Chemistry, Functionalization, and Applications of Recent Monoelemental Two-Dimensional Materials and Their Heterostructures.

The past decades have witnessed a rapid expansion in investigations of two-dimensional (2D) monoelemental materials (Xenes), which are promising materials in various fields, including applications in optoelectronic devices, biomedicine, catalysis, and energy storage. Apart from graphene and phosphorene, recently emerging 2D Xenes, specifically graphdiyne, borophene, arsenene, antimonene, bismuthene, and tellurene, have attracted considerable interest due to their unique optical, electrical, and catalytic properties, endowing them a broader range of intriguing applications. In this review, the structures and properties of these emerging Xenes are summarized based on theoretical and experimental results. The synthetic approaches for their fabrication, mainly bottom-up and top-down, are presented. Surface modification strategies are also shown. The wide applications of these emerging Xenes in nonlinear optical devices, optoelectronics, catalysis, biomedicine, and energy application are further discussed. Finally, this review concludes with an assessment of the current status, a description of existing scientific and application challenges, and a discussion of possible directions to advance this fertile field.

Overcoming barriers in photodynamic therapy harnessing nano-formulation strategies.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been extensively investigated for decades for tumor treatment because of its non-invasiveness, spatiotemporal selectivity, lower side-effects, and immune activation ability. It can be a promising treatment modality in several medical fields, including oncology, immunology, urology, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology, pneumology, and dentistry. Nevertheless, the clinical application of PDT is largely restricted by the drawbacks of traditional photosensitizers, limited tissue penetrability of light, inefficient induction of tumor cell death, tumor resistance to the therapy, and the severe pain induced by the therapy. Recently, various photosensitizer formulations and therapy strategies have been developed to overcome these barriers. Significantly, the introduction of nanomaterials in PDT, as carriers or photosensitizers, may overcome the drawbacks of traditional photosensitizers. Based on this, nanocomposites excited by various light sources are applied in the PDT of deep-seated tumors. Modulation of cell death pathways with co-delivered reagents promotes PDT induced tumor cell death. Relief of tumor resistance to PDT with combined therapy strategies further promotes tumor inhibition. Also, the optimization of photosensitizer formulations and therapy procedures reduces pain in PDT. Here, a systematic summary of recent advances in the fabrication of photosensitizers and the design of therapy strategies to overcome barriers in PDT is presented. Several aspects important for the clinical application of PDT in cancer treatment are also discussed.

Broadband Nonlinear Photonics in Few-Layer Borophene.

In this paper, 2D borophene is synthesized through a liquid-phase exfoliation. The morphology and structure of as-prepared borophene are systemically analyzed, and the Z-scan is used to measure the nonlinear optical properties. It is found that the saturable absorber (SA) properties of borophene make it serve as an excellent broadband optical switch, which is strongly used for mode-locking in near- and mid-infrared laser systems. Ultrastable pulses with durations as short as 792 and 693 fs are successfully delivered at the central wavelengths of 1063 and 1560 nm, respectively. Furthermore, stable pulses at a wavelength of 1878 nm are demonstrated from a thulium mode-locked fiber laser based on the same borophene SA. This research reveals a significant potential for borophene used in lasers helping extending the frontiers of photonic technologies.

Optical pulse modulators based on layered vanadium diselenide nanosheets.

The transition metal disulfides of VB group elements have gradually come into people's field of vision owing to their two-dimensional structure and unique optical properties. Vanadium diselenide (VSe2) as a kind of transition metal diselenides, is competent for the applications of nonlinear saturable absorption. The dispersion of few-layer VSe2is prepared by liquid phase exfoliation method. Clearly, it has an obvious layered structure, and the interlayer spacing is 0.31 nm. The VSe2nanosheets are inserted into the Erbium-doped fiber laser through tapered deposition method and the measured modulation depth is 1.46%. A 1530.5 nm centered 851-fs pulse is observed with the 3.2 nm 3-dB spectral width. The experimental results show that the pulse is persistent under the power of 334 mW, with signal-to-noise ratio of 41 dB. And an up to 552.4 MHz modulation phenomenon is observed around 1560 nm, so is its frequency tunability. This is the first time that VSe2is used to realize high frequency modulation in fiber laser. It is proved that VSe2is expected to be a budding material of ultrafast optical modulation devices and widely used in the field of ultrafast photonics.

