BINA

Triggered by the development of exfoliation and the identification of a wide range of extraordinary physical properties in self-standing films consisting of one or few atomic layers, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and other van der Waals (vdW) crystals currently constitute a wide research field protruding in multiple directions in combination with layer stacking and twisting, nanofabrication, surface-science methods, and integration into nanostructured environments. Photonics encompasses a multidisciplinary collection of those directions, where 2D materials contribute with polaritons of unique characteristics such as strong spatial confinement, large optical-field enhancement, long lifetimes, high sensitivity to external stimuli (eg, electric and magnetic fields, heating, and strain), a broad spectral range from the far infrared to the ultraviolet, and hybridization with …

We study the first-passage time (FPT) problem for widespread recurrent processes in confined though large systems and present a comprehensive framework for characterizing the FPT distribution over many timescales. We find that the FPT statistics can be described by two scaling functions: one corresponds to the solution for an infinite system, and the other describes a scaling that depends on system size. We find a universal scaling relationship for the FPT moments with respect to the domain size and the source-target distance. This scaling exhibits a transition at , where is the persistence exponent. For low-order moments with , convergence occurs towards the moments of an infinite system. In contrast, the high-order moments, , can be derived from an infinite density function. The presented uniform approximation, connecting the two scaling functions, provides a description of the first …

Triggered by the development of exfoliation and the identification of a wide range of extraordinary physical properties in self-standing films consisting of one or few atomic layers, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and other van der Waals (vdW) crystals currently constitute a wide research field protruding in multiple directions in combination with layer stacking and twisting, nanofabrication, surface-science methods, and integration into nanostructured environments. Photonics encompasses a multidisciplinary collection of those directions, where 2D materials contribute with polaritons of unique characteristics such as strong spatial confinement, large optical-field enhancement, long lifetimes, high sensitivity to external stimuli (e.g., electric and magnetic fields, heating, and strain), a broad spectral range from the far infrared to the ultraviolet, and hybridization with spin and momentum textures of electronic band structures. The explosion of photonics with 2D materials as a vibrant research area is producing breakthroughs, including the discovery and design of new materials and metasurfaces with unprecedented properties as well as applications in integrated photonics, light emission, optical sensing, and exciting prospects for applications in quantum information, and nanoscale thermal transport. This Roadmap summarizes the state of the art in the field, identifies challenges and opportunities, and discusses future goals and how to meet them through a wide collection of topical sections prepared by leading practitioners.

A new class of Janus chiral magnetic polymeric particles was fabricated for chiral resolution by enantioselective crystallization. N-Acryloyl-l/d-Phe methyl ester beads were prepared with controlled sizes and coated with ferromagnetic permalloy. Chiral discrimination by enantiopure d-Ala crystals was investigated in a model for racemic crystallization. X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry support the crystallization of the particles. Analysis of optical rotation reveals a d-Ala enantiomeric excess of about 11%, effectively establishing the concept of chiral discrimination by enantioselective crystallization on these Janus chiral magnetic polymeric particles.

Triggered by the development of exfoliation and the identification of a wide range of extraordinary physical properties in self-standing films consisting of one or few atomic layers, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and other van der Waals (vdW) crystals currently constitute a wide research field protruding in multiple directions in combination with layer stacking and twisting, nanofabrication, surface-science methods, and integration into nanostructured environments. Photonics encompasses a multidisciplinary collection of those directions, where 2D materials contribute with polaritons of unique characteristics such as strong spatial confinement, large optical-field enhancement, long lifetimes, high sensitivity to external stimuli (eg, electric and magnetic fields, heating, and strain), a broad spectral range from the far infrared to the ultraviolet, and hybridization with …

