ACS Applied Optical Materials最新文献

{"title":"Dual-Color Emissive Tb3+- and Eu3+-Doped YVO4 Nanophosphors with Strain-Engineered Charge Transfer for Anticounterfeiting Application","authors":"Priyalakshmi Rohini Kukkala,&nbsp;Venkata Nagendra Kumar Putta,&nbsp;Ramakrishna Rao Bhonsle,&nbsp;Neelu Bharadwaj,&nbsp;Ramaswamy Sandeep Perala","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00326","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00326","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Luminescent nanomaterials are increasingly recognizedfor theirsignificance in secure labeling and photonic applications. This researchis focused on the synthesis and characterization of Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺ codoped YVO₄ nanophosphors, as well asassessing their potential for use in anticounterfeiting measures.Two compositions of YVO₄:Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺ nanophosphors were synthesized and annealed at 900 °C for 4h. Y_0.95VO₄:Tb_0.04³⁺/Eu_0.01³⁺ and Y_0.95VO₄:Tb_0.03³⁺/Eu_0.02³⁺ are analyzedusing X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR),SEM-EDS, UV–vis, photoluminescence (PL), thermogravimetricanalysis (TGA), and CIE techniques. XRD established phase purity andtetragonal structure. The band gap and Urbach energy (UE) values derivedfrom UV–vis absorption data suggest that the synthesized materialspossess favorable electrical as well as optical properties. PL studiesshowed strong red and green emissions, with Y_0.95VO₄:Tb_0.03³⁺/Eu_0.02³⁺ exhibiting ∼3 times higher red and green intensity, provingbetter energy transfer (ET). Under ultraviolet (UV) light, luminescentinks made from these materials produced invisible patterns that becamevisible, orange or reddish, depending on excitation wavelength andcomposition. Specifically for Y_0.95VO₄:Tb_0.03³⁺/Eu_0.02³⁺ nanomaterial,an excellent fluorescent orange emission was observed, which wouldbe raised from the combination of green and red emissions. The resultsdemonstrated that Tb³⁺/Eu³⁺ codoped YVO₄ nanophosphors offer stable, tunable emission and are wellsuited for anticounterfeiting applications requiring covert UV-activatedsecurity features. This study, in comparison to prior research, illustratesthe critical nature of host-activator compatibility, enhanced emissionperformance, and improved stability, emphasizing its potential forfuture optoelectronic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2418–2432"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intrinsic Hot-Electron Response Enabled Telecom-Band Ultrafast Silicon-Integrated van der Waals Photodetectors","authors":"Yueying Cui,&nbsp;Ting Zheng,&nbsp;Yuanfang Yu,&nbsp;Peng Zhang,&nbsp;Xinlei Zhang,&nbsp;Jiaxin Gong,&nbsp;Kaiyang Liu,&nbsp;Jialin Zhang,&nbsp;Weiwei Zhao,&nbsp;Junpeng Lu,&nbsp;Zhenhua Ni","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00315","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00315","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Near-infrared photodetection is vital in the fields ofopticaltelecommunications, medical diagnostics, and consumer electronics.However, the bandgap of silicon limits its intrinsic spectral responseto wavelengths below approximately 1100 nm, preventing direct detectionin these sub-bandgap regions. Integrating silicon with plasmonic structuresenhances electromagnetic fields and enables hot-electron (HET)-assistedsub-bandgap detection via localized surface plasmon resonance, yetisolating the intrinsic response of hot electrons remains largelyunexplored, impeding the understanding and advancement of HET devicesand their architectural design. In this study, we demonstrate switchablephotoelectric mechanisms between HET transfer and photovoltage effectin a WO_{3–<em>x</em>}/graphene/Si sandwichedphotodetector. Notably, the intrinsic HET infrared response was elucidatedthrough the analysis of power-dependent photocurrent (PC) evolutionand transient absorption measurements spectroscopy. The direct transferof electrodes, graphene intercalation layer, and WO_{3–<em>x</em>} arrays endows a defect-free van der Waals contactdevice configuration. Combined plasmonic HET transfer achieves bothfast response with a speed of 430 ns (rise time) and an extended detectionrange to 1550 nm, which is faster than many previously reported low-dimensional-material/Siphotodetectors. The experimental results reveal distinct PC behaviorson either side of silicon’s cutoff wavelength, providing clearevidence of HET photoelectric conversion. This study provides valuableinsights into the underlying mechanisms of HET optoelectronics andoffers a pathway for developing high-performance sub-bandgap infraredphotodetectors.