Crossover from Conventional to Unconventional Superconductivity in 2M-WS.

Leveraging the reciprocal-space proximity effect between superconducting bulk and topological surface states (TSSs) offers a promising way to topological superconductivity. However, elucidating the mutual influence of bulk and TSSs on topological superconductivity remains a challenge. Here, we report pioneering transport evidence of a thickness-dependent transition from conventional to unconventional superconductivity in 2M-phase WS (2M-WS).

Nonvolatile Memristive Effect in Few-Layer CrI Driven by Electrostatic Gating.

The potential of memristive devices for applications in nonvolatile memory and neuromorphic computing has sparked considerable interest, particularly in exploring memristive effects in two-dimensional (2D) magnetic materials. However, the progress in developing nonvolatile, magnetic field-free memristive devices using 2D magnets has been limited. In this work, we report an electrostatic-gating-induced nonvolatile memristive effect in CrI-based tunnel junctions.

Controlling the Magneto-Optical Response in Ultrathin Films of EuO via Interface Engineering with Ferroelectric BaTiO.

Utilizing pulsed laser deposition, a film of EuO was deposited onto a Si(001) substrate with MgO buffer and compared to the same heterostructure with an additional BaTiO thin film on top of the EuO surface. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates the films crystallize into a preferred EuO(111) orientation; it also reveals the clear presence of EuSi which suggests Si or Eu diffuses across the MgO buffer layer. EuO films exhibit a ferromagnetic (FM) signature and temperature-dependent exchange bias, indicated by MOKE measurements, suggesting the presence of a magnetic order well above the EuO Curie temperature with possible origins in charge carrier density near the interface.

Large magnetoelectric resistance in the topological Dirac semimetal α-Sn.

The spin-momentum locking of surface states in topological materials can produce a resistance that scales linearly with magnetic and electric fields. Such a bilinear magnetoelectric resistance (BMER) effect offers a new approach for information reading and field sensing applications, but the effects demonstrated so far are too weak or for low temperatures. This article reports the first observation of BMER effects in topological Dirac semimetals; the BMER responses were measured at room temperature and were substantially stronger than those reported previously.

Switching of a Magnet by Spin-Orbit Torque from a Topological Dirac Semimetal.

Recent experiments show that topological surface states (TSS) in topological insulators (TI) can be exploited to manipulate magnetic ordering in ferromagnets. In principle, TSS should also exist for other topological materials, but it remains unexplored as to whether such states can also be utilized to manipulate ferromagnets. Herein, current-induced magnetization switching enabled by TSS in a non-TI topological material, namely, a topological Dirac semimetal α-Sn, is reported.

Two-Dimensional 2M-WS Nanolayers for Superconductivity.

Recently, a newly discovered VIB group transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) material, 2M-WS, has attracted extensive attention due to its interesting physical properties such as topological superconductivity, nodeless superconductivity, and anisotropic Majorana bound states. However, the techniques to grow high-quality 2M-WS bulk crystals and the study of their physical properties at the nanometer scale are still limited. In this work, we report a new route to grow high-quality 2M-WS single crystals and the observation of superconductivity in its thin layers.

Topological Hall Effect in a Topological Insulator Interfaced with a Magnetic Insulator.

A topological insulator (TI) interfaced with a magnetic insulator (MI) may host an anomalous Hall effect (AHE), a quantum AHE, and a topological Hall effect (THE). Recent studies, however, suggest that coexisting magnetic phases in TI/MI heterostructures may result in an AHE-associated response that resembles a THE but in fact is not. This Letter reports a genuine THE in a TI/MI structure that has only one magnetic phase.

Small energy gap revealed in CrBr by scanning tunneling spectroscopy.

CrBr is a layered van der Waals material with magnetic ordering down to the 2D limit. For decades, based on optical measurements, it is believed that the energy gap of CrBr is in the range of 1.68-2.

Magnetization switching using topological surface states.

Topological surface states (TSSs) in a topological insulator are expected to be able to produce a spin-orbit torque that can switch a neighboring ferromagnet. This effect may be absent if the ferromagnet is conductive because it can completely suppress the TSSs, but it should be present if the ferromagnet is insulating. This study reports TSS-induced switching in a bilayer consisting of a topological insulator BiSe and an insulating ferromagnet BaFeO.

