Speckle-Free, Angle-Free, Cavity-Free White Laser with a High Color Rendering Index.

The freedom from efficiency droop motivates monochromatic lasers to progress in general lighting applications due to the demand for more efficient and sustainable light sources. Still, a white light based on monochromatic lasers with high lighting quality, such as a high color rendering ability, an angle-independent output, and a speckle-free illumination, has not yet been fabricated nor demonstrated. Random lasers, with the special mechanism caused by multiple scattering, the angle-free emission, and the uncomplicated fabrication processes, inspire us to investigate the feasibility of utilizing them in general lighting. In this work, a white random laser with a high color rendering index (CRI) value, regardless of pumping energy and observing direction, was performed and discussed. We also investigated the stability of white RL as its CIE chromaticity coordinates exhibit negligible differences with increasing pump energy density, retaining its high-CRI measurement. Also, it exhibits angle-independent emission while having a high color rendering ability. After passing through a scattering film, it generated no speckles compared to the conventional laser. We demonstrated the advances in white laser illumination, showing that a white random laser is promising to be applied for high-brightness illumination, biological-friendly lighting, accurate color selections, and medical sensing.

Enhanced Förster resonance energy transfer on layered metal-dielectric hyperbolic metamaterials: an excellent platform for low-threshold laser action.

Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) is a well-known physical phenomenon, which has been widely used in a variety of fields, spanning from chemistry, and physics to optoelectronic devices. In this study, giant enhanced FRET for donor-acceptor CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) pairs placed on top of Au/MoO3 multilayer hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) has been realized. An enhanced FRET transfer efficiency as high as 93% was achieved for the energy transfer from a blue-emitting QD to a red-emitting QD, greater than that of other QD-based FRET in previous studies. Experimental results show that the random laser action of the QD pairs is greatly increased on a hyperbolic metamaterial by the enhanced FRET effect. The lasing threshold with assistance of the FRET effect can be reduced by 33% for the mixed blue- and red-emitting as QDs compared to the pure red-emitting QDs. The underlying origins can be well understood based on the combination of several significant factors, including spectral overlap of donor emission and acceptor absorption, the formation of coherent closed loops due to multiple scatterings, an appropriate design of HMMs, and the enhanced FRET assisted by HMMs.

Self-Assembled Monolayer for Low-Power-Consumption, Long-Term-Stability, and High-Efficiency Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes.

Quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are an emerging class of optoelectronic devices with a wide range of applications. However, there still exist several drawbacks preventing their applications, including long-term stability, electron leakage, and large power consumption. To circumvent the difficulties, QLEDs based on a self-assembled hole transport layer (HTL) with reduced device complexity are proposed and demonstrated. The self-assembled HTL is prepared from poly[3-(6-carboxyhexyl)thiophene-2,5-diyl] (P3HT-COOH) solution in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) forming a well-ordered monolayer on an indium-tin-oxide (ITO) anode. The P3HT-COOH monolayer has a smaller HOMO band offset and a sufficiently large electron barrier with respect to the CdSe/ZnS quantum dot (QD) emission layer, and thus it is beneficial for hole injection into and electron leakage blocking from the QD layer. Interestingly, the QLEDs exhibit an excellent conversion efficiency (97%) in turning the injected electron-hole pairs into light emission. The performance of the resulting QLEDs possesses a low turn-on voltage of +1.2 V and a maximum external quantum efficiency of 25.19%, enabling low power consumption with high efficiency. Additionally, those QLEDs also exhibit excellent long-term stability without encapsulation with over 90% luminous intensity after 200 days and superior durability with over 70% luminous intensity after 2 h operation under the luminance of 1000 cd m-2. The outstanding device features of our proposed QLEDs, including low turn-on voltage, high efficiency, and long-term stability, can advance the development of QLEDs toward facile large-area mass production and cost-effectiveness.

Coupling between Pyroelectricity and Built-In Electric Field Enabled Highly Sensitive Infrared Phototransistor Based on InSe/WSe2/P(VDF-TrFE) Heterostructure.

