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At least 487 records · Page 27

Imaging Reconfigurable Molecular Concentration on a Graphene Field-Effect Transistor

The spatial arrangement of adsorbates deposited onto a clean surface under vacuum typically cannot be reversibly tuned. Here we use scanning tunneling microscopy to demonstrate that molecules deposited onto graphene field-effect transistors (FETs) exhibit reversible, electrically tunable surface concentration. Continuous gate-tunable control over the surface concentration of charged F 4 TCNQ molecules was achieved on a graphene FET at T = 4.5K. This capability enables the precisely controlled impurity doping of graphene devices and also provides a new method for determining molecular energy level alignment based on the gate-dependence of molecular concentration. Gate-tunable molecular concentration is explained by a dynamical molecular rearrangement process that reduces total electronic energy by maintaining Fermi level pinning in the device substrate. Finally, the molecular surface concentration is fully determined by the device back-gate voltage, its geometric capacitance, and the energy difference between the graphene Dirac point and the molecular LUMO level.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

In Situ Atomic Tracking on the Interfacial Etching and Reconfiguration of Cu-ReSe 2 Contact during Thermal Annealing

The Schottky barrier height can be greatly affected by the metal diffusion, reaction, and covalent bonding formation at the contact. Exploring novel methods and revealing the fundamental mechanisms for contact engineering are of vital importance for microelectronic devices. Here, in this study, the annealing induced interfacial reactions at Cu-ReSe 2 contact are dynamically revealed from the atomic scale. Accompanied by the diffusion of Se to Cu, ReSe 2 is gradually decomposed to a thin Re interlayer through a “chain-by-chain” manner. Theoretical calculations show that the Cu atoms can facilitate the chemical bond breaking of ReSe 2 , significantly lowering the Se diffusion energy barrier toward Cu. The formed Re/ReSe 2 heterostructure presents a metal-like band structure, which underscores the critical role of Cu in altering the interfacial chemistry and promoting carrier transport across the interface. Our results can provide vital insights into the contact properties of ReSe 2 and provide a possible method for fabricating high-performance ReSe 2 -based devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Dynamically Reconfigurable Metadevice Employing Nanostructured Phase-Change Materials

Mastering dynamic free-space spectral control and modulation in the near-infrared (NIR) and optical regimes remains a challenging task that is hindered by the available functional materials at high frequencies. In this work, we have realized an efficient metadevice capable of spectral control by minimizing the thermal mass of a vanadium dioxide phase-change material (PCM) and placing the PCM at the feed gap of a bow-tie field antenna. The device has an experimentally measured tuning range of up to 360 nm in the NIR and a modulation depth of 33% at the resonant wavelength. The metadevice is configured for integrated and local heating, leading to faster switching and more precise spatial control compared with devices based on phase-change thin films. We envisage that the combined advantages of this device will open new opportunities for signal processing, memory, security, and holography at optical frequencies.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Reconfigurable Vanadium Dioxide Nanomembranes and Microtubes with Controllable Phase Transition Temperatures

Here, two additional structural forms, free-standing nanomembranes and microtubes, are reported and added to the vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) material family. Free-standing VO 2 nanomembranes were fabricated by precisely thinning as-grown VO 2 thin films and etching away the sacrificial layer underneath. VO 2 microtubes with a range of controllable diameters were rolled-up from the VO 2 nanomembranes. When a VO 2 nanomembrane is rolled-up into a microtubular structure, a significant compressive strain is generated and accommodated therein, which decreases the phase transition temperature of the VO 2 material. The magnitude of the compressive strain is determined by the curvature of the VO 2 microtube, which can be rationally and accurately designed by controlling the tube diameter during the rolling-up fabrication process. The VO 2 microtube rolling-up process presents a novel way to controllably tune the phase transition temperature of VO 2 materials over a wide range toward practical applications. Furthermore, the rolling-up process is reversible. A VO 2 microtube can be transformed back into a nanomembrane by introducing an external strain. Because of its tunable phase transition temperature and reversible shape transformation, the VO 2 nanomembrane-microtube structure is promising for device applications. As an example application, a tubular microactuator device with low driving energy but large displacement is demonstrated at various triggering temperatures.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Self-Assembled Magnetic Nanoparticle Layers: Structural Control for Reconfigurable Magnetism and Functional Applications

We advance soft X-ray vector ptychographic tomography to map the 3D magnetization field in self-assembled superparamagnetic nanoparticles at a liquid–liquid interface, revealing how layered structures influence magnetic ordering. We observe that monolayers with low coordination numbers exhibit weak magnetic order, with magnetic vortices disrupting spin alignment. In contrast, bilayers and trilayers with higher coordination numbers display long-range magnetic order with strong spin correlations across larger distances and a suppression of magnetic vortices. We further quantify the average distance for vortex–antivortex pairs as 26.0 ± 2.0 nm, while vortex–vortex and antivortex–antivortex pairs exhibit larger separations, averaging 44.9 ± 5.2 and 54.1 ± 7.4 nm, respectively. These experimental results are supported by micromagnetic Monte Carlo simulations. Our findings illustrate how layered structures enhance magnetic order and spin correlation in superparamagnetic nanoparticle assemblies, providing a promising approach for tuning magnetic properties in applications such as data storage, microrobotics, and biomedicine.

Lu, Xingyuan↗

Redox-Responsive, Reconfigurable All-Liquid Constructs

Using host-guest chemistries in a biphasic system, a novel supramolecular nanoparticle surfactant (s-NPS) with redox-responsiveness is presented to structure liquids. Additionally, the in situ assembly/jamming and disassembly/unjamming of s-NPSs at the oil-water interface are reversibly controlled by a switchable redox process, imparting a nanoscale redox-responsiveness, affecting the assemblies on all length scales. "Smart" all-liquid constructs including structured emulsions and programmable liquid devices are easily prepared, showing promising applications in responsive delivery, release, and reaction systems.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Room-Temperature Voltage Tunable Phonon Thermal Conductivity via Reconfigurable Interfaces in Ferroelectric Thin Films

Dynamic control of thermal transport in solid-state systems is a transformative capability with the promise to propel technologies including phononic logic, thermal management, and energy harvesting. A solid-state solution to rapidly manipulate phonons has escaped the scientific community. Here, we demonstrate active and reversible tuning of thermal conductivity by manipulating the nanoscale ferroelastic domain structure of a Pb(Zr 0.3 Ti 0.7 )O 3 film with applied electric fields. With subsecond response times, the room-temperature thermal conductivity was modulated by 11%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Reconfiguring crystal and electronic structures of MoS 2 by substitutional doping

Doping of traditional semiconductors has enabled technological applications in modern electronics by tailoring their chemical, optical and electronic properties. However, substitutional doping in two-dimensional semiconductors is at a comparatively early stage, and the resultant effects are less explored. In this work, we report unusual effects of degenerate doping with Nb on structural, electronic and optical characteristics of MoS 2 crystals. The doping readily induces a structural transformation from naturally occurring 2H stacking to 3R stacking. Electronically, a strong interaction of the Nb impurity states with the host valence bands drastically and nonlinearly modifies the electronic band structure with the valence band maximum of multilayer MoS 2 at the Γ point pushed upward by hybridization with the Nb states. Finally, when thinned down to monolayers, in stark contrast, such significant nonlinear effect vanishes, instead resulting in strong and broadband photoluminescence via the formation of exciton complexes tightly bound to neutral acceptors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