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All‐Van der Waals (vdW)‐material‐based heterostructures with atomically sharp interfaces offer a versatile platform for high‐performing spintronic functionalities at room temperature. One of the key components is vdW topological insulators (TIs), which can produce a strong spin‐orbit‐torque (SOT) through the spin‐momentum locking of their topological surface state (TSS). However, the relatively low conductance of the TSS introduces a current leakage problem through the bulk states of the TI or the adjacent ferromagnetic metal layers, reducing the interfacial charge‐to‐spin conversion efficiency (qICS). Here, a vdW heterostructure is used consisting of atomically‐thin layers of a bulk‐insulating TI Sn‐doped Bi1.1Sb0.9Te2S1 and a room‐temperature ferromagnet Fe3GaTe2, to enhance the relative current ratio on the TSS up to ≈20%. The resulting qICS reaches ≈1.65 nm−1 and the critical current density Jc ≈0.9 × 106 Acm−2 at 300 K, surpassing the performance of TI‐based and heavy‐metal‐based SOT devices. These findings demonstrate that an all‐vdW heterostructure with thickness optimization offers a promising platform for efficient current‐controlled magnetization switching at room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer, is a significant cause of cancer mortality. Patients with advanced HCC commonly receive systemic therapy, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as sorafenib and lenvatinib. However, TKI resistance remains a challenge. Statins, known for their lipid-lowering properties, also show potential anti-cancer effects, particularly in HCC, by inhibiting the mevalonate pathway. Evidence suggests statins may reduce HCC risk in patients with certain conditions and potentially enhance the efficacy of TKIs. Our study, utilizing data from Korea's Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA), investigated the clinical benefits of statins in patients with advanced HCC treated with TKIs, verifying the timing, type, and dosage of statins and their impact on patient survival outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of coadministering statins and multityrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea (2010–2020) were utilized. Statin use (≥28 cumulative defined daily doses) was analyzed, with 1534 statin users matched to 6136 non-users (1:4 ratio) using propensity scores. Primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Statin use significantly improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72–0.82, p < 0.001) and PFS (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74–0.84, p < 0.001). Continuous or post-TKI statin users had better OS, while discontinuation after TKI use led to poorer OS. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic statins improved OS and PFS, particularly with ≥730 cumulative defined daily doses. In conclusion, combining statins and TKIs in patients with advanced HCC yielded significant survival benefits, influenced by statin dosage and duration. Continuous statin administration post-TKI treatment is crucial for improving outcomes in patients with HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a unilateral disorder characterized by electric shock-like pain, abrupt onset and termination, and limited to one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve. Various therapeutic modalities for TN have been introduced. We searched for literature indexed in PubMed, Medline, and the National Library of Medicine and reviewed all relevant articles on non-surgical treatments for TN. Published studies were reviewed with no restrictions on date; reviews, clinical trials, animal studies, retrospective studies, and cases were included. Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine are the recommended first-line pharmacotherapies. Interventional treatments should be considered when pharmacotherapy is insufficient or withdrawn because of adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-term effect of Helicobacter pylori eradication on metachronous gastric neoplasm prevention after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of gastric adenoma is unclear. This study included patients with confirmed H. pylori infection after ESD with curative resection for gastric adenoma. Patients were divided based on the success of H. pylori eradication treatment into two groups: eradication and non-eradication. Patients with any newly detected lesion within 1 year after ESD and recurrence at the ESD site were excluded from the analysis. Further, 1:1 propensity score matching was also performed to eliminate baseline differences between the two groups. H. pylori eradication treatment was administered to 673 patients after ESD (163 in the successful eradication group and 510 in the non-eradication group). During the median follow-up periods of 25 and 39 months in the eradication and non-eradication groups, metachronous gastric neoplasm was identified in 6 (3.7%) and 22 patients (4.3%), respectively. Adjusted Cox analysis revealed that H. pylori eradication was not