In Situ Polymer-Solution-Processed Graphene-PDMS Nanocomposites for Application in Intracranial Pressure Sensors.

Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has emerged as a promising candidate for the dielectric layer in implantable sensors due to its exceptional biocompatibility, stability, and flexibility. This study introduces an innovative approach to produce graphene-reinforced PDMS (Gr-PDMS), where graphite powders are exfoliated into mono- and few-layer graphene sheets within the polymer solution, concurrently forming cross-linkages with PDMS. This method yields a uniformly distributed graphene within the polymer matrix with improved interfaces between graphene and PDMS, significantly reducing the percolation threshold of graphene dispersed in PDMS from 10% to 5%. As-synthesized Gr-PDMS exhibits improved mechanical and electrical properties, tested for potential use in capacitive pressure sensors. The results demonstrate an impressive pressure sensitivity up to 0.0273 kpa-1, 45 times higher than that of pristine PDMS and 2.5 times higher than the reported literature value. The Gr-PDMS showcases excellent pressure sensing ability and stability, fulfilling the requirements for implantable intracranial pressure (ICP) sensors.

Lattice-mismatch-free construction of III-V/chalcogenide core-shell heterostructure nanowires.

Growing high-quality core-shell heterostructure nanowires is still challenging due to the lattice mismatch issue at the radial interface. Herein, a versatile strategy is exploited for the lattice-mismatch-free construction of III-V/chalcogenide core-shell heterostructure nanowires by simply utilizing the surfactant and amorphous natures of chalcogenide semiconductors. Specifically, a variety of III-V/chalcogenide core-shell heterostructure nanowires are successfully constructed with controlled shell thicknesses, compositions, and smooth surfaces. Due to the conformal properties of obtained heterostructure nanowires, the wavelength-dependent bi-directional photoresponse and visible light-assisted infrared photodetection are realized in the type-I GaSb/GeS core-shell heterostructure nanowires. Also, the enhanced infrared photodetection is found in the type-II InGaAs/GeS core-shell heterostructure nanowires compared with the pristine InGaAs nanowires, in which both responsivity and detectivity are improved by more than 2 orders of magnitude. Evidently, this work paves the way for the lattice-mismatch-free construction of core-shell heterostructure nanowires by chemical vapor deposition for next-generation high-performance nanowire optoelectronics.

Fabrication of ß-Ga2O3 Nanotubes via Sacrificial GaSb-Nanowire Templates.

ß-Ga2O3 nanostructures are attractive wide-band-gap semiconductor materials as they exhibit promising photoelectric properties and potential applications. Despite the extensive efforts on ß-Ga2O3 nanowires, investigations into ß-Ga2O3 nanotubes are rare since the tubular structures are hard to synthesize. In this paper, we report a facile method for fabricating ß-Ga2O3 nanotubes using pre-synthesized GaSb nanowires as sacrificial templates. Through a two-step heating-treatment strategy, the GaSb nanowires are partially oxidized to form ß-Ga2O3 shells, and then, the residual inner parts are removed subsequently in vacuum conditions, yielding delicate hollow ß-Ga2O3 nanotubes. The length, diameter, and thickness of the nanotubes can be customized by using different GaSb nanowires and heating parameters. In situ transmission electron microscopic heating experiments are performed to reveal the transformation dynamics of the ß-Ga2O3 nanotubes, while the Kirkendall effect and the sublimation process are found to be critical. Moreover, photoelectric tests are carried out on the obtained ß-Ga2O3 nanotubes. A photoresponsivity of ~25.9 A/W and a detectivity of ~5.6 × 1011 Jones have been achieved with a single-ß-Ga2O3-nanotube device under an excitation wavelength of 254 nm.

Hydrothermal Synthesis of Te Nanosheets: Growth Mechanism and Electrical Property.

Hydrothermal synthesis is a highly efficient way to yield multiform Te nanosheets. However, the growth mechanisms and property discrepancies between different types of Te nanosheets are still unclear. In this paper, we perform an investigation on this issue by monitoring the hydrothermally synthesized Te nanosheets at different growth stages with transmission electron microscopy and electrical tests. Three main types of Te nanosheets and their variants are revealed including trapezoidal and "V"-shaped configurations. It is found that the different types of Te nanosheets dominate at different reaction stages, indicating a sequential growth scenario. Surfactants and surface energy co-determine the growth kinetics, while the crystallographic attachments lead to specifically included angles of 74° and 41° in the "V"-shaped Te nanosheets. The fractions of the three main types of Te nanosheets as a function of reaction time are statistically tracked, and their crystalline structures, interfaces, and preferential growth orientations are uncovered. Moreover, the electrical properties of the Te nanosheets are tested, and the results show an interface-related feature. These findings provide some new insights into the synthesis and property of low-dimensional Te functional materials.

