Physical sciences articles within Nature Communications

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  • Article
    | Open Access

    The limited number of materials with a switchable electrical polarization available for applications can be increased by exploiting the flexoelectric effect. Here, switchable polarization in nanoparticles induced by an elemental distribution dependent strain gradient up to 800 °C is demonstrated.

    • Leopoldo Molina-Luna
    • , Shuai Wang
    •  & Matias Acosta

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Fourier transform spectrometers are generally limited to slow scanning rates at high resolution. Here the authors demonstrate highly efficient Fourier transform spectroscopy using a dynamic phase-control technique that enables fast acquisition without compromising bandwidth or resolution.

    • Kazuki Hashimoto
    •  & Takuro Ideguchi

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Sandwich structures such as corrugated cardboard offer low weight and high bending stiffness, but they are difficult to produce at the nanoscale. Here, the authors combine webbing and perforation to produce alumina ‘nanocardboard’ with ultralow areal density that recovers without damage from extreme deformation.

    • Chen Lin
    • , Samuel M. Nicaise
    •  & Igor Bargatin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Magnetically induced phase behaviour in a soft matter system is of potential interest for magneto-responsive compounds. Here the authors fabricate a discotic ionic liquid crystalline hybrid material which can be switched from orthorhombic to cubic phase in the absence or presence of a strong magnetic field.

    • Fatin Hajjaj
    • , Takashi Kajitani
    •  & Takanori Fukushima

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Multiplexed vortex light beams are promising for optical communications, but efficient mode sorting is so far limited to bulk optics. Here the authors develop a scalable vortex beam sorter that uses a plasmonic topological insulator structure to spatially separate the modes to resolve them on a standard CMOS detector.

    • Zengji Yue
    • , Haoran Ren
    •  & Min Gu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Electronic highways were realized by means of epitaxially grown graphene nanoribbons on SiC substrates. Here, the authors use spatially-resolved two-point probe and conductive AFM measurements, supplemented by tight-binding calculations, to image the one-dimensional ballistic transport channels.

    • Johannes Aprojanz
    • , Stephen R. Power
    •  & Christoph Tegenkamp

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Supramolecular containers are promising enzyme mimics, but they currently accommodate only a limited range of chemical transformations. Here, the authors describe coordination cages that catalyze two-component cascade reactions without relying on an external or encapsulated catalytic species.

    • Jingjing Jiao
    • , Zijian Li
    •  & Yong Cui

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Metallic glasses deform along nanoscale shear bands, and while it is known that they affect the neighboring glass regions, exactly how is unclear. Here, the authors use magnetic force microscopy to atomically resolve the shear-band affected zone and show its effects extends much further than previously thought.

    • L. Q. Shen
    • , P. Luo
    •  & W. H. Wang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Carbon budget is diminishing to comply with the target under 2 °C scenario. Facing the limited capacity to improve energy efficiency, the authors show that steelmaking with inherent decarbonisation process can potentially help achieve 2050 emission reduction targets under 2 °C scenario before 2030.

    • Sicong Tian
    • , Jianguo Jiang
    •  & Vasilije Manovic

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The hexahydropyrrolo[2, 3-b]indole (HPI) framework is found in many natural products. Here, the authors discover a P450 enzyme and develop a whole-cell biocatalysis system that produces the HPI naseseazine C (NAS-C) and 30 NAS-C analogs, several of which show neuroprotective properties.

    • Wenya Tian
    • , Chenghai Sun
    •  & Xudong Qu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    On-chip spectrometers typically have limited spectral channels and low signal to noise ratios. Here the authors introduce a digital architecture that uses switches to change the interferometer path lengths, enabling exponentially more spectral channels per circuit element and lower noise by leveraging a machine learning reconstruction algorithm.

    • Derek M. Kita
    • , Brando Miranda
    •  & Juejun Hu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Understanding how one metal nanocluster transforms into another is of synthetic and fundamental importance. Here, the authors use mass spectrometry to reveal an acid-induced structural transformation between two Ag clusters that proceeds via a breakage-growth-reassembly mechanism.

    • Zhi Wang
    • , Hai-Feng Su
    •  & Lan-Sun Zheng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    “Diffusing diffusivity” concept has been recently put forward to account for rapid structural rearrangements in soft matter and biological systems. Here the authors propose a general mathematical framework to compute the distribution of first-passage times in a dynamically heterogeneous medium.

    • Yann Lanoiselée
    • , Nicolas Moutal
    •  & Denis S. Grebenkov

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Organic electrode materials could enable novelty chemistry required by the new generation of batteries. Here the authors show the synthesis and electrochemical performance of Mg(Li2)-p-DHT as a lithiated cathode material that cycles at 3.4 V due to the presence of a spectator cation in the host structure.