Triggered by the development of exfoliation and the identification of a wide range of extraordinary physical properties in self-standing films consisting of one or few atomic layers, two-dimensional (2D) materials such as graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), and other van der Waals (vdW) crystals currently constitute a wide research field protruding in multiple directions in combination with layer stacking and twisting, nanofabrication, surface-science methods, and integration into nanostructured environments. Photonics encompasses a multidisciplinary collection of those directions, where 2D materials contribute with polaritons of unique characteristics such as strong spatial confinement, large optical-field enhancement, long lifetimes, high sensitivity to external stimuli (e.g., electric and magnetic fields, heating, and strain), a broad spectral range from the far infrared to the ultraviolet, and hybridization with spin and momentum textures of electronic band structures. The explosion of photonics with 2D materials as a vibrant research area is producing breakthroughs, including the discovery and design of new materials and metasurfaces with unprecedented properties as well as applications in integrated photonics, light emission, optical sensing, and exciting prospects for applications in quantum information, and nanoscale thermal transport. This Roadmap summarizes the state of the art in the field, identifies challenges and opportunities, and discusses future goals and how to meet them through a wide collection of topical sections prepared by leading practitioners.

Enhancing the quantity and effectiveness of neoantigens in tumors is essential for advancing immunotherapy and developing targeted cancer vaccines. Crafting neoantigens presents a challenge due to the need to specifically modify peptide translation in tumor cells while avoiding effects on normal cells. To tackle this challenge, we introduce a novel method that enables the editing of selected nucleotides in the mRNA of cancer cells in order to produce potent neoantigens. The method is built on the use of Endogenous-ADAR base-editors, an established technology that allows for precise RNA-level edits, which is safer than DNA-level modifications and eliminates the need for external peptides by leveraging the native ADAR enzyme. The algorithm designs a guide RNA tailored to each tumor unique genetic profile and the patient’s HLA type, ensuring a precise and personalized approach to induce edits that are …

While solid-state protein junctions have shown efficient electron transport over lengths that surpass those of conventional organic semiconducting systems, interfacial or contact effects may obscure the intrinsic protein charge transport properties. Therefore, contact resistance (RC) effects need to be quantified and then minimized, which poses a problem if 4-probe geometries cannot be used. Here we show how RC can be extracted quantitatively from the measured junction resistance (RP) by using the extrapolated zero-length resistance (RZLR) and short-circuit resistance (RS). We used AC (impedance spectroscopy) and DC measurements to examine charge transport in junctions of human serum albumin (HSA) and bacteriorhodopsin (bR) films with varying thicknesses. Three contact configurations, Si-Au, Au-EGaIn, and, in a micropore device (MpD), Au-Pd, were compared. While Si-Au and Au-EGaIn junctions exhibit substantial RC that we ascribe to interfacial oxides and electrostatic protein-electrode interactions, MpD effectively eliminates RC, enabling measuring the intrinsic electron transport across HSA and bR films. The exponential length dependence of RP shows a transport decay constant (beta) that varies with interfacial conditions, underscoring the role of contact engineering. By minimizing RC, exceptionally low beta values (0.7 to 1.1 per nm) are found, proving that, indeed, proteins can have outstanding charge transport efficiencies.

Hospital fabrics and wound dressings with antibacterial properties are essential to minimize infection risks associated with bacterial colonization of textiles. A key challenge of these materials lies in the difficulty in assessing their functional lifespan. Integrating bacterial-sensing elements into smart textiles enables real-time and in-situ evaluation of antibacterial activity. However, this approach is often hindered by the reactivity between bactericidal and bacterial-sensing components, the limited stability and selectivity of the sensing probes, and high production costs. Here, we address these challenges by presenting a smart textile that simultaneously provides antibacterial activity and bacterial-sensing capacity using a layer-by-layer sonochemical deposition method. Prussian blue, a chromogenic bacterial-sensing probe, is integrated onto hospital-grade antibacterial fabrics containing copper oxide nanoparticles …

We investigated proximity-induced superconductivity in a graphene-insulating InO bilayer system through gate-controlled transport measurements. Distinct oscillations in the differential conductance are observed across both the electron and hole doping regimes, with oscillation amplitudes increasing as the chemical potential moves away from the Dirac point. These findings are explained using a theoretical model of a normal-superconductor-normal (NSN) junction, which addresses reflection and transmission probabilities at normal incidence. From this model, we extract key parameters for the proximitized graphene, including the superconducting energy gap Delta and the effective length scale Ls of the superconducting regions. Near the Dirac point, we observe a minimal Ls and a maximal Delta, aligning with the theory that the gap in strongly disordered superconductors increases as the coherence length of localized pairs decreases. This suggests that spatial confinement in a low-density superconductor leads to an effective increase in the superconducting gap.