Revealing the alloying and dealloying behaviours in AuAg nanorods by thermal stimulus.

Binary metallic nanocrystals are attractive as they offer an extra degree of freedom for structure and phase modulation to generate synergistic effects and extraordinary properties. However, whether the binary structures and phases at the nanoscale still follow the rules established on the bulk counterparts remains unclear. In this work, AuAg nanorods were used as a sample to probe into this issue. An in situ heating method by combining aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopes with a chip-based heating holder was employed to perform the heating experiments. It was found that the AuAg nanorods, which initially possessed heterostructures, can be designed and engineered to be gradient phase alloys with thermal pulses over 350 °C. Atomic diffusion inside the rod structures did not alter the shape of the rods but provided a route to fine-tune their properties. At higher temperatures, the discrepant sublimation behaviours between Au and Ag lead to dealloying of the nanorods. Durative sublimation of the Ag element can continuously tailor the lengths of the nanorods while concentrating the Au composition simultaneously. Especially, nearly pure Au nanocrystals can be obtained with the depletion of Ag by sublimation. These findings give insights into the nanoscale structure and phase behaviours in binary alloys and provide an alternative way to fine-tune their structure, phase, and properties.

Eye-Resolvable Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Fluorescence Temperature Sensor.

Temperature sensors are widely used in important fields such as daily home, medical care, and aerospace as a commonly used device for measuring temperature. Traditional temperature sensors such as thermocouples, thermal resistances, and infrared sensors are technically mature; however, they have limitations in the application environment, temperature measurement range, and temperature measurement accuracy. An eye-resolvable surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence temperature sensor based on dual-emission Ag@SiO2@CdS/ZnS composite nanoparticle film with multiple-parameter detectable signals and high response sensitivity was proposed in this work. The temperature sensor's x-chromaticity coordinate varied from 0.299 to 0.358 in the range of 77-297 K, while the y-chromaticity coordinate varied from 0.288 to 0.440, displaying eye-resolvable surface plasmon-enhanced fluorescence. The ratiometric response of two isolated photoluminescence (PL) peak-integrated areas located around 446 and 592 nm was found to be significantly temperature dependent, with a thermal sensitivity of 1.4% K-1, which can be used as an additional parameter to measure the precise temperature. Furthermore, the surface state emission peak intensity was linearly related to temperature, with a correlation index Adj. R-Square of 99.8%. Multiple independent temperature estimates can help with self-calibration and improve the measurement accuracy. Our findings show that the designed sensors can detect low temperatures while maintaining stability and reproducibility.

Surface-Condition-Dependent Deformation Mechanisms in Lead Nanocrystals.

Serving as nanoelectrodes or frame units, small-volume metals may critically affect the performance and reliability of nanodevices, especially with feature sizes down to the nanometer scale. Small-volume metals usually behave extraordinarily in comparison with their bulk counterparts, but the knowledge of how their sizes and surfaces give rise to their extraordinary properties is currently insufficient. In this study, we investigate the influence of surface conditions on mechanical behaviors in nanometer-sized Pb crystals by performing in situ mechanical deformation tests inside an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (TEM). Pseudoelastic deformation and plastic deformation processes were observed at atomic precision during deformation of pristine and surface-oxidized Pb particles, respectively. It is found that in most of the pristine Pb particles, surface atom diffusion dominates and leads to a pseudoelastic deformation behavior. In stark contrast, in surface-passivated Pb particles where surface atom diffusion is largely inhibited, deformation proceeds via displacive plasticity including dislocations, stacking faults, and twinning, leading to dominant plastic deformation without any pseudoelasticity. This research directly reveals the dramatic impact of surface conditions on the deformation mechanisms and mechanical behaviors of metallic nanocrystals, which provides significant implications for property tuning of the critical components in advanced nanodevices.

Schottky-Contacted High-Performance GaSb Nanowires Photodetectors Enabled by Lead-Free All-Inorganic Perovskites Decoration.