    • Alia Jouhara
    • , Nicolas Dupré
    •  & Philippe Poizot

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Though the Preisach model successfully describes hysteretic switching in ferroelectrics, the physical reality of the model remains elusive. Here, the authors explained the origin of the experimental Preisach distribution and its effect on switching kinetics and materials’ potential applications

    • Indrė Urbanavičiūtė
    • , Tim D. Cornelissen
    •  & Martijn Kemerink

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Peripheral nerves have a complex physiology and it is therefore difficult to measure axonal activity in vitro. Here the authors make a nerve-on-a-chip platform to align peripheral nerves and permit measurement of conduction amplitude and velocity along several axons in a single experiment.

    • Sandra Gribi
    • , Sophie du Bois de Dunilac
    •  & Stéphanie P. Lacour

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Transformation of strong C-F bonds into C-Si bonds is an extremely useful strategy for further derivatization of organic molecules. Here, the authors report a nickel-catalyzed strategy to convert aryl fluorides into sylylated arenes while defluorosilylation of alkyl fluorides is achieved under metal-free conditions.

    • Benqiang Cui
    • , Shichong Jia
    •  & Norio Shibata

  • Article
    | Open Access

    There are many proposals for new forms of quantum matter in frustrated magnets but in practice disorder prevents the realisation of theoretically-tractable idealised models. Kimchi et al. show that recently observed scaling behavior common to several disordered quantum magnets can be understood as the emergence of a universal random-singlet regime.

    • Itamar Kimchi
    • , John P. Sheckelton
    •  & Patrick A. Lee

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Nano-contact-based spin wave generation may enable high-frequency magnonic devices but has been limited to long wavelengths and weak signal strengths. Here the authors demonstrate high-order short-wavelength propagating spin waves with increased transmission rates and propagation lengths in magnetic tunnel junction stacks.

    • A. Houshang
    • , R. Khymyn
    •  & J. Åkerman

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Clear understanding of the influence from material inhomogeneities and defects is one of the keys to achieve reliable Skyrmion based devices. Here the authors report their first principles studies on the interaction of single skyrmions with single-atom impurities and reveal its universal shape originated from the defect’s electron filling.

    • Imara Lima Fernandes
    • , Juba Bouaziz
    •  & Samir Lounis

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Identifying phosphors with good thermal stability and quantum efficiency is a prerequisite to improve the performance of white LED light sources. Here, a combined machine learning and density functional theory method is introduced to identify next generation inorganic phosphors.

    • Ya Zhuo
    • , Aria Mansouri Tehrani
    •  & Jakoah Brgoch

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Here, the authors demonstrate that the dispersion of hyperbolic phonon polaritons can be controlled using the permittivity changes inherent in the different phases of phase change materials. This enables direct launching, reflection, transmission and refraction at the phase change material domain boundaries.

    • T. G. Folland
    • , A. Fali
    •  & J. D. Caldwell

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Spherical neutron polarimetry (SNP) experiment in conjunction with high pressure condition faces many experimental difficulties. Here the authors report development of SNP with nonmagnetic hybrid anvil high pressure cell and application to the magnetoelectric multiferroic delafossite CuFeO2 system.

    • Noriki Terada
    • , Navid Qureshi
    •  & Toyotaka Osakabe

  • Article
    | Open Access

    AI is used increasingly in medical diagnostics. Here, the authors present a deep learning model that masters medical knowledge, demonstrated by it having passed the written test of the 2017 National Medical Licensing Examination in China, and can provide help with clinical diagnosis based on electronic health care records.

    • Ji Wu
    • , Xien Liu
    •  & Ping Lv

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Dynamics in cold atomic ensembles involve complex many-body interactions that are hard to treat analytically. Here, the authors use machine learning to optimise the cooling and trapping of neutral atoms, showing an improvement in the resulting resonant optical depth compared to more traditional solutions.

    • A. D. Tranter
    • , H. J. Slatyer
    •  & G. T. Campbell

  • Article
    | Open Access

    While water electrolysis provides an attractive means to produce high-energy hydrogen (H2), the process imposes significant material overpotential barriers. Here, authors employ the more-facile hydrazine splitting reaction, coupled to a hydrazine fuel cell, to perform self-powered H2 evolution.

    • Xijun Liu
    • , Jia He
    •  & Yi Ding

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Manipulating the assembly of π-conjugated organic molecules into alloys to control composition and shape remains a largely unsolved problem. Here the authors show the co-assembly of two structurally similar organic semiconductors into two-component helices by control of their growth kinetics as well as the molar ratio of the building blocks.

    • Yilong Lei
    • , Yanqiu Sun
    •  & Hongbing Fu

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Gels filtering particles by interactions are a goal of nanotechnology; this is difficult when particles are larger than the mesh of the gel. Here, the authors present an equilibrium mechanism where binding dynamics of crosslinks are affected by interacting particles so that particles experience enhanced diffusion.

