Nanoscience and technology articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    2D MoS2 is being intensively investigated as a promising candidate to extend the downscaling of electronic devices. Here, the authors report a buffer-layer-control method for the growth of wafer-scale single-crystalline MoS2 monolayers on industry-compatible sapphire substrates with competitive optical and electronic properties.

    • Lu Li
    • , Qinqin Wang
    •  & Guangyu Zhang
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Spin waves in magnetic nanosystems offer a potential platform for wave-based signal processing and computing, with a variety of advantages compared to optical approaches. Herein, the authors demonstrate resonant phase matched generation of second harmonic spin waves, enabling the generation of short wavelength spin waves that are otherwise difficult to directly excite.

    • K. O. Nikolaev
    • , S. R. Lake
    •  & V. E. Demidov
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The development of RNA technologies demands accurate assessment of transcript size and heterogeneity. Here, authors report a nanopore-based approach to study full-length RNA transcripts at the single-molecule level, identify premature transcription termination and study rolling-circle transcription.

    • Gerardo Patiño-Guillén
    • , Jovan Pešović
    •  & Ulrich Felix Keyser
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Triggering the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint is an attractive therapeutic approach in inflammatory bowel disease, and PD-L1, conjugated to the Fc part of an immunoglobulin (PD-L1-Fc) has been shown to be effective in mouse models. Here authors show that fusing to reactive oxygen species (ROS)-responsive nanoparticles improves effect of PD-L1-Fc due to targeting to inflammation sites, while systemic toxicity is reduced.

    • Xudong Tang
    • , Yangyang Shang
    •  & Lei Chen
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Exploring the miniaturization of imaging systems, researchers use inverse-design for broadband meta-optics in the LWIR spectrum. Here, authors achieve a six-fold Strehl ratio improvement in image quality over conventional metalenses using a novel design and computational techniques.

    • Luocheng Huang
    • , Zheyi Han
    •  & Arka Majumdar
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The efficiency of upconversion electroluminescence remains very low for single-molecule emitters. Here, the authors report over one order of magnitude improvement in the emission efficiency via engineering energy-level alignments for triplet relayed upconversion involving only carrier injection.

    • Yang Luo
    • , Fan-Fang Kong
    •  & Zhen-Chao Dong
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Emulating the killing function of neutrophils, which involves the enzymatic cascade of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO), is promising for cancer therapy, but developing SOD-MPO cascade in one nanozyme is challenging. Here the authors report ultrasmall AuPd alloy nanozymes that mimic neutrophil enzymatic cascades for catalytic treatment of tumors.

    • Xiangqin Meng
    • , Huizhen Fan
    •  & Kelong Fan
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Smart sensors are important components in the development of touchless human-machine interaction systems. Here, the authors describe a smart 3D porous crystalline organic cage-based system that exhibits remarkable responsiveness to fingertip humidity, contributing to the advancement of touchless human-machine interaction technology.

    • Jinrong Wang
    • , Weibin Lin
    •  & Niveen M. Khashab
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The Young’s modulus of the MXene Ti3C2Tx, theoretically predicted to be 0.502 TPa, has not yet been experimentally confirmed. This work supplants previous reports using nanoindentation with the correctly measured Young’s modulus of 0.484 ± 0.013 TPa.

    • Chao Rong
    • , Ting Su
    •  & Fu-Zhen Xuan
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Researchers developed an open-hardware structured illumination microscopy add-on. This affordable upgrade provides super-resolution capabilities for normal optical microscopes. Detailed instructions enable easy reproduction to help democratize advanced microscopy.

    • Mélanie T. M. Hannebelle
    • , Esther Raeth
    •  & Georg E. Fantner
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Researchers showcase an integrated photonic device with monocrystalline CsPbBr3 perovskite. Employing top-down etching approach, it introduces for micro lasers, beam splitters, X-couplers, Mach-Zehnder interferometers on perovskite films. This opens avenues for integrating perovskite semiconductors into optical chips, promising advancements in information and computing science.