Emerging combination strategies with phototherapy in cancer nanomedicine.

Optical techniques using developed laser and optical devices have made a profound impact on modern medicine, with "biomedical optics" becoming an emerging field. Sophisticated technologies have been developed in cancer nanomedicine, such as photothermal therapy and photodynamic therapy, among others. However, single-mode phototherapy cannot completely treat persistent tumors, with the challenges of relapse or metastasis remaining; therefore, combinatorial strategies are being developed. In this review, the role of light in cancer therapy and the challenges of phototherapy are discussed. The development of combinatorial strategies with other therapeutic methods, including chemotherapy, immunotherapy, gene therapy, and radiotherapy, is presented and future directions are further discussed. This review aims to highlight the significance of light in cancer therapy and discuss the combinatorial strategies that show promise in addressing the challenges of phototherapy.

Recent advances in real-time spectrum measurement of soliton dynamics by dispersive Fourier transformation.

Mode-locking lasers have not only produced huge economic benefits in industrial fields and scientific research, but also provided an excellent platform to study diverse soliton phenomena. However, the real-time characterization of the ultrafast soliton dynamics remains challenging for traditional electronic instruments due to their relatively low response bandwidth and slow scan rate. Consequently, it is urgent for researchers to directly observe these ultrafast evolution processes, rather than just indirectly understand them from numerical simulations or averaged measurement data. Fortunately, dispersive Fourier transformation (DFT) provides a powerful real-time measurement technique to overcome the speed limitations of traditional electronic measurement devices by mapping the frequency spectrum onto the temporal waveform. In this review, the operation principle of DFT is discussed and the recent progress in characterizing the ultrafast transient soliton dynamics of mode-locking lasers is summarized, including soliton explosions, soliton molecules, noise-like pulses, rogue waves, and mode-locking buildup processes.

Recent Advances of Spatial Self-Phase Modulation in 2D Materials and Passive Photonic Device Applications.

Optical nonlinearity in 2D materials excited by spatial Gaussian laser beam is a novel and peculiar optical phenomenon, which exhibits many novel and interesting applications in optical nonlinear devices. Passive photonic devices, such as optical switches, optical logical gates, photonic diodes, and optical modulators, are the key compositions in the future all-optical signal-processing technologies. Passive photonic devices using 2D materials to achieve the device functionality have attracted widespread concern in the past decade. In this Review, an overview of the spatial self-phase modulation (SSPM) in 2D materials is summarized, including the operating mechanism, optical parameter measurement, and tuning for 2D materials, and applications in photonic devices. Moreover, some current challenges are also proposed to solve, and some possible applications of SSPM method are predicted for the future. Therefore, it is anticipated that this summary can contribute to the application of 2D material-based spatial effect in all-optical signal-processing technologies.

Sub-hundred nanosecond pulse generation from a black phosphorus Q-switched Er-doped fiber laser.

Black phosphorus (BP), a prosperous two-dimensional optoelectronic material, has been deeply developed for various optoelectronics applications. Here, we demonstrate a sub-hundred nanosecond passively Q-switched Er-doped all-fiber laser with BP as the saturable absorber (SA). The BP-SA is fabricated by a controllable optical deposition technique. To achieve the sub-hundred nanosecond Q-switching output, we deliberately enlarge the modulation depth of the BP-SA by suitably increasing the time and laser power of the optical deposition and shortening the laser cavity length with an integrated multifunctional component. A stable Q-switched pulse train was obtained with a pulse duration as narrow as 91 ns, and the Q-switched lasing characteristics based on the BP-SA have also been investigated and discussed. The experimental results indicate that the BP material can be employed as an effective SA for the nanosecond pulse generation.

