Wafer-scale integration of monolayer MoS residue-free support layer etching and angular strain suppression.

A crack-free and residue-free transfer technique for large-area, atomically-thin 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) such as MoS and WS is critical for their integration into next-generation electronic devices, either as channel materials replacing silicon or as back-end-of-line (BEOL) components in 3D-integrated nano-systems on CMOS platforms. However, cracks are frequently observed during the debonding of TMDCs from their growth substrates, and polymer or metal residues are often left behind after the removal of adhesive support layers wet etching. These issues stem from excessive angular strain accumulated during debonding and the incomplete removal of support layers due to their low solubility.

Single-Molecule Dual-Anchor Design Enables Extreme-Condition Lithium Metal Batteries Through Solvation Reconstruction and Cathode Polymerization.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs) have emerged as the most promising candidate for next-generation high-energy-density energy storage systems. However, their practical implementation is hindered by the inability of conventional carbonate electrolytes to simultaneously stabilize the lithium metal anode and LiNiCoMnO (NCM811) cathode interfaces, particularly under extreme operating conditions. Herein, we present a transformative molecular design using 3,5-difluorophenylboronic acid neopentyl glycol ester (DNE), which uniquely integrates dual interfacial stabilization mechanisms in a single molecule.

Thermoset Architecture Fusion Enabled by Catalyst-Free C═C/C═N Metathesis Chemistry.

Thermosets with permanent cross-linked structures provide excellent durability but pose significant challenges for reprocessing and recycling, raising engineering and environmental concerns as their usage expands. The advent of covalent adaptable networks (CANs) with dynamic covalent linkages has improved thermoset recyclability and enabled the fusion of identical polymer networks (A-A type fusion). However, fusing different thermosets (A-B type fusion) remains challenging due to their distinct dynamic behaviors and variable activation energies for bond exchange.

Heterobilayer Ferroelectricity with Competitive Polarization.

Two-dimensional ferroelectrics with large out-of-plane polarization (OOP) are promising for the design of low-power memory and logic devices, but their experimental realization remains limited due to the scarcity of homobilayers and the complexity of heterobilayers. Here, we perform high-throughput screening of 24,960 configurations and identify 43 semiconducting heterobilayer ferroelectrics with an OOP exceeding the experimentally reported value in MoS/WS while maintaining sliding barriers below 100 meV/f.u.

Multifunctional MEMS, NEMS, micro/nano-structures enabled by piezoelectric and ferroelectric effects.

MEMS and NEMS increasingly integrate multiple functions within compact platforms, enabled by piezoelectric and ferroelectric materials such as PZT, BaTiO, AlN, ScAlN, PVDF, and HfZrO. These materials support devices including mechanical sensors, RF resonators for gas detection, energy harvesters, non-volatile memories such as FeRAM and FeFETs, and neuromorphic computing arrays, as well as microspeakers and microphones for compact audio interfaces. They also play a key role in reconfigurable photonic components through acousto-optic and electro-optic modulation.

Laser-initiated site-selective formation of fluorescing silver-iron oxide nanocomposites for electron detection.

There has been ongoing interest in the fabrication of silver-iron oxide composite nanostructures due to their effectiveness in antimicrobial, catalytic, and sensing applications. However, traditional processes involve multiple steps and harsh conditions, making them time-consuming and energy-intensive. A focused laser beam is used as an alternative tool to fabricate fluorescent silver-iron oxide composite nanostructures.

Doping-tunable charge ordering in semiconducting single-layer CrSe.

The charge density wave (CDW), a charge ordering phase, offers a valuable framework for exploring electron-electron interactions, electron-phonon coupling, and quantum phase transitions. In CDW materials, carrier density substantially influences the ground state, typically altered through foreign ion doping and investigated at macro- or mesoscopic scales via photoemission or transport techniques. However, atomic-scale visualization, particularly in doped CDW systems without foreign ions, remains rare.

Uniform coating of separated nanodiamonds thin polymer-assisted electrostatic self-assembly for thermal sensing.

Nanodiamonds (NDs) with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers have shown significant potential for nano- and micro-scale local temperature sensing and imaging. However, the challenge lies in achieving non-invasive measurement, due to the high thermal conductivity of diamond that can cause strong thermal spreading and heat dissipation. A solution to this problem is to prepare separated NDs for thermal sensing.

Ultrathin Gallium Nitride Quantum-Disk-in-Nanowire-Enabled Reconfigurable Bioinspired Sensor for High-Accuracy Human Action Recognition.

