue function and multi-organ interactions can be recreated in organ-on-a-chip systems and applied for drug screening.

Heusler compounds, Weyl semimetals and the Berry phase are three current research fields of great interest. In this Review, we discuss the connection between the Berry phase and Weyl physics in the context of highly tunable Heusler compounds.

Nanoplasmonics have emerged as a promising technology for applications in life sciences and medicine. In this Review, we discuss the application of nanoplasmonic optical antennas for in vivo intracellular exploration, photonic gene delivery and regulation, and in vitro molecular diagnostics.

The stress that a material can sustain before fracture increases as the sample size decreases. This size effect is associated with the defects present in a material. In this Review, we explore this size effect in micro- and nanoscale materials from experimental and theoretical perspectives.

Point defects have a key role in determining the performance of photovoltaic materials. In this Review, we assess defect processes in a range of photovoltaic materials and outline how point defect engineering could be used to improve the efficiency of solar cells.

Endogenous stem cells play a key role in the repair and remodelling of tissues and organs in the body. This Review discusses endogenous stem cell populations of different tissues and investigates regeneration approaches in combination with natural and synthetic biomaterials.

In quantum materials, ultrashort light pulses can induce transitions between electronic phases, switch ferroic orders and unveil non-equilibrium emergent behaviours. Here, we review the use of femtosecond X-ray pulses in tracking the underlying dynamics of the structural, electronic and magnetic order in these systems.