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Dielectric polymer composites for film capacitors have advanced significantly in recent decades, yet their practical implementation in industrial-scale, thin-film processing faces challenges, particularly due to limited biaxial stretchability. Here, we introduce a mechanochemical solution that applies liquid metal onto rigid dielectric fillers (e.g. boron nitride), dramatically transforming polymer-filler interface characteristics. This approach significantly reduces modulus mismatch and stress concentration at the interface region, enabling polypropylene composites to achieve biaxial stretching ratio up to 450 × 450%. Furthermore, liquid metal integration enhances boron nitride's dielectric polarization while maintaining inherent insulation, producing high-dielectric-constant, low-loss films. These films, only microns thick yet quasi square meters in area, achieve a 55% increase in energy density over commercial biaxially-oriented polypropylene (from 2.9 to 4.5 J cm−3 at 550 MV/m), keeping 90% discharge efficiency. Coupled with improved thermal conductivity, durability, and device capacitance, this distinctive interface engineering approach makes these composites promising for high-performance film capacitors. This study reports a mechanochemical solution that applies liquid metal on rigid dielectric fillers to transforming polymer-filler interface properties. It disentangles energy density and biaxial stretchability tradeoff in composite capacitor films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically addressable spin defects in three-dimensional (3D) crystals and two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) materials are revolutionizing nanoscale quantum sensing. Spin defects in one-dimensional (1D) vdW nanotubes will provide unique opportunities due to their small sizes in two dimensions and absence of dangling bonds on side walls. However, optically detected magnetic resonance of localized spin defects in a nanotube has not been observed. Here, we report the observation of single spin color centers in boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) at room temperature. Our findings suggest that these BNNT spin defects possess a spin S = 1/2 ground state without an intrinsic quantization axis, leading to orientation-independent magnetic field sensing. We harness this unique feature to observe anisotropic magnetization of a 2D magnet in magnetic fields along orthogonal directions, a challenge for conventional spin S = 1 defects such as diamond nitrogen-vacancy centers. Additionally, we develop a method to deterministically transfer a BNNT onto a cantilever and use it to demonstrate scanning probe magnetometry. Further refinement of our approach will enable atomic scale quantum sensing of magnetic fields in any direction. Optically addressable spin defects, such as the NV centre in diamond, have enabled the nanoscale measurement of external stimuli. Here, Gao, Vaidya and coauthors observe a single spin colour centres in boron nitride nanotubes, which, due to their spin S = 1/2 ground state, allow for omnidirectional magnetic field sensing. ' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomic sawtooth surfaces have emerged as a versatile platform for growth of single-crystal van der Waals layered materials. However, the mechanism governing the formation of single-crystal atomic sawtooth metal (copper or gold) films on hard substrates (tungsten or molybdenum) remains a puzzle. In this study, we aim to elucidate the formation mechanism of atomic sawtooth metal films during melting–solidification process. Utilizing molecular dynamics, we unveil that the solidification of the liquid copper initiates at a high-index tungsten facet with higher interfacial energy. Subsequent tungsten facets follow energetically favourable pathways of forming single-crystal atomic sawtooth copper film during the solidification process near melting temperature. Formation of atomic sawtooth copper film is guaranteed with a film thickness exceeding the grain size of polycrystalline tungsten substrate. We further demonstrate the successful growth of centimeter-scale single-crystal monolayer hexagonal boron nitride films on atomic sawtooth copper films and explore their potential as efficient oxygen barrier. Although single-crystal (SC) 2D materials can be grown on atomic sawtooth metal surfaces, the formation mechanism during the melting-solidification process remains unclear. Here authors reveal that solidification starts at high-index facets and spreads, forming a SC atomic sawtooth surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon is indisputably the most advanced material for scalable electronics, but it is a poor choice as a light source for photonic applications, due to its indirect band gap. The recently developed hexagonal Si1−xGex semiconductor features a direct bandgap at least for x > 0.65, and the realization of quantum heterostructures would unlock new opportunities for advanced optoelectronic devices based on the SiGe system. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis and characterization of direct bandgap quantum wells realized in the hexagonal Si1−xGex system. Photoluminescence experiments on hex-Ge/Si0.2Ge0.8 quantum wells demonstrate quantum confinement in the hex-Ge segment with type-I band alignment, showing light emission up to room temperature. Moreover, the tuning range of the quantum well emission energy can be extended using hexagonal Si1−xGex/Si1−yGey quantum wells with additional Si in the well. These experimental findings are supported with ab initio bandstructure calculations. A direct bandgap with type-I band alignment is pivotal for the development of novel low-dimensional light emitting devices based on hexagonal Si1−xGex alloys, which have been out of reach for this material system until now. Authors demonstrate the synthesis and characterization of direct bandgap quantum wells in the hexagonal Si1−xGex system. Photoluminescence experiments show light emission up to room temperature, and the emission wavelength can be tuned by thickness of the wells and the Si composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The kagome lattice is an exciting solid state physics platform for the emergence of nontrivial quantum states driven by electronic correlations: topological effects, unconventional superconductivity, charge and spin density waves, and unusual magnetic states such as quantum spin liquids. While kagome lattices have been realized in complex multi-atomic bulk compounds, here we demonstrate from first-principles a process that we dub kagomerization, in which we fabricate a two-dimensional kagome lattice in monolayers of transition metals utilizing an hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) overlayer. Surprisingly, h-BN induces a large rearrangement of the transition metal atoms supported on a fcc(111) heavy-metal surface. This reconstruction is found to be rather generic for this type of heterostructures and has a profound impact on the underlying magnetic properties, ultimately stabilizing various topological magnetic solitons such as skyrmions and bimerons. Our findings call for a reconsideration of h-BN as merely a passive capping layer, showing its potential for not only reconstructing the atomic structure of the underlying material, e.g. through the kagomerization of magnetic films, but also enabling electronic and magnetic phases that are highly sought for the next generation of device technologies. Using first-principles calculations, the authors highlight h-BN's role in reshaping transition metal monolayers into kagome lattices—a key structure in 2D physics—and in stabilizing topological solitons vital for advanced data storage solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite solar cells promise to be part of the future portfolio of photovoltaic technologies, but their instability is slow down their commercialization. Major stability assessments have been recently achieved but reliable accelerated ageing tests on beyond small-area cells are still poor. Here, we report an industrial encapsulation process based on the lamination of highly viscoelastic semi-solid/highly viscous liquid adhesive atop the perovskite solar cells and modules. Our encapsulant reduces the thermomechanical stresses at the encapsulant/rear electrode interface. The addition of thermally conductive two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride into the polymeric matrix improves the barrier and thermal management properties of the encapsulant. Without any edge sealant, encapsulated devices withstood multifaceted accelerated ageing tests, retaining >80% of their initial efficiency. Our encapsulation is applicable to the most established cell configurations (direct/inverted, mesoscopic/planar), even with temperature-sensitive materials, and extended to semi-transparent cells for building-integrated photovoltaics and Internet of Things systems. The