The assorted utilization of infrared detectors induces the demand for more comprehensive and high-performance electronic devices that work at room temperature. The intricacy of the fabrication process with bulk material limits the exploration in this field. However, two-dimensional (2D) materials with a narrow band gap opening aid in infrared (IR) detection relatively, but the photodetection range is narrowed due to the inherent band gap. In this study, we report an unprecedented attempt at the coordinated use of both 2D heterostructure (InSe/WSe2) and the dielectric polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene), P(VDF-TrFE)) for both visible and IR photodetection in a single device. The remnant polarization due to the ferroelectric effect of the polymer dielectric enhances the photocarrier separation in the visible range, resulting in high photoresponsivity. On the other hand, the pyroelectric effect of the polymer dielectric causes a change in the device current due to the increased temperature induced by the localized heating effect of the IR irradiation, which results in the change of ferroelectric polarization and induces the redistribution of charge carriers. In turn, it changes the built-in electric field, the depletion width, and the band alignment across the p-n heterojunction interface. Consequently, the charge carrier separation and the photosensitivity are therefore enhanced. Through the coupling between pyroelectricity and built-in electric field across the heterojunction, the specific detectivity for the photon energy below the band gap of the constituent 2D materials can reach up to 1011 Jones, which is better than all reported pyroelectric IR detectors. The proposed approach combining the ferroelectric and pyroelectric effects of the dielectric as well as exceptional properties of the 2D heterostructures can spark the design of advanced and not-yet realized optoelectronic devices.

Fabry-Perot Oscillation and Resonance Energy Transfer: Mechanism for Ultralow-Threshold Optically and Electrically Driven Random Laser in Quasi-2D Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites.

The recently emerged metal-halide hybrid perovskite (MHP) possesses superb optoelectronic features, which have obtained great attention in solid-state lighting, photodetection, and photovoltaic applications. Because of its excellent external quantum efficiency, MHP has promising potential for the manifestation of ultralow threshold optically pumped laser. However, the demonstration of an electrically driven laser remains a challenge because of the vulnerable degradation of perovskite, limited exciton binding energy (Eb), intensity quenching, and efficiency drop by nonradiative recombinations. In this work, based on the paradigm of integration of Fabry-Perot (F-P) oscillation and resonance energy transfer, we observed an ultralow-threshold (∼250 µWcm-2) optically pumped random laser from moisture-insensitive mixed dimensional quasi-2D Ruddlesden-Popper phase perovskite microplates. Particularly, we demonstrated an electrically driven multimode laser with a threshold of ∼60 mAcm-2 from quasi-2D RPP by judicious combination of a perovskite/hole transport layer (HTL) and an electron transport layer (ETL) having suitable band alignment and thickness. Additionally, we showed the tunability of lasing modes and color by driving an external electric potential. Performing finite difference time domain (FDTD) simulations, we confirmed the presence of F-P feedback resonance, the light trapping effect at perovskite/ETL, and resonance energy transfer contributing to laser action. Our discovery of an electrically driven laser from MHP opens a useful avenue for developing future optoelectronics.

Uniaxial Strain Dependence on Angle-Resolved Optical Second Harmonic Generation from a Few Layers of Indium Selenide.

Indium selenide (InSe) is an emerging van der Waals material, which exhibits the potential to serve in excellent electronic and optoelectronic devices. One of the advantages of layered materials is their application to flexible devices. How strain alters the electronic and optical properties is, thus, an important issue. In this work, we experimentally measured the strain dependence on the angle-resolved second harmonic generation (SHG) pattern of a few layers of InSe. We used the exfoliation method to fabricate InSe flakes and measured the SHG images of the flakes with different azimuthal angles. We found the SHG intensity of InSe decreased, while the compressive strain increased. Through first-principles electronic structure calculations, we investigated the strain dependence on SHG susceptibilities and the corresponding angle-resolved SHG pattern. The experimental data could be fitted well by the calculated results using only a fitting parameter. The demonstrated method based on first-principles in this work can be used to quantitatively model the strain-induced angle-resolved SHG patterns in 2D materials. Our obtained results are very useful for the exploration of the physical properties of flexible devices based on 2D materials.