Watt-level ultrafast bulk laser with a graphdiyne saturable absorber mirror.

Few-layered graphdiyne (GDY) was successfully fabricated and applied as a saturable absorber to generate a watt-level ultrafast solid-state bulk laser. The maximum output power of up to 1.27 W was obtained with a pulse width of 23 ps and a repetition rate of 92.9 MHz, using Nd:YVO4 crystal as a gain medium. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first application of GDY as a mode locker in all-solid-state bulk lasers. These results indicate the promising potential of GDY for producing high-power ultrafast lasers.

Bismuthene Nanosheets for 1 µm Multipulse Generation.

Bismuthene, as a new two-dimensional material made up of diazo metal elements, has drawn massive attention for its unique electronic, mechanical, quantum, and nonlinear optical properties. In recent years, researchers have increasingly turned their attention to the ultrafast photonics fields based on bismuthene. However, the internal ultrashort pulse dynamics has seldom been explored yet. In this work, the nonlinear optical properties of bismuthene nanosheets have been studied and applied in a passively mode-locked fiber laser. The saturation intensity and modulation depth of a saturable absorber (SA) device are about 2.4 MW/cm2 and 1%, respectively. Thanks to the narrow band gap of bismuthene and tapered fiber structure, a special kind of noise-like multipulses has been obtained. The evolution of the pulsed laser is also studied. This proposed pulsed fiber laser based on a bismuthene SA device is well suitable for some applications such as material processing, optical logics, and so forth.

Enhanced Photodetection Properties of Tellurium@Selenium Roll-to-Roll Nanotube Heterojunctions.

Non-layered tellurium (Te) is a promising material for applications in transistor and optoelectronic devices for its advantages in excellent intrinsic electronic and optoelectronic properties. However, the poor photodetection performance and relatively uncertain stability of tellurene under ambient conditions greatly limit the practical applications. In order to improve the performance of tellurene-based materials, Te@Se roll-to-roll nanotubes with different selenium (Se) contents synthesized by epitaxial growth of Se on Te nanotubes are, for the first time, employed to fabricate working electrodes for photoelectrochemical (PEC)-type broadband photodetection. They exhibit not only a preferably enhanced capacity for self-powered broadband photodetection but also significantly improved photocurrent density and stability in various aqueous environments (HCl, NaCl, and KOH solutions), compared to tellurene-based photodetectors. It is anticipated that the present work can open up new possibilities for high-performance tellurene-based optoelectronic devices.

Few-layer bismuthene for robust ultrafast photonics in C-Band optical communications.

The ultrafast photonics of different conventional two-dimensional (2D) materials have been studied intensively. Few-layer structure bismuthene has been reported as a new type of 2D material with high efficient electronics, strong mechanics and outstanding photonics properties. In this paper, a robust ultrafast pulse generation in communications-Band (C-Band) based on few-layer bismuthene has been reported. The characteristics and the ultrafast optical nonlinear properties of few-layer bismuthene have been investigated experimentally. The optical induced deposition method is employed to fabricate the saturable absorber based on bismuthene (BiSA). Most importantly, we also utilize BiSA for the ultrafast photonics, which demonstrates that a high-splitting-threshold robust ultrafast fiber laser with 1.3-ps pulse duration at 1531 nm has been obtained in the experiments. Even though we increase the pump power from the self-starting threshold (i.e. 86 mW) to 314 mW, the soliton pulse does not split. Moreover, the high-splitting-threshold laser operation can be achieved stably even if the lasers are exposed in air for at least half a year. It is demonstrated that the proposed bismuthene nonlinear components can be potentially applied to the optical communications with C-Band (i.e. 1530-1565 nm wavelength) to broaden the communications window.

Black phosphorus quantum dot based all-optical signal processing: ultrafast optical switching and wavelength converting.