instability of perovskite solar cells hinders their commercialization. Here, authors report an industrially compatible strain-free encapsulation process based on lamination of highly viscoelastic semi-solid/highly viscous liquid encapsulant adhesive to reduce thermomechanical interfacial stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their atomically thin structure and unique electronic and optoelectronic properties. To harness their full potential for applications in next-generation electronics and photonics, precise control over the dielectric environment surrounding the 2D material is critical. The lack of nucleation sites on 2D surfaces to form thin, uniform dielectric layers often leads to interfacial defects that degrade the device performance, posing a major roadblock in the realization of 2D-based devices. Here, we demonstrate a wafer-scale, low-temperature process (<250 °C) using atomic layer deposition (ALD) for the synthesis of uniform, conformal amorphous boron nitride (aBN) thin films. ALD deposition temperatures between 125 and 250 °C result in stoichiometric films with high oxidative stability, yielding a dielectric strength of 8.2 MV/cm. Utilizing a seed-free ALD approach, we form uniform aBN dielectric layers on 2D surfaces and fabricate multiple quantum well structures of aBN/MoS2 and aBN-encapsulated double-gated monolayer (ML) MoS2 field-effect transistors to evaluate the impact of aBN dielectric environment on MoS2 optoelectronic and electronic properties. Our work in scalable aBN dielectric integration paves a way towards realizing the theoretical performance of 2D materials for next-generation electronics. Here, the authors demonstrate a wafer-scale, low-temperature process using atomic layer deposition, for the synthesis of uniform, conformal amorphous boron nitride (aBN) thin films. They further fabricate aBN-encapsulated monolayer MoS2 field-effect transistors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional materials with ultrahigh in-plane thermal conductivity are ideal for heat spreader applications but cause significant thermal contact resistance in complex interfaces, limiting their use as thermal interface materials. In this study, we present an interfacial phonon bridge strategy to reduce the thermal contact resistance of boron nitride nanosheets-based composites. By using a low-molecular-weight polymer, we are able to manipulate the alignment of boron nitride nanosheets through sequential stacking and cutting, ultimately achieving flexible thin films with a layer of arc-like structure superimposed on perpendicularly aligned ones. Our results suggest that arc-like structure can act as a phonon bridge to lower the contact resistance by 70% through reducing phonon back-reflection and enhancing phonon coupling efficiency at the boundary. The resulting composites exhibit ultralow thermal contact resistance of 0.059 in2 KW−1, demonstrating effective cooling of fast-charging batteries at a thickness 2-5 times thinner than commercial products. Boron nitride nanosheets possess high in-plane thermal conductivity and high thermal contact resistance. Here the authors discover obliquely aligned nanosheets at the interface can act as a phonon bridge to lower the contact resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-efficient heat dissipation plays critical role for high-power-density electronics. Experimental synthesis of ultrahigh thermal conductivity boron arsenide (BAs, 1300 W m−1K−1) cooling substrates into the wide-bandgap semiconductor of gallium nitride (GaN) devices has been realized. However, the lack of systematic analysis on the heat transfer across the GaN-BAs interface hampers the practical applications. In this study, by constructing the accurate and high-efficient machine learning interatomic potentials, we perform multiscale simulations of the GaN-BAs heterostructures. Ultrahigh interfacial thermal conductance of 260 MW m−2K−1 is achieved, which lies in the well-matched lattice vibrations of BAs and GaN. The strong temperature dependence of interfacial thermal conductance is found between 300 to 450 K. Moreover, the competition between grain size and boundary resistance is revealed with size increasing from 1 nm to 1000 μm. Such deep-potential equipped multiscale simulations not only promote the practical applications of BAs cooling substrates in electronics, but also offer approach for designing advanced thermal management systems. Efficient heat dissipation is critical to optimize high-power devices. Here, the authors report high interfacial thermal conductance in GaN-BAs heterostructures and investigate the competition between grain size and boundary resistance by multiscale simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have drawn immense interests in scientific and technological communities, owing to their extraordinary properties and their tunability by gating, proximity, strain and external fields. For electronic applications, an ideal 2D material would have high mobility, air stability, sizable band gap, and be compatible with large scale synthesis. Here we demonstrate air stable field effect transistors using atomically thin few-layer PdSe2 sheets that are sandwiched between hexagonal BN (hBN), with large saturation current > 350 μA/μm, and high field effect mobilities of ~ 700 and 10,000 cm2/Vs at 300 K and 2 K, respectively. At low temperatures, magnetotransport studies reveal unique octets in quantum oscillations that persist at all densities, arising from 2-fold spin and 4-fold valley degeneracies, which can be broken by in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic fields toward quantum Hall spin and orbital ferromagnetism. Here, the authors report the characterization of stable few-layer PdSe2 transistors encapsulated in hexagonal boron nitride, showing field effect mobilities up to 700 cm2/Vs at room temperature and signatures of an 8-fold spin-valley degeneracy of the magnetotransport quantum oscillations at cryogenic temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stacking two atomic layers together can induce interlayer (sliding) ferroelectricity that is absent in their naturally occurring crystal forms. With the flexibility of two-dimensional materials, more layers could be assembled to give rise to even richer polarization states. Here, we show that three-layer boron nitride can host ferro- and antiferroelectric domains in the same sample. When used as a tunneling junction, the polarization of these domains could be switched in a layer-by-layer procedure, producing multiple resistance states. Theoretical investigation reveals an important role played by the interaction between the trilayer boron nitride and graphene substrate. These findings reveal the great potential and unique properties of 2D sliding ferroelectric materials. Here, the authors use three-layer boron nitride to construct interfacial ferro- and antiferroelectric tunnel junctions and find that the polarization is flipped in a layer-by-layer way, resulting in multiresistance states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superlattice obtained by aligning a monolayer graphene and boron nitride (BN) inherits from the hexagonal lattice a sixty degrees periodicity with the layer alignment. It implies that, in principle, the properties of the heterostructure must be identical for 0° and 60° of layer alignment. Here, we demonstrate, using dynamically rotatable van der Waals heterostructures, that the moiré superlattice formed in a bilayer graphene/BN has different electronic properties at 0° and 60° of alignment. Although the existence of these non-identical moiré twins is explained by different relaxation of the atomic structures for each alignment, the origin of the observed valley Hall effect remains to be explained. A simple Berry curvature argument is not sufficient to explain the 120° periodicity of this observation. Our results highlight the complexity of the interplay between mechanical and electronic properties in moiré structures and the importance of taking into account atomic structure relaxation to understand their electronic properties. Here, the authors report the unexpected observation of different electronic properties of bilayer graphene/boron nitride heterostructures at 0° and 60° twist angles, showing the complex interplay between lattice relaxation and the electronic properties of moiré structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large spin-orbit coupling is often thought to be critical in realizing magnetic order-locked charge transport such as the anomalous Hall effect (AHE). Recently, artificial stacks of two-dimensional materials, e.g., magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene on hexagonal boron-nitride heterostructures and dual-gated rhombohedral trilayer graphene, have become platforms for realizing AHE without spin-orbit coupling. However, these stacking arrangements are not energetically favorable, impeding experiments and further device