Exciton Manipulation for Enhancing Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in Wrinkled 2D Heterostructures.

2D materials' junctions have demonstrated capabilities as metal-free alternatives for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). To date, the HER has been limited to heterojunctions of different compositions or band structures. Here, the potential of local strain modulation based on wrinkled 2D heterostructures is demonstrated, which helps to realize photoelectrocatalytically active junctions. By forming regions of high and low tensile strain in wrinkled WS2 monolayers, local modification of their band structure and internal electric field due to piezoelectricity is realized in the lateral direction. This structure produces efficient electron-hole pair generation due to light trapping and exciton funneling toward the crest of the WS2 wrinkles and enhances exciton separation. Additionally, the formation of wrinkles induces an air gap in-between the 2D layer and substrate, which reduces the interfacial scattering effect and consequently improves the charge-carrier mobility. A detailed study of the strain-dependence of the photocatalytic HER process demonstrates a 2-fold decrease in the Tafel slope and a 30-fold enhancement in exchange current density. Finally, optimization of the light absorption through functionalization with quantum dots produces unprecedented photoelectrocatalytic performance and provides a route toward the scalable formation of strain-modulated WS2 nanojunctions for future green energy generation.

All-carbon stretchable and cavity-free white lasers.

Flexible, stretchable, and bendable electronics and optoelectronics have a great potential for wide applications in smart life. An environmentally friendly, cost effective and wide-angle emission laser is indispensable for the emerging technology. In this work, circumvent the challenge issue, cavity-free and stretchable white light lasers based on all carbon materials have been demonstrated by integration of fluorescent carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and crumpled graphene. The typical emission spectrum of the cavity-free laser based on all-carbon materials has a CIE chromaticity coordinate of (0.30, 0.38) exhibiting an intriguing broadband white-light emission. The unprecedented and non-toxic stretchable and white light cavity-free lasers based on all-carbon materials can serve as next-generation optoelectronic devices for a wide range application covering solid-state lighting and future wearable technologies.

All-carbon stretchable and cavity-free white lasers: publisher's note.

This publisher's note contains corrections to [Opt. Express30, 20213 (2022)10.1364/OE.457921].

Optically Encodable and Erasable Multilevel Nonvolatile Flexible Memory Device Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks.

Multilevel and flexible nonvolatile memory (NVM) is a promising candidate for data storage in next-generation devices but its high bias and low mobility of conducting channels are often its drawbacks. In this study, we demonstrate a low bias of smaller than 0.1 V and a high-mobility graphene layer as a conducting channel for flexible optoelectronic NVM based on a composite thin film of indium-based MOF-derived InCl3 and 4,4-oxydiphthalic anhydride (odpta), Na[In3(odpt)2(OH)2(H2O)2](H2O)4, and reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The optoelectronic NVM device can be encoded and erased optically by ultraviolet (UV) light and visible light, respectively. Our device also achieves memory states over 192 (6-bit storage) distinct levels, which can emerge as mass data storage. It also shows an excellent endurance of write-erase cycles under irradiation with a laser of varying wavelengths, the mechanical stability of more than 1000 bending cycles, and stable retention for longer than 10 000 s. These results open an alternative route for developing low bias and innovative optoelectronic technologies.

Chemical vapor deposition merges MoS2 grains into high-quality and centimeter-scale films on Si/SiO2.