Human action recognition (HAR) is crucial for the development of efficient computer vision, where bioinspired neuromorphic perception visual systems have emerged as a vital solution to address transmission bottlenecks across sensor-processor interfaces. However, the absence of interactions among versatile biomimicking functionalities within a single device, which was developed for specific vision tasks, restricts the computational capacity, practicality, and scalability of in-sensor vision computing. Here, we propose a bioinspired vision sensor composed of a GaN/AlN-based ultrathin quantum-disks-in-nanowires (QD-NWs) array to mimic not only Parvo cells for high-contrast vision and Magno cells for dynamic vision in the human retina but also the synergistic activity between the two cells for in-sensor vision computing.

Electrochemical dehydrogenative intramolecular C-C coupling for expedient carbazole synthesis.

An electrochemical method for carbazole synthesis dehydrogenative aryl-aryl coupling of arylamines under metal-free conditions at ambient temperature is presented. The reactivity of arylamines is rationalised by cyclic voltammetry and density functional theory (DFT) studies to provide a preliminary understanding of the observed regioselectivity.

Exogenous adenosine promotes barnacle (Amphibalanus amphitrite) cyprid settlement through molecular signaling and improved adhesive mechanics.

Marine biofouling caused by barnacle gregarious settlement poses significant challenges to various industries and ecosystems, such as increased drag on ship hulls, elevated fuel consumption, and heightened maintenance costs. While natural chemical cues are instrumental in driving barnacle settlement, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this work, we investigated the effects of adenosine (Ado), a settlement pheromone of Amphibalanus amphitrite cyprids, on cyprid exploration behavior, nano-mechanical properties of footprints, and gene expression using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and omics analysis.

Controlling Etch Anisotropy of Crystalline Germanium Nanostructures.

Orientation-dependent wet chemical etching of crystalline germanium (c-Ge) is essential for the fabrication of next-generation complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) devices. Here, using a combination of conventional and in situ liquid-phase transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging, we reveal the details of the wet etching process of c-Ge nanostructures and identify critical parameters that control the etching rates along different crystalline directions. We demonstrate that etching behavior can be changed from isotropic to anisotropic etching (i.

Variable π-d orbital hybridization in 2D transition metal-organic frameworks.

Two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs) have emerged as promising platforms for exploring novel quantum phenomena and tunable electronic functionalities. Here, we investigate π-d orbital hybridization in monolayer M(HAT) (M = Ni, Co, Fe; HAT = 1,4,5,8,9,12-hexaazatriphenylene) frameworks by combining density functional theory (DFT) calculations and scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) characterization. Despite identical lattice geometries, the Ni-HAT framework exhibits a dispersive, gapless band structure, while the Co- and Fe-HAT frameworks display localized electronic states and semiconducting bandgaps.

Catalytic Cleaning of Aluminum-Based Ceramic for Low-Noise Electronics.

We report a catalytic cleaning method for aluminum-based ceramic substrates, including aluminum nitride (AlN) and alumina (AlO), to enhance the performance of high-frequency, low-noise electronic devices. These ceramic materials are widely used in high-power and RF electronics due to their excellent thermal and insulating properties. However, conventional surface processing techniques, such as laser micromachining and diamond polishing, often introduce carbon-based impurities and defects, particularly in thin substrates (<100 μm), that degrade device performance by increasing dielectric loss.

Pd-Lined Strained Trimetallic Au-Ag-Pd Nanoprism for Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity Towards Formic Acid Oxidation.

Formic acid oxidation (FAO) reaction is an important electrocatalytic reaction in low-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Pd-based material has a superior electrochemical activity towards FAO. The activity of Pd-based bimetallic materials is also well-studied in the literature.

Utilizing Waste Heat to Drive Selective Green Organic Conversion through a Thermoelectrocatalytic Process.

Utilizing waste heat from environmental or industrial sources is a promising strategy for eco-friendly and sustainable chemical synthesis. Here, a pioneering thermoelectrocatalytic (TECatal) system that can harness minimal heat diffusion for selective organic conversions is demonstrated. The proof-of-concept demonstrates a TECatal nanohybrid consisting of a thermoelectric (TE) BiTe nanoflake core with a Fe-doped UiO-66 metal-organic framework shell (BiTe/Fe-UiO-66).

Nanophase separation and interfacial entanglements enable tough hybrid polymer networks.

Elastomers and hydrogels are essential components in soft robotics and biomedical devices due to their flexible and swollen polymer networks. However, designing soft polymeric materials that reconcile tunable water content and mechanical performance remains a key challenge. Here, we report hybrid polymer networks toughened by nanoscopic arrested phases.