As a unique two-dimensional material, few-layered black phosphorus (BP) nanosheets have shown promising applications in electronics and optoelectronics. Black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) have attracted attention due to the unique properties of BP combined with the edge effects. In this paper, we report on the all-optical application of BPQD based on its nonlinear Kerr effect. BPQDs were synthesized using a liquid exfoliation method combined with probe sonication and bath sonication. BPQD deposited on the microfiber as an optical device was demonstrated as the Kerr switcher with extinction ratio of 20 dB and four-wave mixing based wavelength converter with -40 dB conversion efficiency. These findings suggest that BPQD-based novel nonlinear photonics devices could be further developed in the applications of next generation high-speed optical communication.

Few-layer bismuthene for femtosecond soliton molecules generation in Er-doped fiber laser.

Bismuthene, a mono-elemental two-dimensional material with a novel kind of few-layer structure purely consisting of bismuth, has been predicted to have a prominent optical response and enhanced stability in theory. In this paper, few-layer bismuthene is employed as the saturable absorber. The mode-locker is fabricated by dropping bismuthene on a microfiber in a passively mode-locked, Er-doped fiber laser. The single pulse can be obtained at 122.1 mW, with 621.5 fs pulse duration at 1557.5 nm central wavelength, 10.35 nm spectral width and fundamental repetition of 22.74 MHz. Thanks to the outstanding nonlinear effect and semimetal of the bismuthene, dual-pulses, octonary-pulses and fourteen-pulses soliton molecules with tightly and loosely temporal separation can be achieved for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The preceding indicates that bismuthene will have wide potential in many applications, such as optical fiber communications, optical logical gate, and laser materials processing, etc.

Sub-200 fs soliton mode-locked fiber laser based on bismuthene saturable absorber.

Few-layer bismuthene is an emerging two-dimensional material in the fields of physics, chemistry, and material science. However, its nonlinear optical property and the related photonics device have been seldom studied so far. Here, we demonstrate a sub-200 fs soliton mode-locked erbium-doped fiber laser (EDFL) using a microfiber-based bismuthene saturable absorber for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. The bismuthene nanosheets are synthesized by the sonochemical exfoliation method and transferred onto the taper region of a microfiber by the optical deposition method. Stable soliton pulses centered at 1561 nm with the shortest pulse duration of about 193 fs were obtained. Our findings unambiguously imply that apart from its fantastic electric and thermal properties, few-layer bismuthene may also possess attractive optoelectronic properties for nonlinear photonics, such as mode-lockers, Q-switchers, optical modulators and so on.

Two-dimensional bismuth nanosheets as prospective photo-detector with tunable optoelectronic performance.

Two dimensional Bi nanosheets have been employed to fabricate electrodes for broadband photo-detection. A series of characterization techniques including scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy have verified that Bi nanosheets with intact lamellar structure have been obtained after facile liquid phase exfoliation. In the meanwhile, UV-vis and Raman spectra are also carried out and the inherent optical and physical properties of Bi nanosheets are confirmed. Inherited from the topological characteristics of Bi bulk counterpart, the resultant Bi nanosheet-based photo-detector exhibits preferable photo-response activity as well as environmental robustness. We then evaluate the photo-electrochemical (PEC) performance of the photodetector in 1 M NaOH and 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolytes, and demonstrated that the as-prepared Bi nanosheets may possess a great potential as PEC-type photo-detector. Additional PEC measurements show that the current density of Bi nanosheets can reach up to 830 nA cm-2, while an enhanced responsivity (1.8 µA W-1) had been achieved. We anticipate that this contribution can provide feasibility towards the construction of high-performance elemental Bi nanosheets-based optoelectronic devices in the future.

Fundamental and harmonic mode-locking at 2.1 µm with black phosphorus saturable absorber.

We report mode-locking in holmium-doped all-fiber laser based on black phosphorus saturable absorber. The generated solitons are centered at 2094 nm with bandwidth reaching 4.2 nm and pulse duration of 1.3 ps. In harmonic mode-locking, up to 10th harmonic (290 MHz) was obtained. Properties of black phosphorus saturable absorber are investigated. Our findings validate black phosphorus suitability for ultrafast applications in mid-infrared.

Light-induced tumor theranostics based on chemical-exfoliated borophene.

