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Direct imaging of Joule heating dynamics and temperature profiling inside a carbon nanotube interconnect
The use of carbon nanotubes in nanoelectronics requires an understanding of their resistive, or Joule, heating at interconnects. Here, Joule heating dynamics are imaged in real time by following the evolution of resistive hot spots with a transmission electron microscope.
- Pedro M.F.J. Costa
- , Ujjal K. Gautam
- & Dmitri Golberg
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Article
| Open AccessStructure and compatibility of a magnesium electrolyte with a sulphur cathode
Magnesium is an ideal rechargeable battery anode material, but coupling it with a low-cost sulphur cathode, requires a non-nucleophilic electrolyte. Kimet al. prepare a non-nucleophilic electrolyte from hexamethyldisilazide magnesium chloride and aluminium trichloride, and show its compatibility with a sulphur cathode.
- Hee Soo Kim
- , Timothy S. Arthur
- & John Muldoon
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Article
| Open AccessPhoton extrabunching in ultrabright twin beams measured by two-photon counting in a semiconductor
The second order correlation functiong(2) is used to test quantum correlation properties of light. Here, two-photon counting is used to measure g(2)and an extrabunching effect is demonstrated, providing evidence that two-photon counting is an appropriate method for measuring light beam photon correlations.
- F. Boitier
- , A. Godard
- & E. Rosencher
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Li(Zn,Mn)As as a new generation ferromagnet based on a I–II–V semiconductor
Ferromagnetic systems produced by the transition metal doping of semiconductors may be used as components of spintronic devices. Here, a new ferromagnet, Li1+y(Zn1-xMnx)As, is prepared in bulk quantities and shown to have a critical temperature approaching 50 K.
- Z. Deng
- , C.Q. Jin
- & Y.J. Uemura
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Article
| Open AccessFast cavity-enhanced atom detection with low noise and high fidelity
Single atoms can be detected using optical resonators that extend the lifetime of the photon. Here, the authors demonstrate fast, high-fidelity detection of very low atom densities using a microfabricated optical cavity to couple the detection light with the atoms.
- J. Goldwin
- , M. Trupke
- & E.A. Hinds
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Article
| Open AccessCarbon arc production of heptagon-containing fullerene[68]
Chemical manipulation of fullerenes has allowed the production of heptagon-containing fullerenes, but they have not been synthesised using bottom-up approaches. Here, a heptagon-containing fullerene[68] is obtained as C68Cl6from a carbon arc plasma.
- Yuan-Zhi Tan
- , Rui-Ting Chen
- & Lan-Sun Zheng
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Article
| Open AccessAdvantageous grain boundaries in iron pnictide superconductors
High critical temperature superconductors could be used to produce ideal electric power lines, but the misalignment of crystalline grain boundaries reduces current density. Here, pnictide superconductors are found to be more tolerant to misaligned grain boundaries than cuprates.
- Takayoshi Katase
- , Yoshihiro Ishimaru
- & Hideo Hosono
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| Open AccessNo extension of quantum theory can have improved predictive power
Quantum-mechanical predictions are generally probabilistic. Here, assuming freely chosen measurements, it is shown that enhanced predictions are not possible and, thus, randomness is inherent in quantum theory: a result that has applications in fields such as quantum cryptography.
- Roger Colbeck
- & Renato Renner
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| Open AccessAdding control to arbitrary unknown quantum operations
Quantum computing has advantages over conventional computing, but the complexity of quantum algorithms creates technological challenges. Here, an architecture-independent technique, that simplifies adding control qubits to arbitrary quantum operations, is developed and demonstrated.
- Xiao-Qi Zhou
- , Timothy C. Ralph
- & Jeremy L. O'Brien
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Iron-based cathode catalyst with enhanced power density in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells
Replacing platinum in polymer-electrolyte-membrane fuel cells with iron-based catalysts could provide low-cost power generators, but often leads to low power densities. Here, a new iron-based cathode catalyst is developed with enhanced power density, volumetric activity and mass-transport properties.