    • Carl P. Goodrich
    • , Michael P. Brenner
    •  & Katharina Ribbeck

  • Article
    | Open Access

    The emergence of superconductivity from the normal state in the cuprates above the transition temperature (Tc) has been controversial. Here, Pelc et al. report nonlinear conductivity, resulting from superconducting precursors only, vanishing exponentially above Tc both with temperature and with magnetic field.

    • Damjan Pelc
    • , Marija Vučković
    •  & Neven Barišić

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bounding the capacity of thermal attenuators would give a powerful instrument to describe decoherence occurring in optical fibres and free space links. Here, the authors improve on the existing upper bounds in the region of small thermal noise, which is of interest for quantum communication.

    • Matteo Rosati
    • , Andrea Mari
    •  & Vittorio Giovannetti

  • Review Article
    | Open Access

    Polyelectrolytes are a class of macromolecules containing charged groups. Here the authors review properties and functions of metallo-polyelectrolytes to shed light on how to harness fundamental physiochemical properties for applications in biomedical sciences and advanced materials.

    • Tianyu Zhu
    • , Ye Sha
    •  & Chuanbing Tang

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Interactions between metal nanoparticles (NPs) and metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) in their composite forms have proven to exhibit beneficial properties. Here the authors present a unique approach to immobilise Pd NPs and, more importantly, to generate tunable basic sites within an anionic defective MOF.

    • Ying Chuan Tan
    •  & Hua Chun Zeng

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Current digital coding metasurfaces are only space-encoded. Here, the authors propose space-time modulated digital coding metasurfaces to obtain simultaneous manipulations of electromagnetic waves and present harmonic beam steering, beam shaping, and scattering-signature control as application examples.

    • Lei Zhang
    • , Xiao Qing Chen
    •  & Tie Jun Cui

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Interfering RNA have a range of therapeutic and research based applications, issues with delivery have made systems that make siRNA in situ of interest. Here, the author report on the creation of a DNA hydrogel with improved stability and transcription efficiency over plasmid DNA.

    • Jaejung Song
    • , Minhyuk Lee
    •  & Nokyoung Park

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Exciton diffusion length and directionality are important parameters in artificial photosynthetic devices. Here, the authors present a way to make crystalline chromophore assemblies with bespoke architecture, fabricating one exhibiting anisotropic exciton transport properties.

    • Ritesh Haldar
    • , Marius Jakoby
    •  & Christof Wöll

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Hematite has been proposed as a suitable photocatalyst for water splitting based on its stability and appealing optical band gap, but its performance has not reached theoretical expectations. Here the authors show that this is due to intra-gap polaronic states that reduce the effective electronic band gap.

    • Christian Lohaus
    • , Andreas Klein
    •  & Wolfram Jaegermann

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Ultrafast light pulses can manipulate and probe materials faster than relaxation timescales, leading to new electronic states and insights into equilibrium properties. Okazaki et al. use the properties of photo-induced metallic states to investigate unconventional correlated behaviour in Ta2NiSe5 and Ta2NiS5.

    • Kozo Okazaki
    • , Yu Ogawa
    •  & Shik Shin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Non-Hermitian properties were proposed to be beneficial to sensing but it is not clear if this concept can be extended to the quantum regime. Here, Lau and Clerk self-consistently consider the impact of noise and measurement, and identify that nonreciprocity can improve sensing capabilities.

    • Hoi-Kwan Lau
    •  & Aashish A. Clerk

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Photosensitizers delivered to mitochondria of cancer cells can enhance photodynamic therapy. Here, the authors report mitochondria-targeted radiation therapy and radiodynamic therapy of colorectal cancer models with a cationic nanoscale metal-organic framework to overcome shallow light penetration of Ru-based photosensitizers.

    • Kaiyuan Ni
    • , Guangxu Lan
    •  & Wenbin Lin

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Despite the need to develop resistive random access memory (RRAM) devices for machine learning, RRAM array-based hardware methods for algorithm require external electronics. Here, the authors realize a Markov chain algorithm in a single 2D multilayer SnSe device without external electronics.

    • He Tian
    • , Xue-Feng Wang
    •  & Tian-Ling Ren

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Selenium has emerged as a metalloid for the catalytic construction of C–N bonds; however no functionalisation of aromatic compounds has been developed yet. Here, the authors report the para-amination of phenols via two successive sigmatropic rearrangements of a redox versatile Se–N bond.

    • Dingyuan Yan
    • , Guoqiang Wang
    •  & Jing Zhao

  • Article
    | Open Access

    At low temperatures and dimensionality it has become possible to probe the quantum limits of heat transport. Tavakoli et al. show that heat transport through a one-dimensional device can be dominated by non-ideal transmission instead of reaching the regime of thermal conductance quantization.

    • Adib Tavakoli
    • , Kunal Lulla
    •  & Olivier Bourgeois

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