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2358–2367"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148859007","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Digital Light Processing of Ligand-Engineered FAPbBr3 Composites for 3D Luminescent Structures with Geometry-Dependent Optical Properties","authors":"Na Ye Jang,&nbsp;Seo Rim Park,&nbsp;Hong-Gyu Park,&nbsp;Young Tae Cho","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00297","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00297","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Halide perovskites exhibit remarkable photoluminescence;however,it is difficult to process them into robust three-dimensional (3D)devices because of their instability and poor compatibility with photocurablepolymers. In this study, a digital light processing (DLP) additivemanufacturing strategy was developed to overcome these limitationsby combining surface-engineered formamidinium lead bromide (FAPbBr₃) with photopolymerizable resins. Initially, commerciallyavailable FAPbBr₃ particles were capped with oleic acidand oleylamine to improve their dispersibility and interfacial compatibilitywith an acrylate matrix, thereby enabling rapid cross-linking andhomogeneous curing during DLP printing. Using this resin, centimeter-scale3D structures including free-form lattices, representative text, logo-like,and QR-code-like patterns were printed with clear pattern definition,bright cyan-green emission under ultraviolet illumination, and goodmechanical integrity. Photoluminescence imaging and color coordinateanalysis confirmed that the emission characteristics of FAPbBr₃ were preserved throughout the printing process, and microscopicexamination revealed an accurate reproduction of the fine patterndetails. Moreover, substituting the perovskite with MAPbI₃ or CsPbBr₃ produced red- and blue-emitting structures,demonstrating the versatility of this method for multicolor printing.Overall, these results indicate that DLP printing of ligand-engineeredperovskite composites enables the fabrication of stable luminescent3D structures on practical scales, thereby opening avenues for opticaldisplays, information encoding, security marking, and other functionalphotonic applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2336–2350"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Optoacoustic System for Fast and Nondestructive Hydrogel Bulk Mechanical Property Characterization","authors":"Hayato L. Mizuno,&nbsp;Ayumu Ishijima,&nbsp;Keiichi Nakagawa,&nbsp;Ichiro Sakuma,&nbsp;Yuki Akagi","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00168","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00168","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Physicochemical characteristics of hydrogels have beenextensivelystudied with the aim of employing these materials for various biomedicalpurposes. The elasticity of hydrogels is recognized to significantlyinfluence their interaction with cells and tissues, and this propertycan be quantified through compression/tension testing equipment. Nevertheless,this measurement technique requires the hydrogel to exhibit substantialelasticity and dimensions, and it is destructive, rendering the hydrogeltest samples nonreusable. Here we report an acoustic-pulse-imaging-basedmethod for hydrogel mechanical property measurement, which includesan optical system that measures the velocity of acoustic pulses asthey propagate through a hydrogel specimen, which is later convertedto a longitudinal storage modulus. Results obtained using the proposedsystem demonstrate its capability of conducting nondestructive longitudinalstorage modulus measurements of hydrogels, which correlated well withtheir Young’s modulus for chemically cross-linked hydrogelswith relatively dense network structures. Furthermore, the proposedapproach effectively monitored the time-dependent alterations in elasticitythat manifest during the gelation process of chemically cross-linkednetworks, exhibiting the system’s potential in tracking temporalchanges in hydrogel elasticity.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2276–2284"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148859065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spectroelectrochemical Investigation of the Optical Properties of a Carbazole-Based Emitter","authors":"Jin-Seon Heo,&nbsp;Tae-Ho Yang,&nbsp;Woonha Lee,&nbsp;Seonghwan An,&nbsp;Si-Yoon Kim,&nbsp;Jonghee Lee,&nbsp;Sungmin Kwon,&nbsp;Jae-Hyun Lee","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00291","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00291","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study analyzes the optical properties and devicestabilityof 1,2,3,5-tetrakis(carbazol-9-yl)-4,6-dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN) and4,5-bis(carbazol-9-yl)-1,2-dicyanobenzene (2CzPN), representativecarbazole-based thermally activated delayed fluorescence emitters,with a focus on their polaron states using spectroelectrochemical(SEC) analysis. The oxidation and