- Eric Proietti
- , Frédéric Jaouen
- & Jean-Pol Dodelet
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Stimulated optomechanical excitation of surface acoustic waves in a microdevice
Brillouin interactions between sound and light can excite mechanical resonances in photonic microsystems, with potential for sensing and frequency reference applications. The authors demonstrate experimental excitation of mechanical resonances ranging from 49 to 1,400 MHz using forward Brillouin scattering.
- Gaurav Bahl
- , John Zehnpfennig
- & Tal Carmon
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Article
| Open AccessMesoscale flux-closure domain formation in single-crystal BaTiO3
Flux-closure patterns are rarely observed in ferroelectric materials and almost exclusively form at the nanoscale. McQuaidet al. report mesoscopic dipole closure patterns formed in free-standing single-crystal lamellae of BaTiO3, thought to result from an unusual set of experimental conditions.
- R.G.P. McQuaid
- , L.J. McGilly
- & J.M. Gregg
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Encapsulation of single-molecule magnets in carbon nanotubes
Single-molecule magnets could be useful for the development of spintronic devices. Here single-molecule magnets are encapsulated in carbon nanotubes without affecting the properties of the guest molecules, which may be useful in the development of spintronic or high-density magnetic storage devices.
- Maria del Carmen Giménez-López
- , Fabrizio Moro
- & Andrei N. Khlobystov
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Article
| Open AccessProximity of iron pnictide superconductors to a quantum tricritical point
In some iron-based materials, unconventional superconductivity can emerge near a quantum phase transition where long-range magnetic order vanishes. Giovannettiet al.show that the magnetic quantum phase transition in an iron pnictide superconductor is very close to the quantum tricritical point.
- Gianluca Giovannetti
- , Carmine Ortix
- & José Lorenzana
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Porous covalent electron-rich organonitridic frameworks as highly selective sorbents for methane and carbon dioxide
Materials that can separate and capture carbon dioxide from power plant flue gases could help to stabilize atmospheric levels of the gas. Mohantyet al. develop inexpensive porous organonitridic frameworks with high selectivity and sorption capacities for carbon dioxide and methane.
- Paritosh Mohanty
- , Lilian D. Kull
- & Kai Landskron
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Ranking stability and super-stable nodes in complex networks
Pagerank is widely used to rank web content; however, it is unknown how network topology affects its performance. The authors demonstrate that, in random networks, pagerank is sensitive to perturbations in topology, whereas scale-free networks contain a few super-stable nodes whose ranking is exceptionally stable.
- Gourab Ghoshal
- & Albert-László Barabási
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Article
| Open AccessGross violation of the Wiedemann–Franz law in a quasi-one-dimensional conductor
Interacting electrons in one dimension are predicted to have independent spin and charge excitations. Wakehamet al. show evidence of this behaviour in a bulk conductor by measuring a ratio of thermal to electrical conductivity orders of magnitude larger than in conventional three-dimensional metals.
- Nicholas Wakeham
- , Alimamy F. Bangura
- & Nigel E. Hussey
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Confined propagation of covalent chemical reactions on single-walled carbon nanotubes
Covalent reactions on carbon nanotube surfaces typically occur at random positions on the hexagonal lattice. Denget al. show that Billups–Birch reductive alkylation takes place at, and propagates from, sp3defect sites, leading to confinement of the reaction fronts in the tubular direction.
- Shunliu Deng
- , Yin Zhang
- & YuHuang Wang
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| Open AccessFractional quantum Hall effect in the absence of Landau levels
The fractional quantum Hall effect occurs when electrons move in Landau levels. In this study, using a theoretical flat-band lattice model, the fractional quantum Hall effect is observed in the presence of repulsive interactions when the band is one third full and in the absence of Landau levels.
- D.N. Sheng
- , Zheng-Cheng Gu
- & L. Sheng
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| Open AccessCascaded logic gates in nanophotonic plasmon networks
Optical computing, involving on-chip integrated logic units, could provide improved performance over semiconductor-based computing. Here, a binary NOR gate is developed from cascaded OR and NOT gates in four-terminal plasmonic nanowire networks; the work could lead to new optical computing technologies.
