Research articles

Conventional studies of nanomagnets often overlook the role of intermediate states in energy relaxation pathways. Here, the authors explore a simple nanomagnet model, revealing how geometry affects these pathways through multipolar analysis, with implications for understanding magnetic frustration and metastability in artificial spin ice, supported by magnetic force microscopy experiments.

Controlling material phases with gate voltage presents a promising alternative to traditional methods, yet ionic liquid gates often suffer from slow responses. Here, the authors use a three-terminal solid-state device with an ultra-high dielectric constant gate to modulate VO₂ phase transition speed by three orders of magnitude, revealing potential for high-speed, low-power electronics.

Interface engineering in magnetic oxides is crucial for advancing spintronic devices, yet challenges remain in manipulating inversion symmetry in non-ideal interfaces. Here, the authors achieve tunable inversion symmetry in (SrRuO₃)₂/(SrTiO₃)₂ superlattices via dynamic control of interfacial disorders, inducing significant changes in Berry curvature and anomalous Hall resistivity.

Quantum magnonics aims to harness magnon properties for nanoscale quantum information technologies, but substrate-induced damping in yttrium iron garnet (YIG) films limits low-temperature performance. Here, the authors demonstrate that YIG films on yttrium scandium gallium aluminum garnet substrates maintain low magnetic damping from room temperature to millikelvin levels, eliminating paramagnetic substrate effects and advancing spin-wave-based quantum technologies.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) offer tunable magnetic properties, but their ordering temperatures are often limited to cryogenic conditions due to weak exchange interactions. Here, the authors investigate a chromium-based MOF exhibiting robust ferromagnetism near ambient conditions, revealing mesoscopic magnetic clusters and suggesting MOFs as platforms for studying correlated electron phenomena.

Transition metal oxides are interesting for advancing technology as they can combine ease of synthesis, resilience to defects, and high environmental stability, yet few exhibit semiconducting properties, limiting their engineering potential. Here, the authors transform insulating oxides into semiconductors with ultra-low thermal conductivity by introducing configurational entropy, offering a generalizable approach to designing advanced thermoelectric materials with tailored electronic and thermal properties.

Integrating large language models with domain-specific tools can streamline computational materials science workflows by enhancing efficiency and accuracy. Here, the authors present MatSciAgent, a multi-agent framework that automates tasks like data retrieval and simulations, demonstrating high stability and adaptability, thus promising significant advancements in materials research and development.

Measuring a material’s electron-gain or loss tendency is essential for triboelectric devices but remains challenging. Here, the authors present a dual-reference triboelectric sensor combined with deep learning that rapidly estimates surface potential, achieving less than 8% prediction error and about 85% greater accuracy than single-reference methods by compensating for environmental and measurements variations.

Compositional disorder in high entropy oxides offers a novel approach to tuning functional properties, yet its impact on magnetic ordering in double perovskite systems remains underexplored. Here, the authors investigate high-entropy rare-earth double perovskite films, revealing robust ferromagnetic ordering and reentrant spin-glass behavior, highlighting the importance of microscopic interactions in low-temperature phases.

Sustainable electronics require eco-friendly energy storage systems with long-term stability and regeneration. Here, the authors present an eco-friendly, self-healing supercapacitor that uses a delayed-assembly strategy to achieve exceptional cycling stability.

Multifunctional nanomaterials promise to boost biomedical applications by integrating diverse properties into single systems. Here, the authors synthesize metallic alloy nanomushrooms with enhanced photoluminescence and photothermal conversion, enabling precise tumor visualization and ablation; this innovative design offers a potent theranostic agent, addressing current limitations in photoluminescent nanomaterials for biomedicine.

Quantum dots offer promising pathways for designing functional materials with novel optical properties. Here, the authors present colloidal synthesis of flower-like self-assembled InP/ZnSe/ZnS superstructures with remarkable photoluminescence quantum yield, paving the way for non-toxic, highly stable quantum dot devices in optoelectronics and catalysis.

Achieving low voltage loss and efficient charge generation is crucial for advancing high-performance organic photovoltaics. Here, the authors demonstrate that PTNT1-F, a polymer which they recently developed, achieves a low nonradiative voltage loss and high charge generation efficiency, offering insights into designing polymer donors for improved organic photovoltaics performance.

The redox state is highly sensitive to synthetic conditions, and existing quantification methods remain limited by practical challenges. The authors introduce two simple wet-chemical techniques that measure oxidizing and reducing species using easy-to-handle glassware and reagents.

Four-dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy is able to capture intricate diffraction patterns at each probe position, yet traditional binary masks limit image specificity. Here, the authors introduce a method using real-space image correlations to create weighted masks, enhancing atomic-resolution imaging and enabling distinct visualization of atom columns, significantly advancing material characterization in complex specimens.

A pressure-induced insulator-to-metal transition in the nodal-line ferrimagnet Mn₃Si₂Te₆ presents intriguing anomalies in magnetic ordering and Hall conductivity. Here, the authors use density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulations to link these phenomena, explaining the evolution of magnetism with pressure and suggesting that the anomalous Hall conductivity is determined by extrinsic factors or electron doping.

High-efficiency thermal insulation materials are essential for extreme terrestrial and space environments, yet achieving such performance with natural materials remains challenging. Here, the authors reveal that low-porosity lunar agglutinates from the Chang’E-5 mission exhibit ultra-low thermal conductivities of ~8 mW m⁻¹ K⁻¹ under vacuum, surpassing synthetic aerogels, thereby redefining insulation design principles via non-porosity-dominated microstructural mechanisms.

Perovskite manganites are interesting for their colossal magnetoresistance and recent evidence suggests a complex underlying mechanism for this effect, going beyond a large electron-phonon coupling. Here, the authors use high-resolution neutron scattering and density functional theory to reveal that giant electron-phonon coupling in La_1−xSr_xMnO₃ drives cooperative diffusive motion of charge-trapping lattice distortions, whereby the magnitude of magnetoresistance is correlated to diffusion rates rather than the strength of Jahn–Teller distortion.

Silicon on insulator technology demands precise control of buried oxide layers and heat transfer across interfaces, yet current methods fall short in predicting oxygen distribution and interfacial thermal resistance. Here, the authors present a computational framework combining machine-learned interatomic potentials with molecular dynamics, accurately predicting oxygen redistribution and thermal resistance, thereby advancing the design of high-performance silicon on insulator technologies.

Methylammonium lead iodide perovskites are often deemed unstable, partly due to residual lead iodide in films. Here, the authors employ a precursor-engineering strategy using pre-synthesized methylammonium lead iodide single crystals to eliminate lead iodide, achieving enhanced power conversion efficiency and long-term stability, with significant implications for both outdoor and indoor photovoltaic applications.