The Superconductor-to-Insulator Transition (SIT) in two-dimensional superconductors occurs due to a competition between superconductivity, quantum interferences, Coulomb interactions and disorder. Despite extensive theoretical and experimental investigation, the SIT remains an active research area due to the potential for exotic phases near the transition. One such phase is the Anomalous Metal, which has been claimed to exist between the insulating and superconducting states. This elusive phase, which is not consistent with current theories, is under heavy deliberations nowadays. We present an experimental study of the effect of high pressure on thin films of amorphous indium oxide. Our results show that pressure induces a series of transitions from a Bose insulator through a superconducting phase, metallic phases and finally to a conventional insulator. We suggest that our findings reaffirm the existence of a two-dimensional metal close to the SIT and show that its occurrence requires relatively strong coupling between regions that are weakly superconducting.

Functionally gradient materials emulate nature's ability to seamlessly blend properties through variations in material composition, unlocking advanced engineering applications such as biomedical devices and high‐performance composites. Additive manufacturing, particularly stereolithography, enables sophisticated 3D geometries with diverse materials. However, current stereolithography‐based multi‐material 3D printing is constrained by time‐intensive material switching and compromised interfacial properties. To overcome these challenges, we present dynamic fluid‐assisted micro continuous liquid interface production (DF‐µCLIP), a high‐speed multi‐material 3D printing platform that integrates varying compositions in a fully continuous fashion. By utilizing the polymerization‐free “dead zone”, vliquid resins are seamlessly replenished within a resin bath equipped with dynamic fluidic channels and a …

Optical nanoscopy is crucial in life and materials sciences, revealing subtle cellular processes and nanomaterial properties. Scattering-type Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (s-SNOM) provides nanoscale resolution, relying on the interactions taking place between a laser beam, a sharp tip and the sample. The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a fundamental part of an s-SNOM system, providing the necessary probe-sample feedback mechanisms for data acquisition. In this Letter, we demonstrate that s-SNOM data can be partially inferred from AFM images. We first show that a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model (pix2pix) can generate synthetic s-SNOM data from experimental AFM images. Second, we demonstrate that virtual s-SNOM data can be extrapolated from knowledge of the tip position and, consequently, from AFM signals. To this end, we introduce an analytical model that explains the mechanisms underlying AFM-to-s-SNOM image translation. These insights have the potential to be integrated into future physics-informed explainable AI models. The two proposed approaches generate pseudo s-SNOM data without direct optical measurements, significantly expanding access to optical nanoscopy through widely available AFM systems. This advancement holds great promise for reducing both time and costs associated with nanoscale imaging.

High-entropy (HE) materials comprise a family of emerging solid-state materials, where multiple elements can occupy the same lattice positions and therefore enhance the configurational entropy. HE oxides (HEOs) can mitigate challenges facing layered cathode materials, such as capacity fading, and facilitate long-term cyclability. However, the mechanism behind the effect of HE on electrochemical properties is still poorly understood. In the current work, we employed classical force field and first-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations to gain atomistic-level understanding of the thermodynamic and electrochemical features of a family of recently developed high-entropy oxyfluoride (HEO-F) cathode materials with the general formula NaxLi1–xMO1.9F0.1 (M ∈ Ni, Fe, Mn, Ti, Mg; x = 1.0, 0.9, 0.8). We used Monte Carlo simulated annealing (MCSA) in conjunction with classical force fields to determine …

We present a new self-supervised deep-learning-based Ghost Imaging (GI) reconstruction method, which provides unparalleled reconstruction performance for noisy acquisitions among unsupervised methods. We present the supporting mathematical framework and results from theoretical and real data use cases. Self-supervision removes the need for clean reference data while offering strong noise reduction. This provides the necessary tools for addressing signal-to-noise ratio concerns for GI acquisitions in emerging and cutting-edge low-light GI scenarios. Notable examples include micro- and nano-scale x-ray emission imaging, e.g., x-ray fluorescence imaging of dose-sensitive samples. Their applications include in-vivo and in-operando case studies for biological samples and batteries.