- Hong Wei
- , Zhuoxian Wang
- & Hongxing Xu
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Fermi surface dichotomy of the superconducting gap and pseudogap in underdoped pnictides
Iron pnictide compounds have recently been shown to have superconducting properties. Xuet al. show that the superconducting gap of underdoped pnictides scales linearly with the transition temperature, and that a pseudogap develops with underdoping.
- Y.-M. Xu
- , P. Richard
- & H. Ding
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| Open AccessOptical switching of nuclear spin–spin couplings in semiconductors
Two-qubit operation is an essential part of quantum computation, but implementation has been difficult. Gotoet al.introduce optically controllable internuclear coupling in semiconductors providing a simple way of switching inter-qubit couplings in semiconductor-based quantum computers.
- Atsushi Goto
- , Shinobu Ohki
- & Tadashi Shimizu
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Onset of a quantum phase transition with a trapped ion quantum simulator
A quantum simulator can follow the evolution of a prescribed model, whose behaviour may be difficult to determine. Here, the emergence of magnetism is simulated by implementing a quantum Ising model, providing a benchmark for simulations in larger systems.
- R. Islam
- , E.E. Edwards
- & C. Monroe
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Using disorder to detect locally ordered electron nematics via hysteresis
Interactions between charge, orbital and lattice degrees of freedom in correlated electron systems have resulted in predictions of new electronic phases of matter. Carlson and Dahmen propose two protocols for detecting disordered electron nematics in condensed matter systems using non-equilibrium methods.
- E.W. Carlson
- & K.A. Dahmen
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Hierarchical MnMoO4/CoMoO4 heterostructured nanowires with enhanced supercapacitor performance
The construction of three-dimensional hierarchical heterostructures can lead to improved electrochemical properties. Maiet al. synthesize a three-dimensional multicomponent oxide, MnMoO4/CoMoO4, which is used to produce a supercapacitor with enhanced performance.
- Li-Qiang Mai
- , Fan Yang
- & Yan-Zhu Luo
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| Open AccessMediatorless high-power glucose biofuel cells based on compressed carbon nanotube-enzyme electrodes
Glucose biofuel cells can be used to produce clean energy from renewable sources, but their use is limited by poor stability and low power output. In this study, bioelectrodes are fabricated using carbon nanotubes and the resulting biofuel cells have improved stability and power.
- Abdelkader Zebda
- , Chantal Gondran
- & Serge Cosnier
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Imaging local electronic corrugations and doped regions in graphene
The unoccupied electronic levels of graphene are modified by corrugation, doping and presence of impurities. Here, the authors map discrete electronic domains within a single graphene sheet using scanning transmission X-ray microscopy and provide insight into the modification of unoccupied levels.
- Brian J. Schultz
- , Christopher J. Patridge
- & Sarbajit Banerjee
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Biologically inspired achromatic waveplates for visible light
Waveplates are used in optoelectronics to alter the polarization of light, but they do not typically perform achromatically, which is important for applications such as three-dimensional displays. Here, biologically inspired periodically multilayered structures are produced, which function as achromatic visible-light waveplates.
- Yi-Jun Jen
- , Akhlesh Lakhtakia
- & Jyun-Rong Lai
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Article
| Open AccessSize limits the formation of liquid jets during bubble bursting
A bubble at an air–liquid interface can form a liquid jet upon bursting, spraying aerosol droplets into the air. Leeet al. show that jetting is analogous to pinching-off in liquid coalescence, which may be useful in applications that prevent jet formation and in the improved incorporation of aerosols in climate models.
- Ji San Lee
- , Byung Mook Weon
- & Wah-Keat Lee
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| Open AccessThe vectorial control of magnetization by light
Light–matter interactions can be used to manipulate magnetization in solids, but light-controlled magnetization vector motion has not been demonstrated. Here, two-dimensional magnetic oscillations in NiO are manipulated with optical pulses leading to vectorial control of magnetization by light.