engineering. Here we report an anomalous Hall effect in Bernal-stacked tetralayer graphene devices (BTG), the most stable configuration of four-layer graphene. BTG AHE is switched on by a displacement field and is most pronounced at low carrier densities. The onset of AHE occurs in tandem with a full metal to a broken isospin transition indicating an orbital origin of the itinerant ferromagnetism. At lowest densities, BTG exhibits an unconventional hysteresis with step-like anomalous Hall plateaus. Persisting to several tens of kelvin, AHE in BTG demonstrates the ubiquity and robustness of magnetic order in readily available and stable multilayer Bernal graphene stacks—a new venue for intrinsic non-reciprocal responses. Intrinsic anomalous Hall effect has been observed in twisted graphene multilayers, but these structures are typically not energetically favorable. This study extends these observations to Bernal-stacked tetralayer graphene, which is the most stable configuration of four-layer graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophysiological recording technologies can provide valuable insights into the functioning of the central and peripheral nervous systems. Surface electrode arrays made of soft materials or implantable multi-electrode arrays with high electrode density have been widely utilized as neural probes. However, neither of these probe types can simultaneously achieve minimal invasiveness and robust neural signal detection. Here, we present an ultra-thin, minimally invasive neural probe (the "NeuroWeb") consisting of hexagonal boron nitride and graphene, which leverages the strengths of both surface electrode array and implantable multi-electrode array. The NeuroWeb open lattice structure with a total thickness of 100 nm demonstrates high flexibility and strong adhesion, establishing a conformal and tight interface with the uneven mouse brain surface. In vivo electrophysiological recordings show that NeuroWeb detects stable single-unit activity of neurons with high signal-to-noise ratios. Furthermore, we investigate neural interactions between the somatosensory cortex and the cerebellum using transparent dual NeuroWebs and optical stimulation, and measure the times of neural signal transmission between the brain regions depending on the pathway. Therefore, NeuroWeb can be expected to pave the way for understanding complex brain networks with optical and electrophysiological mapping of the brain. Minimal invasiveness and robust signal detection are required in neural probes. Here, the authors develop NeuroWeb, an ultra-thin, minimally invasive surface electrode array. In vivo electrophysiological and optogenetic experiments show single-unit activity of neurons with high signal-to-noise ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable growth of two-dimensional (2D) single crystals on insulating substrates is the ultimate pursuit for realizing high-end applications in electronics and optoelectronics. However, for the most typical 2D insulator, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), the production of a single-crystal monolayer on insulating substrates remains challenging. Here, we propose a methodology to realize the facile production of inch-sized single-crystal hBN monolayers on various insulating substrates by an atomic-scale stamp-like technique. The single-crystal Cu foils grown with hBN films can stick tightly (within 0.35 nm) to the insulating substrate at sub-melting temperature of Cu and extrude the hBN grown on the metallic surface onto the insulating substrate. Single-crystal hBN films can then be obtained by removing the Cu foil similar to the stamp process, regardless of the type or crystallinity of the insulating substrates. Our work will likely promote the manufacturing process of fully single-crystal 2D material-based devices and their applications. The growth of monolayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) on insulating substrates could promote high-end applications of 2D (opto-)electronic devices, but remains difficult to achieve. Here, the authors report a stamp-like growth-transfer technique to produce inch-sized single-crystal hBN and graphene monolayers on various insulating substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being able to control the neutral excitonic flux is a mandatory step for the development of future room-temperature two-dimensional excitonic devices. Semiconducting Monolayer Transition Metal Dichalcogenides (TMD-ML) with extremely robust and mobile excitons are highly attractive in this regard. However, generating an efficient and controlled exciton transport over long distances is a very challenging task. Here we demonstrate that an atomically sharp TMD-ML lateral heterostructure (MoSe2-WSe2) transforms the isotropic exciton diffusion into a unidirectional excitonic flow through the junction. Using tip-enhanced photoluminescence spectroscopy (TEPL) and a modified exciton transfer model, we show a discontinuity of the exciton density distribution on each side of the interface. We introduce the concept of exciton Kapitza resistance, by analogy with the interfacial thermal resistance referred to as Kapitza resistance. By comparing different heterostructures with or without top hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layer, we deduce that the transport properties can be controlled, over distances far greater than the junction width, by the exciton density through near-field engineering and/or laser power density. This work provides a new approach for controlling the neutral exciton flow, which is key toward the conception of excitonic devices. Here, the authors use tip-enhanced photoluminescence spectroscopy to show a discontinuity of the exciton density distribution on each side of the interface of a MoSe2/WSe2 lateral heterostructure. They introduce the concept of 'exciton Kapitza resistance' by analogy with the interfacial thermal resistance known as 'Kapitza resistance'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negatively-charged boron vacancy centers ( V B − ) in hexagonal Boron Nitride (hBN) are attracting increasing interest since they represent optically-addressable qubits in a van der Waals material. In particular, these spin defects have shown promise as sensors for temperature, pressure, and static magnetic fields. However, their short spin coherence time limits their scope for quantum technology. Here, we apply dynamical decoupling techniques to suppress magnetic noise and extend the spin coherence time by two orders of magnitude, approaching the fundamental T1 relaxation limit. Based on this improvement, we demonstrate advanced spin control and a set of quantum sensing protocols to detect radiofrequency signals with sub-Hz resolution. The corresponding sensitivity is benchmarked against that of state-of-the-art NV-diamond quantum sensors. This work lays the foundation for nanoscale sensing using spin defects in an exfoliable material and opens a promising path to quantum sensors and quantum networks integrated into ultra-thin structures. Negatively-charged boron vacancy centers in hBN have short coherence times, hindering their potential as quantum sensors. By employing dynamical decoupling, the authors achieve an ensemble coherence time approaching the fundamental relaxation limit, enabling sensitive detection of MHz range electromagnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically active spin defects in van der Waals materials are promising platforms for modern quantum technologies. Here we investigate the coherent dynamics of strongly interacting ensembles of negatively charged boron-vacancy ( V B − ) centers in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) with varying defect density. By employing advanced dynamical decoupling sequences to selectively isolate different dephasing sources, we observe more than 5-fold improvement in the measured coherence times across all hBN samples. Crucially, we identify that the many-body interaction within the V B − ensemble plays a substantial role in the coherent dynamics, which is then used to directly estimate the concentration of V B − . We find that at high ion implantation dosage, only a small portion of the created boron vacancy defects are in the desired negatively charged state. Finally, we investigate the spin response of V B − to the local charged defects induced electric field signals, and estimate its ground state transverse electric field susceptibility. Our results provide new insights on the spin and charge properties of V B − , which are important for future use of defects in hBN as quantum sensors and simulators. The boron vacancy center in hBN has been intensively studied, but its characterizations have remained limited. Here the authors achieve a 5-fold enhancement of coherence time using dynamical decoupling, which enables the direct estimation of defect concentration and its electric field susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the nature