The Superconductor-to-Insulator Transition (SIT) in two-dimensional superconductors occurs due to a competition between superconductivity, quantum interferences, Coulomb interactions and disorder. Despite extensive theoretical and experimental investigation, the SIT remains an active research area due to the potential for exotic phases near the transition. One such phase is the Anomalous Metal, which has been claimed to exist between the insulating and superconducting states. This elusive phase, which is not consistent with current theories, is under heavy deliberations nowadays. We present an experimental study of the effect of high pressure on thin films of amorphous indium oxide. Our results show that pressure induces a series of transitions from a Bose insulator through a superconducting phase, metallic phases and finally to a conventional insulator. We suggest that our findings reaffirm the existence …

Using pluripotent stem cells from patients, it is now possible to create three-dimensional (3D) brain organoids that can be used in the study of neurological disorders. However, measuring the molecular content of 3D organoids is still a challenge, limiting the usability of organoids. Here we demonstrate the first multiplexed super-resolved characterization of intact brain organoids, using a combination of expansion microscopy, serial protein staining, expansion sequencing and enhanced super-resolution radial fluctuations. Overall, without special hardware or dyes, we obtain resolution improvement of ~10x, and perform highly multiplexed and super-resolved RNA and protein interrogation of intact brain organoids.

In the version of the article initially published, the text “We gratefully acknowledge LMU Klinikum for providing computing resources on their Clinical Open Research Engine (CORE), the Bioinformatic Core Facility of the Biomedical Center Munich for providing computing resources on their HPC system, and the German Research Foundation (DFG) funded CRC237 and CRC274 for additional support” was missing from the Acknowledgements section and has now been added to the HTML and PDF versions of the article.

Molecular characterization of brain tissues using optical methods present a problem of scale: brain tissues are intrinsically three-dimensional structures, with thickness of at least hundreds of micrometers; but nanoscale interrogation is needed to characterize molecules within neurites and synapses. Additionally, multiplexed interrogation of molecules is needed to characterize cell types and states inside brain tissues, and to detect deficiencies in neurological conditions. Currently, multiplexed imaging of molecules inside brain tissues is limited to thin sections, and almost impossible with super-resolution. Here we demonstrate multiplexed super-resolved characterization of thick brain tissues: complete fruit fly brain, human brain organoids, and mouse cortex.

Many biological surfaces display complex micro- and nano-scale structures that serve diverse purposes, such as anti-reflective effects, structural coloration, resistance to fouling, and either promoting or preventing adhesion. These unique properties have spurred the development of numerous industrial applications. In recent years, interest in this field has grown significantly, driven by the increasingly interdisciplinary methods used to study these structured biological surfaces. The integration of zoology and botany with breakthroughs in genetics and molecular biology is remarkable, as biologists increasingly work alongside nanotechnologists, materials scientists, and engineers. This interdisciplinary collaboration plays a crucial role in advancing research on micro- and nano-structured biological surfaces, paving the way for biomimetic and bioengineering innovations across multiple industries.

Objectives This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of gold nanoparticles conjugated with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (GNPs-EGFR) in distinguishing between benign and malignant salivary gland tumors. Methods A total of 49 oral salivary gland tissue samples were analyzed, including 22 malignant salivary gland tumors (MSGTs), 15 benign salivary gland tumors (BSGTs), and 12 control samples. For each sample, three 5 μm consecutive tissue sections were prepared. The first section was stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) to confirm the diagnosis, the second was immunohistochemically stained for anti-EGFR, and the third was treated with GNPs-EGFR followed by hyperspectral microscopy to analyze the reflectance spectrum. Results Reflectance intensity was significantly higher (p < 0.001) in MSGTs compared to BSGTs and controls, with intensity levels increasing alongside tumor grade. The average hyperspectral reflectance values were strongly correlated with the GNPs-EGFR immunohistochemical score and varied significantly between subgroups (p < 0.001). Conclusions GNPs-EGFR reflection measurements effectively differentiate MSGTs from BSGTs with high sensitivity. This diffusion–reflection technique holds potential as a valuable tool for tumor detection, surgical margin assessment, and intraoperative identification of residual disease in salivary gland tumors. Objectives Methods Results Conclusions