{"title":"Rare earth element applications in Ga2O3: Luminescence and scintillation","authors":"Yibo Zhang, Zhuolun Han, Yizhang Guan, Yimin Liao, Jierui Xue, Guofeng Hu, Chee-Keong Tan","doi":"10.1063/5.0258406","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0258406","url":null,"abstract":"Gallium oxide (Ga2O3), with its ultrawide bandgap, exceptional stability, and good optical properties, has demonstrated significant potential in high-power electronic devices, photodetectors, and high-energy radiation detection. However, its low carrier mobility and limited luminescence efficiency constrain its performance. Rare earth element (REE) doping, including europium (Eu), cerium (Ce), erbium (Er), and others, introduces localized states within the Ga2O3 bandgap, enhancing luminescence, scintillation, and catalytic activity, while enabling multi-functional applications through co-doping strategies. Therefore, the paper reviews the commonly employed REE-doped Ga2O3 synthesis methods (wet chemical methods, ALD, PLD, MBE, et al.) and the roles of REE dopants (Eu, Er, Tb, Ce, et al.) in luminescent and scintillation performance. Furthermore, the review highlights recent advances in REE-doped Ga2O3 for photoluminescence, electroluminescence, scintillation, photonic devices, and catalysis. These insights will guide breakthroughs in optoelectronics, radiation detection, and biomedicine applications.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"68 3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144236876","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kang'an Jiang, Zhiyan Zheng, Su Hu, Zhuyikang Zhao, Hui Wang
{"title":"Recent progress in brain-like chips based on optoelectronic memory: Structures, mechanisms, and prospects","authors":"Kang'an Jiang, Zhiyan Zheng, Su Hu, Zhuyikang Zhao, Hui Wang","doi":"10.1063/5.0230269","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0230269","url":null,"abstract":"Optoelectronic brain-like devices have been widely investigated in recent years and are considered a new generation of hardware platforms for neuromorphic computing. Inspired by the biological visual perception system, the devices integrate sensing, computing, and memory in a single functional unit. Compared with the electronically controlled memristor, the introduction of optical signals can further improve the computational efficiency and physically integrate the sensing unit and the processing unit. This efficient and intelligent information processing method can effectively overcome the bottleneck of traditional computing under von Neumann architecture. However, the development of optoelectronic brain-like devices is still in the preliminary stage, and its mechanism is complex and not uniform. Therefore, it is necessary to deeply understand the quantum process between optical input and electrical output to provide a better reference for the development of this field. This article aims to comprehensively review the latest progress in optoelectronic brain-like devices, summarizing the device performance and structures. It also provides a comprehensive summary of multiple mechanisms under different material systems, such as direct photoelectric conversion or photoelectric conversion triggering subsequent effects. In addition, a variety of potential application scenarios for optoelectronic devices are introduced. Finally, we present some possible problems in the development of this field. This review can help researchers better understand the whole picture of the development of optoelectronic devices.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"134 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144219086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Frederico B. Sousa, Kazunori Fujisawa, Felipe Menescal, Matheus J. S. Matos, Marcos A. Pimenta, Helio Chacham, Mauricio Terrones, Leandro M. Malard, Bruno R. Carvalho
{"title":"Optical spectroscopy of defects in atomically thin transition metal dichalcogenides","authors":"Frederico B. Sousa, Kazunori Fujisawa, Felipe Menescal, Matheus J. S. Matos, Marcos A. Pimenta, Helio Chacham, Mauricio Terrones, Leandro M. Malard, Bruno R. Carvalho","doi":"10.1063/5.0251288","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0251288","url":null,"abstract":"In this review, we address the optical signatures of defects in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs), whether they occur unintentionally during growth or are deliberately introduced post-growth. We detail their primary responses as probed by photoluminescence (PL), magneto-PL, Raman, tip-enhanced PL and Raman, and nonlinear spectroscopies. Defects significantly impact the electronic, vibrational, magneto-optical, and nonlinear properties of TMDs, influencing outcomes based on application needs. This comprehensive overview highlights the distinctive optical fingerprints of various defects, providing guidance for their identification and characterization. Additionally, we discuss new optical phenomena induced by defects in TMD monolayers and future challenges in defect engineering for these materials. The insights from this review underscore the potential of TMDs for technological applications, with advancements in spectroscopy and defect engineering driving future innovations and enhancing our understanding of these materials.