The surface Fermi level pinning effect promotes the formation of metal-independent Ohmic contacts for the high-speed GaSb nanowires (NWs) electronic devices, however, it limits next-generation optoelectronic devices. In this work, lead-free all-inorganic perovskites with broad bandgaps and low work functions are adopted to decorate the surfaces of GaSb NWs, demonstrating the success in the construction of Schottky-contacts by surface engineering. Benefiting from the expected Schottky barrier, the dark current is reduced to 2 pA, the Ilight /Idark ratio is improved to 103 and the response time is reduced by more than 15 times. Furthermore, a Schottky-contacted parallel array GaSb NWs photodetector is also fabricated by the contact printing technology, showing a higher photocurrent and a low dark current of 15 pA, along with the good infrared photodetection ability for a concealed target. All results guide the construction of Schottky-contacts by surface decorations for next-generation high-performance III-V NWs optoelectronics devices.

Revealing the Phase Segregation and Evolution Dynamics in Binary Nanoalloys via Electron Beam-Assisted Ultrafast Heating and Cooling.

Gas-phase synthesized binary nanoparticles (NPs) possess ultraclean surfaces, which benefit versatile uses in sensors and catalysts. However, precise control of their configuration and properties is still a big challenge because the growth mechanism and phase evolution dynamics in these NPs are very hard to unveil. Here, we report a strategy to investigate the phase evolution dynamics in binary NPs by using e-beam assisted ultrafast local heating and cooling inside a transmission electron microscope. With this strategy, the phase segregation and corresponding shape evolution of PbBi NPs are in situ revealed. It is found that the as-prepared PbBi alloy NPs will transform into heterostructures under e-beam stimulated structural relaxation, leading to the formation of featured Janus configurations with faceted Bi polyhedron parts and intermetallic hemisphere parts. During phase segregation, Pb1Bi1 and Pb7Bi3 phases are captured and identified, and a model of phase and shape evolution of PbBi nanoalloys is developed and contrasted with that of their bulk counterparts. These findings benefit the understanding of the phase dynamics of binary NPs and can provide in-depth information for engineering their structures for practical applications.

Three-dimensional monolithic micro-LED display driven by atomically thin transistor matrix.

Two-dimensional materials are promising candidates for future electronics due to unmatched device performance at atomic limit and low-temperature heterogeneous integration. To adopt these emerging materials in computing and optoelectronic systems, back end of line (BEOL) integration with mainstream technologies is needed. Here, we show the integration of large-area MoS2 thin-film transistors (TFTs) with nitride micro light-emitting diodes (LEDs) through a BEOL process and demonstrate high-resolution displays. The MoS2 transistors exhibit median mobility of 54 cm2 V-1s -1, 210 µA µm-1 drive current and excellent uniformity. The TFTs can drive micrometre-sized LEDs to 7.1 × 107 cd m-2 luminance under low voltage. Comprehensive analysis on driving capability, response time, power consumption and modulation scheme indicates that MoS2 TFTs are suitable for a range of display applications up to the high resolution and brightness limit. We further demonstrate prototypical 32 × 32 active-matrix displays at 1,270 pixels-per-inch resolution. Moreover, our process is fully monolithic, low-temperature, scalable and compatible with microelectronic processing.

Tailoring atomic diffusion for in situ fabrication of different heterostructures.

Atomic diffusion has been recognized as a particularly powerful tool in the synthesis of heterostructures. However, controlled atomic diffusion is very difficult to achieve in the fabrication of individual nanostructures. Here, an electrically driven in situ solid-solid diffusion reaction inside a TEM is reported for the controlled fabrication of two different hetero-nanostructures in the Ag-Te system. Remarkably, the morphology and structure of the as-formed heterostructures are strongly dependent on the path of atomic diffusion. Our experiments revealed that the surface diffusion of Te atoms to Ag nanowires leads to a core-shell structure, while the bulk diffusion of Ag atoms give rise to a Ag2Te-Te segmented heterostructure. Heat released by Joule heating caused the surface diffusion process to be replaced by bulk diffusion and thereby determined the structure of the final product. Our experimental results provide an insight into solid-state diffusion reactions under an electric field and also propose a new process for the fabrication of complex nanostructures.

Sub-4 nm Nanodiamonds from Graphene-Oxide and Nitrated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons at 423 K.

