Magnetic antiskyrmions above room temperature in tetragonal Heusler materials.

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable, vortex-like objects surrounded by chiral boundaries that separate a region of reversed magnetization from the surrounding magnetized material. They are closely related to nanoscopic chiral magnetic domain walls, which could be used as memory and logic elements for conventional and neuromorphic computing applications that go beyond Moore's law. Of particular interest is 'racetrack memory', which is composed of vertical magnetic nanowires, each accommodating of the order of 100 domain walls, and that shows promise as a solid state, non-volatile memory with exceptional capacity and performance. Its performance is derived from the very high speeds (up to one kilometre per second) at which chiral domain walls can be moved with nanosecond current pulses in synthetic antiferromagnet racetracks. Because skyrmions are essentially composed of a pair of chiral domain walls closed in on themselves, but are, in principle, more stable to perturbations than the component domain walls themselves, they are attractive for use in spintronic applications, notably racetrack memory. Stabilization of skyrmions has generally been achieved in systems with broken inversion symmetry, in which the asymmetric Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction modifies the uniform magnetic state to a swirling state. Depending on the crystal symmetry, two distinct types of skyrmions have been observed experimentally, namely, Bloch and Néel skyrmions. Here we present the experimental manifestation of another type of skyrmion-the magnetic antiskyrmion-in acentric tetragonal Heusler compounds with D2d crystal symmetry. Antiskyrmions are characterized by boundary walls that have alternating Bloch and Néel type as one traces around the boundary. A spiral magnetic ground-state, which propagates in the tetragonal basal plane, is transformed into an antiskyrmion lattice state under magnetic fields applied along the tetragonal axis over a wide range of temperatures. Direct imaging by Lorentz transmission electron microscopy shows field-stabilized antiskyrmion lattices and isolated antiskyrmions from 100 kelvin to well beyond room temperature, and zero-field metastable antiskyrmions at low temperatures. These results enlarge the family of magnetic skyrmions and pave the way to the engineering of complex bespoke designed skyrmionic structures.

Nano-channels in the spider fang for the transport of Zn ions to cross-link His-rich proteins pre-deposited in the cuticle matrix.

We identify the presence of multiple vascular channels within the spider fang. These channels seem to serve the transport of zinc to the tip of the fang to cross-link the protein matrix by binding to histidine residues. According to amino acid and elemental analysis of fangs extracted shortly after ecdysis, His-rich proteins are deposited before Zn is incorporated into the cuticle. Microscopic and spectroscopic investigations in the electron microscope and synchrotron radiation experiments suggest that Zn ions are transported through these channels in a liable (yet unidentified) form, and then form stable complexes upon His binding. The resulting cross-linking through the Zn-His complexes is conferring hardness to the fang. Our observations of nano-channels serving the Zn-transport within the His-rich protein matrix of the fibre reinforced spider fang may also support recent bio-inspired attempts to design artificial polymeric vascular materials for self-healing and in-situ curing.

The surface-to-volume ratio: a key parameter in the thermoelectric transport of topological insulator Bi2Se3 nanowires.

We systematically investigated the role of topological surface states on thermoelectric transport by varying the surface-to-volume ratio (s/v) of Bi2Se3 nanowires. The thermoelectric coefficients of Bi2Se3 nanowires were significantly influenced by the topological surface states with increasing the s/v. The Seebeck coefficient of Bi2Se3 nanowires decreased with increasing the s/v, while the electrical conductivity increased with increasing the s/v. This implies that the influence of metallic surface states become dominant in thermoelectric transport in thin nanowires, and the s/v is a key parameter which determines the total thermoelectric properties. Our measurements were corroborated by using a two-channel Boltzmann transport model.

Superconductivity in Weyl semimetal candidate MoTe2.

Transition metal dichalcogenides have attracted research interest over the last few decades due to their interesting structural chemistry, unusual electronic properties, rich intercalation chemistry and wide spectrum of potential applications. Despite the fact that the majority of related research focuses on semiconducting transition-metal dichalcogenides (for example, MoS2), recently discovered unexpected properties of WTe2 are provoking strong interest in semimetallic transition metal dichalcogenides featuring large magnetoresistance, pressure-driven superconductivity and Weyl semimetal states. We investigate the sister compound of WTe2, MoTe2, predicted to be a Weyl semimetal and a quantum spin Hall insulator in bulk and monolayer form, respectively. We find that bulk MoTe2 exhibits superconductivity with a transition temperature of 0.10 K. Application of external pressure dramatically enhances the transition temperature up to maximum value of 8.2 K at 11.7 GPa. The observed dome-shaped superconductivity phase diagram provides insights into the interplay between superconductivity and topological physics.

