Unveiling Superior Solar-Blind Photodetection with a NiO/ZnGaO Heterojunction Diode.

This investigation presents a self-powered, solar-blind photodetector utilizing a low-temperature fabricated crystalline NiO/ZnGaO heterojunction with a staggered type-II band alignment. The device leverages the pyrophototronic effect (PPE), combining the photoelectric effect in the p-n junction and the pyroelectric effect in the non-centrosymmetric ZnGaO crystal. This synergistic effect enhances the photodetector's performance parameters, thereby outperforming traditional solar-blind photodetectors.

Superconductive MgB Intercalated Muscovite with Dynamically Tunable Stress.

In this study, we utilized a stress-sensitive superconductor MgB in combination with a flexible muscovite, a layered silicate, to demonstrate that materials in a reduced-dimension environment could be influenced by external strain. MgB nanocrystals were inserted into the muscovite interlayers using gas phase intercalation, creating a two-dimensional cavity-like structure. Several experiments confirmed that the cavity-induced static pressure from the intercalation effect and the external dynamic bending effect can affect the physical properties of MgB.

Antiferroelectric Heterostructures Memristors with Unique Resistive Switching Mechanisms and Properties.

A novel antiferroelectric material, PbSnO (PSO), was introduced into a resistive random access memory (RRAM) to reveal its resistive switching (RS) properties. It exhibits outstanding electrical performance with a large memory window (>10), narrow switching voltage distribution (±2 V), and low power consumption. Using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, we observed the antiferroelectric properties and remanent polarization of the PSO thin films.

Nonvolatile Modulation of BiOSe/Pb(Zr,Ti)O Heteroepitaxy.

The pursuit of high-performance electronic devices has driven the research focus toward 2D semiconductors with high electron mobility and suitable band gaps. Previous studies have demonstrated that quasi-2D BiOSe (BOSe) has remarkable physical properties and is a promising candidate for further exploration. Building upon this foundation, the present work introduces a novel concept for achieving nonvolatile and reversible control of BOSe's electronic properties.

Mechanically Robust Interface at Metal/Muscovite Quasi van der Waals Epitaxy.

Quasi van der Waals epitaxy is an approach to constructing the combination of 2D and 3D materials. Here, we quantify and discuss the 2D/3D interface structure and the corresponding features in metal/muscovite systems. High-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals the atomic arrangement at the interface.

High Entropy Nonlinear Dielectrics with Superior Thermally Stable Performance.

A high configurational entropy, achieved through a proper design of compositions, can minimize the Gibbs free energy and stabilize the quasi-equilibrium phases in a solid-solution form. This leads to the development of high-entropy materials with unique structural characteristics and excellent performance, which otherwise could not be achieved through conventional pathways. This work develops a high-entropy nonlinear dielectric system, based on the expansion of lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate.

A High-Entropy-Oxides-Based Memristor: Outstanding Resistive Switching Performance and Mechanisms in Atomic Structural Evolution.

The application of high-entropy oxide (HEO) has attracted significant attention in recent years owing to their unique structural characteristics, such as excellent electrochemical properties and long-term cycling stability. However, the application of resistive random-access memory (RRAM) has not been extensively studied, and the switching mechanism of HEO-based RRAM has yet to be thoroughly investigated. In this study, HEO (Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) O with a spinel structure is epitaxially grown on a Nb:STO conductive substrate, and Pt metal is deposited as the top electrode.

Antiferroelectric PbSnO Epitaxial Thin Films.

In condensed matter physics, oxide materials show various intriguing physical properties. Therefore, many efforts are made in this field to develop functional oxides. Due to the excellent potential for tin-based perovskite oxides, an expansion of new related functional compounds is crucial.

Electric-field control of the nucleation and motion of isolated three-fold polar vertices.

Recently various topological polar structures have been discovered in oxide thin films. Despite the increasing evidence of their switchability under electrical and/or mechanical fields, the dynamic property of isolated ones, which is usually required for applications such as data storage, is still absent. Here, we show the controlled nucleation and motion of isolated three-fold vertices under an applied electric field.

Synthesis of a New Ferroelectric Relaxor Based on a Combination of Antiferroelectric and Paraelectric Systems.

Relaxor ferroelectric-based energy storage systems are promising candidates for advanced applications as a result of their fast speed and high energy storage density. In the research field of ferroelectrics and relaxor ferroelectrics, the concept of solid solution is widely adopted to modify the overall properties and acquire superior performance. However, the combination between antiferroelectric and paraelectric materials was less studied and discussed.

Flexoelectric Domain Walls Originated from Structural Phase Transition in Epitaxial BiVO Films.