reduction potentials of each materialwere determined by cyclic voltammetry. Furthermore, the absorptionspectra obtained from SEC measurements are deconvoluted via Gaussianfitting to clearly distinguish the absorption characteristics of eachmaterial in both the neutral and polaron states. The results showthat in their polaron states, both 4CzIPN and 4,5-bis(carbazol-9-yl)-1,2-dicyanobenzeneexhibit enhanced absorption in the short- and long-wavelength regionscompared with their neutral forms, resulting in spectral overlap withtheir photoluminescence spectra. Notably, stability evaluations usingsingle-charge devices (electron- and hole-only devices) reveal a decreaseof more than 10% in the photoluminescence intensity of the 4CzIPN-basedhole-only device. This degradation is attributed to the absorptionof excitation light (385 nm) by positive polarons, leading to thesimultaneous generation of excitons from both the neutral moleculesand positive polarons. Overall, the results demonstrate that SEC analysisenables the rapid assessment of emitter polaron characteristics priorto device fabrication and provides important guidelines for the designof highly efficient and stable thermally activated delayed fluorescencedevices.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2351–2357"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858967","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Quantum Dot-Based Ratiometric Optical Nanosensor for Machine Learning-Assisted Visual and Spectral Speciation of Arsenite and Arsenate","authors":"Razieh Motamedi-Khozani,&nbsp;Samira Abbasi-Moayed,&nbsp;Mohammad Reza Hormozi-Nezhad","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00252","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00252","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Arsenic contamination in drinking water remains a majorglobalpublic health concern. Because arsenic toxicity depends strongly onits chemical form, speciation analysis is essential for understandingits environmental behavior, toxicity, and bioavailability. Althoughlaboratory-based techniques provide accurate measurements, there isan increasing demand for portable and cost-effective platforms capableof on-site detection and discrimination of inorganic arsenic species.In this study, a ratiometric fluorescent platform was developed forthe spectral and visual speciation of arsenite (AsO₃^3–) and arsenate (AsO₄^3–). The sensing strategy relies on fluorescence quenching of a mixtureof green-emissive thioglycolic acid-capped CdTe quantum dots (GQDs)and red-emissive mercaptopropionic acid-capped CdTe quantum dots (RQDs)by glutathione (GSH). Upon exposure to AsO₃^3– or AsO₄^3–, fluorescence was restoredto different extents, generating distinct response patterns that enabledarsenic speciation within 25 min. Under optimized conditions, theproposed “on–off–on” nanosensor enableddetermination of AsO₃^3– and AsO₄^3– over concentration ranges of 0.70–50and 0.15–20.00 μmol L^–1, respectively,with detection limits of 0.21 μmol L^–1 forAsO₃^3– and 0.06 μmol L^–1 for AsO₄^3–. Linear discriminant analysis(LDA) was identified as the optimal machine-learning model, achievingclassification accuracies above 93.0%. Application to spiked groundwaterand wastewater samples yielded recoveries of 90.0–110.0%, RSDsof 0.3–8.9%, and a classification accuracy of 97.2%. RGB dataextracted from fluorescence color patterns using a smartphone-basedimaging cabinet were also successfully applied to arsenic discriminationand quantification. By integrating ratiometric fluorescence sensing,smartphone imaging, and machine-learning-assisted classification,the proposed platform provides a portable, cost-effective, and user-friendlystrategy for arsenic speciation with potential for environmental monitoringand point-of-use water quality assessment.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2313–2325"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858987","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Zirconium-Assisted Cd-MOF Ionic Liquid Multiresponsive Nanocomposite for Sequential Fluorescent Sensing of H2S","authors":"Indu Sharma,&nbsp;Arunima Das,&nbsp;Jyoti Sharma,&nbsp;Subash Chandra Sahoo,&nbsp;Mohit Kumar,&nbsp;Arvind Kumar,&nbsp;Vinod Kumar,&nbsp;Ramesh Kataria","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00348","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00348","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Theunique physicochemical properties of ionic liquids allow them to interactspecifically with the targeted analyte. When combined with the multifunctionalfeatures of MOFs, ionic liquids can enhance their efficacy for selectiveand precise detection. To our knowledge, sensors based on the integrationof MOFs with ionic liquids are largely unexplored. Additionally, thereexist numerous semiconductor-based sensors for H₂S, yetfluorescence-based