    • Qi Han
    • , Jun Wang
    •  & Li Ji
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors report on the fabrication of strained wrinkles in monolayer WSe2 by placing the material on Au nanoconical substrates. They investigate the correlation between topographical stress factors and localised, quantum-dot-like photoluminescence emission.

    • Emanuil S. Yanev
    • , Thomas P. Darlington
    •  & P. James Schuck
  • Article
    | Open Access

    True amplification of spin waves by spin-orbit torque, which manifests itself by an exponential increase in amplitude with propagation distance, has so far remained elusive. Here, the authors realize amplification using clocked nanoseconds-long spin-orbit torque pulses in magnonic nano-waveguides.

    • H. Merbouche
    • , B. Divinskiy
    •  & V. E. Demidov
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fe3GaTe2 is a van der Waals material with a Curie temperature well above room temperature, making it an attractive material for integration into spintronic devices. Here, Kajale et al demonstrate spin-orbit torque induced switching of the magnetization of Fe3GaTe2, above room temperature, using a Pt spin Hall layer.

    • Shivam N. Kajale
    • , Thanh Nguyen
    •  & Deblina Sarkar
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electrode potential in any electrochemical systems has long been discussed by classical Debye-Hückel theory which holds only under extremely dilute concentrations. Here, the authors establish the concept ‘liquid Madelung potential’ to comprehensively describe the potential shift at practical concentrations.

    • Norio Takenaka
    • , Seongjae Ko
    •  & Atsuo Yamada
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The assembly of oligopeptide and polypeptide molecules can reconstruct various ordered advanced structures. Here the authors develop a “molecular velcro”-inspired amphiphilic supramolecular co-assembly strategy, which improves the mechanical strength and cartilaginous regeneration efficiency through conformation transition.

    • Chengkun Zhao
    • , Xing Li
    •  & Yong Sun
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Frequency converters for wireless internet of things applications typically require separate circuits for different functions, causing energy and performance inefficiencies. Using an epitaxially grown VO2 memristor array, Liu et al. present a frequency converter with in-situ frequency synthesis and mix functionality.

    • Chang Liu
    • , Pek Jun Tiw
    •  & Yuchao Yang
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Metal-metal interfaces hold promise as contacting moieties for single-molecule devices with tunable functionality, yet the direct bonding has remained a challenge. Here, Lee et al. report the formation of Fe-Au bond without chemical ligand support in ferrocene-based molecular junctions.

    • Woojung Lee
    • , Liang Li
    •  & Latha Venkataraman
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Qudits, higher-dimensional analogues of qubits, expand quantum state space for information processing using fewer physical units. Here the authors demonstrate control over a 16-dimensional Hilbert space, equivalent to four qubits, using combined electron-nuclear states of a single Sb donor atom in Si.

    • Irene Fernández de Fuentes
    • , Tim Botzem
    •  & Andrea Morello
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Coherent scattering of phonons in a periodic nanostructure leads to interference, which modifies phonon energies. Here, authors observed that a strong interference effect also influences phonon lifetime. Despite its reduction, energy transport is conserved thanks to a hopping of energy among the reflected waves.

    • Mohammad Hadi
    • , Haoming Luo
    •  & Valentina M. Giordano
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electron charge and spin shuttling is a promising technique for connecting distant spin qubits. Here the authors use conveyor-mode shuttling to achieve high-fidelity transport of a single electron spin in Si/SiGe by separation and rejoining of two spin-entangled electrons across a shuttling distance of 560 nm.

    • Tom Struck
    • , Mats Volmer
    •  & Lars R. Schreiber
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The combination of strong light-matter interactions and controllable magnetic properties make magnetic semiconductors attractive for both fundamental physics and the development of devices. Here, Hendriks et al show how the optically driven magnetization dynamics in Cr2Ge2Te6 can be controlled via electrostatic gating.

