Pixelated Toroidal Metasurface Sensor with Broadband Terahertz Fingerprint Enhancement for Biochemical Trace Detection.

Terahertz (THz) trace fingerprint detection is essential for identifying the characteristic biomolecular absorption fingerprints from inherent molecular rotational and vibrational modes. Plasmonic THz resonance shows a way to enhance the recognition of biomolecular absorption fingerprint spectra. In this research, we experimentally demonstrate a broadband THz fingerprint metasensor based on a pixelated toroidal metasurface, showcasing excellent capabilities in biochemical trace detection.

Terahertz Wave Alleviates Comorbidity Anxiety in Pain by Reducing the Binding Capacity of Nanostructured Glutamate Molecules to GluA2.

Comorbid anxiety in chronic pain is clinically common, with a comorbidity rate of over 50%. The main treatments are based on pharmacological, interventional, and implantable approaches, which have limited efficacy and carry a risk of side effects. Here, we report a terahertz (THz, 10 Hz) wave stimulation (THS) technique, which exerts nonthermal, long-term modulatory effects on neuronal activity by reducing the binding between nano-sized glutamate molecules and GluA2, leading to the relief of pain and comorbid anxiety-like behaviors in mice.

Lead-Free Manganese Halide Perovskite for Minute-Level Dynamic Time-Gating Anticounterfeiting.

The dynamic time-gating anticounterfeiting based on phosphorescence materials is the current hot topic of research. However, the short change time from nanosecond-level fluorescence false information to μs-level fluorescence correct information makes it easily deciphered just by turning off ultraviolet (UV) light. Herein, we first reported a new type of minute-level dynamic time-gating anticounterfeiting technology based on the ethanol-induced phase transition between the red-emitting CsMnBr crystals and green-emitting CsMnBr crystals.

Flexible and stable piezoelectric nanogenerators based on monoclinic phase CsPbBr perovskite nanocrystals.

CsPbBr perovskite has garnered significant attention in the field of optoelectronics due to its exceptional photoelectric properties. In this study, we report the fabrication of a piezoelectric nanogenerator (PNG) composed of a composite of monoclinic phase CsPbBr nanocrystals and polydimethylsiloxane. This is the first instance of a PNG based on the monoclinic phase of CsPbBr.

Empowering DNA-Based Information Processing: Computation and Data Storage.

Information processing is a critical topic in the digital age, as silicon-based circuits face unprecedented challenges such as data explosion, immense energy consumption, and approaching physical limits. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), naturally selected as a carrier for storing and using genetic information, possesses unique advantages for information processing, which has given rise to the emerging fields of DNA computing and DNA data storage. To meet the growing practical demands, a wide variety of materials and interfaces have been introduced into DNA information processing technologies, leading to significant advancements.

Aberration calculation of microlens array using differential algebraic method.

Microlens array (MLA), through which all the sub-beams are focused, is widely used in multi-electron-beam systems. In this work, based on the differential algebraic (DA) method, we propose an approach in calculating the high-order aberrations for both axial and off-axial microlenses, considering the multipole fields that are introduced by the neighborhood structures in MLA, as well as the rotationally symmetric field. To perform the DA calculation, the electric fields of the microlenses are analyzed by using the azimuthal Fourier analysis and the Fourier-Bessel series Expansion.

Microfluidic SERS biosensor based on Au-semicoated photonic crystals for melanoma diagnosis.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) shows great promise for early diagnosis due to its high specificity and rapid detection capabilities. However, its application is often hindered by substrate instability and insufficient interaction between the substrate and incident light. To address these challenges, a photonic-plasmonic strategy is often employed to enhance sensing performance but it is generally limited by the low efficiency of plasmonic metal and optical cavity resonances.

A Body-Temperature-Triggered In Situ Softening Peripheral Nerve Electrode for Chronic Robust Neuromodulation.

Implantable peripheral nerve electrodes are crucial for monitoring health and alleviating symptoms of chronic diseases. Advanced compliant electrodes have been developed because of their biomechanical compatibility. However, these mechanically tissue-like electrodes suffer from unmanageable operating forces, leading to high risks of nerve injury and fragile electrode-tissue interfaces.

Deciphering the atomistic mechanism underlying highly tunable piezoelectric properties in perovskite ferroelectrics via transition metal doping.

Piezoelectricity, a fundamental property of perovskite ferroelectrics, endows the materials at the heart of electromechanical systems spanning from macro to micro/nano scales. Defect engineering strategies, particularly involving heterovalent trace impurities and derived vacancies, hold great potential for adjusting piezoelectric performance. Despite the prevalent use of defect engineering for modification, a comprehensive understanding of the specific features that positively impact material properties is still lacking, this knowledge gap impedes the advancement of a universally applicable defect selection and design strategy.

Two-dimensional flat-band solitons in superhoneycomb lattices.

Flat-band periodic materials are characterized by a linear spectrum containing at least one band where the propagation constant remains nearly constant irrespective of the Bloch momentum across the Brillouin zone. These materials provide a unique platform for investigating phenomena related to light localization. Meantime, the interaction between flat-band physics and nonlinearity in continuous systems remains largely unexplored, particularly in continuous systems where the band flatness deviates slightly from zero, in contrast to simplified discrete systems with exactly flat bands.