- Natsuki Kanda
- , Takuya Higuchi
- & Makoto Kuwata-Gonokami
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Observing chaos for quantum-dot microlasers with external feedback
Optoelectronic devices such as conventional semiconductor lasers are used to study the chaotic behaviour of nonlinear systems. Here chaos is observed for quantum-dot microlasers operating close to the quantum limit with potential for new directions in the study of chaos in quantum systems.
- Ferdinand Albert
- , Caspar Hopfmann
- & Ido Kanter
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Statistically induced phase transitions and anyons in 1D optical lattices
Anyons are particles with fractional statistics that interpolate between bosons and fermions, and are thought to exist in low-dimensional systems. Keilmannet al. propose an experimental system to create anyons in one-dimensional optical lattices using assisted Raman tunnelling.
- Tassilo Keilmann
- , Simon Lanzmich
- & Marco Roncaglia
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| Open AccessPromotion of water-mediated carbon removal by nanostructured barium oxide/nickel interfaces in solid oxide fuel cells
Anodes composed of nickel/yttria-stabilized zirconia in solid oxide fuel cells are known to suffer from coking, which reduces their performance. Here, Yang and colleagues report a new barium oxide/nickel anode, which efficiently oxidizes fuel with minimum carbon buildup.
- Lei Yang
- , YongMan Choi
- & Meilin Liu
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Collective fluorescence enhancement in nanoparticle clusters
Single nanoparticles are known to emit light intermittently, or 'blink', but the mechanisms describing this phenomenon are not fully understood. This study demonstrates that, for small clusters of blinking nanoparticles, the number of particles within a cluster dramatically influences blinking time.
- Siying Wang
- , Claudia Querner
- & Marija Drndic
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Burning vegetation produces cyanohydrins that liberate cyanide and stimulate seed germination
Cyanide, a known plant defence compound, can also stimulate seed germination. Flemattiet al. show that glyceronitrile is produced in wildfire smoke, which can release cyanide and stimulate seed germination of fire-responsive plant species, thus serving as an ecological store of cyanide.
- Gavin R. Flematti
- , David J. Merritt
- & Emilio L. Ghisalberti
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| Open AccessColossal negative thermal expansion in BiNiO3 induced by intermetallic charge transfer
Negative thermal expansion—contraction upon heating—is an unusual process that may be exploited to produce materials with zero or other controlled thermal expansion values. Azumaet al. observe negative thermal expansion in BiNiO3which is a result of Bi/Ni charge-transfer transitions.
- Masaki Azuma
- , Wei-tin Chen
- & J. Paul Attfield
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Full-field implementation of a perfect eavesdropper on a quantum cryptography system
A quantum key distribution system allows two remote parties to communicate in secret by a shared key code. This work demonstrates a complete and undetected eavesdropping attack on a quantum key distribution connection, highlighting the need for further security updates on secure communication systems.
- Ilja Gerhardt
- , Qin Liu
- & Vadim Makarov
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| Open AccessRevealing the high-energy electronic excitations underlying the onset of high-temperature superconductivity in cuprates
Understanding how the high-energy physics of Mott-like excitations affects condensate formation is a key challenge in high-temperature superconductivity. Giannettiet al. clarify the relationship of many-body CuO2excitations and the onset of superconductivity using a new optical pump supercontinuum-probe technique.
- Claudio Giannetti
- , Federico Cilento
- & Fulvio Parmigiani
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Helium penetrates into silica glass and reduces its compressibility
SiO2 glass and helium are important in various fields of science and engineering. Sato et al. show SiO2glass to be less compressible in helium under high pressure, which may be relevant for the interpretation of high-pressure experiments and in the design of new materials.
- Tomoko Sato
- , Nobumasa Funamori
- & Takehiko Yagi
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Flexible concentrator photovoltaics based on microscale silicon solar cells embedded in luminescent waveguides
Photovoltaic systems comprising monocrystalline silicon have many applications in solar power generation. Yoonet al. describe a composite luminescent concentrator photovoltaic system containing arrays of microscale silicon solar cells, which can be implemented in ultrathin, mechanically bendable formats.