Four-state ferroelectric spin-valve.

Spin-valves had empowered the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) devices to have memory. The insertion of thin antiferromagnetic (AFM) films allowed two stable magnetic field-induced switchable resistance states persisting in remanence. In this letter, we show that, without the deliberate introduction of such an AFM layer, this functionality is transferred to multiferroic tunnel junctions (MFTJ) allowing us to create a four-state resistive memory device. We observed that the ferroelectric/ferromagnetic interface plays a crucial role in the stabilization of the exchange bias, which ultimately leads to four robust electro tunnel electro resistance (TER) and tunnel magneto resistance (TMR) states in the junction.

In situ Raman spectroscopic study of Al-infiltrated spider dragline silk under tensile deformation.

Natural materials consisting of protein structures impregnated with a tiny amount of metals often exhibit impressive mechanical behavior, which represents a new design paradigm for the development of biomimetic materials. Here, we produced Al-infiltrated silks by applying a modified Al2O3 atomic layer deposition process to the dragline silk of the Nephila pilipes spider, which showed unusual mechanical properties. The deformation behavior of the molecular structure of the Al-infiltrated silk was investigated by performing in situ Raman spectroscopy, where Raman shifts were measured concurrently with macroscopic mechanical deformations. For identifying the role of the infiltrated Al atoms, the study was performed in parallel with untreated silk, and the results were compared. Our experimental results revealed that superior mechanical properties of the Al-infiltrated silk are likely to be caused by the alterations of the sizes of the ß-sheet crystals and their distribution.

Hierarchically structured ZnO/petal hybrid composites with tuned optoelectronic and mechanical properties.

Impressive biophotonic functions of flora in Mother Nature are often attributed to the optical diffraction occurring on hierarchically structured surfaces. The petals, displaying vivid colors, have diverse surface structures. The shapes of those structures alter significantly depending on the part of the petal, and they adjust the intensity of the reflected color and the light absorbance. Here, we added semiconducting properties to those intriguing optical functions arising from the unique surface structures. By means of atomic layer deposition (ALD), we conformally deposited a ZnO layer on the yellow rose petal, which has hierarchical surface structures and exhibits peculiar light absorbance behaviors. The resulting ZnO/petal composites revealed unique optoelectronic characteristics by synergetic effects between the biophotonic structures and inherent semiconducting properties. From several control experiments, we identified that the biophotonic hierarchical structures give rise to strong modulation of the light absorbance. We found that ZnO/petal exhibits superior mechanical stability to the raw petal likely due to the Zn infiltration into the petal. The design inspired by floral creatures with photonic structures and manufactured in the form of composite with mechanical stability and distinctive optoelectronic properties is believed to offer a new paradigm for the preparation of bioinspired photonic devices.

The influence of a Te-depleted surface on the thermoelectric transport properties of Bi2Te3 nanowires.

We report on thermoelectric transport measurements along the basal plane of several individual, single-crystalline Bi2Te3 nanowires (NWs) with different cross-sectional areas, grown by a vapor-liquid-solid method. Lithographically defined microdevices allowed us to determine the Seebeck coefficient S, electrical conductivity σ, and thermal conductivity κ of individual NWs. The NWs studied show near intrinsic transport properties with low electrical conductivities of around σ = (3.2 ± 0.9) × 104 Ω⁻¹ m⁻¹ at room temperature. We observe a transition of the Seebeck coefficient from positive to negative values (S = +133 µVK⁻¹ to S = -87 µVK⁻¹) with increasing surface-to-volume ratio at room temperature, which can be explained by the presence of an approximately 5 nm thick Te-depleted layer at the surface of the NWs. The thermal conductivities of our NWs are in the range of κ = (1.4 ± 0.4) Wm⁻¹ K⁻¹ at room temperature, which is lower than literature values for bulk Bi2Te3. We attribute this suppression in thermal conductivity to enhanced scattering of phonons at the surface of the NWs. Despite their reduced thermal conductivities, the NWs investigated only show a moderate figure of merit between 0.02 and 0.18 due to their near intrinsic transport properties.