Two-dimensional molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) has attracted increasing attention due to its promise for next-generation electronics. To realize MoS2-based electronics, however, a synthesis method is required that produces a uniform single-layer material and that is compatible with existing semiconductor fabrication techniques. Here, we demonstrate that uniform films of single-layer MoS2 can be directly produced on Si/SiO2 at wafer-scale without the use of catalysts or promoters. Control of the precursor transport through oxygen dosing yielded complete coverage and increased connectivity between crystalline MoS2 domains. Spectroscopic characterization and carrier transport measurements furthermore revealed a reduced density of defects compared to conventional chemical vapor deposition growth that increased the quantum yield over ten-fold. To demonstrate the impact of enhanced scale and optoelectronic performance, centimeter-scale arrays of MoS2 photosensors were produced that demonstrate unprecedentedly high and uniform responsivity. Our approach improves the prospect of MoS2 for future applications.

Enhancing the Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction through Nanoscrolling of Two-Dimensional Material Heterojunctions.

The clean production of hydrogen from water using sunlight has emerged as a sustainable alternative toward large-scale energy generation and storage. However, designing photoactive semiconductors that are suitable for both light harvesting and water splitting is a pivotal challenge. Atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) are considered as promising photocatalysts because of their wide range of available electronic properties and compositional variability. However, trade-offs between carrier transport efficiency, light absorption, and electrochemical reactivity have limited their prospects. We here combine two approaches that synergistically enhance the efficiency of photocarrier generation and electrocatalytic efficiency of two-dimensional (2D) TMDs. The arrangement of monolayer WS2 and MoS2 into a heterojunction and subsequent nanostructuring into a nanoscroll (NS) yields significant modifications of fundamental properties from its constituents. Spectroscopic characterization and ab initio simulation demonstrate the beneficial effects of straining and wall interactions on the band structure of such a heterojunction-NS that enhance the electrochemical reaction rate by an order of magnitude compared to planar heterojunctions. Phototrapping in this NS further increases the light-matter interaction and yields superior photocatalytic performance compared to previously reported 2D material catalysts and is comparable to noble-metal catalyst systems in the photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (PEC-HER) process. Our approach highlights the potential of morphologically varied TMD-based catalysts for PEC-HER.

Dynamic development of the extracellular matrix in chick cornea.

Understanding the mechanisms of structural organization of corneal stroma is scientifically interesting and may lead to advances in corneal tissue engineering. In the past, we used the combination of second harmonic generation and fast Fourier transform to study a number of topics including the structural alteration of human keratoconus. Recently, we applied this approach to studying changes of chick embryonic cornea during development. As numerous studies were performed with ex vivo specimens, a thorough understanding of the parameters associated with the development process cannot be achieved until experiments are performed in living chick embryos.

A Transferrable, Adaptable, Free-Standing, and Water-Resistant Hyperbolic Metamaterial.

Hyperbolic metamaterials (HMMs) have attracted significant attention due to the profound manipulation of the photonic density of states, resulting in the efficient optoelectronic devices with the enhanced light-matter interaction. HMMs are conventionally built on rigid large-size substrates with poor conformability and the absence of flexibility. Here, we demonstrate a grating collageable HMM (GCHMM), which is composed of eight alternating layers of Au and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and PMMA grating nanostructure containing quantum dots (QDs). The QDs serve as a scattering gain medium performing a random laser action, and the grating nanostructure enhances the extraction of light from QDs. The GCHMM enhances laser action by 13 times, reduces lasing threshold by 46%, and increases differential quantum efficiency by 1.8 times as compared to a planar collageable HMM. In addition, the GCHMM can be retransferred multiple times to other substrates as well as provide sufficient protection in water and still retain an excellent performance. It also shows stable functionality even when transferred to a dental floss. The GCHMM, therefore, promises to become a versatile platform for foldable, adaptable, free-standing, and water-resistant optoelectronic device applications.

[Aerosol salt damage is the main problem of landscaping in the coastal areas of southern China]. / 盐雾危害是南方滨海地区园林绿化的主要困难.

