Nanoscience News (<front>)

JAX-powered Bayesian anomaly detection for supernovae analysis

Abstract TBC

• Speaker: Samuel Leeney (University of Cambridge)
• Tuesday 27 May 2025, 11:15-12:00
• Venue: Martin Ryle Seminar Room, Kavli Institute.
• Series: Hills Coffee Talks; organiser: Charles Walker.

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Excitations with a twist

Quantum geometry allows us to quantify the distance between quantum states. It underpins numerous phenomena in condensed matter physics, from electron transport in flat band systems to topological twists of electronic wave functions. In this talk, I will give an overview of how quantum geometry can be extended to explore the excited states of materials. Focusing on excitons, bound electron-hole pairs, I will first give an overview of the possible exciton topological phases as they arise from the underlying electron and hole states. I will next describe how quantum geometry dictates that topological excitons are larger than their trivial counterparts and show how this results in enhanced exciton diffusion. I will use a family of organic semiconductors hosting topological excitons to illustrate these ideas.

• Speaker: Professor Bartomeu Monserrat, University of Cambridge
• Wednesday 07 May 2025, 14:30-15:30
• Venue: Unilever Lecture Theatre, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry.
• Series: Theory - Chemistry Research Interest Group; organiser: Lisa Masters.

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tbc

Chaired by Muriel Dresen and Andrew Conlan

• Speaker: Iliana Antonopoulou , Department of Veterinary Medicine
• Friday 02 May 2025, 08:45-10:00
• Venue: LT2.
• Series: Friday Morning Seminars, Dept of Veterinary Medicine; organiser: Fiona Roby.

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Quantum geometry effects in flat bands

By endowing the Hilbert space with a metric and a curvature, the modern theory of solids resorts to tools from differential geometry and topology to analyze the physical properties of electrons in a crystal. After introducing the concept of the quantum geometric tensor, I will explore the implications of the quantum geometry to flat bands, where the quasiparticles have zero group velocity. I will then address the possibility of using pumped light in flat Chern bands to create out-of-equilibrium excitons with finite vorticity in momentum space. Those excitons, called topological excitons, have their vorticity set by the difference between the Chern numbers in the conduction and valence bands. Topological excitons can be found optically through the non-linear Hall effect and can condense into a novel type of topological neutral superfluid with profile wavefunctions in momentum space that carry a finite vorticity.

• Speaker: Bruno Uchoa, University of Oklahoma
• Thursday 17 April 2025, 14:00-15:30
• Venue: TCM Seminar Room.
• Series: Theory of Condensed Matter; organiser: Gaurav.

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Advanced Materials, Volume 37, Issue 14, April 9, 2025.

Bayesian Optimization of Carbon Nanolattices

Machine Learning designs new nanolattice geometries with the strength of carbon steel, but the density of Styrofoam, offering record strength-to-weight of lightweight materials. By implementing multi-objective Bayesian optimization in combination with two-photon polymerization and pyrolysis, these ultrahigh specific strength carbon nanolattices more than double the performance of benchmark materials. More details can be found in article number 2410651 by Peter Serles, Tobin Filleter, Seunghwa Ryu, and co-workers.

True Random Number Generator

In article number 2419579, Hocheon Yoo and co-workers present arc discharge light-induced true random number generator (ALTRNG), using a bipolar photo-responsive photodetector to generate random bits through unpredictable arc discharge illumination. Validated by 15 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) tests, ALTRNG produces highly random bit streams and, with a 2-kbps readout circuit, enables wireless random number transmission for secure password systems and artificial X-ray imaging.

Weyl Semimetal

n article number 2419559, Cong Li, Tao Xiang, Oscar Tjernberg, and co-workers provide a feasible experimental platform, the surface reconstructed Weyl semimetal, to incorporate non-Hermitian effects into condensed matter physics for the first time. The emergence of boundary non-Hermitian effects offers valuable insights into the abnormal anomalous Hall effect observed in the Weyl semimetal NdAlSi and suggests that the potential to modify the overall transport properties of topological materials through simple adjustments to their surface atomic arrangements.