Room temperature d ferromagnetism in PbS films: nonuniform distribution of Pb vacancies.

Because of the importance of ferromagnetism at room temperature, we search for new materials that can exhibit a non-vanishing magnetic moment at room temperature and at the same time can be used in spintronics. The experimental results indicate that d0 ferromagnetism without any magnetic impurities takes place in PbS films made of close-packed lead sulfide nanoparticles of 30 nm. To explain the existence of the d0 ferromagnetism, we propose a model where various PbS bulk and surface configurations of Pb-vacancies are analyzed.

Magnetic properties and photovoltaic applications of ZnO:Mn nanocrystals.

A simple and large-scale synthetic method of Mn doped ZnO (ZnO:Mn) was developed in this work. ZnO:Mn nanocrystals with hexagonal structure were prepared by thermal decomposition of zinc acetate and manganese acetate in the presence of oleylamine and oleic acid with different temperatures, ligand ratios, and Mn doping concentrations. The particle size (47-375 nm) and morphology (hexagonal nanopyramid, hexagonal nanodisk and irregular nanospheres) of ZnO:Mn nanocrystals can be controlled by the ratio of capping ligand, reaction temperature, reaction time and Mn doping concentration.

Origin of the Ultrafast Response of the Lateral Photovoltaic Effect in Amorphous MoS/Si Junctions.

The lateral photovoltaic (LPV) effect has attracted much attention for a long time because of its application in position-sensitive detectors (PSD). Here, we report the ultrafast response of the LPV in amorphous MoS/Si (a-MoS/Si) junctions prepared by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Different orientations of the built-in field and the breakover voltages are observed for a-MoS films deposited on p- and n-type Si wafers, resulting in the induction of positive and negative voltages in the a-MoS/n-Si and a-MoS/p-Si junctions upon laser illumination, respectively.

Magnetic hard gap due to bound magnetic polarons in the localized regime.

We investigate the low temperature electron transport properties of manganese doped lead sulfide films. The system shows variable range hopping at low temperatures that crosses over into an activation regime at even lower temperatures. This crossover is destroyed by an applied magnetic field which suggests a magnetic origin of the hard gap, associated with bound magnetic polarons.

Near-ultraviolet lateral photovoltaic effect in FeO/3C-SiC Schottky junctions.

In this paper, we report a sensitive lateral photovoltaic effect (LPE) in FeO/3C-SiC Schottky junctions with a fast relaxation time at near-ultraviolet wavelengths. The rectifying behavior suggests that the large build-in electric field was formed in the Schottky junctions. This device has excellent position sensitivity as high as 67.

Spin-orbit torque-assisted switching in magnetic insulator thin films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy.

As an in-plane charge current flows in a heavy metal film with spin-orbit coupling, it produces a torque on and thereby switches the magnetization in a neighbouring ferromagnetic metal film. Such spin-orbit torque (SOT)-induced switching has been studied extensively in recent years and has shown higher efficiency than switching using conventional spin-transfer torque. Here we report the SOT-assisted switching in heavy metal/magnetic insulator systems.

Origin of colossal dielectric permittivity of rutile Ti₀.₉In₀.₀₅Nb₀.₀₅O₂: single crystal and polycrystalline.

In this paper, we investigated the dielectric properties of (In + Nb) co-doped rutile TiO2 single crystal and polycrystalline ceramics. Both of them showed colossal, up to 10(4), dielectric permittivity at room temperature. The single crystal sample showed one dielectric relaxation process with a large dielectric loss.

Watermelon-like iron nanoparticles: Cr doping effect on magnetism and magnetization interaction reversal.

Cr-doped core-shell iron/iron-oxide nanoparticles (NPs) containing 0, 2, 5, and 8 at.% of Cr dopant were synthesized via a nanocluster deposition system and their structural and magnetic properties were investigated. We observed the formation of a σ-FeCr phase in 2 at.

The optical and magnetic properties of CoO and Co nanocrystals prepared by a facile technique.