    • Freddie Hendriks
    • , Rafael R. Rojas-Lopez
    •  & Marcos H. D. Guimarães
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors report the synthesis and characterization of doped nanoporous graphene superlattices, showing their improved properties for electromagnetic shielding, energy harvesting, optoelectronic and thermoelectric applications.

    • Hualiang Lv
    • , Yuxing Yao
    •  & Xiaoguang Wang
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Metallic 2M or 1T′-phase transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are characterized by interesting properties, but they are metastable. Here, the authors demonstrate that the thermal and oxidation stability of 2M WS2 significantly increases as the thickness is reduced down to monolayer, expanding the potential applications of 2M TMDs.

    • Xiangye Liu
    • , Pingting Zhang
    •  & Cao Guan
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The integration of 2D materials with metasurfaces can enhance their quantum efficiency, but the approach is usually limited to a narrow spectral band. Here, the authors report the realization of gate-tunable graphene photodetectors combined with all-dielectric periodic slits, leading to enhanced photoresponse in the short-to-long-wave infrared.

    • Hao Jiang
    • , Jintao Fu
    •  & Cheng-Wei Qiu
  • Article
    | Open Access

    It is vital but challenging to develop coating technologies for addressing reliability and durability issues of electrochemical sensors when exposed to diverse and complex biological environments. Here, the authors report a micrometer-thick, porous and robust nanocomposite coating that enables highly sensitive and stable electrochemical sensors.

    • Jeong-Chan Lee
    • , Su Yeong Kim
    •  & Donald E. Ingber
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sensitivity-dependent data analysis methods disrupted the development of artificial olfactory technologies. Here, authors present a data-centric artificial olfactory system based on eigengraph that reflects the intrinsic electrochemical interaction.

    • Seung-Hyun Sung
    • , Jun Min Suh
    •  & Seong Chan Jun
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Charge-to-spin conversion allows for the generation and control of spin polarization via a charge current. Typically, this is done with non-magnetic materials with large spin-orbit interactions such as Platinum. Herein, Dai et al demonstrate an intriguing charge-to-spin mechanism, a magnetic spin Hall effect, in a van der Waals heterostructure.

    • Yudi Dai
    • , Junlin Xiong
    •  & Feng Miao
  • Article
    | Open Access

    2D vertical transport transistors (VTFETs) may promote the downscaling of electronic devices, but their performance is usually restricted by the thermionic limit. Here, the authors report the realization of short-channel steep-slope VTFETs based on MoS2/MoTe2 heterojunctions integrated with resistance threshold switching cells.

    • Qiyu Yang
    • , Zheng-Dong Luo
    •  & Genquan Han
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Crack formation typically results in random patterns and material failure. Inspired by plant phototropism, the authors use plasmonic absorbers to control crack propagation in colloidal films with light, showcasing a robust, programmable self-assembly process.

    • Fanny Thorimbert
    • , Mateusz Odziomek
    •  & Marco Faustini
  • Article
    | Open Access

    Elemental immiscibility limits the development of solid solution materials. Here, authors create a nonequilibrium flame aerosol method to mix nearly any pair of metal elements in a single-phase nano-ceramic. Also, an exsolution behavior is presented to produce active and stable nanoparticles.

    • Shuo Liu
    • , Chaochao Dun
    •  & Mark T. Swihart
  • Article
    | Open Access

    The apparent electronic confinement at nanographene boundaries in scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy is often misinterpreted. Here, the authors explain this phenomenon in terms of the decay of frontier orbitals and confinement at the edges of graphene nanoribbons and pores in nanoporous graphene.

    • Ignacio Piquero-Zulaica
    • , Eduardo Corral-Rascón
    •  & Johannes V. Barth
  • Article
    | Open Access

    By coupling a spin-qubit to a superconducting resonator, remote spin-entanglement becomes feasible. Here, Ungerer et al achieve strong coupling between a superconducting resonator and a singlet-triplet spin qubit, in an InAs nanowire.

    • J. H. Ungerer
    • , A. Pally
    •  & C. Schönenberger