Volume 21 Issue 12, December 2022

Synthetic stimuli-responsive systems have become increasingly sophisticated and elegant at the nanoscale. This Comment discusses how rationally designed molecular systems capable of dynamic motions can be deployed in macroscopically porous metal–organic frameworks and respond to various stimuli.

As metal–organic frameworks move towards practical application, data for an expanded range of physical properties are needed. Molecular-level modelling and data science can play an important role.

Spectral shifts in transient photoluminescence measurements performed with a confocal microscope allow tracking of charge carrier mobilities in polycrystalline halide perovskites.

Coupling charge transfer with molecular protonation processes yields electronic systems that display negative differential conductance, an effect that can be harnessed to implement a wide range of device configurations from logic gates to synaptic behaviour.

A transition from three- to two-dimensional magnon transport in ultrathin yttrium iron garnet films reveals giant spin conductivity at room temperature.

Pine cones deform ultraslowly as humidity changes, which is mostly driven by the spring-shaped and square microtubular heterostructure of the vascular bundles. This mechanism inspires the development of soft actuators with imperceptible but efficient motion under environmental stimuli.

The authors report the observation of an enhanced magnon conductivity close to the two-dimensional transport regime in ultrathin yttrium iron garnet.

The ultra-slow reshaping of pine cones is dominated by the unique spring/square heterostructure in their vascular bundles, with the velocity slowed by sclereids. Inspired by this motion, a soft actuator showing unperceivable motion was developed.

Using molecular-beam epitaxy, we synthesize heterostructures of topological insulator Bi₂Se₃ and the Ising superconductor monolayer NbSe₂. By changing the Bi₂Se₃ thickness, they demonstrate a crossover from Ising- to Rashba-type superconducting pairing.

The authors use circularly polarized light pulses to trigger all-optical magnetization switching in an atomically thin ferromagnetic semiconductor. The switching process is related to spin angular momentum transfer from photoexcited carriers to local magnetic moments.

Low-power and compact active pixel sensor (APS) matrices are desired for resource-limited edge devices. Here, the authors report a small-footprint APS matrix based on monolayer MoS₂ phototransistors arrays exhibiting spectral uniformity, reconfigurable photoresponsivity and de-noising capabilities at low energy consumption.

A discrepancy exists between the low diffusion coefficients and near-unity charge collection efficiencies achieved in practical halide perovskite solar cells. Here, the authors explain this through the discovery of strong heterogeneity in vertical charge diffusivities in a 3D perovskite film.

Ion migration has a detrimental effect on the performance and stability of halide perovskite optoelectronics. Here, the authors incorporated a small dosage of high-valence neodymium cation to suppress this, with a minimal impact on the lattice microstrain.

To realize electronic operations beyond the von Neumann bottleneck, a new type of switch that can mimic self-learning is needed. Here, the authors demonstrate all-in-one-place logic and memory operations based on dynamic molecular switch that can emulate brain-like synaptic and Pavlovian response, bringing the field a step closer to molecular-scale hardware.

Solid-state electrolytes are key to the development of safer and higher-energy-density batteries. Using liquid electrolyte chemistries as models for polymer electrolytes, the effect of adding a variety of porous and dense ceramic electrolytes on the conductivity is now investigated.

Heat capacity of nanoporous materials is important for processes such as carbon capture, as this can affect process design energy requirements. Here, a machine learning approach for heat capacity prediction, trained on density functional theory simulations, is presented and experimentally verified.

A discovery-oriented synthesis and characterization platform uses interchangeable polymer components to explore a large and complex parameter space to find possible combinations of components that satisfy the design rules at multiple nanolithography patterns dimensions.

Independently tailored nano- and mesoscale features are obtained in hierarchically assembled mixed graft block copolymers with precisely defined side-chain sequences.

Robust cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer fibres with rapid and reversible mechanochromic responses are woven and sewn into garments to create smart clothing.