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"244 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144165222","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Giant terahertz magnetoelastic phase-shift modulator","authors":"Ayyappan Shyam, Brijesh Singh Mehra, Sanjeev Kumar, Charu Garg, Deepali Sharma, Gulloo Lal Prajapati, Gaurav Dubey, Ravi Shankar Singh, Sunil Nair, Dhanvir Singh Rana","doi":"10.1063/5.0251176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0251176","url":null,"abstract":"Developments in communication technologies depend on the parallel progress in materials innovation, data processing devices, and their strategic integration. Terahertz (THz) science and technology is the latest field to witness phenomenal growth in 6G communication and quantum materials devices. Such advancements depend on the ability to control both the amplitude and phase-shift of THz radiation, with the latter being particularly crucial. Currently, free-space THz phase shifters exploit the intrinsic changes in carrier density, resulting in a weak response that can be amplified by metamaterial structures, but at the expense of a significantly reduced bandwidth. In this work, we demonstrate a novel mechanism that leverages only the intrinsic property of magnetoelastic coupling to induce a giant THz phase modulation. An unprecedentedly large phase-shift of 3.35π radians at ∼0.9 THz occurs during the magnetoelastic phase transition between 72 and 35 K in Ba3BiIr2O9. This is accompanied by a remarkable figure-of-merit that is four to five times greater and spans a significantly broader spectral range than that of other above π/2 free-space modulators. Corroborated by theoretical calculations, we show that the spin–phonon coupling dynamics have a defining influence in altering the dielectric function that underlies these properties. These findings present the prospect of integrating magnetoelastic quantum materials in emergent THz communication tools, which rely on phase-shift modulation for information processing.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"5 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144165227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Concurrent high thermal conductivity and high carrier mobility in tetragonal tantalum nitride","authors":"Xianyong Ding, Xin Jin, Dengfeng Li, Jing Fan, Xiaoyuan Zhou, Xuewei Lv, Xiaolong Yang, Zhenxiang Cheng, Rui Wang","doi":"10.1063/5.0259103","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0259103","url":null,"abstract":"Semiconductor devices demand materials that exhibit exceptional carrier and heat transport; however, such materials have remained exceedingly scarce. Using rigorous first-principles calculations, we identify tetragonal tantalum nitride (t-TaN) as a narrow bandgap semiconductor that uniquely achieves both high thermal conductivity (κ) and high carrier mobility (μ). At room temperature, t-TaN demonstrates an extraordinary κ of up to 677 W m−1 K−1, surpassing that of most widely used semiconductors. This remarkable κ arises from the synergistic effects of phonon bunching and a substantial frequency gap in the phonon spectrum, which significantly suppresses phonon–phonon scattering. Even more strikingly, t-TaN exhibits exceptional hole μ exceeding 4700 cm2 V−1 s−1 at room temperature, outperforming all known high-κ bulk semiconductors. This ultrahigh μ is attributed to its elevated Fermi velocity and weak electron–phonon coupling, stemming from its unique electronic and phononic structures. These findings position t-TaN as a compelling candidate for advanced electronic and optoelectronic applications, while also offering a transformative perspective for discovering high-performance semiconductors with dual advantages.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"151 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144154194","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Reconfigurable graded adaptive asymmetry-Schottky-barrier phototransistor for artificial visual system with zJ-energy record","authors":"Honglin Song, Yanran Li, Shuo Liu, Xilong Zhou, Yu Zhou, Jie Jiang","doi":"10.1063/5.0257883","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0257883","url":null,"abstract":"Visual perception, memory, and adaptation processes are critical functions in biological systems that enhance responsiveness, improve survival fitness, and reduce information redundancy in complex environments. Therefore, the development of adaptive bionic vision systems with high efficiency, low complexity, and minimal energy consumption has become a key objective. However, most adaptive devices suffer from either complex structures or non-reconfigurable functionalities, hindering the further application for bionic vision systems. Here, for the first time, an asymmetry-Schottky-barrier MoS2 phototransistor is demonstrated for reconfigurable visual system with visual selective memory and graded adaptation functions. More importantly, the device exhibits a new record with the ultra-low energy consumption of ∼90 zJ per synaptic event. Several important adaptive behaviors, such as the sensitivity, desensitization, accuracy, and self-recovery, are successfully realized and adjusted by asymmetry-Schottky-barriers. These results pave a new way toward the efficient, low-energy, and reconfigurable bionic visual systems for applications of machine vision, bionic robotics, and human-machine interfaces.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130373","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yeeun Lee, Bookun Kim, Donghyun Lee, Seo Young Cheon, Seong Gi Lim, Younggwang Kim, Heebeom Koo
{"title":"In vivo delivery systems for CRISPR genome editing: Viral and non-viral carriers","authors":"Yeeun Lee, Bookun Kim, Donghyun Lee, Seo Young Cheon, Seong Gi Lim, Younggwang Kim, Heebeom Koo","doi":"10.1063/5.0228874","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0228874","url":null,"abstract":"For a long time, efficient and safe gene delivery has been a key issue in gene therapy. In particular, after the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) technology in 2020, the focus on delivery systems for genome editing has grown. In this review, we introduce the recent trends in various CRISPR delivery systems. First, we explain the impact of CRISPR in clinical settings and its history. We then focused on the physics of gene delivery systems, particularly regarding the migration of nanoparticles (NPs) under flow, cellular uptake, and formulation using microfluidics. Subsequently, various CRISPR delivery systems, both viral and non-viral, and their applications in disease therapy were introduced. Viral carriers include lentiviruses, adeno-associated viruses, and viral capsids. Exosomes, silica NPs, polymeric NPs, and lipid NPs are representative non-viral gene delivery carriers. We mainly focused on studies demonstrating promising results in animal models, not stopped at cell test considering their future potential for human application.