Materials Today Physics最新文献

{"title":"Interfacial engineering of ultrathin π-π stacked conjugated coordination polymer/graphene heterostructures for nonlinear optics and ultrafast photonics","authors":"Yixin Ding ,&nbsp;Yue Kuai ,&nbsp;Heng Liu ,&nbsp;Caiyang Wang ,&nbsp;Yingtian Xu ,&nbsp;He Zhang ,&nbsp;Yunping Lan","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102065","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102065","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Two-dimensional (2D) π-conjugated coordination polymers (CCP) are of significant interest in various fields because of their excellent electrical conductivity, abundant active sites and porous structures. Nevertheless, their applications for ultrafast photonics and nonlinear optics still need to be further explored. The preparation of atomic-scale high-quality ultrathin CCP nanostructures remains a great challenge. Moreover, 2D van der Waals heterostructures (vdWhs) have attracted considerable attention owing to their unique photoelectric characteristics. Based on this, herein, two types of ultrathin CCP nanosheets of CuHHBNs and Cu₃(BHT)Ns (HHB = 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexahydroxy benzene, BHT = hexahydrophobic benzene) with the thickness of 4-6 nm are prepared via surfactant-assisted synthesis strategy. Then, the desirable π-π stacked ultrathin Cu₃(BHT)Ns/graphene and Cu-HHBNs/graphene organic-inorganic vdWhs (Cu₃(BHT)G-VHS and CuHHBG-VHS) are synthesized by ultrasonic-assisted method. Based on characterization analyses and theoretical simulations, because of the π-π stacking interactions between graphene and CCP, these ultrathin vdWhs display noticeable electron cloud extension, interfacial charge transfer and improved nonlinear optical (NLO) property. Ultimately, CuHHBG-VHS and Cu₃(BHT)G-VHS saturable absorbers reveal remarkable performance in ultrafast fiber laser. CuHHBG-VHS attains femtosecond fundamental mode-locking (FML) pulses and 14-order harmonic mode-locking (HML). Cu₃(BHT)G-VHS attains FML with pulse duration as short as 567 fs, and 48-order stabilized HML with GHz repetition frequency. The preferable performance of Cu₃(BHT)G-VHS is due to the larger π-conjugated system within Cu₃(BHT) structure, which may lead to stronger electron cloud extension and more charge transfer. This work offers new pathways toward CCP-based high-performance optoelectronic systems and ultrafast photonic applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102065"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147392480","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mixed-alkali ion-exchange engineering enables fast-ion transport in Na1.5K1.5V2(PO4)2F3 fluorophosphate as a high-voltage cathode material for Na/K-ion batteries","authors":"Abdelghani Bensassi ,&nbsp;Abdelfattah Mahmoud ,&nbsp;Abdallah El Kenz ,&nbsp;Abdelilah Benyoussef ,&nbsp;Omar Mounkachi","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102059","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102059","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mixed-alkali engineering offers a powerful strategy for enhancing the electrochemical performance of polyanionic cathodes in Na- and K-ion batteries. Here, we deliver a comprehensive multiscale computational investigation of Na₃V₂(PO₄)₂F₃ and its ion-exchanged mixed-alkali analogue Na_1.5K_1.5V₂(PO₄)₂F₃, revealing fundamental structure–property relationships that govern their electrochemical performance. The most stable phase configuration of Na_1.5K_1.5V₂(PO₄)₂F₃ emerges as the thermodynamic ground state, stabilizing an expanded yet mechanically robust NASICON-like VO₄/F₂–PO₄ lattice. K⁺ incorporation markedly narrows the band gap, enhancing electronic transport, while climbing-image nudged elastic band (CI-NEB) calculations show ultralow in-plane migration barriers of 0.211 eV (Na⁺) and 0.243 eV (K⁺), enabling diffusion coefficients near 10⁻⁷ cm² s⁻¹. Thermodynamic analysis uncovers a sequence of stable intermediate phases governing selective and dual-ion de-intercalation, giving rise to distinct voltage plateaus with average operating voltages of 3.22 V (Na⁺), 3.68 V (K⁺), and 4.17 V (Na⁺/K⁺). Notably, simultaneous Na⁺/K⁺ extraction leads to the achievement of a high theoretical capacity of 182 mAh g⁻¹ and an energy density of 759 Wh kg⁻¹ while maintaining small structural expansion. ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) simulations confirm exceptional thermal resilience across all charged states. These insights position ion-exchanged Na_1.5K_1.5V₂(PO₄)₂F₃ as a highly stable, high-voltage, and fast-ion-conducting mixed-alkali platform, advancing the design of next-generation Na-ion, K-ion, and hybrid Na/K-ion battery cathodes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102059"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147278284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Anisotropic transport in CrSb altermagnetic tunnel junction with giant tunneling magnetoresistance","authors":"Shiqi Liu ,&nbsp;Yingmei Zhu ,&nbsp;Xiaobing Chen ,&nbsp;Sheng Bi ,&nbsp;Jie Yang ,&nbsp;Tiejun Zhou ,&nbsp;Bo Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Altermagnets, a newly discovered class of collinear antiferromagnets with vanishing net magnetization yet sizable momentum-dependent spin splitting, provide a unique platform for high-performance spintronic