associated with increased risk of metachronous gastric neoplasm after ESD. Kaplan–Meier analysis in the matched population yielded similar findings (p = 0.546). H. pylori eradication treatment was not associated with metachronous gastric neoplasm after ESD with curative resection for gastric adenoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering quantum states through light–matter interaction has created a paradigm in condensed-matter physics. A representative example is the Floquet–Bloch state, which is generated by time-periodically driving the Bloch wavefunctions in crystals. Previous attempts to realize such states in condensed-matter systems have been limited by the transient nature of the Floquet states produced by optical pulses1–3, which masks the universal properties of non-equilibrium physics. Here we report the generation of steady Floquet–Andreev states in graphene Josephson junctions by continuous microwave application and direct measurement of their spectra by superconducting tunnelling spectroscopy. We present quantitative analysis of the spectral characteristics of the Floquet–Andreev states while varying the phase difference of the superconductors, the temperature, the microwave frequency and the power. The oscillations of the Floquet–Andreev-state spectrum with phase difference agreed with our theoretical calculations. Moreover, we confirmed the steady nature of the Floquet–Andreev states by establishing a sum rule of tunnelling conductance4, and analysed the spectral density of Floquet states depending on Floquet interaction strength. This study provides a basis for understanding and engineering non-equilibrium quantum states in nanodevices.Using continuous microwave application without substantial heating, Floquet–Andreev states in graphene Josephson junctions are realized, and their energy spectra are measured directly by superconducting tunnelling spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is a van der Waals semiconductor with a wide bandgap of ~ 5.96 eV. Despite the indirect bandgap characteristics of hBN, charge carriers excited by high energy electrons or photons efficiently emit luminescence at deep-ultraviolet (DUV) frequencies via strong electron-phonon interaction, suggesting potential DUV light emitting device applications. However, electroluminescence from hBN has not been demonstrated at DUV frequencies so far. In this study, we report DUV electroluminescence and photocurrent generation in graphene/hBN/graphene heterostructures at room temperature. Tunneling carrier injection from graphene electrodes into the band edges of hBN enables prominent electroluminescence at DUV frequencies. On the other hand, under DUV laser illumination and external bias voltage, graphene electrodes efficiently collect photo-excited carriers in hBN, which generates high photocurrent. Laser excitation micro-spectroscopy shows that the radiative recombination and photocarrier excitation processes in the heterostructures mainly originate from the pristine structure and the stacking faults in hBN. Our work provides a pathway toward efficient DUV light emitting and detection devices based on hBN. Here, the authors report the observation of deep-ultraviolet (DUV) electroluminescence and photocurrent generation in van der Waals heterostructures based on hBN crystals, showing potential for DUV light emitting and detection devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, there exists no established endoscopic surveillance interval strategy after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric adenoma. In this study, we suggest a risk factor-based statistical model for optimal surveillance intervals for gastric adenoma after ESD with curative resection. A cox proportional hazard model was applied to identify risk factors for recurrence after ESD. Patients (n = 698) were categorized into groups based on the identified risk factors. The cumulative density of recurrence over time was computed using a cubic splined baseline hazard function, and the customized surveillance interval was modeled for each risk group. The overall cumulative incidence of recurrence was 7.3% (n = 51). Risk factors associated with recurrence were male (hazard ratio [HR], 2.60, P = 0.030), protruded scar (HR, 3.18, P < 0.001), and age ≥ 59 years (HR, 1.05, P < 0.001). The surveillance interval for each group was developed by using the recurrence limit for the generated risk groups. According to the developed schedule, high-risk patients would have a maximum of seven surveillance visits for 5 years, whereas low-risk patients would have biennial surveillance for cancer screening. We proposed a simple and promising strategy for determining a better endoscopic surveillance interval by parameterizing diverse and group-specific recurrence risk factors into a well-known survival model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: High-fidelity simulators are highly useful in assessing clinical competency; they enable reliable and valid evaluation. Recently, the importance of peer assessment has been highlighted in healthcare