One-dimensional electron systems exhibit fundamentally different properties than higher-dimensional systems. For example, electron–electron interactions in one-dimensional electron systems have been predicted to induce Tomonaga–Luttinger liquid behaviour. Naturally occurring grain boundaries in single-layer transition metal dichalcogenides exhibit one-dimensional conducting channels that have been

Spin–orbit torque (SOT)-driven deterministic control of the magnetic state of a ferromagnet with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy is key to next-generation spintronic applications including non-volatile, ultrafast and energy-efficient data-storage devices. However, field-free deterministic switching of perpendicular magnetization remains a challenge because it requires an out-of-plane antidamping

Complex correlated states emerging from many-body interactions between quasiparticles (electrons, excitons and phonons) are at the core of condensed matter physics and material science. In low-dimensional materials, quantum confinement affects the electronic, and subsequently, optical properties for these correlated states. Here, by combining photoluminescence, optical reflection measurements and ab

Elastic properties of classical bulk materials can hardly be changed or adjusted in operando, while such tunable elasticity is highly desired for robots and smart machinery. Although possible in reconfigurable metamaterials, continuous tunability in existing designs is plagued by issues such as structural instability, weak robustness, plastic failure and slow response. Here we report a metamaterial

Exciton polaritons, the part-light and part-matter quasiparticles in semiconductor optical cavities, are promising for exploring Bose–Einstein condensation, non-equilibrium many-body physics and analogue simulation at elevated temperatures. However, a room-temperature polaritonic platform on par with the GaAs quantum wells grown by molecular beam epitaxy at low temperatures remains elusive. The operation

Electrostatic dielectric capacitors are essential components in advanced electronic and electrical power systems due to their ultrafast charging/discharging speed and high power density. A major challenge, however, is how to improve their energy densities to effectuate the next-generation applications that demand miniaturization and integration. Here, we report a high-entropy stabilized Bi2Ti2O7-based

Deciphering the neural patterns underlying brain functions is essential to understanding how neurons are organized into networks. This deciphering has been greatly facilitated by optogenetics and its combination with optoelectronic devices to control neural activity with millisecond temporal resolution and cell type specificity. However, targeting small brain volumes causes photoelectric artefacts

Solid-state Li-ion batteries with lithium anodes offer higher energy densities and are safer than conventional liquid electrolyte-based Li-ion batteries. However, the growth of lithium dendrites across the solid-state electrolyte layer leads to the premature shorting of cells and limits their practical viability. Here, using solid-state Li half-cells with metallic interlayers between a garnet-based

Outstanding resistance to destructive radiation damage in structural alloys is realized by ultra-high-density reversible nanoprecipitate inclusions, and the improvement is attributed to the reordering process of low-misfit superlattices in highly supersaturated matrices.

Using high-pressure synthesis, perovskite antimonates have been realized with enhanced charge density wave gap and superconducting transition temperatures up to 15 K.

Twisted monolayer–multilayer graphene superlattices present bi-stable reconstruction states, with reversible switch in-between and long-distance propagation triggered by local mechanical perturbation. This provides additional degrees of freedom for moiré engineering.

Materials scientists have played a key role in the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic from the development of vaccines and diagnostic tools to the rapid prototyping of ventilators.

A temporal modulation protocol enriches topological Floquet physics by enabling the realization of bimorphic Floquet systems where Chern and anomalous Floquet phases coexist in a single platform of laser-written waveguides.

Materials capable of sustaining high radiation doses at a high temperature are required for next-generation fission and future fusion energy. To date, however, even the most promising structural materials cannot withstand the demanded radiation environment due to irreversible radiation-driven microstructure degradation. Here we report a counterintuitive strategy to achieve exceptionally high radiation

The performance of organic optoelectronic and energy-harvesting devices is largely determined by the molecular orientation and resultant permanent dipole moment, yet this property is difficult to control during film preparation. Here, we demonstrate the active control of dipole direction—that is, vector direction and magnitude—in organic glassy films by physical vapour deposition. An organic glassy

Growing evidence suggests that the physical properties of the cellular microenvironment influence cell migration. However, it is not currently understood how active physical remodelling by cells affects migration dynamics. Here we report that cell clusters seeded on deformable collagen-I networks display persistent collective migration despite not showing any apparent intrinsic polarity. Clusters generate

Wireless optoelectronic devices are fabricated by controlling the porosity of p-type silicon, enabling in vivo efficient, non-genetic optoelectronic modulation of peripheral nerve activity.