Nanodiamonds are interesting materials from the point of view of their biocompatibility and their chemical, spectroscopic, and mechanical properties. Current synthetic methods for nanodiamonds involve harsh environments, which are potentially hazardous in addition to being expensive. We report a low-temperature (423 K) hydrothermal approach to form nanodiamonds by using graphene-oxide or nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (naphthalene, anthracene, phenanthrene, or pyrene) as a starting material. The reaction products contain single-crystalline or twinned nanodiamonds with average diameters in the 2-3 nm range. Theoretical calculations prove that, at the nanoscale, sub-4 nm nanodiamonds may adopt a structure that is more stable than graphene-oxide and nitrated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Our findings show that sp2 carbon in the polycyclic aromatic precursor can be converted to sp3 carbon under unexpectedly moderate temperature conditions by using nanoscale precursors and thus offer a low-temperature approach for the synthesis of sub-4 nm nanodiamonds.

Defect-engineered three-dimensional vanadium diselenide microflowers/nanosheets on carbon cloth by chemical vapor deposition for high-performance hydrogen evolution reaction.

In the past decades, defect engineering has become an effective strategy to significantly improve the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) efficiency of electrocatalysts. In this work, a facile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method is firstly adopted to demonstrate defect engineering in high-efficiency HER electrocatalysts of vanadium diselenide nanostructures. For practical applications, the conductive substrate of carbon cloth (CC) is selected as the growth substrate. By using a four-time CVD method, uniform three-dimensional microflowers with defect-rich small nanosheets on the surface are prepared directly on the CC substrate, displaying a stable HER performance with a low Tafel slope value of 125 mV dec-1and low overpotential voltage of 295 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2in alkaline electrolyte. Based on the results of x-ray photoelectron spectra and density functional theory calculations, the impressive HER performance originates from the Se vacancy-related active sites of small nanosheets, while the microflower/nanosheet homoepitaxy structure facilitates the carrier flow between the active sites and conductive substrate. All the results present a new route to achieve defect engineering using the facile CVD technique, and pave a novel way to prepare high-activity layered electrocatalysts directly on a conductive substrate.

A novel method for in situ visualization of the growth kinetics, structures and behaviours of gas-phase fabricated metallic alloy nanoparticles.

Modulation of gas-phase nanoparticles is unmethodical as there is a lack of information on the growth kinetics and its determinants. Here, we developed a novel in situ evaporation-and-deposition (EAD) method inside a transmission electron microscope which enables direct visualization of the nucleation, growth, coalescence and shape/phase evolution of gas-phase fabricated nanoparticles. Using a Bi49Pb18Sn12In21 alloy as a sample, the critical factors that determine the feasibility of this EAD method are revealed. By direct observation, it is unambiguously evidenced that pristine nanoparticles with ultra-clean surfaces are extremely energetic during growth. Coalescence between EAD-fabricated nanoparticles takes place in a manner beyond conventional understanding acquired by postmortem analyses. Moreover, the EAD-fabricated diverse nanoparticles show distinct size distributions and sandwich-type or Janus-type phase segregations. These features offer an effective tool to identify atomic surface steps of thin films and can provide an ideal case for exploring the phase diagrams of nanoalloys in the future.

In situ interface engineering for probing the limit of quantum dot photovoltaic devices.

Quantum dot (QD) photovoltaic devices are attractive for their low-cost synthesis, tunable band gap and potentially high power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, the experimentally achieved efficiency to date remains far from ideal. Here, we report an in-situ fabrication and investigation of single TiO2-nanowire/CdSe-QD heterojunction solar cell (QDHSC) using a custom-designed photoelectric transmission electron microscope (TEM) holder. A mobile counter electrode is used to precisely tune the interface area for in situ photoelectrical measurements, which reveals a strong interface area dependent PCE. Theoretical simulations show that the simplified single nanowire solar cell structure can minimize the interface area and associated charge scattering to enable an efficient charge collection. Additionally, the optical antenna effect of nanowire-based QDHSCs can further enhance the absorption and boost the PCE. This study establishes a robust 'nanolab' platform in a TEM for in situ photoelectrical studies and provides valuable insight into the interfacial effects in nanoscale solar cells.

Ultrahigh Hole Mobility of Sn-Catalyzed GaSb Nanowires for High Speed Infrared Photodetectors.