Both the growth and survival of landscape plants are difficult due to the harsh natural conditions in coastal areas of southern China. Many plants suffer from symptoms of salt damage. Different from the damages by salt in the soil, the symptoms of windblown salt are damage to young shoots and leaves. Plants at the windward side are damaged more than the leeward side. These cha-racteristics imply that the damage is due to salt in aerosols instead of salt in the soil. To test this hypothesis, we measured plant growth, soil and climate factors in 24 frontline coastal counties and cities of China. The results showed that the first-line coastal plants showed strong symptoms of salt damage, especially in the Taiwan Strait area (85.4% belonged to desalinized soil), and that the damage level was highly correlated with wind speed. Our results confirmed that aerosol salt is the major cause of plant damage in the coastal areas of southern China. We constructed the first distribution map of salt damage along frontline coastal regions of southern China and proposed methods for diagnosing aerosol salt damage. Selecting and configuring aerosol salt-tolerant plants, greening engineering measures, and follow-up maintenance were suggested for improving the overall effect and level of landscaping in the coastal areas of southern China.

Comments on "Cell regulation of collagen fibril macrostructure during corneal morphogenesis" by Koudouna et al.

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE:  .

A Bi-Anti-Ambipolar Field Effect Transistor.

Multistate logic is recognized as a promising approach to increase the device density of microelectronics, but current approaches are offset by limited performance and large circuit complexity. We here demonstrate a route toward increased integration density that is enabled by a mechanically tunable device concept. Bi-anti-ambipolar transistors (bi-AATs) exhibit two distinct peaks in their transconductance and can be realized by a single 2D-material heterojunction-based solid-state device. Dynamic deformation of the device reveals the co-occurrence of two conduction pathways to be the origin of this previously unobserved behavior. Initially, carrier conduction proceeds through the junction edge, but illumination and application of strain can increase the recombination rate in the junction sufficiently to support an alternative carrier conduction path through the junction area. Optical characterization reveals a tunable emission pattern and increased optoelectronic responsivity that corroborates our model. Strain control permits the optimization of the conduction efficiency through both pathways and can be employed in quaternary inverters for future multilogic applications.

Facile Fabrication of Self-Assembly Functionalized Polythiophene Hole Transporting Layer for High Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

Crystallinity and crystal orientation have a predominant impact on a materials' semiconducting properties, thus it is essential to manipulate the microstructure arrangements for desired semiconducting device performance. Here, ultra-uniform hole-transporting material (HTM) by self-assembling COOH-functionalized P3HT (P3HT-COOH) is fabricated, on which near single crystal quality perovskite thin film can be grown. In particular, the self-assembly approach facilitates the P3HT-COOH molecules to form an ordered and homogeneous monolayer on top of the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode facilitate the perovskite crystalline film growth with high quality and preferred orientations. After detailed spectroscopy and device characterizations, it is found that the carboxylic acid anchoring groups can down-shift the work function and passivate the ITO surface, retarding the interface carrier recombination. As a result, the device made with the self-assembled HTM show high open-circuit voltage over 1.10 V and extend the lifetime over 4,300 h when storing at 30% relative humidity. Moreover, the cell works efficiently under much reduced light power, making it useful as power source under dim-light conditions. The demonstration suggests a new facile way of fabricating monolayer HTM for high efficiency perovskite devices, as well as the interconnecting layer needed for tandem cell.

Molecular Chirality Detection with Periodic Arrays of Three-Dimensional Twisted Metamaterials.

Rapid detection of the handiness of chiral molecules is an important topic for pharmaceutical industries because chiral drugs with opposing handiness sometimes exhibit unwanted side effects. In this research, a rapid optical method is proposed to determine the handiness of the chiral drug "Thalidomide". The platform is a large array of three-dimensional (3D) twisted metamaterials fabricated with a novel method by combining nanospherical-lens lithography (NLL) and hole-mask lithography (HML). The fabrication is high-throughput and the twisted metamaterials cover a large area. Strong circular dichroism (CD) response is observed in the near-infrared (NIR) region, which enables the chiral detection to be performed by a low-cost and portable spectroscope system. The proposed nanofabrication method significantly improves the capabilities of NLL and HML, which can be quickly adapted to fabricate various periodic 3D metamaterials. In addition, the results of this research pave the road for the rapid penetration of nanophotonics into the pharmaceutical industries.