of molecular excitons in low-dimensional molecular solids is of paramount importance in fundamental photophysics and various applications such as energy harvesting, switching electronics and display devices. Despite this, the spatial evolution of molecular excitons and their transition dipoles have not been captured in the precision of molecular length scales. Here we show in-plane and out-of-plane excitonic evolution in quasilayered two-dimensional (2D) perylene-3, 4, 9, 10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) crystals assembly-grown on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) crystals. Complete lattice constants with orientations of two herringbone-configured basis molecules are determined with polarization-resolved spectroscopy and electron diffraction methods. In the truly 2D limit of single layers, two Frenkel emissions Davydov-split by Kasha-type intralayer coupling exhibit energy inversion with decreasing temperature, which enhances excitonic coherence. As the thickness increases, the transition dipole moments of newly emerging charge transfer excitons are reoriented because of mixing with the Frenkel states. The current spatial anatomy of 2D molecular excitons will inspire a deeper understanding and groundbreaking applications of low-dimensional molecular systems. The mixing between Frenkel and charge-transfer characters in molecular excitons is difficult to analyze. Here, the authors demonstrate the onset and evolution of the mixing using 2D perylene molecular crystals by measuring the reorientation of emission transition dipoles with varying thicknesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) metal-free ferromagnetic materials are ideal candidates to fabricate next-generation memory and logic devices, but optimization of their ferromagnetism at atomic-scale remains challenging. Theoretically, optimization of ferromagnetism could be achieved by inducing long-range magnetic sequence, which requires short-range exchange interactions. In this work, we propose a strategy to enhance the ferromagnetism of 2D graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4), which is facilitating the short-range exchange interaction by introducing in-planar boron bridges. As expected, the ferromagnetism of g-C3N4 was significantly enhanced after the introduction of boron bridges, consistent with theoretical calculations. Overall, boosting ferromagnetism of 2D materials by introducing bridging groups is emphasized, which could be applied to manipulate the magnetism of other materials. Metal free' materials offer a cheap and chemical benign platform for magnetism, however, the typical source of magnetism are unpaired electrons of a metal, thus designing 'metal free' magnetic materials represents a significant challenge. Here, Du et al present a strategy for enhancing the magnetism in carbon nitride using boron bridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engineering different two-dimensional materials into heterostructured membranes with unique physiochemical properties and molecular sieving channels offers an effective way to design membranes for fast and selective gas molecule transport. Here we develop a simple and versatile pyro-layering approach to fabricate heterostructured membranes from boron nitride nanosheets as the main scaffold and graphene nanosheets derived from a chitosan precursor as the filler. The rearrangement of the graphene nanosheets adjoining the boron nitride nanosheets during the pyro-layering treatment forms precise in-plane slit-like nanochannels and a plane-to-plane spacing of ~3.0 Å, thereby endowing specific gas transport pathways for selective hydrogen transport. The heterostructured membrane shows a high H2 permeability of 849 Barrer, with a H2/CO2 selectivity of 290. This facile and scalable technique holds great promise for the fabrication of heterostructures as next-generation membranes for enhancing the efficiency of gas separation and purification processes. Engineering 2D heterostructures with unique physiochemical properties and molecular sieving channels is one approach for designing membranes selective gas molecule transport. Here authors arrange graphene and boron nitride nanosheets in an alternating pattern, resulting in narrow porous nanochannels and excellent hydrogen separation properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stacking of graphene with hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) can dramatically modify its bands from their usual linear form, opening a series of narrow minigaps that are separated by wider minibands. While the resulting spectrum offers strong potential for use in functional (opto)electronic devices, a proper understanding of the dynamics of hot carriers in these bands is a prerequisite for such applications. In this work, we therefore apply a strategy of rapid electrical pulsing to drive carriers in graphene/h-BN heterostructures deep into the dissipative limit of strong electron-phonon coupling. By using electrical gating to move the chemical potential through the "Moiré bands", we demonstrate a cyclical evolution between metallic and semiconducting states. This behavior is captured in a self-consistent model of non-equilibrium transport that considers the competition of electrically driven inter-band tunneling and hot-carrier scattering by strongly non-equilibrium phonons. Overall, our results demonstrate how a treatment of the dynamics of both hot carriers and hot phonons is essential to understanding the properties of functional graphene superlattices. Significant attention has been devoted to understanding the low-electric-field properties of carriers in moiré graphene, but high-electric-field transport has not been as well explored. Here, the authors find non-monotonic transport behavior at moiré minigaps due to competition between inter-band tunneling and coupling to out-of-equilibrium phonons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin defects in foils of hexagonal boron nitride are an attractive platform for magnetic field imaging, since the probe can be placed in close proximity to the target. However, as a III-V material the electron spin coherence is limited by the nuclear spin environment, with spin echo coherence times of ∽100 ns at room temperature accessible magnetic fields. We use a strong continuous microwave drive with a modulation in order to stabilize a Rabi oscillation, extending the coherence time up to ∽ 4μs, which is close to the 10 μs electron spin lifetime in our sample. We then define a protected qubit basis, and show full control of the protected qubit. The coherence times of a superposition of the protected qubit can be as high as 0.8 μs. This work establishes that boron vacancies in hexagonal boron nitride can have electron spin coherence times that are competitive with typical nitrogen vacancy centres in small nanodiamonds under ambient conditions. Spin defects in 2D hBN are promising for magnetic field sensing but suffer from short spin coherence times. Here the authors extend the coherence time for an ensemble of spins in hBN to 4 microseconds by using a continuous microwave drive and demonstrate qubit control in a protected spin space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although two-dimensional (2D) materials have grown into an extended family that accommodates hundreds of members and have demonstrated promising advantages in many fields, their practical applications are still hindered by the lack of scalable high-yield production of monolayer products. Here, we show that scalable production of monolayer nanosheets can be achieved by a facile ball-milling exfoliation method with the assistance of viscous polyethyleneimine (PEI) liquid. As a demonstration, graphite is effectively exfoliated into graphene nanosheets, achieving a high monolayer percentage of 97.9% at a yield of 78.3%. The universality of this technique is also proven by successfully exfoliating other types of representative layered materials with different structures, such as carbon nitride, covalent organic framework, zeolitic imidazolate framework and hexagonal boron nitride. This scalable exfoliation technique for monolayer nanosheets could catalyze the synthesis and industrialization of 2D nanosheet materials. Top-down exfoliation is one of the most promising approaches for the scalable production of 2D materials, but the current techniques are limited by low yield of monolayers. Here, the authors report the exfoliation of graphene and other layered materials via viscous-polymer-assisted ball-milling, leading to a production of graphene products with monolayer percentage up to 97.9% at a yield of 78.3%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative dehydrogenation (ODH) of alkane over boron nitride (BN) catalyst exhibits high olefin selectivity as well as a small ecological carbon footprint. Here we report an unusual phenomenon that the in-situ formed olefins under reactions are in turn actively accelerating