education, and studies using peer assessment in healthcare, such as medicine, nursing, dentistry, and pharmacy, have examined the value of peer assessment. This study aimed to analyze inter-rater reliability between peers and instructors and examine differences in scores between peers and instructors in the assessment of high-fidelity-simulation-based clinical performance by medical students. Methods: This study analyzed the results of two clinical performance assessments of 34 groups of fifth-year students at Ajou University School of Medicine in 2020. This study utilized a modified Queen's Simulation Assessment Tool to measure four categories: primary assessment, diagnostic actions, therapeutic actions, and communication. In order to estimate inter-rater reliability, this study calculated the intraclass correlation coefficient and used the Bland and Altman method to analyze agreement between raters. A t-test was conducted to analyze the differences in evaluation scores between colleagues and faculty members. Group differences in assessment scores between peers and instructors were analyzed using the independent t-test. Results: Overall inter-rater reliability of clinical performance assessments was high. In addition, there were no significant differences in overall assessment scores between peers and instructors in the areas of primary assessment, diagnostic actions, therapeutic actions, and communication. Conclusions: The results indicated that peer assessment can be used as a reliable assessment method compared to instructor assessment when evaluating clinical competency using high-fidelity simulators. Efforts should be made to enable medical students to actively participate in the evaluation process as fellow assessors in high-fidelity-simulation-based assessment of clinical performance in situations similar to real clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopy is the most important tool for gastric cancer diagnosis. However, it relies on naked-eye evaluation by endoscopists, and the histopathologic confirmation is time-consuming. We aimed to visualize and measure the activity of various enzymes through two-photon microscopy (TPM) using fluorescent probes and assess its diagnostic potential in gastric cancer. Methods: β-Galactosidase (β-gal), carboxylesterase (CES), and human NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase (hNQO1) enzyme activities in the normal mucosa, ulcer, adenoma, and gastric cancer biopsy samples were measured using two-photon enzyme probes. The fluorescence emission ratio at long and short wavelengths (Ch2/Ch1) for each probe was comparatively analyzed. Approximately 8,000 – 9,000 sectional images in each group were obtained by measuring the Ch2/Ch1 ratio according to the tissue depth. Each probe was cross-validated by measuring enzymatic activity from a solution containing lysed tissue. Results: Total of 76 subjects were enrolled in this pilot study (normal 21, ulcer 18, adenoma 17, and cancer 20 patients, respectively). There were significant differences in the mean ratio values of β-gal (0.656 ± 0.142 vs. 1.127 ± 0.109, P < 0.001) and CES (0.876 ± 0.049 vs. 0.579 ± 0.089, P < 0.001) between the normal and cancer, respectively. The mean ratio value of cancer tissues was different compared to ulcer and adenoma (P < 0.001). The hNQO1 activity showed no significant difference between cancer and other conditions. Normal mucosa and cancer were visually and quantitatively distinguished through β-gal and CES analyses using TPM images, and enzymatic activity according to depth, was determined using sectional TPM ratiometric images. The results obtained from lysis buffer-treated tissue were consistent with TPM results. Conclusions: TPM imaging using ratiometric fluorescent probes enabled the discrimination of gastric cancer from normal, ulcer, and adenoma. This novel method can help in a visual differentiation and provide quantitative depth profiling in gastric cancer diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate two-dimensional mapping of current flow in graphene devices by using a single-spin scanning magnetometer based on a nitrogen-vacancy defect center in diamond. We first image the stray magnetic field generated by the current and then reconstruct the current density map from the field data. We focus on the visualization of current flow around a small sized current source of ∼500 nm diameter, which works as an effective point contact. In this paper, we study two types of point-contacted graphene devices and find that the overall current profiles agree with the expected behavior of electron flow in the diffusive transport regime. This work could offer a route to explore interesting carrier dynamics of graphene including ballistic and hydrodynamic transport regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitive microwave detectors are essential in radioastronomy1, dark-matter axion searches2 and superconducting quantum information science3,4. The conventional strategy to obtain higher-sensitivity bolometry is the nanofabrication of ever smaller devices to augment