In Situ Reconstruction of Bimetallic MOFs to Form Copper-Cobalt Relay Catalysis for Efficient Nitrate Reduction to Ammonia.

The electrochemical nitrate reduction reaction (eNORR) is hindered by poor selectivity and sluggish kinetics due to competing hydrogen evolution and complex multi-electron/proton transfers. Here, a bimetallic CuCo-MOF （Metal-Organic Framework） is reported catalyst that undergoes in situ electrochemical reconstruction to form copper nanoparticles embedded within a cobalt-MOF matrix, establishing spatially coupled active sites for tandem catalysis. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the in situ-generated Cu nanoparticles selectively catalyze the nitrate-to-nitrite conversion, while the adjacent cobalt sites in the MOF framework facilitate water dissociation to provide reactive hydrogen species (*H) for subsequent nitrite hydrogenation to ammonia.

Tunable directional thermal emission using a phase change material-based multilayer structure.

The directional and spectral control of thermal emission with a tunable angular range is essential for realizing next-generation smart thermal emitters. However, existing photonic strategy-based thermal emitters manage thermal emission only over a fixed angular range. Here, we present a lossless chalcogenide phase change material (PCM)-based tunable multilayer structure as a thermal emitter for actively regulating angular selectivity in thermal emission.

Highly Efficient, Spatially Pure Circularly Polarized Luminescence from Bilayer Self-Assembled Colloidal Quantum Wells and Soft Helical Superstructures.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is important for multiple photonic technologies. It can be achieved with high asymmetry factors (g) by combining quantum emitters (QEs) with one-dimensional helical superstructures (1D-HS). However, existing 1D-HS systems face challenges of maintaining polarization purity across viewing angles, primary due to the mismatch between QE emission profiles and the photonic bandgap of 1D-HS across off-normal directions.

3D Photonic Metacrystals with Enhanced Collective Mie Resonances for Dual Structural Coloration.

3D photonic crystals offer nonfading structural coloration and complex optical properties through coupled Mie resonances in high-refractive-index materials. Although strong magnetic resonances make them promising, they often suffer from optical losses in the visible spectrum. Enhancing Mie resonances and quality factors through collective coupling in lithographically ordered arrays has been demonstrated.

Sustainable DNA-polysaccharide hydrogels as recyclable bioplastics.

Traditional petrochemical-derived plastics are challenging to recycle and degrade, and the existing (re)process methods are organic solvent-based and/or energy-intensive, resulting in significant environmental contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. This study presents a sustainable bioplastic material characterized by multi-closed-loop recyclability and water (re)processability. The bioplastics are derived from abundant polysaccharide sources of dextran, alginic acid, carboxymethyl cellulose, and DNA of plant and living organism waste.

Enhancing Superchiral Fields and Circular Dichroism Detection with Achiral Dielectric Metasurfaces.

We study achiral dielectric metasurfaces composed of symmetric silicon nanocube dimers and demonstrate that they can generate pronounced superchiral fields by engineering the electric and magnetic resonant modes. The superchiral fields exhibit an over 20-fold enhancement in optical chirality density in the visible region. While superchiral fields have been demonstrated in distinct nanostructures, it remains challenging to detect and assess them.

Skyrmionic Polarization Texture around the Phase Singularity of Optical Vortices.

We disclose the existence of a type of optical skyrmion, Gauss-Stokes (GS) skyrmions, that is naturally present in an optical vortex around its phase singularity. Contrary to previous research with optical skyrmions, we neither shape vector beams nor superpose different spatial modes and polarizations. In GS skyrmions, the phase singularity in the transversal field of a single monochromatic beam of uniform polarization (a scalar beam) is concealed by the axial field dictated by Gauss's divergence law, giving rise to a polarization singularity of undefined polarization plane.

Zinc-Coordinated Trienzyme Nanogel Cascade Therapy for Accelerated Post-Pancreatectomy Cutaneous Wound Healing.

Orchestration of enzyme cascades in synthetic systems remains a major challenge for catalytic control in complex biological environments. Here, a zinc-coordinated tri-enzyme nanogel system (Zn@nGSC) is reported that mimics natural enzymatic assemblies by confining individual glucose oxidase (GOX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) within an imidazole-functionalized polymeric nanogel matrix. The nanogel is fabricated via mild in situ polymerization combined with Zn⁺-imidazole coordination, yielding structurally stable multi-enzyme assemblies.