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Electric-field manipulation of magnetization in an insulating dilute ferromagnet through piezoelectromagnetic coupling

The electric field control of magnetization is of significant interest in materials science due to potential applications in many devices such as sensors, actuators, and magnetic memories. Here, we report magnetization changes generated by an electric field in ferromagnetic Ga1−xMnxN grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Two classes of phenomena have been revealed. First, over a wide range of magnetic fields, the magnetoelectric signal is odd in the electric field and reversible. Employing a macroscopic spin model and atomistic Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert theory with Langevin dynamics, we demonstrate that the magnetoelectric response results from the inverse piezoelectric effect that changes the trigonal single-ion magnetocrystalline anisotropy. Second, in the metastable regime of ferromagnetic hystereses, the magnetoelectric effect becomes non-linear and irreversible in response to a time-dependent electric field, which can reorient the magnetization direction. Interestingly, our observations are similar to those reported for another dilute ferromagnetic semiconductor Crx(Bi1−ySby)1−xTe3, in which magnetization was monitored as a function of the gate electric field. Those results constitute experimental support for theories describing the effects of time-dependent perturbation upon glasses far from thermal equilibrium in terms of an enhanced effective temperature.

Controlled layer-by-layer assembly and structured coloration of Ti3C2Tz MXene/polyelectrolyte heterostructures

Structural color arises from light scattering rather than organic pigments and can be found in Nature, such as in bird feathers and butterfly wings. Synthetic materials can mimic Nature by leveraging materials with contrasting optical characteristics by controlling each materials’ spatial arrangement in a heterostructure. Two-dimensional MXene nanosheets are particularly interesting due to their unique optical properties, but MXenes have not been used directly as a structural colorant because it is challenging to control the spatial placement of MXenes at the nanometer level. Here, we report the emergence of structural color in layer-by-layer (LbL) assemblies of Ti3C2Tz MXene nanosheets and polyelectrolyte heterostructures with controlled block thicknesses. The block thickness and spatial placement of MXene are controlled by the assembly’s salt concentration and number of layer pairs. This work demonstrates that optical characteristics of MXene/polyelectrolyte heterostructures depend on MXene content and placement, while deepening the understanding of MXenes within structural color films.

Mapping the energy-momentum dispersion of hBN excitons and hybrid plasmons in hBN-WSe2 heterostructures

Heterostructures obtained by combining two-dimensional (2D) sheets are widely investigated as a platform for designing new materials with customised characteristics. Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are often combined with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to enhance their excitonic resonances. However, little is known about how stacking affects excitons and plasmons in TMDCs or their mutual interactions. Here, we combine momentum-resolved electron energy-loss spectroscopy with first-principles calculations to study the energy-momentum dispersion of plasmons in multi-layer WSe2-hBN heterostructures as well as in their isolated components. The dispersion of the high-momentum excitons of hBN, alone and in combination with WSe2, is mapped across the entire Brillouin zone. Signatures of hybridisation in the plasmon resonances and some of the excitons suggest that the contribution of hBN cannot be neglected when interpreting the response of such a heterostructure. The consequences of using hBN as an encapsulant for TMDCs are also discussed.

FePS3-MoS2 p-n junctions for broadband optoelectronics

Broadband photodetectors and photovoltaic devices are crucial components in various optoelectronic applications, spanning self-powered photodetectors, solar energy harvesting and optical imaging systems, where optical sensitivity and efficient charge carrier generation are paramount. Two dimensional (2D) materials can be used to form p-n junctions for these applications, without crystal lattice or grain boundary constraints, which are common issues in bulk semiconductors. However, a key challenge lies in developing 2D heterojunctions that can efficiently harvest light across a broad spectrum while maintaining high charge separation. Here, we report heterojunctions of iron phosphorus trisulfide (FePS3) and molybdenum disulphide (MoS2) as the p– and n-type materials, respectively, demonstrating broadband photoresponse and photovoltaic behaviour. The results reveal that the FePS3-MoS2 heterojunctions form a Type-II band alignment, which not only enhances charge separation at the interface but also leads to faster relaxation times as compared to the individual materials. As such, enabling a robust photovoltaic and photoresponse across the visible spectrum. Notably, the heterojunctions exhibit a short-circuit current density of ~0.29 mA/cm² under visible light and outperform similar two-material heterostructures. These heterojunctions also demonstrate potential for translation onto flexible platforms by maintaining a comparable optoelectronic performance. This opens up opportunities for engineering flexible and self-driven optoelectronic devices, which is beneficial for smart wearable technology.

Infiltration-driven performance enhancement of poly-crystalline cathodes in all-solid-state batteries

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with adequately selected cathode materials exhibit a higher energy density and better safety than conventional lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Ni-rich layered cathodes are benchmark materials for traditional LIBs owing to their high energy density. Recent studies have highlighted the advantages of using crack-free, single-crystalline cathode materials in ASSBs. In this study, a scalable infiltration sheet-type process was used to fabricate composite electrodes with different cathode-material morphologies for ASSBs. Typically, crack-free single-crystalline materials exhibit better retention performance and lower rate capability (i.e., slower kinetics in charge‒discharge processes) than polycrystalline cathode materials. Li6PS5Cl-infiltrated polycrystalline electrodes showed excellent retention performance and rate capability. Galvanostatic intermittent titration technique analysis and transmission electron microscopy of the single-crystalline electrode confirmed severe polarization and the presence of a rock-salt-structure layer in the cathode particles; these results indicated side reactions within the layered structure of the material. In contrast, composite electrodes consisting of polycrystalline cathode materials infiltrated with the solid electrolyte Li6PS5Cl showed excellent electrochemical performance owing to intimate electrode–electrolyte interfacial contact. The result from this study confirmed the critical influence of interface engineering and material morphology on the overall performance and stability of ASSBs and could facilitate the development of high-performance ASSBs in the future.

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