CoO and Co nanocrystals with cubic crystal structures were prepared by thermal decomposition of cobalt(II) acetate tetrahydrate in a mixture of oleylamine and oleic acid under the protection of nitrogen gas at 300 °C for 2 h. The products of CoO or Co nanocrystals are determined by the relative amount of oleylamine due to its reducibility. The sizes and shapes of CoO or Co can be controlled by the ratio of cobalt : oleylamine : oleic acid due to different binding capabilities of the two capping ligands (oleylamine and oleic acid).

UV-Vis-NIR luminescence properties and energy transfer mechanism of LiSrPO4:Eu2+, Pr3+ suitable for solar spectral convertor.

An efficient near-infrared (NIR) phosphor LiSrPO(4):Eu(2+), Pr(3+) is synthesized by solid-state reaction and systematically investigated using x-ray diffraction, diffuse reflection spectrum, photoluminescence spectra at room temperature and 3 K, and the decay curves. The UV-Vis-NIR energy transfer mechanism is proposed based on these results. The results demonstrate Eu(2+) can be an efficient sensitizer for harvesting UV photon and greatly enhancing the NIR emission of Pr(3+) between 960 and 1060 nm through efficient energy feeding by allowed 4f-5d absorption of Eu(2+) with high oscillator strength.

A magnetic polaron model for the enhanced Curie temperature of EuO(1-x).

The investigation of a series of oxygen-deficient EuO thin films provided strong evidence that the doped electrons form magnetic polarons with the nearby Eu2+ 4f spins; this is responsible for the enhanced Curie temperature observed near 140 K. Unlike in the previous magnetic polaron models proposed for the metal-to-insulator transition in EuO, the exchange coupling J between the doped electron and its neighboring 4f spins is antiferromagnetic. The model explains satisfactorily the fact that the ordering temperature of the magnetic polarons occurs at ~140 K, independently of the oxygen vacancy concentration, and the contradiction that electron doping increases T(c) and yet reduces the red shift in the optical absorption.

Optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS) as a sensor for thin film and quantum dot corrosion.

Optical waveguide lightmode spectroscopy (OWLS) is usually applied as a biosensor system to the sorption-desorption of proteins to waveguide surfaces. Here, we show that OWLS can be used to monitor the quality of oxide thin film materials and of coatings of pulsed laser deposition synthesized CdSe quantum dots (QDs) intended for solar energy applications. In addition to changes in data treatment and experimental procedure, oxide- or QD-coated waveguide sensors must be synthesized.

pH- and dopant-dependent CdMoO4:Mn nanocrystals: luminescence and magnetic properties.

CdMoO(4):Mn nanocrystals with a tetragonal crystal structure were prepared by aqueous coprecipitation method at a low temperature of 2 °C under different pH values. The size of the CdMoO(4):Mn nanocrystals of spherical morphology increases with the Mn dopant concentration from 35 to 55 nm for pH = 4. The morphology could be tuned from nanocrystals to microstructures consisting of smaller nanoparticles by the Mn concentration when the pH value of the precursor was increased to 8.

Study on the effects of 5d energy locations of Ce³⁺ ions on NIR quantum cutting process in Y₂SiO₅: Ce³⁺, Yb³⁺.

The effects of the 5d energy locations of Ce³⁺ centers on the NIR quantum cutting process were studied in Y₂SiO₅ with two different substitutional Y³⁺ lattice sites for Ce³⁺ and Yb³⁺. Powder XRD and Rietveld refinement were used to characterize phase purity, crystal structure, lattice parameters and occupation fractions of Y₂₋x-yCexYbySiO₅ (x = 0.002 and 0.

Pulsed laser deposition of CdSe Quantum dots on Zn2SnO4 nanowires and their photovoltaic applications.

In this work we report a physical deposition-based, one-step quantum dot (QD) synthesis and assembly on ternary metal oxide nanowires for photovoltaic applications. Typical solution-based synthesis of colloidal QDs for QD sensitized solar cells involves nontrivial ligand exchange processing and toxic wet chemicals, and the effect of the ligands on carrier transport has not been fully understood. In this research using pulsed laser deposition, CdSe QDs were coated on Zn(2)SnO(4) nanowires without ligand molecules, and the coverage could be controlled by adjusting the laser fluence.