CO2 Photoreduction

A novel family of porous methylated triazine-based linear conjugated polymers, which is capable of mimicking natural leaves for efficient CO2 photoreduction with only H2O vapor, has been developed through a facile condensation reaction between benzamidine-type monomers and acetic anhydride for the first time, opening-up new possibilities in the development of new polymeric semiconductors for artificial photocatalysis. More details can be found in article number 2417437 by Xiaodong Li, Sheng Dai, and co-workers.

Chemoexcited Photodynamic Therapy

Inspired by the ancient Chinese myth of “Hou Yi Shooting the Suns,” the cover features a striking representation where the largest sun symbolizes the healthy eye, while others represent diseased eyes impacted by neovascularization. The arrows, representing the synthesized NCCR drug, target corneal neovascularization, offering a potential treatment to restore sight and improve eye health. More details can be found in article number 2411030 by Changlong Wang, Hua Gao, and co-workers.

Bionic Polarization Vision

In article number 2415530, Xiujuan Zhang and co-workers report a photo-adaptive polarization-sensitive organic phototransistor for bionic night-time polarization perception. Ultrahigh dichroic ratio of >105 is achieved through time accumulation under ultraweak light of 200 nW cm−2. High-contrast polarization imaging is realized in artificial moonlit environment with a low degree of linear polarization of 0.26, reaching the detection threshold of night-active dung beetles.

Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE01170A, PaperXin Yang, Minghao Xie, Zhijie Yan, Hang Ruan, Chunpeng Yang, Zaiping Guo, Zi-Jian Zheng
Zinc-iodine (Zn–I₂) batteries are promising candidates for next-generation large-scale energy storage systems due to their inherent safety, environmental sustainability, and potential cost-effectiveness compared to lithium-ion batteries. Their applications, however, have...
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Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE00983A, Review ArticleCancan Peng, xu han, Sebete S Mabaleha, Philip Kwong, Yao Zheng, Xiaoyong Xu
Intermediate-temperature proton-conducting solid oxide cells (P-SOCs) have emerged as a promising technology for power generation and hydrogen production. They have gained significant attention due to their lower operating temperature, higher...
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Nature Nanotechnology, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41565-025-01902-7

In situ mechanical testing and simulations unveil a reversible shuffle twinning mechanism enabled by bond switching, which gives rise to anisotropic tensile superelasticity in GeSe ceramics.

Nature Materials, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41563-025-02172-3

Measuring the bulk photovoltaic effect in twisted bilayer graphene provides a fascinating way to probe the quantum geometry shaped by interactions.

Nature Materials, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41563-025-02189-8

A non-fullerene-based electron-transporting material helps achieve superior efficiency, thermal stability, processability and defect passivation in perovskite solar cells.

Nature Materials, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41563-025-02210-0

An operando tracking and tuning of the activation procedure of oxygen evolution electrocatalysts substantially enhances durability, highlighting the importance of informed and controlled transformations of precatalysts for applicative design.

Nature Energy, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41560-025-01755-3

Utilities are increasingly using ratepayer-backed bonds (RBBs) to provide financial protection against extreme weather and more broadly, the energy transition. Consequently, we outline best practices for public utility commissions and ratepayer advocates to reduce financing costs and protect ratepayers in the execution of RBBs.

Nature Energy, Published online: 10 April 2025; doi:10.1038/s41560-025-01756-2

The efficiency of pure sulfide kesterite solar cells is limited by deep-level defects. Wu et al. develop a heat treatment in an oxygen-rich environment to suppress sulfur vacancies, achieving an 11.51% certified efficiency.

Energy Environ. Sci., 2025, Accepted Manuscript
DOI: 10.1039/D5EE01068C, CommunicationAngel T. Garcia-Esparza, Xiang Li, Finn Babbe, Jinkyu Lim, K. Dean Skoien, Philipp Stefan Simon, Junko Yano, Dimosthenis Sokaras
Accessing the electrode-electrolyte interface under operating conditions and capturing time-resolved kinetics challenge electrochemical studies. Copper’s interfacial oxidation dynamics remain unclear despite extensive research. Modulation excitation X-ray absorption spectroscopy (ME-XAS) probes...
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