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130375","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Superlubric sliding ferroelectricity","authors":"Zihao Yang, Menghao Wu","doi":"10.1063/5.0265773","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0265773","url":null,"abstract":"Structural superlubricity at incommensurate van der Waals interfaces leads to ultra-low friction coefficients. In this study, we try to apply a similar strategy to reduce the barrier of sliding ferroelectricity in van der Waals bilayers/multilayers with commensurate interfaces, since the writing speed in ferroelectric memories would be enhanced almost exponentially upon such reduction. A major challenge is that incommensurate interfaces are generally non-ferroelectric, and our solution is asymmetric across-layer stacking. We propose a type of superlubric sliding ferroelectricity in homobilayers separated by a hetero-layer, where the polarizations stem from symmetry breaking in across-layer commensurate stacking configurations. Meanwhile, the incommensurate interfaces of adjacent layers lead to unprecedented low switching barriers. For example, the switching barrier of 3R bilayer MoS2 will be, respectively, reduced by around two or one order of magnitudes (0.027 and 0.167 meV/atom) if they are separated by a graphene or BN monolayer, and the required voltage for switching can be about one order of magnitude lower. Such superlubric sliding ferroelectricity widely exists in various similar sandwich trilayer systems, where symmetry breaking induced by across-layer stacking configurations may also lead to considerable polarizations. With switching barriers three–four orders of magnitude lower compared with prevalent ferroelectrics, epochal applications, such as superlubric nanogenerators and picosecond ferroelectricity, may become feasible.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prussian blue and its analogues for flexible electrochemical energy storage: From materials to devices","authors":"Xinzhan Du, Hehe Ren, Jing Liang, Wei Wu","doi":"10.1063/5.0237966","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0237966","url":null,"abstract":"The advancement of flexible electrochemical energy storage (FEES) devices as prospective power sources for wearable and portable electronics has become a prominent subject of research. The improvement of high-capacity electrode materials presents a substantial possibility for these flexible devices. Prussian blue and its analogues (PBAs) are easily manufactured, low-cost, open in structure, stable, and can directly insert and extract large K+ and Na+ ions, making them ideal electrode materials for FEES devices. This paper offers a comprehensive examination of the crystal structure, electrochemical reaction mechanisms, and synthesis methodologies of PBAs. Furthermore, this review examines the advancements in the utilization of PBAs in FEES devices over the past few years. The future prospects and critical research directions for synthesizing PBA-based flexible electrodes and applying them to flexible energy storage devices are explored. We anticipate that this review will significantly expand our understanding of PBAs and accelerate the development of FEES.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"21 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144130376","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Wanglong Wu, Shuo Liu, Xinyun Zhou, Zhiyuan Liu, Ruiying Ma, Le Yuan, Qinglin Xia, Mianzeng Zhong, Jingbo Li, Jun He
{"title":"Ultra-wide and self-powered WSe2/4H-SiC hybrid-dimensional heterojunction photodetector with rapid response toward multifunctional applications","authors":"Wanglong Wu, Shuo Liu, Xinyun Zhou, Zhiyuan Liu, Ruiying Ma, Le Yuan, Qinglin Xia, Mianzeng Zhong, Jingbo Li, Jun He","doi":"10.1063/5.0271300","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0271300","url":null,"abstract":"Broadband self-powered photodetectors have attracted great attention owing to their capacity to detect a wide range of wavelengths and save energy. However, the majority of existing broadband photodetectors are limited in their detection range by the material bandgap, making it difficult to achieve detection from ultraviolet to infrared wavelength, and the response performance is not uniform for each waveband. Additionally, a significant disparity persists between self-powered photodetectors and conventional semiconductor photodetectors with regard to pivotal photodetection parameters, such as responsivity. To address these problems, a broadband self-powered photodetector based on two-dimensional WSe2/three-dimensional 4H-SiC heterojunction is proposed. The wide bandgap of 4H-SiC and the narrow bandgap of WSe2, in conjunction with the built-in electric field of the heterojunction and the metal/semiconductor interface, enable the device to detect light from 200 to 1100 nm and achieve a uniform high-performance response to the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared wavelengths simultaneously. Under 275 nm illumination (Vds = −1 V), the device demonstrates a responsivity and detectivity of 25.7 A/W and 3.85 × 1012 Jones, respectively, and exhibits an ultra-fast rise/decay time of 42/42 μs under 635 nm illumination (Vds = −1 V). Moreover, under Vds = 0 V and 635 nm illumination, the responsivity and detectivity of the device are 1.22 A/W and 2.67 × 1011 Jones, respectively. The device exhibits great capability in high-performance, broadband, self-powered light detection, providing a new direction for the development of next-generation energy-saving, high-sensitivity optoelectronic integration technology.","PeriodicalId":8200,"journal":{"name":"Applied physics reviews","volume":"44 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":15.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144122404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}