devices. Among known altermagnets, CrSb stands out with a large ∼1 eV spin splitting near the Fermi level and a high Néel temperature above 700 K, making it particularly promising for applications in antiferromagnetic magnetic tunnel junctions (AFMTJs). Through <em>ab initio</em> quantum transport simulations, the anisotropic transport properties of CrSb AFMTJs are systematically explored. First, the &lt;<span><math><mrow><mn>11</mn><mover><mn>2</mn><mo>‾</mo></mover><mn>0</mn></mrow></math></span>&gt; crystalline orientation is identified as symmetry-allowed direction for tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) generation, yielding a spin-splitting-induced TMR ratio up to 870%, in contrast to the &lt;<span><math><mrow><mn>0001</mn></mrow></math></span>&gt; and &lt;<span><math><mrow><mn>10</mn><mover><mn>1</mn><mo>‾</mo></mover><mn>0</mn></mrow></math></span>&gt; directions where TMR is suppressed. Second, incorporating an MgO (<span><math><mrow><mn>110</mn></mrow></math></span>) barrier with favorable matching of low-decay evanescent states and interfacial reconstruction enhances the TMR ratio to ∼1700%. Third, further optimization through barrier thickening and electron doping raises the TMR ratio to ∼2900% and ∼5400%, respectively, comparable to the ideal coherent-tunneling limits theoretically predicted for Fe/MgO/Fe junctions, and the TMR ratio of the optimized junction maintains at ∼670% even under a practical 0.05 V bias. These findings establish CrSb/MgO AFMTJs as a viable pathway toward nonvolatile, high-speed, high-density antiferromagnetic memories with strong signal contrast.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102046"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146115626","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progress on structured magnetic microwave absorbing composites","authors":"Zhihui Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiuchen Wang ,&nbsp;Yajing Wang ,&nbsp;Jiaxin Feng ,&nbsp;Bobo Shi ,&nbsp;Zhe Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102038","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102038","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The wide application of high-end electronic products is leading to a growing prominence of the electromagnetic pollution issue. Therefore, the exploration of lightweight, highly efficient microwave absorption materials (MAMs) constitutes a crucial step toward addressing electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution, which is essential for ensuring the operation of electronic equipment and safeguarding human health. In recent years, structural design has garnered significant attention in microwave absorbers, and by optimizing the structure, microwave-absorbing materials can be made lightweight, thin, strong, and broad. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advancements in structural magnetic microwave-absorbing composites, focusing on typical architectures such as core-shell, porous (e.g., hollow, honeycomb, foam, gel), sandwich, and metamaterial structures. Based on the characteristics of each architecture, it explores innovations and developments in conductive polymer-based, carbon-based, and MXene-based electromagnetic composites. The comprehensive discussion highlights the advantages of heterostructured magnetic composites in microwave absorption and anticipates future challenges and broad prospects in this field.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102038"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134577","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic carrier and phonon engineering in n-type Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 via silver Co-doping","authors":"Dan Wang ,&nbsp;Peng Zhao ,&nbsp;Binhao Wang ,&nbsp;Haidong Zhao ,&nbsp;Aihua Song ,&nbsp;Chen Chen ,&nbsp;Tao Shen ,&nbsp;Hang Li ,&nbsp;Penghui Li ,&nbsp;Jun Xu ,&nbsp;Li Zhu ,&nbsp;Wentao Hu ,&nbsp;Bo Xu ,&nbsp;Yongjun Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102053","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102053","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mg₃Sb₂-based Zintl compounds are promising for sustainable mid-temperature thermoelectrics, yet further performance gains are often impeded by the strong coupling among electrical and thermal transport parameters. Here, we propose an Ag-enabled dual strategy to synergistically engineer electron and phonon transport in n-type Mg₃Sb_1.5Bi_0.49Te_0.01. Minute Ag incorporation on the Mg sublattice enhances carrier transport by reducing defect-related scattering; notably, HAADF-STEM/TEM analyses reveal a pronounced decrease in dislocation density and improved lattice ordering, which together contribute to an approximately twofold increase in Hall mobility. In parallel, Ag- and Bi-rich nanoprecipitates form within the matrix and along grain boundaries, respectively, creating a multiscale defect structure that drastically reduces the lattice thermal conductivity. After further tuning the carrier concentration via Te content, the optimal composition of Mg_3.19Ag_0.01Sb_1.5Bi_0.485Te_0.015 achieves a peak <em>ZT</em> of 1.78 at 673 K and a high average <em>ZT</em> of 1.28 over 298–673 K. This work demonstrates that combining aliovalent doping with microstructure engineering can effectively decouple transport properties and markedly improve the thermoelectric performance