Tuning, inhibiting and restoring the enzyme mimetic activities of Pt-apoferritin.

A selective and specific inhibition of the catalase mimetic activity but not SOD-like activity of Pt-apoferritin can be achieved through the choice of the inhibitor. The recovery of activity using a reducing agent was explored and proven to successfully restore the surface-chemistry of NPs.

Thermoelectric power factor of ternary single-crystalline Sb2Te3- and Bi2Te3-based nanowires.

Nanowires of bismuth antimony telluride and bismuth telluride selenide (Bi15Sb29Te56 and Bi38Te55Se7) were grown by template-based pulsed electrodeposition. The composition and the crystallinity of the nanowires were determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The thermoelectric properties (Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity) of single p- and n-type nanowires, with diameter 80 nm and 200 nm, respectively, were determined as a function of temperature before and during heating in a helium atmosphere up to 300 K along the growth direction of the nanowires. After additional annealing in a tellurium atmosphere at 525 K, significantly enhanced transport properties are observed. Bulk-like power factors are achieved. In Bi38Te55Se7 nanowires, the Seebeck coefficients increase to -115 µV K(-1) and the thermoelectric power factors increase to 2820 µW K(-2) m(-1) at room temperature. In Bi15Sb29Te56 nanowires, Seebeck coefficients of up to S = +156 µV K(-1) and power factors of up to 1750 µW K(-2) m(-1) are obtained at room temperature.

Colossal injection of catalyst atoms into silicon nanowires.

The incorporation of impurities during the growth of nanowires from the vapour phase alters their basic properties substantially, and this process is critical in an extended range of emerging nanometre-scale technologies. In particular, achieving precise control of the behaviour of group III and group V dopants has been a crucial step in the development of silicon (Si) nanowire-based devices. Recently it has been demonstrated that the use of aluminium (Al) as a growth catalyst, instead of the usual gold, also yields an effective p-type doping, thereby enabling a novel and efficient route to functionalizing Si nanowires. Besides the technological implications, this self-doping implies the detachment of Al from the catalyst and its injection into the growing nanowire, involving atomic-scale processes that are crucial for the fundamental understanding of the catalytic assembly of nanowires. Here we present an atomic-level, quantitative study of this phenomenon of catalyst dissolution by three-dimensional atom-by-atom mapping of individual Al-catalysed Si nanowires using highly focused ultraviolet-laser-assisted atom-probe tomography. Although the observed incorporation of the catalyst atoms into nanowires exceeds by orders of magnitude the equilibrium solid solubility and solid-solution concentrations in known non-equilibrium processes, the Al impurities are found to be homogeneously distributed in the nanowire and do not form precipitates or clusters. As well as the anticipated effect on the electrical properties, this kinetics-driven colossal injection also has direct implications for nanowire morphology. We discuss the observed strong deviation from equilibrium using a model of solute trapping at step edges, and identify the key growth parameters behind this phenomenon on the basis of a kinetic model of step-flow growth of nanowires. The control of this phenomenon provides opportunities to create a new class of nanoscale devices by precisely tailoring the shape and composition of metal-catalysed nanowires.

Thermoelectric characterization of bismuth telluride nanowires, synthesized via catalytic growth and post-annealing.

Bi(2) Te(3) nanowires are of significant interest for two fields: nanostructured thermoelectrics and topological insulators. The vapor-liquid-solid method is employed in combination with annealing in a Te atmosphere, to obtain single-crystalline Bi(2) Te(3) nanowires with reproducible electronic transport properties (electrical conductivity and Seebeck coefficient) that are close to those of intrinsic bulk Bi(2) Te(3) .

Enhanced catalytic activity for methanol electro-oxidation of uniformly dispersed nickel oxide nanoparticles-carbon nanotube hybrid materials.

Highy crystalline NiO nanoparticles are uniformly grown on the walls of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at moderate temperature.Their size and stoichiometry are controlled by the ALD process parameters. The obtained NiO/CNT hybrids exhibit excellent performance in the electro-oxidation of methanol.

Ordered arrays of multiferroic epitaxial nanostructures.