parent alkane conversion over BN by interacting with hydroperoxyl and alkoxyl radicals and generating reactive species which promote oxidation of alkane and olefin formation, through feeding a mixture of alkane and olefin and DFT calculations. The isotope tracer studies reveal the cleavage of C-C bond in propylene when co-existing with propane, directly evidencing the deep-oxidation of olefins occur in the ODH reaction over BN. Furthermore, enhancing the activation of ethane by the in-situ formed olefins from propane is successfully realized at lower temperature by co-feeding alkane mixture strategy. This work unveils the realistic ODH reaction pathway over BN and provides an insight into efficiently producing olefins. Oxidative dehydrogenation of alkanes over boron nitride catalysts provides a new opportunity for efficient olefin production. Here, the authors discover in situ formed olefins can promote parent alkane conversion, and achieve activation of ethane by propane-derived olefins at a lower temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chemical industry faces the challenge of bringing emissions of climate-damaging CO2 to zero. However, the synthesis of important intermediates, such as olefins or epoxides, is still associated with the release of large amounts of greenhouse gases. This is due to both a high energy input for many process steps and insufficient selectivity of the underlying catalyzed reactions. Surprisingly, we find that in the oxidation of propane at elevated temperature over apparently inert materials such as boron nitride and silicon dioxide not only propylene but also significant amounts of propylene oxide are formed, with unexpectedly small amounts of CO2. Process simulations reveal that the combined synthesis of these two important chemical building blocks is technologically feasible. Our discovery leads the ways towards an environmentally friendly production of propylene oxide and propylene in one step. We demonstrate that complex catalyst development is not necessary for this reaction. Propylene and propylene oxide are formed over boron nitride or SiO2 in the gas phase without yielding large amounts of CO2. Conversion at non-specific interfaces can thus be a successful strategy for the synthesis of oxidation-sensitive products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the interface of van der Waals heterostructures, the crystal symmetry and the electronic structure can be reconstructed, giving rise to physical properties superior to or absent in parent materials. Here by studying a Bernal bilayer graphene moiré superlattice encapsulated by 30°-twisted boron nitride flakes, we report an unprecedented ferroelectric polarization with the areal charge density up to 1013 cm−2, which is far beyond the capacity of a moiré band. The translated polarization ~5 pC m−1 is among the highest interfacial ferroelectrics engineered by artificially stacking van der Waals crystals. The gate-specific ferroelectricity and co-occurring anomalous screening are further visualized via Landau levels, and remain robust for Fermi surfaces outside moiré bands, confirming their independence on correlated electrons. We also find that the gate-specific resistance hysteresis loops could be turned off by the other gate, providing an additional control knob. Furthermore, the ferroelectric switching can be applied to intrinsic properties such as topological valley current. Overall, the gate-specific ferroelectricity with strongly enhanced charge polarization may encourage more explorations to optimize and enrich this novel class of ferroelectricity, and promote device applications for ferroelectric switching of various quantum phenomena. Interfacial ferroelectricity may emerge in moiré superlattices. Here, the authors find that the polarized charge is much larger than the capacity of the moiré miniband and the associated anomalous screening exists outside the band. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has recently been demonstrated to contain optically polarized and detected electron spins that can be utilized for implementing qubits and quantum sensors in nanolayered-devices. Understanding the coherent dynamics of microwave driven spins in hBN is of crucial importance for advancing these emerging new technologies. Here, we demonstrate and study the Rabi oscillation and related phenomena of a negatively charged boron vacancy (V B − ) spin ensemble in hBN. We report on different dynamics of the V B − spins at weak and strong magnetic fields. In the former case the defect behaves like a single electron spin system, while in the latter case it behaves like a multi-spin system exhibiting multiple-frequency dynamical oscillation as beat in the Ramsey fringes. We also carry out theoretical simulations for the spin dynamics of V B − and reveal that the nuclear spins can be driven via the strong electron nuclear coupling existing in V B − center, which can be modulated by the magnetic field and microwave field. Understanding the coherent dynamics of electron and nucleus spins in hBN is crucial for their applications as qubits and quantum sensors. Here the authors report room-temperature coherent manipulation of the negatively charged boron vacancy spins in hBN and study their dynamics under weak and strong magnetic fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cooling in buildings is vital to human well-being but inevitability consumes significant energy, adding pressure on achieving carbon neutrality. Thermally superinsulating aerogels are promising to isolate the heat for more energy-efficient cooling. However, most aerogels tend to absorb the sunlight for unwanted solar heat gain, and it is challenging to scale up the aerogel fabrication while maintaining consistent properties. Herein, we develop a thermally insulating, solar-reflective anisotropic cooling aerogel panel containing in-plane aligned pores with engineered pore walls using boron nitride nanosheets by an additive freeze-casting technique. The additive freeze-casting offers highly controllable and cumulative freezing dynamics for fabricating decimeter-scale aerogel panels with consistent in-plane pore alignments. The unique anisotropic thermo-optical properties of the nanosheets combined with in-plane pore channels enable the anisotropic cooling aerogel to deliver an ultralow out-of-plane thermal conductivity of 16.9 mW m−1 K−1 and a high solar reflectance of 97%. The excellent dual functionalities allow the anisotropic cooling aerogel to minimize both parasitic and solar heat gains when used as cooling panels under direct sunlight, achieving an up to 7 °C lower interior temperature than commercial silica aerogels. This work offers a new paradigm for the bottom-up fabrication of scalable anisotropic aerogels towards practical energy-efficient cooling applications. Scaling up anisotropic freeze-casting processes can be challenging due to the temperature gradient farther from the cold source. Here, authors report an additive freeze-casting technique able to produce large-scale aerogel panels and demonstrate it towards practical passive cooling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emergent color centers with accessible spins hosted by van der Waals materials have attracted substantial interest in recent years due to their significant potential for implementing transformative quantum sensing technologies. Hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) is naturally relevant in this context due to its remarkable ease of integration into devices consisting of low-dimensional materials. Taking advantage of boron vacancy spin defects in hBN, we report nanoscale quantum imaging of low-dimensional ferromagnetism sustained in Fe3GeTe2/hBN van der Waals heterostructures. Exploiting spin relaxometry methods, we have further observed spatially varying magnetic fluctuations in the exfoliated Fe3GeTe2 flake, whose magnitude reaches a peak value around the Curie temperature. Our results demonstrate the capability of spin defects in hBN of investigating local magnetic properties of layered materials in an accessible and precise way, which can be extended readily to a broad range of miniaturized van der Waals heterostructure systems. Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has been used extensively to encapsulate other van der Waals materials, protecting them from environmental degradation, and allowing integration into more complex heterostructures. Here, the authors make use of boron vacancy spin defects in h-BN using them to image the magnetic properties of a Fe3GeTe2 flake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interlayer excitons (IXs) in MoSe2–WSe2 heterobilayers have generated interest as highly tunable light emitters in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) heterostructures. Previous reports of spectrally narrow (<1 meV) photoluminescence (PL) emission lines at low temperature have been attributed to IXs localized by the moiré potential between the TMD layers. We show that spectrally narrow IX PL lines are present even when the moiré potential is suppressed by inserting a bilayer hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) spacer between the TMD layers. We compare the doping, electric field, magnetic field, and temperature dependence of IXs in a directly contacted MoSe2–WSe2 region to those in a region separated by bilayer hBN. The doping, electric field, and temperature dependence of the narrow IX lines are similar for both regions, but their excitonic g-factors have opposite signs, indicating that the origin of narrow IX PL is not the moiré potential. The spectrally narrow photoluminescence lines occurring in transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD) heterostructures at low temperature have been attributed to interlayer excitons (IXs) localized by the moiré potential between the TMD layers. Here, the authors show that these lines are present even when the moiré potential is suppressed by inserting an hBN spacer between the TMD layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the topological quantum numbers of fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states hosting counter-propagating (CP) downstream (Nd) and upstream (Nu) edge modes, it is pivotal to study quantized transport both in the presence and absence of edge mode equilibration. While reaching the non-equilibrated regime is challenging for charge transport, we target here the thermal Hall conductance GQ, which is purely governed by edge quantum numbers Nd and Nu. Our experimental setup is realized with a hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) encapsulated graphite gated single layer graphene device. For temperatures up to 35 mK, our measured GQ at ν = 2/3 and 3/5 (with CP modes) match the quantized values of non-equilibrated regime (Nd + Nu)κ0T, where κ0T is a quanta of GQ. With increasing temperature, GQ decreases and eventually takes the value of the equilibrated regime ∣Nd − Nu∣κ0T. By contrast, at ν = 1/3 and 2/5 (without CP modes), GQ remains robustly quantized at Ndκ0T independent of the temperature. Thus, measuring the quantized values of GQ in two regimes, we determine the edge quantum numbers, which opens a new route for finding the topological order of exotic non-Abelian FQH states. The knowledge of quantum numbers of the edge modes is essential for understanding fractional Hall states containing counter-propagating downstream and upstream modes. Here the authors identify the edge quantum numbers by probing a crossover from non-equilibrated to equilibrated edge mode regime in thermal conductance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extraordinary optoelectronic properties of van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures can be tuned via strain caused by mechanical deformation. Here, we demonstrate strong and localized luminescence in the ultraviolet region from interface bubbles between stacked multilayers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Compared to bubbles in stacked monolayers, bubbles formed by stacking vdW multilayers show distinct mechanical behavior. We use this behavior to elucidate radius- and thickness-dependent bubble geometry and the resulting strain across the bubble, from which we establish the thickness-dependent bending rigidity of hBN multilayers. We then utilize the polymeric material confined within the bubbles to modify the bubble geometry under electron beam irradiation, resulting in strong luminescence and formation of optical standing waves. Our results open a route to design and modulate microscopic-scale optical cavities via strain engineering in vdW materials, which we suggest will be relevant to both fundamental mechanical studies and optoelectronic applications. Optoelectronic properties of van der Waals heterostructures can be tuned via strain. Here, authors demonstrate strong and localized luminescence in the ultraviolet region from interface bubbles between stacked multilayers of hexagonal boron nitride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Formation of mineral scale on a material surface has profound impact on a wide range of natural processes as well as industrial applications. However, how specific material surface characteristics affect the mineral-surface interactions and subsequent mineral scale formation is not well understood. Here we report the superior resistance of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) to mineral scale formation compared to not only common metal and polymer surfaces but also the highly scaling-resistant graphene, making hBN possibly the most scaling resistant material reported to date. Experimental and simulation results reveal that this ultrahigh scaling-resistance is attributed to the combination of hBN's atomically-smooth surface, in-plane atomic energy corrugation due to the polar boron-nitrogen bond, and the close match between its interatomic spacing and the size of water molecules. The latter two properties lead to strong polar interactions with water and hence the formation of a dense hydration layer, which strongly hinders the approach of mineral ions and crystals, decreasing both surface heterogeneous nucleation and crystal attachment. Scale formation may have detrimental effects on the properties and functions of materials' surfaces. Here the authors report the high scaling resistance of hexagonal boron nitride and relate it to the atomic level structure and interaction with water molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) are promising quantum systems for the design of flexible two-dimensional quantum sensing platforms. Here we rely on hBN crystals isotopically enriched with either 10B or 11B to investigate the isotope-dependent properties of a spin defect featuring a broadband photoluminescence signal in the near infrared. By analyzing the hyperfine structure of the spin defect while changing the boron isotope, we first confirm that it corresponds to the negatively charged boron-vacancy center ( V B − ). We then show that its spin coherence properties are slightly improved in 10B-enriched samples. This is supported by numerical simulations employing cluster correlation expansion methods, which reveal the importance of the hyperfine Fermi contact term for calculating the coherence time of point defects in hBN. Using cross-relaxation spectroscopy, we finally identify dark electron spin impurities as an additional source of decoherence. This work provides new insights into the properties of V B − spin defects, which are valuable for the future development of hBN-based quantum sensing foils. Recently, coherent control of spin defects in hBN has been realized, enabling future applications in quantum sensing technologies. Here the authors perform a systematic study of isotope-dependent spin coherence properties of the negatively-charged boron-vacancy defect in monoisotopic hBN crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atomically-thin van der Waals layered materials, with both high in-plane stiffness and bending flexibility, offer a unique platform for thermomechanical engineering. However, the lack of effective characterization techniques hinders the development of this research topic. Here, we develop a direct experimental method and effective theoretical model to study the mechanical, thermal, and interlayer properties of van der Waals materials. This is accomplished by using a carefully designed WSe2-based heterostructure, where monolayer WSe2 serves as an in-situ strain meter. Combining experimental results and theoretical modelling, we are able to resolve the shear deformation and interlayer shear thermal deformation of each individual layer quantitatively in van der Waals materials. Our approach also provides important interlayer coupling information as well as key thermal parameters. The model can be applied to van der Waals materials with different layer numbers and various boundary conditions for both thermally-induced and mechanically-induced deformations. Van der Waals materials exhibit unique thermomechanical properties, but interlayer deformations are usually challenging to measure. Here, the authors exploit the strain-dependent optical properties of monolayer WSe2 to quantitatively probe the interlayer shear thermal deformations and interlayer coupling in phosphorene and hexagonal boron nitride. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently discovered spin-active boron vacancy (V B − ) defect center in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has high contrast optically-detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) at room-temperature, with a spin-triplet ground-state that shows promise as a quantum sensor. Here we report temperature-dependent ODMR spectroscopy to probe spin within the orbital excited-state. Our experiments determine the excited-state spin Hamiltonian, including a room-temperature zero-field splitting of 2.1 GHz and a g-factor similar to that of the ground-state. We confirm that the resonance is associated with spin rotation in the excited-state using pulsed ODMR measurements, and we observe Zeeman-mediated level anti-crossings in both the orbital ground- and excited-state. Our observation of a single set of excited-state spin-triplet resonance from 10 to 300 K is suggestive of symmetry-lowering of the defect system from D3h to C2v. Additionally, the excited-state ODMR has strong temperature dependence of both contrast and transverse anisotropy splitting, enabling promising avenues for quantum sensing. The negatively charged boron vacancy in hBN shows promise as a quantum sensor, but, until recently, the focus has been on its ground-state properties. Here, the authors report temperature-dependent spin-resonance optical spectroscopy of the orbital excited state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of single-crystal substrates as templates for the epitaxial growth of single-crystal overlayers has been a primary principle of materials epitaxy for more than 70 years. Here we report our finding that, though counterintuitive, single-crystal 2D materials can be epitaxially grown on twinned crystals. By establishing a geometric principle to describe 2D materials alignment on high-index surfaces, we show that 2D material islands grown on the two sides of a twin boundary can be well aligned. To validate this prediction, wafer-scale Cu foils with abundant twin boundaries were synthesized, and on the surfaces of these polycrystalline Cu foils, we have successfully grown wafer-scale single-crystal graphene and hexagonal boron nitride films. In addition, to greatly increasing the availability of large area high-quality 2D single crystals, our discovery also extends the fundamental understanding of materials epitaxy. The heteroepitaxial growth of crystalline 2D materials is usually based on single-crystal substrates. Here, the authors demonstrate that single-crystal graphene and hexagonal boron nitride films can be successfully grown on wafer-scale copper foils with tailored twin boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manufacturing molecule-based functional elements directly at device interfaces is a frontier in bottom-up materials engineering. A longstanding challenge in the field is the covalent stabilization of pre-assembled molecular architectures to afford nanodevice components. Here, we employ the controlled supramolecular self-assembly of anthracene derivatives on a hexagonal boron nitride sheet, to generate nanographene wires through photo-crosslinking and thermal annealing. Specifically, we demonstrate µm-long nanowires with an average width of 200 nm, electrical conductivities of 106 S m−1 and breakdown current densities of 1011 A m−2. Joint experiments and simulations reveal that hierarchical self-assembly promotes their formation and functional properties. Our approach demonstrates the feasibility of combined bottom-up supramolecular templating and top-down manufacturing protocols for graphene nanomaterials and interconnects, towards integrated carbon nanodevices. The bottom-up fabrication of structures with robust performance in the nm-to-μm scale usable for integrated carbon nanodevices is challenging. Here the authors report micrometer-long, highly conducting nanographene wires following self-assembly, photo-crosslinking and thermal annealing of anthracene derivatives on hexagonal boron nitride sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exciton polaron is a hypothetical many-body quasiparticle that involves an exciton dressed with a polarized electron-hole cloud in the Fermi sea. It has been evoked to explain the excitonic spectra of charged monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides, but the studies were limited to the ground state. Here we measure the reflection and photoluminescence of monolayer MoSe2 and WSe2 gating devices encapsulated by boron nitride. We observe gate-tunable exciton polarons associated with the 1 s–3 s exciton Rydberg states. The ground and excited exciton polarons exhibit comparable energy redshift (15~30 meV) from their respective bare excitons. The robust excited states contradict the trion picture because the trions are expected to dissociate in the excited states. When the Fermi sea expands, we observe increasingly severe suppression and steep energy shift from low to high exciton-polaron Rydberg states. Their gate-dependent energy shifts go beyond the trion description but match our exciton-polaron theory. Our experiment and theory demonstrate the exciton-polaron nature of both the ground and excited excitonic states in charged monolayer MoSe2 and WSe2. An exciton polaron is a quasiparticle composed of an exciton dressed with an electron-hole cloud, and this concept has been used to explain the ground excitonic states in charged monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides. Here the authors present experimental and theoretical evidence of exciton-polaron Rydberg states in monolayer MoSe2 and WSe2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin defects in solid-state materials are strong candidate systems for quantum information technology and sensing applications. Here we explore in details the recently discovered negatively charged boron vacancies (VB−) in hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) and demonstrate their use as atomic scale sensors for temperature, magnetic fields and externally applied pressure. These applications are possible due to the high-spin triplet ground state and bright spin-dependent photoluminescence of the VB−. Specifically, we find that the frequency shift in optically detected magnetic resonance measurements is not only sensitive to static magnetic fields, but also to temperature and pressure changes which we relate to crystal lattice parameters. We show that spin-rich hBN films are potentially applicable as intrinsic sensors in heterostructures made of functionalized 2D materials. Spin defects in two-dimensional materials potentially offer unique advantages for quantum sensing in terms of sensitivity and functionality. Here, the authors demonstrate the use of spin defects in hexagonal boron nitride as sensors of magnetic field, temperature and pressure, and show that their performance is comparable or exceeds that of existing platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single photon emitters (SPEs) in low-dimensional layered materials have recently gained a large interest owing to the auspicious perspectives of integration and extreme miniaturization offered by this class of materials. However, accurate control of both the spatial location and the emission wavelength of the quantum emitters is essentially lacking to date, thus hindering further technological steps towards scalable quantum photonic devices. Here, we evidence SPEs in high purity synthetic hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) that can be activated by an electron beam at chosen locations. SPE ensembles are generated with a spatial accuracy better than the cubed emission wavelength, thus opening the way to integration in optical microstructures. Stable and bright single photon emission is subsequently observed in the visible range up to room temperature upon non-resonant laser excitation. Moreover, the low-temperature emission wavelength is reproducible, with an ensemble distribution of width 3 meV, a statistical dispersion that is more than one order of magnitude lower than the narrowest wavelength spreads obtained in epitaxial hBN samples. Our findings constitute an essential step towards the realization of top-down integrated devices based on identical quantum emitters in 2D materials. Accurate control of the spatial location and the emission wavelength of single photon emitters (SPEs) in van der Waals materials is a crucial yet challenging endeavour. Here, the authors use an electron beam to generate SPE ensembles in high purity synthetic hBN with enhanced spatial accuracy and emission reproducibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductors have long been perceived as a prerequisite for solid-state transistors. Although switching principles for nanometer-scale devices have emerged based on the deployment of two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals heterostructures, tunneling and ballistic currents through short channels are difficult to control, and semiconducting channel materials remain indispensable for practical switching. In this study, we report a semiconductor-less solid-state electronic device that exhibits an industry-applicable switching of the ballistic current. This device modulates the field emission barrier height across the graphene-hexagonal boron nitride interface with ION/IOFF of 106 obtained from the transfer curves and adjustable intrinsic gain up to 4, and exhibits unprecedented current stability in temperature range of 15–400 K. The vertical device operation can be optimized with the capacitive coupling in the device geometry. The semiconductor-less switching resolves the long-standing issue of temperature-dependent device performance, thereby extending the potential of 2D van der Waals devices to applications in extreme environments. In field-effect transistors, a semiconducting channel is indispensable for device switching. Here, the authors demonstrate semiconductor-less switching via modulation of the field emission barrier height across a graphene-hBN interface with ON/OFF ratio of 106. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solid-state magnetic field sensors are important for applications in commercial electronics and fundamental materials research. Most magnetic field sensors function in a limited range of temperature and magnetic field, but Hall sensors in principle operate over a broad range of these conditions. Here, we evaluate ultraclean graphene as a material platform for high-performance Hall sensors. We fabricate micrometer-scale devices from graphene encapsulated with hexagonal boron nitride and few-layer graphite. We optimize the magnetic field detection limit under different conditions. At 1 kHz for a 1 μm device, we estimate a detection limit of 700 nT Hz−1/2 at room temperature, 80 nT Hz−1/2 at 4.2 K, and 3 μT Hz−1/2 in 3 T background field at 4.2 K. Our devices perform similarly to the best Hall sensors reported in the literature at room temperature, outperform other Hall sensors at 4.2 K, and demonstrate high performance in a few-Tesla magnetic field at which the sensors exhibit the quantum Hall effect. The development of high-performance magnetic field sensors is important for magnetic sensing and imaging. Here, the authors fabricate Hall sensors from graphene encapsulated in hBN and few-layer graphite, demonstrating high performance over a wide range of temperature and background magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When two-dimensional crystals are brought into close proximity, their interaction results in reconstruction of electronic spectrum and crystal structure. Such reconstruction strongly depends on the twist angle between the crystals, which has received growing attention due to interesting electronic and optical properties that arise in graphene and transitional metal dichalcogenides. Here we study two insulating crystals of hexagonal boron nitride stacked at small twist angle. Using electrostatic force microscopy, we observe ferroelectric-like domains arranged in triangular superlattices with a large surface potential. The observation is attributed to interfacial elastic deformations that result in out-of-plane dipoles formed by pairs of boron and nitrogen atoms belonging to opposite interfacial surfaces. This creates a bilayer-thick ferroelectric with oppositely polarized (BN and NB) dipoles in neighbouring domains, in agreement with our modeling. These findings open up possibilities for designing van der Waals heterostructures and offer an alternative probe to study moiré-superlattice electrostatic potentials. Here, moiré superlattices generated by twisted insulating crystals of hexagonal boron nitride are shown to have a ferroelectric-like character, attributed to strain-induced polarized dipoles formed by pairs of interfacial boron and nitrogen atoms that create bilayer-thick ferroelectric domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of enzyme-inspired artificial catalysts with enzyme-like active sites and microenvironment remains a great challenge. Herein, we report a single-atomic-site Co catalyst supported by carbon doped boron nitride (BCN) with locally polarized B–N bonds (Co SAs/BCN) to simulate the reductive dehalogenases. Density functional theory analysis suggests that the BCN supports, featured with ionic characteristics, provide additional electric field effect compared with graphitic carbon or N-doped carbon (CN), which could facilitate the adsorption of polarized organochlorides. Consistent with the theoretical results, the Co SAs/BCN catalyst delivers a high activity with nearly complete dechlorination (~98%) at a potential of −0.9 V versus Ag/AgCl for chloramphenicol (CAP), showing that the rate constant (k) contributed by unit mass of metal (k/ratio) is 4 and 19 times more active than those of the Co SAs/CN and state-of-the-art Pd/C catalyst, respectively. We show that Co single atoms coupled with BCN host exhibit high stability and selectivity in CAP dechlorination and suppress the competing hydrogen evolution reaction, endowing the Co SAs/BCN as a candidate for sustainable conversion of organic chloride. Bridging the biocatalytic repertoire and the effective environmental remediation remains a great challenge. Here, inspired by the dehalogenases, the authors designed a single atom Co catalyst on carbon doped boron nitride that exhibits high stability and selectivity in dechlorination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zirconium alloys are widely used structural materials of choice in the nuclear industry due to their exceptional radiation and corrosion resistance. However long-time exposure to irradiation eventually results in undesirable shape changes, irradiation growth, that limit the service life of the component. Crystal defects called loops, routinely seen no smaller than 13 nm in diameter, are the source of the problem. How they form remains a matter of debate. Here, using transmission electron microscopy, we reveal the existence of a novel defect, nanoscale triangle-shaped vacancy plates. Energy considerations suggest that the collapse of the atomically thick triangle-shaped vacancy platelets can directly produce dislocation loops. This mechanism agrees with experiment and implies a characteristic incubation period for the formation of dislocation loops in zirconium alloys. Zirconium alloys are widely used in the nuclear industry, but long-time irradiation leads to shape changes and irradiation growth that relate to basal dislocation loops in zirconium. Here the authors discern nanoscale triangle-shaped vacancy platelets in helium-irradiated zirconium, which are a precursor of basal dislocation loops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excitons with binding energies of a few hundreds of meV control the optical properties of transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers. Knowledge of the fine structure of these excitons is therefore essential to understand the optoelectronic properties of these 2D materials. Here we measure the exciton fine structure of MoS2 and MoSe2 monolayers encapsulated in boron nitride by magneto-photoluminescence spectroscopy in magnetic fields up to 30 T. The experiments performed in transverse magnetic field reveal a brightening of the spin-forbidden dark excitons in MoS2 monolayer: we find that the dark excitons appear at 14 meV below the bright ones. Measurements performed in tilted magnetic field provide a conceivable description of the neutral exciton fine structure. The experimental results are in agreement with a model taking into account the effect of the exchange interaction on both the bright and dark exciton states as well as the interaction with the magnetic field. Excitons control the optical properties of transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers. Here, the authors measure the exciton fine structure of MoS2 and MoSe2 monolayers encapsulated in hBN in magnetic fields up to 30 T, and observe a brightening of the spin-forbidden dark excitons in MoS2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polaritons – coupled excitations of photons and dipolar matter excitations – can propagate along anisotropic metasurfaces with either hyperbolic or elliptical dispersion. At the transition from hyperbolic to elliptical dispersion (corresponding to a topological transition), various intriguing phenomena are found, such as an enhancement of the photonic density of states, polariton canalization and hyperlensing. Here, we investigate theoretically and experimentally the topological transition, the polaritonic coupling and the strong nonlocal response in a uniaxial infrared-phononic metasurface, a grating of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) nanoribbons. By hyperspectral infrared nanoimaging, we observe a synthetic transverse optical phonon resonance (strong collective near-field coupling of the nanoribbons) in the middle of the hBN Reststrahlen band, yielding a topological transition from hyperbolic to elliptical dispersion. We further visualize and characterize the spatial evolution of a deeply subwavelength canalization mode near the transition frequency, which is a collimated polariton that is the basis for hyperlensing and diffraction-less propagation. Phenomena such as polariton canalization and hyperlensing can be found at the transition from hyperbolic to elliptical dispersion. Here, the authors investigate this transition using hyperspectral infrared nanoimaging of polaritons in a grating of hexagonal boron nitride nanoribbons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]