of n-type Mg₃Sb₂-based materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102053"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147404168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unveiling the physics of excellent ohmic contact in Mg-intercalated p-GaN","authors":"Haitao Wang ,&nbsp;Jia Wang ,&nbsp;Yingying Lin ,&nbsp;Hei Wong ,&nbsp;Hiroshi Amano","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the underlying physics responsible for the formation of excellent Ohmic contacts in Mg-intercalated p-type GaN. Through comprehensive analysis of temperature-dependent current–voltage characteristics and electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), several previously unreported phenomena are identified. Key findings include a significant reduction in barrier height, enhanced hole concentration with increasing annealing temperature, and a transition from mixed conduction mechanisms to direct tunneling dominance in samples annealed at 550 °C or above. EELS measurements further confirm bandgap narrowing in Mg-intercalated GaN. These results are coherently explained by the formation of a two-dimensional Mg-intercalated superlattice, which induces strong internal polarization fields and elastic strain. These results give rise to four effects: (i) reduced barrier height, (ii) narrowed barrier width, (iii) enhanced hole generation, and (iv) a shallower Mg acceptor level that also functions as a trap center facilitating Poole–Frenkel emission and trap-assisted tunneling. Collectively, these effects promote direct tunneling, resulting in a significant reduction in contact resistance. This work provides new physical insights into the role of Mg intercalation, offering a promising pathway toward the development of high-performance GaN-based optoelectronic and power devices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102062"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147359828","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Magnetic hardening via in-situ formed semi-coherent soft/hard magnetic phases in SmCo/FeCo nanocomposites","authors":"Yingzhengsheng Huang ,&nbsp;Wei Quan ,&nbsp;Qiyao Geng ,&nbsp;Longfei Ma ,&nbsp;Qiang Zheng ,&nbsp;Juan Du","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102045","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102045","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hard-soft magnetic nanocomposite magnets hold great promise for next-generation permanent magnets due to their ultrahigh theoretical maximum energy product ((<em>BH</em>)_max) and low-cost, while the low coercivity (<em>H</em>_c) of the currently fabricated SmCo/FeCo nanocomposites limits their performance. In this work, two types of microstructures with and without direct contacts between soft and hard magnetic phases in nanocomposites were designed and analyzed by micromagnetic simulations. The results showed that the directly contact nanocomposites exhibit a larger magnetic domain size and stronger interphase exchange coupling, facilitating magnetization of the hard magnetic phase and impeding reversal of the soft magnetic phase during magnetization and demagnetization processes. The simulation results were validated through the fabrication of SmCo/FeCo nanocomposites featuring an in-situ formed semi-coherent soft/hard magnetic phase. This nanocomposite was synthesized by crystallizing an as-milled amorphous Sm-Co-Fe precursor derived from a Sm-Co-Fe ingot. A reference magnet of without soft/hard magnetic phase contact, i.e. with amorphous-separated between two phases was fabricated by crystallizing amorphous-nanocrystalline precursor from co-milling Sm-Co alloy and Fe powders. Comparatively, the semi-coherent contact nanocomposite magnet showed a 28% increase in <em>H</em>_c and an 18% improvement in (<em>BH</em>)_max. Microstructural analysis revealed that the semi-coherent structure forms through synchronous crystallization driven by a compositional gradient. Micromagnetic simulations, Henkel curves, and in-situ domain observations confirmed that enhanced exchange coupling is the origin of <em>H</em>_c enhancement. This work provides a viable microstructural regulation strategy for developing high-performance nanocomposite magnets.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102045"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146116216","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Wearable electronic patch for physicochemical data transmission: MXene-based MEMS/NEMS biosensors","authors":"Seydanur Yücer ,&nbsp;Begüm Sarac ,&nbsp;Burhan Adıgüzel ,&nbsp;Fatih Ciftci","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Wearable electronic patches have attracted significant attention as platforms for continuous, non-invasive monitoring of physiological and physicochemical signals at the skin interface. Recent literature highlights MXene materials as particularly promising candidates for wearable biosensing applications due to their high electrical conductivity, tunable surface chemistry, mechanical flexibility, and favorable biocompatibility. When combined with micro- and nano-engineering strategies, MXene-based sensing elements can be integrated into compact and multifunctional MEMS/NEMS architectures, enabling smart patches with enhanced sensitivity, signal stability, and mechanical durability. On-skin sensing technologies reported in previous