sensing remains a potential sensing pursuit. Thepresent study introduces a sequential fluorescence nanosensor withaugmented performance for both zirconium ions Zr(IV) and H₂S developed from cadmium-based MOF (PUC-12) and ionic liquid trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphoniumbromide (IL1). Comprehensive characterization utilizing PXRD, TGA,HR-TEM, TRFS, FE-SEM, FT-IR analysis, etc., revealed the robust structuraland functional attributes of PUC-12 and the nanocomposite (PIL-15).PIL-15 demonstrated remarkable selectivity and sensitivity (LOD =0.25 μM; <em>K</em>_sv value = 0.24 ×10⁶ M^–1) for Zr(IV) ion detection inaqueous samples. The synergistic interplay of Zr(IV) and PIL-15 facilitatedan innovative fluorescence-based turn “off–on–off”nanosensor for H₂S (LOD = 1.7 μM; <em>K</em>_sv = 0.32 × 10⁷ M^–1),distinguishing itself from conventional semiconductor-based sensors.Mechanistic insights into the sensing processes were meticulouslyinvestigated using BET surface area analysis, XPS, and zeta potentialanalysis, providing a comprehensive understanding of the possibleinteractions. The nanosensor with a size of 33.14 nm demonstratedefficient stability (depicted by ICP-MS analysis) and sensing activitiesnot only in aqueous media but also in H₂S-responsive detectionin a biological environment as well. The results were validated usingRAW 264.7, an immortalized mouse macrophage cell line, achieving adetection limit (LOD) of 5.45 μM. A filter paper-based testwas further performed, confirming the reliability and portabilityof the sensing platform. The functioning of the proposed sensor isillustrated through an IMPLICATION logic gate system. Additionally,the sensor exhibited potential for real-world applications by successfullydetecting H₂S in wine samples, emphasizing its versatilityand practicality.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2454–2470"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148859071","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Narrowband Far-Red Emitting Sr2ZnAl22O36:Mn4+ Spinel Phosphor for Integrated Horticultural LED, Optical Thermometry, and Forensic Fingerprint Imaging","authors":"Jatin Dhanuka,&nbsp;Monalisha Behera,&nbsp;Sudipta Som,&nbsp;Divya Janardhana,&nbsp;Shivaramu Nagarasanakote Jayaramu,&nbsp;Somrita Dutta,&nbsp;Parijat Pallab Jana,&nbsp;Hendrik C. Swart,&nbsp;Subrata Das","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00313","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00313","url":null,"abstract":"<p>A fundamental trade-off between photophysical performanceand hoststability continues to constrain practical deployment of Mn⁴⁺-doped phosphors, even as their narrow-band far-red emission (650–730nm) attracts growing interest across lighting, sensing, and securityapplications. Fluoride hosts such as K₂SiF₆:Mn⁴⁺ achieve IQE &gt; 90%, yet moisture-induced hydrolytic degradationremains a critical reliability barrier. Oxide alternatives, thoughthermally stable, are encumbered by broad spectral output (fwhm &gt;50 nm), incomplete octahedral site occupancy, accelerated nonradiativedecay, and suppressed IQE below 50%. Moreover, phosphors simultaneouslysatisfying thermometric relative sensitivity (<em>S</em>_r) &gt; 0.3% K^–1 and Michelson contrast &gt;0.8in latent fingerprint (LFP) detection have not been demonstrated withina single composition. To address these issues, Mn⁴⁺-activatedSr₂ZnAl₂₂O₃₆ (SZAO:Mn⁴⁺) was synthesized via controlled solid-state calcination (1400 °C,6 h), yielding phase-pure material (&gt;99%) with Mn⁴⁺ preferentiallysubstituting distorted AlO₆ octahedral sites. UV-blue excitationproduces narrow-band far-red emission at 657 nm (IQE ∼ 63%),attributed to spin-forbidden ²E_g → ⁴A_2g transitions. Spectral congruence with phytochromeP_r and P_fr absorption supports application inphosphor-converted LEDs for controlled environment crop production.Thermally resolved photoluminescence measurements yield a quenchingactivation energy (<em>E</em>_a) of 0.61 eV, andthermoluminescence glow-curve deconvolution confirms multiple discretetrap-state populations modulating carrier recombination kinetics.Fluorescence intensity ratio analysis affords noncontact optical thermometryat <em>S</em>_r of 0.50% K^–1.Under UV excitation, SZAO:Mn⁴⁺ resolves level 3 ridge minutiaeacross chemically and texturally diverse substrates (Michelson contrast= 0.92), demonstrating forensic-grade LFP discrimination. Taken together,these findings position SZAO:Mn⁴⁺ as a structurally robust,host-versatile platform integrating far-red phosphor conversion, luminescencethermometry, and LFP detection.