the thermal response5–7. However, it is difficult to obtain efficient photon coupling and to maintain the material properties in a device with a large surface-to-volume ratio owing to surface contamination. Here we present an ultimately thin bolometric sensor based on monolayer graphene. To utilize the minute electronic specific heat and thermal conductivity of graphene, we develop a superconductor–graphene–superconductor Josephson junction8–13 bolometer embedded in a microwave resonator with a resonance frequency of 7.9 gigahertz and over 99 per cent coupling efficiency. The dependence of the Josephson switching current on the operating temperature, charge density, input power and frequency shows a noise-equivalent power of 7 × 10−19 watts per square-root hertz, which corresponds to an energy resolution of a single 32-gigahertz photon14, reaching the fundamental limit imposed by intrinsic thermal fluctuations at 0.19 kelvin. Our results establish that two-dimensional materials could enable the development of bolometers with the highest sensitivity allowed by the laws of thermodynamics.An ultimately thin microwave bolometric sensor based on a superconductor–graphene–superconductor Josephson junction with monolayer graphene has a sensitivity approaching the fundamental limit imposed by intrinsic thermal fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A beam of holes formed in graphene by a collimating contact is imaged using a liquid-He cooled scanning probe microscope (SPM). The mean free path of holes is greater than the device dimensions. A zigzag shaped pattern on both sides of the collimating contact absorbs holes that enter at large angles. The image charge beneath the SPM tip defects holes, and the pattern of flow is imaged by displaying the change in conductance between contacts on opposite sides, as the tip is raster scanned across the sample. Collimation is confirmed by bending hole trajectories away from the receiving contact with an applied magnetic field. The SPM images agree well with ray-tracing simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Although endoscopic papillary large balloon dilation (EPLBD) has been widely used to facilitate the removal of difficult common bile duct stones, however, the outcomes have not yet been investigated in terms of the diameter of the balloon used. We aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between EPLBD using smaller (12–15 mm, S‐EPLBD) and larger balloons (> 15 mm, L‐EPLBD). Methods: Six hundred seventy‐two patients who underwent EPLBD with or without endoscopic sphincterotomy for common bile duct stone removal were enrolled from May 2004 to August 2014 at four tertiary referral centers in Korea. The outcomes, including the initial success rate, the success rate without endoscopic mechanical lithotripsy, the overall success rate, and adverse events between S‐EPLBD and L‐EPLBD groups, were retrospectively compared. Results: The initial success rate, the success rate without mechanical lithotripsy, the overall success rate, and the overall adverse events were not significantly different between the two groups. The rate of severe‐to‐fatal adverse events was higher in the L‐EPBLD group than in the S‐EPLBD group (1.6% vs 0.0%, 0.020). One case of severe bleeding and two cases of fatal perforation occurred only in the L‐EPLBD group. In the multivariate analysis, the use of a > 15‐mm balloon was the only significant risk factor for severe‐to‐fatal adverse events (>0.005, 23.8 [adjusted odds ratio], 2.6–214.4 [95% confidence interval]). Conclusions: L‐EPLBD is significantly related to severe‐to‐fatal adverse events compared with S‐EPLBD for common bile duct stone removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We articulate the challenges and opportunities of unconventional devices using the photon like flow of electrons in graphene, such as Graphene Klein Tunnel (GKT) transistors. The underlying physics is the employment of momentum rather than energy filtering to engineer a gate tunable transport gap in a 2D Dirac cone bandstructure. In the ballistic limit, we get a clean tunable gap that implies subthermal switching voltages below the Boltzmann limit, while maintaining a high saturating current in the output characteristic. In realistic structures, detailed numerical simulations and experiments show that momentum scattering, especially from the edges, bleeds leakage paths into the transport gap and turns it into a pseudogap. We quantify the importance of reducing edge roughness and overall geometry on the low-bias transfer characteristics of GKT transistors and benchmark against experimental data. We find that geometry plays a critical role in determining the performance of electron optics based devices that utilize angular resolution of electrons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GaN-based metal–insulator–semiconductor–insulator-metal (MISIM) photodiodes using three kinds of high-k dielectrics (Al2O3, HfO2, and ZrO2 were fabricated, and their electrical, photo response, and noise properties were characterized. The GaN MISIM photodiode using ZrO2 showed the lowest dark current density of 5.43 \times 10^-9 A/cm2 at 10 V bias and the highest UV-visible rejection ratio of 257 at 1 V bias. No Fowler-Nordheim tunneling phenomenon was observed in the diode under UV illumination. The noise spectral density and the trap-time-constant of the device using ZrO2 were 9.79 \times 10^-31~\textA^2 /Hz for $f = 10$ Hz at 1 V and 335~\mu \text{s} , respectively, which were lowest compared with the other two samples. ZrO2 was identified as the better GaN, the passivation material among the three dielectrics. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We have used cooled scanning probe microscopy (SPM) to study electron motion in nanoscale devices. The charged tip of the microscope was raster-scanned at constant height above the surface as the conductance of the device was measured. The image charge scatters electrons away, changing the path of electrons through the sample. Using this technique, we imaged cyclotron orbits that flow between two narrow contacts in the magnetic focusing regime for ballistic hBN-graphene-hBN devices. We present herein an analysis of our magnetic focusing imaging results based on the effects of the tip-created charge density dip on the motion of ballistic electrons. The density dip locally reduces the Fermi energy, creating a force that pushes electrons away from the tip. When the tip is above the cyclotron orbit, electrons are deflected away from the receiving contact, creating an image by reducing the transmission between contacts. The data and our analysis suggest that the graphene edge is rather rough, and electrons scattering off the edge bounce in random directions. However, when the tip is close to the edge, it can enhance transmission by bouncing electrons away from the edge, toward the receiving contact. Our results demonstrate that cooled SPM is a promising tool to investigate the motion of electrons in ballistic graphene devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Half a century ago, Veselago proposed 'left-handed' materials with negative permittivity and permeability, in which waves propagate with phase and group velocities in opposite directions. Significant work has been undertaken to attain this left-handed response, such as establishing a negative refractive index in so-called metamaterials, which consist of periodic sub-wavelength structures. However, an electronic counterpart has not been demonstrated owing to difficulties in creating repeated structures smaller than the electronic Fermi wavelength of the order ∼10 nm. Here, without needing to engineer sub-wavelength structures, we demonstrate negative refractive behaviour of Dirac fermions in graphene, exploiting its unique relativistic band structure. Analysis of both electron focusing through an n-p-n flat lens and negative refraction across n-p junctions confirms left-handed behaviour in the electronic system. This approach to electronic optics is of particular relevance to the on-going efforts to develop novel quantum devices with emerging layered materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although regular endoscopic screening may help in early detection of gastric cancer, interval cancer remains a problem in the screening program. This study evaluated the association between regular endoscopic screening and interval cancer detection in the Korean National Cancer Screening Program (KNCSP). We defined three groups (regularly, irregularly, and not screened) according to the screening interval, and the trends in the interval cancer rate (ICR) between the groups were tested using the Cochran–Armitage test. The influence of regular endoscopic screening on the risk of interval cancer was evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Among the 11,642,410 participants who underwent endoscopy, the overall ICR was 0.36 per 1000 negative screenings. The ICR of the not screened group (0.41) was the highest among the three groups and the risk of interval cancer in this group was 1.68 times higher (p < 0.001) than that in the regularly screened group. Women in their 40s who had regular screening with no history of intestinal metaplasia and gastric polyps would have the lowest probability of having interval cancer (0.005%). Regular participation in endoscopic screening programs for reducing the risk of interval cancer may help to improve the quality of screening programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection rates of pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) have increased, resulting in greater requirements for regular monitoring using imaging modalities. We aimed to evaluate the capability of ultrasonography (US) for morphological characterization of PCLs as a reference standard using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS). A retrospective analysis was conducted of 102 PCLs from 92 patients who underwent US immediately prior to EUS between January 2014 and May 2017. The intermodality reliability and agreement of the PCL morphologic findings of the two techniques were analyzed and compared