Surface plasmon-cavity hybrid state and its graphene modulation at THz frequencies.

Fabry-Pérot (F-P) cavity and metal hole array are classic photonic devices. Integrating F-P cavity with holey metal typically enhances interfacial reflection and dampens wave transmission. In this work, a hybrid bound surface state is found within rectangular metal holes on a silicon substrate by merging an extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) mode and a high-order F-P cavity mode both spatially and spectrally.

Orthogonally and linearly polarized green emission from a semipolar InGaN based microcavity.

Polarized light has promising applications in biological inspections, displays, and precise measurements. Direct emission of polarized light from a semiconductor device is highly desired in order to reduce the size and energy-consumption of the whole system. In this study, we demonstrate a semipolar GaN-based microcavity light-emitting diode (MCLED) that could simultaneously produce green light with perpendicular and parallel polarizations to the -axis.

Manipulating chiral photon generation from plasmonic nanocavity-emitter hybrid systems: from weak to strong coupling.

By confining light into a deep subwavelength scale to match the characteristic dimension of quantum emitters, plasmonic nanocavities can effectively imprint the light emission with unique properties in terms of intensity, directionality, as well as polarization. In this vein, achiral quantum emitters can generate chiral photons through coupling with plasmonic nanocavities with either intrinsic or extrinsic chirality. As an important metric for the chiral-photon purity, the degree of circular polarization (DCP) is usually tuned by various scattered factors such as the nanocavity design, the emitter type, and the coupling strategy.

Nerve-Inspired Optical Waveguide Stretchable Sensor Fusing Wireless Transmission and AI Enabling Smart Tele-Healthcare.

Flexible strain monitoring of hand and joint muscle movement is recognized as an effective method for the diagnosis and rehabilitation of neurological diseases such as stroke and Parkinson's disease. However, balancing high sensitivity and large strain, improving wearing comfort, and solving the separation of diagnosis and treatment are important challenges for further building tele-healthcare systems. Herein, a hydrogel-based optical waveguide stretchable (HOWS) sensor is proposed in this paper.

Fast Seawater Desalination Integrated with Electrochemical CO Reduction.

Coupling desalination with electrocatalytic reactions is an emerging approach to simultaneously addressing freshwater scarcity and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the salt removal rate in such processes is slow, and the applicable water sources are often limited to those with high salt concentrations. Herein, we show high-performance electrocatalytic desalination by coupling with electrochemical CO reduction using a carbon catalyst.

Experimental Demonstration of Drone-Based Quantum Key Distribution.

Quantum state transferring has been demonstrated using drones via entanglement distribution. Here, we demonstrate the first drone-based quantum task for quantum key distribution (QKD). Compact and polarization-maintaining acquisition, pointing, and tracking systems and QKD modules are developed and loaded on a homemade octocopter with a takeoff weight of 30 kg.

Miniaturized silicon-based capacitive six-axis force/torque sensor with large range, high sensitivity, and low crosstalk.

Miniaturized six-axis force/torque sensors have potential applications in robotic tactile sensing, minimally invasive surgery, and other narrow operating spaces, where currently available commercial sensors cannot meet the requirements because of their large size. In this study, a silicon-based capacitive six-axis force/torque sensing chip with a small size of 9.3 × 9.

Phenolic multiple kinetics-dynamics and discrete crystallization thermodynamics in amorphous carbon nanostructures for electromagnetic wave absorption.

The lack of a chemical platform with high spatial dimensional diversity, coupled with the elusive multi-scale amorphous physics, significantly hinder advancements in amorphous electromagnetic wave absorption (EWA) materials. Herein, we present a synergistic engineering of phenolic multiple kinetic dynamics and discrete crystallization thermodynamics, to elucidate the origin of the dielectric properties in amorphous carbon and the cascade effect during EWA. Leveraging the scalability of phenolic synthesis, we design dozens of morphologies from the bottom up and combine with in-situ pyrolysis to establish a nanomaterial ecosystem of hundreds of amorphous carbon materials.

Bi-Enhanced BiTiO Heterojunctions for Improved Photocatalytic Activity in Tetracycline Removal.

The photocatalytic proficiency of BiTiO is hindered by its inadequate solar energy harnessing capability and swift electron-hole recombination dynamics. In the investigation, the study innovated Bi metal oxide heterostructures by embedding Bi nanoparticle-modified BiTiO composites, systematically synthesizing a suite of Bi/BT materials through meticulous tuning of the Bi and Ti precursor ratios. Notably, the Bi/BT-2 series was examined for its photocatalytic performance in tetracycline (TC) degradation.

Design and Development of D-A-D Organic Material for Solution-Processed Organic/Si Hybrid Solar Cells with 17.5% Power Conversion Efficiency.

Organic/silicon hybrid solar cells have attracted much interest due to their cheap fabrication process and simple device structure. A category of organic substances, Dibenzothiophene-Spirobifluorene-Dithiophene (DBBT-mTPA-DBT), comprises dibenzo [d,b] thiophene and 3-(3-methoxyphenyl)-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)-9-Carbazole, which function as electron donors. In contrast, methanone is an electron acceptor, with an ∆Est of 3.