Owing to the relatively low hole mobility, the development of GaSb nanowire (NW) electronic and photoelectronic devices has stagnated in the past decade. During a typical catalyst-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, the adopted metallic catalyst can be incorporated into the NW body to act as a slight dopant, thus regulating the electrical properties of the NW. In this work, we demonstrate the use of Sn as a catalyst and dopant for GaSb NWs in the surfactant-assisted CVD growth process. The Sn-catalyzed zinc-blende GaSb NWs are thin, long, and straight with good crystallinity, resulting in a record peak hole mobility of 1028 cm2 V-1 s-1. This high mobility is attributed to the slight doping of Sn atoms from the catalyst tip into the NW body, which is verified by the red-shifted photoluminescence peak of Sn-catalyzed GaSb NWs (0.69 eV) compared with that of Au-catalyzed NWs (0.74 eV). Furthermore, the parallel array NWs also show a high peak hole mobility of 170 cm2 V-1 s-1, a high responsivity of 61 A W-1, and fast rise and decay times of 195.1 and 380.4 µs, respectively, under the illumination of 1550 nm infrared light. All of the results demonstrate that the as-prepared Sn-catalyzed GaSb NWs are promising for application in next-generation electronics and optoelectronics.

Novel Interface in CuAg Nanostructure Induced by Size Effect.

Bimetallic Janus nanostructures (JNs) have been revealed to be valuable materials because they have unique intermetallic interfaces that enable their potential use in a range of applications. However, with the increasing miniaturization of electronic devices, particle sizes influence the structure and orientation of these heterointerfaces, which plays a significant role in their application. Our in situ annealing experiments with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy have shown that for particle sizes in the sub-10 nm range, CuAg JNs preferentially show a Cu(100)/Ag(100) interface, differing from the larger CuAg JNs, where the Cu(111)/Ag(111) interface is favored. We discuss a feasible atomic motion mechanism to explain the effect of particle size on the formation of different heterointerfaces. Our results reveal the presence of a novel sub-10 nm heterostructure with a unique Cu(100)/Ag(100) interface and also provide crucial insights into understanding the role of particle size in interfacial evolution during thermal annealing of heterostructures.

A surface transition of nanoparticle-decorated graphene films from water-adhesive to water-repellent.

Herein, a facile strategy is introduced to realize the transition of graphene films from a water-adhesion surface (adhesive pressure of 541.5 Pa) to a water-repellent surface (adhesive pressure of ∼0 Pa) via decoration of carbon nanoparticles. Cassie impregnating wetting state and Cassie state are used to explain highly adhesive effect and strong repelling effect, respectively. Droplet impacting experiments demonstrate that the as-prepared graphene films have a stable structure, which is beneficial for their applications.

A Novel Domain-Confined Growth Strategy for In Situ Controllable Fabrication of Individual Hollow Nanostructures.

The manipulation and tailoring of the structure and properties of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) is significant particularly for the design and fabrication of future nanodevices. Here, a novel domain-confined growth strategy is reported for controllable fabrication of individual monocrystal hollow NCs (h-NCs) in situ inside a transmission electron microscope, which enables the atomic scale monitoring of the entire reaction. During the process, the preformed carbon shells serve as nanoreaction cells for the formation of CdSeS h-NCs. Electron beam (e-beam) irradiation is demonstrated to be the key activation factor for the solid-to-hollow shape transformation. The formation of CdSeS hollow NCs is also found to be sensitive to the volume ratio of the CdSe/CdS NCs to the carbon shell and only those CdSe/CdS NCs with a volume ratio in the range 0.2-0.8 are successfully converted into hollow NCs. The method paves the way to potentially use an e-beam for the in situ tailoring of individual semiconductor NCs targeted toward future nanodevice applications.

In Situ Repair of 2D Chalcogenides under Electron Beam Irradiation.

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) and bismuth telluride (Bi2 Te3 ) are the two most common types of structures adopted by 2D chalcogenides. In view of their unique physical properties and structure, 2D chalcogenides have potential applications in various fields. However, the excellent properties of these 2D crystals depend critically on their crystal structures, where defects, cracks, holes, or even greater damage can be inevitably introduced during the preparation and transferring processes. Such defects adversely impact the performance of devices made from 2D chalcogenides and, hence, it is important to develop ways to intuitively and precisely repair these 2D crystals on the atomic scale, so as to realize high-reliability devices from these structures. Here, an in situ study of the repair of the nanopores in MoS2 and Bi2 Te3 is carried out under electron beam irradiation by transmission electron microscopy. The experimental conditions allow visualization of the structural dynamics of MoS2 and Bi2 Te3 crystals with unprecedented resolution. Real-time observation of the healing of defects at atomic resolution can potentially help to reproducibly fabricate and simultaneously image single-crystalline free-standing 2D chalcogenides. Thus, these findings demonstrate the viability of using an electron beam as an effective tool to precisely engineer materials to suit desired applications in the future.