Sub-100-mV switching at the nanosecond timescale is achieved in ferroelectric devices by approaching bulk-like perfection in prototypical BaTiO3 thin films.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices have been developed for direct solar fuel production but the limited stability of submerged light absorbers can hamper their commercial prospects.1,2 Here, we demonstrate photocathodes with an operational H2 evolution activity over weeks, by integrating a BiOI light absorber into a robust, oxide-based architecture with a graphite paste conductive encapsulant. In this

Upscaling motor protein activity to perform work in man-made devices has long been an ambitious goal in bionanotechnology. The use of hierarchical motor assemblies, as realized in sarcomeres, has so far been complicated by the challenges of arranging sufficiently high numbers of motor proteins with nanoscopic precision. Here, we describe an alternative approach based on actomyosin cortex-like force

Homo- and heterojunctions play essential roles in semiconductor-based devices such as field-effect transistors, solar cells, photodetectors and light-emitting diodes. Semiconductor junctions have been recently used to optically trigger biological modulation via photovoltaic or photoelectrochemical mechanisms. The creation of heterojunctions typically involves materials with different doping or composition

Solid–liquid–gas reactions are ubiquitous and are encountered in both nature and industrial processes1,2,3,4. A comprehensive description of gas transport in liquid and following reactions at the solid–liquid–gas interface, which is substantial in regard to achieving enhanced triple-phase reactions, remains unavailable. Here, we report a real-time observation of the accelerated etching of gold nanorods

Single crystals of BaTiO3 exhibit small switching fields and energies, but thin-film performance is considerably worse, thus precluding their use in next-generation devices. Here, we demonstrate high-quality BaTiO3 thin films with nearly bulk-like properties. Thickness scaling provides access to the coercive voltages (<100 mV) and fields (<10 kV cm−1) required for future applications and results in

Lipid nanodiscs carrying a potent STING agonist penetrate deep into solid tumours compared with gold-standard liposomes and enable long-term antitumour immunotherapy.

Atomically dispersed catalysts show great promise, but their design is challenging. A library of catalysts spanning 37 elements was created to uncover unified principles for catalyst design.

Atomically dispersed single-atom catalysts have the potential to bridge heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis. Dozens of single-atom catalysts have been developed, and they exhibit notable catalytic activity and selectivity that are not achievable on metal surfaces. Although promising, there is limited knowledge about the boundaries for the monometallic single-atom phase space, not to mention multimetallic

Activation of the innate immune STimulator of INterferon Genes (STING) pathway potentiates antitumour immunity, but systemic delivery of STING agonists to tumours is challenging. We conjugated STING-activating cyclic dinucleotides (CDNs) to PEGylated lipids (CDN-PEG-lipids; PEG, polyethylene glycol) via a cleavable linker and incorporated them into lipid nanodiscs (LNDs), which are discoid nanoparticles

Grain refinement is a widely sought-after feature of many metal production processes and frequently involves a process of recrystallization. Some processing methods use very high strain rates and high strains to refine the grain structure into the nanocrystalline regime. However, grain refinement processes are not clear in these extreme conditions, which are hard to study systematically. Here, we access

Nanostructured materials have recently emerged as a promising approach for material appearance design. Research has mainly focused on creating structural colours by wave interference, leaving aside other important aspects that constitute the visual appearance of an object, such as the respective weight of specular and diffuse reflectances, object macroscopic shape, illumination and viewing conditions

Ferrimagnetic alloys are model systems for understanding the ultrafast magnetization switching in materials with antiferromagnetically coupled sublattices. Here we investigate the dynamics of the rare-earth and transition-metal sublattices in ferrimagnetic GdFeCo and TbCo dots excited by spin–orbit torques with combined temporal, spatial and elemental resolution. We observe distinct switching regimes

Semiconductors, featuring tunable electrical transport, and magnets, featuring tunable spin configurations, form the basis of many information technologies. A long-standing challenge has been to realize materials that integrate and connect these two distinct properties. Two-dimensional (2D) materials offer a platform to realize this concept, but known 2D magnetic semiconductors are electrically insulating

In organic photovoltaics, morphological control of donor and acceptor domains on the nanoscale is the key for enabling efficient exciton diffusion and dissociation, carrier transport and suppression of recombination losses. To realize this, here, we demonstrated a double-fibril network based on a ternary donor–acceptor morphology with multi-length scales constructed by combining ancillary conjugated

Electrically programmable Fourier-synthesized acoustic tweezers enable facile manipulation of micrometre-sized objects, colloids and living cells in a lab-on-chip device that combines high throughput with minimal invasive yet highly tunable force fields.

Early time transient absorption microscopy in quantum dot solids reveals anomalous exciton transport with multiple different temporal regimes within hundreds of femtoseconds after photoexcitation.

A return to in-person and hybrid conferences is more than welcome and sure to inspire.

Spins become polarized along their momenta when travelling through chiral tellurium nanowires. The signs of chirality and current determine the orientations of polarized spins while the spin density can be tuned by electrical gating, current and external magnetic field.

Double-shelled hollow spheres comprising of different catalytic materials are shown to enhance the efficiency of catalytic processes for the selective conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to gasoline.

Bioelectronics demand stretchable devices with steady performance under deformation. By combining an amphiphilic organic semiconducting polymer with tailored film processing, highly stretchable organic electrochemical transistors are demonstrated.