studies enable reliable acquisition of biopotential, biomechanical, and chemical biomarkers, supporting real-time health monitoring across diverse physiological conditions. Furthermore, the integration of these smart patches into emerging digital health ecosystems facilitates wireless data transmission to mobile devices, cloud-based platforms, and clinical networks, promoting continuous and connected healthcare monitoring. This review summarizes recent advances in MXene-based MEMS/NEMS wearable biosensors, with particular emphasis on material–device integration strategies, sensing mechanisms, detected biomarker classes, and system-level connectivity. In addition, current challenges, including long-term biocompatibility, scalable manufacturing, material stability under physiological conditions, and secure data management, are critically discussed. Addressing these limitations will be essential for the translation of MXene-enabled wearable technologies toward personalized, predictive, and adaptive healthcare applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102040"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cation modulation in MnGeTe2 Realizes high thermoelectric performance for power generation","authors":"Huajian Wu ,&nbsp;Haiqi Li ,&nbsp;Kejia Liu ,&nbsp;Yujie Huang ,&nbsp;Xiaofang Li ,&nbsp;Pengfei Li ,&nbsp;Lin Xie ,&nbsp;Yue Chen ,&nbsp;Chen Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102044","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102044","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermoelectric materials represent a unique pathway to directly convert heat into electricity. Herein, we present MnGeTe₂, an emerging thermoelectric material with a cubic rock-salt structure. Capitalizing on the entropy-stabilized nature of the MnGeTe₂ matrix, we employed a two-step optimization strategy: first by alloying with I-V-VI₂ compounds to lower the lattice thermal conductivity, followed by Bi doping to optimize the carrier concentration. This strategy yielded an ultralow lattice thermal conductivity of 0.33 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ at 823 K, approaching the theoretical minimum predicted by the diffusion model, while a high effective mass of ∼11<em>m</em>_e and weighted mobility of ∼90 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹ were retained. Leveraging successful cation modulation, the optimized composition (Mn_0.93Ge_0.93Bi_0.14Te₂)_0.85(AgSbTe₂)_0.15 achieved a peak <em>zT</em> of ∼1.55 and an average <em>zT</em> of ∼0.96 between 300 and 823 K; a corresponding single-leg device exhibited a conversion efficiency of ∼9.5% under a temperature gradient of 523 K. This study demonstrates the potential of cation modulation in developing high-performance, sustainable thermoelectric materials for waste-heat recovery.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102044"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146134590","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cu-doped graphitic carbon nitride for ultrafast lasing at 1.0 and 1.3 μm","authors":"Jianxin Zhao ,&nbsp;Shuo Huang ,&nbsp;Jingru Huang ,&nbsp;Hao Zhang ,&nbsp;Meng Jiang ,&nbsp;Guocheng Sun ,&nbsp;Long Du ,&nbsp;Shuaiyi Zhang ,&nbsp;Fei Lou ,&nbsp;Maorong Wang ,&nbsp;Xia Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102052","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mtphys.2026.102052","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The nonlinear absorption properties and laser modulation performance of doping-induced weakly absorbing materials are comprehensively explored, demonstrating that doping-modified weakly absorbing saturable absorbers (SAs) represent an effective class of SA for laser modulation applications. Cu-doped graphitic carbon nitride (Cu-g-C₃N₄) nanosheets are prepared using the ultrasonic liquid-phase exfoliation method. The modulation depths at the 1 μm and 1.3 μm wavebands, measured via the I-scan technique, are 1.21% and 1.7%, respectively, with corresponding saturation intensities of 1.1 kW/cm² and 1.5 kW/cm², and non-saturable losses of 1.8% and 2.4%. In passive Q-switched (PQS) experiments operating at 1 μm and 1.3 μm, the maximum repetition rates reach to 3.77 MHz and 2.77 MHz, accompanied by pulse widths of 47.8 ns and 41.1 ns, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, this represents the highest repetition rate reported to date for PQS at these wavebands, attributed to the low saturation intensity and low modulation depth of the Cu-g-C₃N₄ SA. For passively mode-locked lasers operating at 1 μm and 1.3 μm, the narrowest pulse widths are achieved using Nd-ion-doped single-crystal gain media, benefiting from the enhanced intracavity power density caused by the low non-saturable losses of Cu-g-C₃N₄. Specifically, the continuous-wave mode-locked (CWML) lasers deliver pulse widths of 3.1 ps and 4.7 ps at 1 μm and 1.3 μm, with repetition rates of 62.1 MHz and 71 MHz, respectively. Based on weakly absorbing SAs induced by controlled doping, this work provides an effective strategy for facilitating ultrafast pulse width compression in solid-state lasers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":18253,"journal":{"name":"Materials Today Physics","volume":"62 ","pages":"Article 102052"},"PeriodicalIF":9.7,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147404163","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}