UNLABELLED: Epitaxial heterostructures combining ferroelectric (FE) and ferromagnetic (FiM) oxides are a possible route to explore coupling mechanisms between the two independent order parameters, polarization and magnetization of the component phases. We report on the fabrication and properties of arrays of hybrid epitaxial nanostructures of FiM NiFe(2)O(4) (NFO) and FE PbZr(0.52)Ti(0.48)O(3) or PbZr(0.2)Ti(0.8)O(3), with large range order and lateral dimensions from 200 nm to 1 micron. METHODS: The structures were fabricated by pulsed-laser deposition. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and high angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy were employed to investigate the microstructure and the epitaxial growth of the structures. Room temperature ferroelectric and ferrimagnetic domains of the heterostructures were imaged by piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM), respectively. RESULTS: PFM and MFM investigations proved that the hybrid epitaxial nanostructures show ferroelectric and magnetic order at room temperature. Dielectric effects occurring after repeated switching of the polarization in large planar capacitors, comprising ferrimagnetic NiFe2O4 dots embedded in ferroelectric PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 matrix, were studied. CONCLUSION: These hybrid multiferroic structures with clean and well defined epitaxial interfaces hold promise for reliable investigations of magnetoelectric coupling between the ferrimagnetic / magnetostrictive and ferroelectric / piezoelectric phases.

Spontaneous phase and morphology transformations of anodized titania nanotubes induced by water at room temperature.

We report a spontaneous phase transformation of titania nanotubes induced by water at room temperature, which enables the as-anodized amorphous nanotubes to be crystallized into anatase mesoporous nanowires without any other post-treatments. These mesoporous TiO(2) nanomaterials have a markedly improved surface area, about 5.5 times than that of the as-anodized TiO(2) nanotubes, resulting in a pronounced enhanced photocatalytic activity. The present approach not only allows a flexible control over the morphology of TiO(2) nanostructures but can fundamentally eliminate the need for high temperature operations for crystallizing amorphous TiO(2).

Unexpected oxidation behavior of Cu nanoparticles embedded in porous alumina films produced by molecular layer deposition.

This work reports an unexpected oxidation behavior of Cu nanoparticles embedded in porous Al(2)O(3) confinements that are produced by annealing alucone (an organic-inorganic hybrid material) deposited by molecular layer deposition. An oxidation of such encapsulated Cu nanoparticles by annealing in air produces Cu oxide nanoparticles attached to the outer surface of the hollow Al(2)O(3) nanostructures, which is in strong contrast to bare or compact, nonporous Al(2)O(3)-coated Cu nanoparticles, which result in hollow oxide nanospheres or do not undergo oxidation, respectively. The conversion from encapsulated Cu to supported oxide nanoparticles is explained by a concerted pore-assisted diffusion and oxidation mechanism. The micropores in the films, having diameters of several angstroms, permit a selective out-diffusion of Cu atoms and prevent the inward diffusion of oxygen. The subsequent oxidation occurs at the pore entrances, which work as multiple nucleation sites for the formation of oxide nanoparticles with a small size and good dispersion.

The fabrication of nanoporous Pt-based multimetallic alloy nanowires and their improved electrochemical durability.

A general approach for the fabrication of nanoporous Pt-based multimetallic alloy nanowires is reported, which involves electrodeposition of corresponding precursor alloys into porous anodic alumina templates, followed by a mild dealloying process. Nanoporous ternary PtCoNi and PtCoAu as well as quaternary PtRuCoNi nanowires were successfully fabricated, and their microstructure and composition were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Electrochemical tests showed that these porous nanowires exhibit higher electrochemically active surface area and much improved durability compared to commercially available Pt black, and may find potential applications in electrocatalysis and electrochemical sensing.

Metal infiltration into biomaterials by ALD and CVD: a comparative study.

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a subset of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and both use very similar chemistry. Recently, it has been reported that ALD has the potential to realize a new design paradigm of bioinorganic materials through metal infiltration, which in nature has been employed as a hardening strategy for many tissues in diverse biological organisms. Herein, using a spider dragline silk and a collagen membrane as targets, we have performed a comparative study to elucidate the difference of the metal infiltration effect by ALD and CVD. From the comparison of mechanical properties, concentration of the infiltrated metal, and structural changes induced by the infiltrated metal, it has been proven that the metal can effectively infiltrate biomaterials by ALD and the infiltrated metal leads to highly improved mechanical properties accompanied by substantial changes in the protein structures, whereas CVD is less effective.