- Jongseung Yoon
- , Lanfang Li
- & John A. Rogers
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Review Article |
Type Ia supernovae as stellar endpoints and cosmological tools
Type Ia supernovae are thought to result from the explosion of white dwarf stars but a full understanding of their formation is lacking. In this review, Howell describes how large surveys are generating sufficient data to challenge and refine existing theories.
- D. Andrew Howell
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Atomistic mechanism for the activation and desensitization of an AMPA-subtype glutamate receptor
Upon agonist binding, ionotropic glutamate receptors are activated and then become desensitized, but the detailed molecular events of this process are unclear. Here, molecular dynamics simulations are used to probe how conformational changes of the ligand-binding domain are transmitted to the transmembrane domain.
- Hao Dong
- & Huan-Xiang Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessDetermination of nanoparticle size distribution together with density or molecular weight by 2D analytical ultracentrifugation
Nanoparticles continue to find research and industrial applications, but no single technique exists to characterise their physical properties. Now, an analytical ultracentrifugation method is described which allows the simulataneous determination of nanoparticle size, density and molecular weight distribution.
- Randy P. Carney
- , Jin Young Kim
- & Osman M. Bakr
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Origami-like unfolding of hydro-actuated ice plant seed capsules
Hydro-responsive plant movements have provided inspiration for the design of adaptive materials. Harringtonet al. investigate the hydration-dependent unfolding of ice plant seed capsules and find an origami-like folding pattern, which could aid the development of biomimetic folding structures.
- Matthew J. Harrington
- , Khashayar Razghandi
- & Ingo Burgert
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A synthetic icosahedral DNA-based host–cargo complex for functional in vivo imaging
Encapsulating molecules within supramolecular frameworks for potential biological application is challenging. Bhatiaet al. incorporate a fluorescent polymer within an icosahedral DNA nanocapsule, and show that it can be used to target specific cells in vivoand map pH spatially and temporally.
- Dhiraj Bhatia
- , Sunaina Surana
- & Yamuna Krishnan
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An autonomous DNA nanomachine maps spatiotemporal pH changes in a multicellular living organism
Many synthetic DNA nanomachines have been developed and demonstratedin vitro, but their use in living organisms has not been reported. Now, a DNA nanomachine, the I-switch, is used to map spatiotemporal pH changes associated with endosomal maturation within coelomocytes of Caenorhabditis elegans.
- Sunaina Surana
- , Jaffar M. Bhat
- & Yamuna Krishnan
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Experimental demonstration of low-loss optical waveguiding at deep sub-wavelength scales
Metal-based nanostructures offer a solution to scale down photonics to the nanoscale. Sorgeret al. directly demonstrate waveguiding of ultra-small propagating waves at visible and near-infrared frequencies using NSOM imaging, with the potential for nanoscale photonic applications such as bio-sensing.
- Volker J. Sorger
- , Ziliang Ye
- & Xiang Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessTransition to a Bose–Einstein condensate and relaxation explosion of excitons at sub-Kelvin temperatures
Bose–Einstein condensation of excitons in thermal equilibrium is a predicted quantum statistical phenomenon that has been difficult to observe. Yoshiokaet al. cool trapped excitons to sub-Kelvin temperatures and show that condensation manifests itself as a relaxation explosion as has been observed for atomic hydrogen.
- Kosuke Yoshioka
- , Eunmi Chae
- & Makoto Kuwata-Gonokami
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Article
| Open AccessNanoantenna-enhanced ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy of a single gold nanoparticle
Optical nanoantennas can be used for spectroscopic investigations at previously unattainable dimensions. Schumacheret al.describe time-resolved antenna-enhanced ultrafast nonlinear optical spectroscopy and determine the transient absorption signal of a single gold nanoparticle.
- Thorsten Schumacher
- , Kai Kratzer
- & Markus Lippitz