Polar domain walls in centrosymmetric ferroelastics induce inhomogeneity that is the origin of advantageous multifunctionality. In particular, polar domain walls promote charge-carrier separation and hence are promising for energy conversion applications that overcome the hurdles of the rate-limiting step in the traditional photoelectrochemical water splitting processes. Yet, while macroscopic studies investigate the materials at the device scale, the origin of this phenomenon in general and the emergence of polar domain walls during the structural phase transition in particular has remained elusive, encumbering the development of this attractive system.

Novel Dyadic Amorphous-Crystalline Nano-Titania Hybrids for Sacrifiers-Stored Photocatalysis.

Sacrifiers-promoted photocatalysis is a useful way to achieve high efficiency photoreduction and photocatalytic hydrogen production for photocatalysts of weak reductive power such as TiO. Herein we report a new method to fabricate a unique dyadic hybrid consisting of closely compacted crystalline (anatase) and titanium glycerolate (TiG)-derived organic group-retained amorphous nanoparticles to validate adsorption-stored sacrifiers-promoted photocatalysis instead of using sacrifiers in bulk solution. It was found that ascorbic acid (AA)-modified TiG prepared at a small fraction of glycerol, characterized by peculiar cocoon/open nanocontainer-type morphologies, varieties of oxygen containing groups, and remarkably high specific surface area, is suitable for precursing such hybrids.

Negatively Charged In-Plane and Out-Of-Plane Domain Walls with Oxygen-Vacancy Agglomerations in a Ca-Doped Bismuth-Ferrite Thin Film.

The interaction of oxygen vacancies and ferroelectric domain walls is of great scientific interest because it leads to different domain-structure behaviors. Here, we use high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy to study the ferroelectric domain structure and oxygen-vacancy ordering in a compressively strained BiCaFeO thin film. It was found that atomic plates, in which agglomerated oxygen vacancies are ordered, appear without any periodicity between the plates in out-of-plane and in-plane orientation.

The superparaelectric battery.

The superparaelectric state delivers a new pathway for dielectric energy storage.

Flexible BiVO/WO/ITO/Muscovite Heterostructure for Visible-Light Photoelectrochemical Photoelectrode.

Flexible electronics has recently captured extensive attention due to its intriguing functionalities and great potential for influencing our daily life. In addition, with the increasing demand for green energy, photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a clean process that directly converts solar energy to chemical energy in the form of hydrogen. Thus the development of flexible green energy electronics represents a new domain in the research field of energy harvesting.

Strain engineering of optical properties in transparent VO/muscovite heterostructures.

Transparent VO/muscovite heterostructures have attracted considerable attention because of their unique chemical and physical properties and potential practical applications. In this paper, we investigated the influence of uniaxial mechanical strain on the optical properties of VO/muscovite heterostructures through Raman scattering and optical transmittance measurements. Under applied strain, linear shifts in peak positions of Raman-active phonon modes at approximately 340, 309, and 391 cm were observed.

Fabrication of Large-Scale High-Mobility Flexible Transparent Zinc Oxide Single Crystal Wafers.

Single crystal wafers, such as silicon, are the fundamental carriers of advanced electronic devices. However, these wafers exhibit rigidity without mechanical flexibility, limiting their applications in flexible electronics. Here, we propose a new approach to fabricate 1.

Flexible Epsilon Iron Oxide Thin Films.

Metastable ε-FeO is a unique phase of iron oxide, which exhibits a giant coercivity field. In this work, we grew epitaxial ε-FeO films on flexible two-dimensional muscovite substrates via quasi van der Waals epitaxy. It turns out that twinning and interface energies have been playing essential roles in stabilizing metastable ε-FeO on mica substrates.

Photovoltaic and flexible deep ultraviolet wavelength detector based on novel β-GaO/muscovite heteroepitaxy.

Flexible and self-powered deep ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors are pivotal for next-generation electronic skins to enrich human life quality. The fabrication of epitaxial β-GaO thin films is challenging on flexible substrates due to high-temperature growth requirements. Herein, β-GaO ([Formula: see text] 0 1) films are hetero-epitaxially grown on ultra-thin and environment-friendly muscovite mica which is the first time β-GaO epitaxy growth on any flexible substrate.

Dynamical Strain-Driven Phase Separation in Flexible CoFeO/CoO Exchange Coupling System.

Epitaxial CoFeO(CFO)/CoO bilayers were fabricated by pulsed laser deposition on flexible muscovite mica substrate. Samples with different CFO thicknesses were employed to study the phenomenon of exchange bias involving strongly anisotropic ferromagnet. Magnetic measurements exhibited great enhancement in the features of exchange bias.

van der Waals oxide heteroepitaxy for soft transparent electronics.

The quest for multifunctional, low-power and environment friendly electronics has brought research on materials to the forefront. For instance, as the emerging field of transparent flexible electronics is set to greatly impact our daily lives, more stringent requirements are being imposed on functional materials. Inherently flexible polymers and metal foil templates have yielded limited success due to their incompatible high-temperature growth and non-transparency, respectively.