using the intraclass correlation coefficient and κ values. The success rates of US for delineating PCLs in the head, body, and tail of the pancreas were 77.8%, 91.8%, and 70.6%, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient for US and the corresponding EUS lesion size showed very good reliability (0.978; p < 0.001). The κ value between modalities was 0.882 for pancreatic duct dilation, indicating good agreement. The κ values for solid components and cystic wall and septal thickening were 0.481 and 0.395, respectively, indicating moderate agreement. US may be useful for monitoring PCL growth and changes in pancreatic duct dilation, but it has limited use in the diagnosis and surveillance of mural nodules or cystic wall thickness changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the rapid urease test (RUT) is a simple method for detecting Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, it requires sufficient biopsy samples and its sensitivity varies depending on the site and condition of H. pylori infection. We compared the diagnostic performance of a "sweeping method" for H. pylori detection with the conventional biopsy sampling method in atrophic gastric conditions which can reduce RUT accuracy. This prospective study included 279 patients who underwent upper endoscopy to determine the presence of H. pylori infection. Gastric mucosa of both the antrum and the corpus were swabbed, and we named this method the "sweeping method". Biopsy sampling for the conventional method, histologic evaluation, and polymerase chain reaction were performed at the same time. The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the sweeping method were 0.941, 0.826, and 0.903, respectively, compared to 0.685, 0.859, and 0.742, respectively, for the conventional biopsy method. The area under the receiver operating curve for the sweeping method was 0.884 versus 0.772 for the conventional method (P < 0.001). The sweeping method had a faster detection time than the conventional method. Compared to conventional biopsy sampling, the sweeping method with the RUT provided higher sensitivity and accuracy for the detection of H. pylori, with a faster detection time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of static disorder on a quantum phase transition (QPT) is a fundamental issue in condensed matter physics. As a prototypical example of a disorder-tuned QPT, the superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) has been investigated intensively over the past three decades, but as yet without a general consensus on its nature. A key element is good control of disorder. Here, we present an experimental study of the SIT based on precise in-situ tuning of disorder in dual-gated bilayer graphene proximity-coupled to two superconducting electrodes through electrical and reversible control of the band gap and the charge carrier density. In the presence of a static disorder potential, Andreev-paired carriers formed close to the Fermi level in bilayer graphene constitute a randomly distributed network of proximity-induced superconducting puddles. The landscape of the network was easily tuned by electrical gating to induce percolative clusters at the onset of superconductivity. This is evidenced by scaling behavior consistent with the classical percolation in transport measurements. At lower temperatures, the solely electrical tuning of the disorder-induced landscape enables us to observe, for the first time, a crossover from classical to quantum percolation in a single device, which elucidates how thermal dephasing engages in separating the two regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on gate-tuned locality of superconductivity-induced phase-coherent magnetoconductance oscillations in a graphene-based Andreev interferometer, consisting of a T-shaped graphene bar in contact with a superconducting Al loop. The conductance oscillations arose from the flux change through the superconducting Al loop, with gate-dependent Fraunhofer-type modulation of the envelope. We confirm a transitional change in the character of the pair coherence, between local and nonlocal, in the same device as the effective length-to-width ratio of the device was modulated by tuning the pair-coherence length ξT in the graphene layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We confirmed the Josephson effect in vertically proximity-coupled junctions prepared by sandwiching a 43-nm-thick exfoliated graphite layer between two superconducting electrodes. Josephson coupling with well-controlled contact characteristics was established by thermal deposition of electrodes on both sides of freshly cleaved graphite surfaces. The genuine Josephson coupling through the c-axis graphite was confirmed by the critical current modulation in in-plane magnetic fields (Fraunhofer pattern) and the response to the microwave irradiation (Shapiro steps). This scheme can be potentially utilized to fabricate atomically thin vertically coupled nanodevices based on assorted cleavable layered materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]