Realizing fully stretchable electronic materials is central to advancing new types of mechanically agile and skin-integrable optoelectronic device technologies. Here we demonstrate a materials design concept combining an organic semiconductor film with a honeycomb porous structure with biaxially prestretched platform that enables high-performance organic electrochemical transistors with a charge transport

Intercalation-type metal oxides are promising negative electrode materials for safe rechargeable lithium-ion batteries due to the reduced risk of Li plating at low voltages. Nevertheless, their lower energy and power density along with cycling instability remain bottlenecks for their implementation, especially for fast-charging applications. Here, we report a nanostructured rock-salt Nb2O5 electrode

In principle, porous physisorbents are attractive candidates for the removal of volatile organic compounds such as benzene by virtue of their low energy for the capture and release of this pollutant. Unfortunately, many physisorbents exhibit weak sorbate–sorbent interactions, resulting in poor selectivity and low uptake when volatile organic compounds are present at trace concentrations. Herein, we

Topological theories have established a unique set of rules that govern the transport properties in a wide variety of wave-mechanical settings. In a marked departure from the established approaches that induce Floquet topological phases by specifically tailored discrete coupling protocols or helical lattice motions, we introduce a class of bimorphic Floquet topological insulators that leverage connective

Moiré superlattices formed by stacking two-dimensional crystals have reinvigorated the pursuit for emergent functionalities of engineered superlattices. Unique optical characteristics can be realized from the interplay between the electronic excitations and the atomic rearrangements owing to their intrinsic softness. Although large-scale reconstructions have been identified at small twist angles, they

Pioneer of polyamorphism and enthusiast for the solid state.

Atomic reconstruction has been widely observed in two-dimensional van der Waals structures with small twist angles1,2,3,4,5,6,7. This unusual behaviour leads to many novel phenomena, including strong electronic correlation, spontaneous ferromagnetism and topologically protected states1,5,8,9,10,11,12,13,14. Nevertheless, atomic reconstruction typically occurs spontaneously, exhibiting only one single

Coupling between nanoscale self-assembly and capillary pattern formation leads to ordered thin films with multiscale structure spanning six orders of magnitude.

Optical nanoparticles are promising diagnostic tools; however, their shallow optical imaging depth and slow clearance from the body have impeded their use for in vivo disease detection. To address these limitations, we develop activatable polyfluorophore nanosensors with biomarker-triggered nanoparticle-to-molecule pharmacokinetic conversion and near-infrared fluorogenic turn-on response. Activatable

Carbon has emerged as a unique material in nanofluidics, with reports of fast water transport, molecular ion separation and efficient osmotic energy conversion. Many of these phenomena still await proper rationalization due to the lack of fundamental understanding of nanoscale ionic transport, which can only be achieved in controlled environments. Here we develop the fabrication of ‘activated’ two-dimensional

Spontaneous hierarchical self-organization of nanometre-scale subunits into higher-level complex structures is ubiquitous in nature. The creation of synthetic nanomaterials that mimic the self-organization of complex superstructures commonly seen in biomolecules has proved challenging due to the lack of biomolecule-like building blocks that feature versatile, programmable interactions to render structural

Giant Rydberg excitons with principal quantum numbers as high as n = 25 have been observed in cuprous oxide (Cu2O), a semiconductor in which the exciton diameter can become as large as ∼1 μm. The giant dimension of these excitons results in excitonic interaction enhancements of orders of magnitude. Rydberg exciton–polaritons, formed by the strong coupling of Rydberg excitons to cavity photons, are

The hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cell (HEMFC) is a promising energy conversion technology but is limited by the need for platinum group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts, especially for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR). Here we report a Ni-based HOR catalyst that exhibits an electrochemical surface area-normalized exchange current density of 70 μA cm–2, the highest among PGM-free catalysts. The

A composite membrane that contains porous organic cages is shown to be dynamic, with pore aperture diameter controlled by solvent allowing for graded molecular sieving.

Plastic yielding of metallic glasses is mediated by strain softening, which promotes localized failure and impairs engineering predictability. Unravelling the mechanisms associated with this plastic flow behaviour lays the groundwork for reliable engineering design of this elusive material.

The dissemination of synthetic biology into materials science is creating an evolving class of functional, engineered living materials that can grow, sense and adapt similar to biological organisms.

A prototypical biocomposite block comprising a blend of bacteria, fungi and feedstock can be assembled into human-sized, living structures with self-healing and environmental sensing capabilities.

Mobile electrons dressed with the crystal electric field of localized f orbitals form a new type of quasiparticle in a rare-earth material with a devil’s staircase magnetic structure.

The exceptional quality of hexagonal boron nitride crystals that can be cleaved into few layers provides ultrathin dielectrics, thereby opening a route to ultrasmall capacitors with large capacitances. With such capacitors, the superconducting transmon qubit is scaled down by orders of magnitude.