News & Views

Thermally activated defects in a blue-emitting phosphor can enhance energy transfer to the activator, and compensate for thermal quenching.

By combining an electron-counting camera with low-energy transmission electron microscopy, it is possible to directly image the surface structure of delicate metal–organic framework crystals and their coherent interfaces.

Molecular spintronics is an interdisciplinary field at the interface between organic spintronics, molecular magnetism, molecular electronics and quantum computing, which is advancing fast and promises large technological payoffs.

Resonance fluorescence from a semiconductor quantum dot unravels a rich two-photon landscape of correlations, and may be used to test their quantum nonlocality.

Nuclear quadrupole resonance spectroscopy is used to map the properties of atomically thin hexagonal boron nitride, with the help of the nitrogen–vacancy colour centres engineered in a diamond layer placed under the 2D material.

The magnetization in a chiral ferromagnetic fluid can be twisted and linked to form a stable three-dimensional topological soliton known as a hopfion.

Using a biomimetic culture platform to replicate the early biophysical environment of a developing embryo, human pluripotent stem cells can be directed towards amnion formation in vitro.

Low-energy electron microscopy reveals how growth of multiple ordered heteromolecular phases can be steered by utilizing intermolecular repulsion.

A new report demonstrates an innovative approach to aligning crystallites of metal–organic frameworks such that thin films are created with oriented channels — potentially overcoming one of the major barriers to application of these highly topical materials.

Spectral hole burning is now demonstrated with phonons in amorphous systems, leading to highly reduced phonon dissipation and, therefore, long phonon lifetimes.

Self-assembled transition metal–organic chalcogenide nanowires pave the way to a new family of electron conducting materials with tunable properties.

Exploiting the spin Hall effect acting on magnetic oxides outlines an unprecedented path towards low-power, non-volatile spintronics devices.

The use of a spectroscopy technique called pump–push–probe electro-absorption provides insight into the energetic landscape of nanostructured donor–acceptor interfaces in bulk-heterojunction organic solar cells.

Borrowing the operating principles of a battery, a three-terminal organic switch has been developed on a flexible plastic substrate. The device consumes very little power and can be used as an artificial synapse for brain-inspired computing.

X-ray imaging in three dimensions is now possible from a set of 2D coherent Bragg diffraction patterns. This approach overcomes the necessity of having to rotate the sample for a 3D reconstruction.

Manipulation of the magnetic state in spin valve structures by superconductivity has now been achieved, opening a new route for the development of ultra-fast cryogenic memories.