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2368–2382"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858996","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polarization-Encoded Breath Biomarker Fingerprinting via the Dielectric Anisotropy of BeS Thin Films","authors":"Sudipta Saha,&nbsp;Shoumik Debnath,&nbsp;Md. Kawsar Alam","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00317","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00317","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Berylliumsulfide (BeS) is a wide-bandgap II–VIchalcogenidewhose permittivity tensor responds anisotropically to molecular adsorption,with the in-plane component <em>ε</em>_<em>yy</em> and the out-of-plane component <em>ε</em>_<em>zz</em> perturbed by different amounts dependingon the adsorbed species. We model a silicon microring resonator conformallycoated with a 10 nm BeS film and show computationally that this anisotropyis sufficient to distinguish five exhaled-breath volatile organiccompounds (acetone, isoprene, 4-hydroxyhexenal, 2-propenal, and benzene)from a single unfunctionalized resonator. Density functional theorycalculations of the BeS dielectric tensor under each adsorbate providethe optical properties of the material. Three-dimensional finite-differencetime-domain simulations of the coated ring show that the transverse-electric(TE) mode couples to <em>ε</em>_<em>yy</em> and the transverse-magnetic (TM) mode couples to <em>ε</em>_<em>zz</em>, producing two independent resonanceobservables per simulation. The TE shift is the same for all fiveanalytes at 0.263 nm and acts as a concentration reference; the TMshift ranges from 0.200 to 0.426 nm and is analyte specific. Benzeneis further separated by a sign inversion in TM transmission amplitudethat none of the other gases reproduce. TE sensitivities reach 5.1nm/RIU. TM sensitivities reach 6.5 nm/RIU. Figures of merit reach14.9 RIU^–1, and detection limits reach 1.5 mRIU.Cross-sensitivity simulations for CO₂ and H₂O show that both interferents shift the TM resonance in the negativedirection, opposite to every target biomarker, so a sign comparisonon Δλ_TM separates interferent events from biomarkerevents before any further processing. The results show that the directionaloptical properties of BeS are themselves the selectivity mechanism,removing the need for a sensor array or chemical functionalization.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2396–2408"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Controlling the Performance of Light-Activated Color-Changing Coatings Using Semiconductor Crystal Structure, Redox-Active Colorants, and Bulk Matrix Composition","authors":"Kaitlyn R. Flynn,&nbsp;Cassandra L. Martin,&nbsp;Kimberly A. Kiefer,&nbsp;Indya Taylor,&nbsp;Catherine L. Kappel,&nbsp;Luqmaan Shaikh,&nbsp;Kiersten O’Sullivan,&nbsp;Rachel C. Malampy,&nbsp;Daniel J. Wilson","doi":"10.1021/acsaom.6c00204","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1021/acsaom.6c00204","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Nonemissive display technologies, such as e-ink and e-paper,haveemerged as reconfigurable alternatives to single-use printed materialsthat become solid waste. These draw considerably less power than emissivedisplays but rely on traditional electronic circuitry and computercontrol to create displayed information. Reversible photochromic systems,in which displayed images are generated by patterned irradiation,enable fabrication of scalable, reversible media from single materialformulations, prepared as conformal thin films, without traditionalelectronic hardware. These systems can comprise combinations of redox-activechromophores and light-sensitive semiconductor particles formulatedin polymer matrices. The accessible colors and activation time scalesof reversible photoreduction of the embedded dyes, facilitated byultraviolet stimulation of proximal semiconductor particles, is controlledby the convergence of the optical (e.g., color), electrical (e.g.,band gap, redox potential) and physical (e.g., permeability) propertiesof the components of these formulations. To address this, we investigatethe catalytic behaviors of the two most abundant titanium dioxidepolymorphs, anatase and rutile, and their effect on the magnitude,rate, and reversibility of photoinduced color change of two redox-activecolorants, xanthommatin and methyl viologen. We demonstrate that theseformulations can be tuned to provide a diverse color range acrossa variety of activation time scales by controlling particle size,loading density, and particle–matrix interactions. We establishsemiconductor crystal structure and formulation design as criticaldeterminants of optical performance and provide a framework for engineeringtunable, low-energy optical materials for adaptive displays and reusablevisual communication technologies.</p>","PeriodicalId":29803,"journal":{"name":"ACS Applied Optical Materials","volume":"4 8","pages":"2285–2301"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2026-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148858956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}