Among 2D materials (Xenes) which are at the forefront of research activities, borophene, is an exciting new entry due to its uniquely varied optical, electronic, and chemical properties in many polymorphic forms with widely varying band gaps including the lightest 2D metallic phase. In this paper, we used a simple selective chemical etching to prepare borophene with a strong near IR light-induced photothermal effect. The photothermal efficiency is similar to plasmonic Au nanoparticles, with the added benefit of borophene being degradable due to electron deficiency of boron. We introduce this selective chemical etching process to obtain ultrathin and large borophene nanosheets (thickness of ~4 nm and lateral size up to ~600 nm) from the precursor of AlB2. We also report first-time observation of a selective Acid etching behavior showing HCl etching of Al to form a residual B lattice, while HF selectively etches B to yield an Al lattice. We demonstrate that through surface modification with polydopamine (PDA), a biocompatible smart delivery nanoplatform of B@PDA can respond to a tumor environment, exhibiting an enhanced cellular uptake efficiency. We demonstrate that borophene can be more suitable for safe photothermal theranostic of thick tumor using deep penetrating near IR light compared to gold nanoparticles which are not degradable, thus posing long-term toxicity concerns. With about 40 kinds of borides, we hope that our work will open door to more discoveries of this top-down selective etching approach for generating borophene structures with rich unexplored thermal, electronic, and optical properties for many other technological applications.

Nonlinear Photonics Using Low-Dimensional Metal-Halide Perovskites: Recent Advances and Future Challenges.

Low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites have exhibited significantly superior nonlinear optical properties compared to traditional semiconductor counterparts, thanks to their peculiar physical and electronic structures. Their exceptional nonlinear optical characteristics make them excellent candidates for revolutionizing widespread applications. However, the research of nonlinear photonics based on low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites is in its infancy. There is a lack of comprehensive and in-depth summary of this research realm. Here, the state-of-the-art research progress related to third-and higher-order nonlinear optical properties of low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites with diverse crystal structures from 3D down to 0D, together with their practical applications, is summarized comprehensively. Critical discussions are offered on the fundamental mechanisms beneath their exceptional nonlinear optical performance from the physics viewpoint, attempting to disclose the role of intrinsic attributes (e.g., composition, bandgap, size, shape, and structure) and external modulation strategies (e.g., developing core-shell structures, transition metal ion doping, and hybridization with dielectric microspheres) in tuning the response. Additionally, their potential applications in nonlinear photonics, nonlinear optoelectronics, and biophotonics are systematically and thoroughly summed up and categorized. Lastly, insights into the current technical challenges and future research opportunities of nonlinear photonics based on low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites are provided.

Defect Engineering in Ultrathin SnSe Nanosheets for High-Performance Optoelectronic Applications.

Ultrathin lamellar SnSe is highly attractive for applications in areas such as photonics, photodetectors, photovoltaic devices, and photocatalysis, owing to its suitable band gap, exceptional light absorption capabilities, and considerable carrier mobility. On the other hand, SnSe nanosheets (NSs) still face challenges of being difficult to prepare and their devices having low photoelectric conversion efficiencies. Herein, ultrathin SnSe NSs with controlled Se defects were synthesized with high yield by a facial Li intercalation-assisted liquid exfoliation method. The loss of Se, a narrowing of the band gap, and an increase in lattice disorders involving vacancies, distortions, and phase transition were observed in SnSe NSs prepared with a long lithiation process. Comparing between the 24 and 72 h lithiation samples, the ones processed for a longer time displayed a faster recombination time due to more defect-induced mid-states. Inspiringly, enhancements of 4-10 times were observed for photodetector device parameters such as photocurrent, photoresponsivity, photoresponse speed, and specific detectivity of the 72 h lithiation SnSe NSs. Additionally, these devices show good stability and a broad detection range, from ultraviolet to the near infrared region. Our results provide a promising avenue for the mass production of SnSe NSs with high photoelectric performance and open up opportunities for applications in photonics, optoelectronics, and photocatalysis.