Themed collection Recent Open Access Articles

We present an overview of the latest studies on organic neuromorphic and smart sensing devices and highlight the potential of these concepts to enhance the interaction efficiency between electronics and biological substances.

The rise of n-type organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs): from materials to applications.

In view of developing multifunctional OLETs, 2,3-thienoimide-ended oligothiophenes are proposed as ideal candidates to effectively ensure good ambipolar field-effect mobility, self-assembly capability and high luminescence in solid state.

Layer-by-layer (LbL) processing, otherwise known as sequential deposition, is emerging as the most promising strategy for fabrication of active layers in organic photovoltaic (OPV) devices on both laboratory and industrial scales.

A review on strategies to improve stability, optical properties and device efficiency of red-perovskite nanocrystal layers.

Phenothiazine (PTZ)-based materials have recently received considerable interest owing to their intriguing optoelectronic properties, low-cost, versatility of functionalization, and commercial availability.

The thermal properties of metal-halide perovskites are reviewed with respect to experimental findings, theoretical insights, dimensionalities, and phase transitions.

We review the nucleation and growth of different Ga₂O₃ polymorphs with several techniques, giving practical guidelines for their synthesis.

Development of conjugated polymers in two dimensions via liquid-interface-assisted synthesis as active layers for use in electronic devices.

Methodologies and experimental achievements for exploration into electronic band structures of organic semiconductor and hybrid perovskite single crystals are reviewed.

Photon-upconversion materials are capable of converting low energy infrared light into higher energy visible or ultraviolet light.

The development of metal particle-free inks is reviewed, with particular attention on their formulation, patterning and post-processing techniques.

We review the cooling of charge carriers in metal halide perovskites for the use in hot carrier solar cells.

Solid-state dye-sensitized solar cell components, materials, architectures and interfaces are comprehensively reviewed.

Recent progress in photoresponsive polymers based on three common supramolecular design strategies, namely ionic, hydrogen and halogen bonding, is reviewed.

The merging of the materials science paradigms of liquid crystals and 2D materials promises superb new opportunities for the advancement of the fields of optoelectronics and photonics. In this review, we summarise the development and applications of 2D material liquid crystals for optoelectronics and photonics.

Perspective covering carbazole-containing emitters and hosts for third generation TADF (thermally-activated delayed fluorescence) OLED technology along with computational benchmark studies.

This review addresses recent approaches for atomic layer deposition (ALD) that are closely related to the electrical properties of ultrathin SrTiO₃ and BaTiO₃ films.

Variable bandgap conjugated donor–acceptor small molecule thin films show absorption spectra similar to those of human eye's photoreceptors. Photoactive devices interfaced with a bio-electrolyte reveal capacitive photocurrent response making them suitable for future full-colour retinal prosthesis.

The work provides a previously unknown example of the desymmetrisation of an organic component resulting from the metal-ion induced tautomerisation which led to the generation of a new type of toroidal coordination species at a solid–liquid interface.

We investigated the quasi-binary Bi₂Se₃–Bi₂S₃ system and experimentally demonstrated the compositional range of existence of the topological surface states.

We show that the combination of molecular shape and strain coupling drives the emergence of polarisation in methyldabconium perovskite ferroelectrics.

Anisotropic silica particles were used as model scattering enhancers and directly compared to their spherical counterparts. Furthermore, silica rods were assembled into micron-sized scattering particles. This allows for use in pigment formulations.

The Pb substitution in quantum dots (PQDs) with lesser toxic metals has been widely searched to be environmentally friendly, and be of comparable or improved performance compared to the lead-perovskite.

Metallophthalocyanines with ∼980 nm emission show sensitization effects on an erbium complex. A long lifetime of 1.05 ms, a PLQY of 13%, Er³⁺ 1.5 μm emission enhancement of 81 times are obtained in the perfluorinated organic erbium co-doped system.

We report on inkjet-printed, wearable electrochromic displays with certified biodegradability according to the international standard 14855 for short-lifecycle applications.

Few-layer 2D germanium nanosheets (GeNS) are obtained via a facile liquid-phase exfoliated method and fabricated as electrode materials to assemble self-powered high performance photo-electrochemical (PEC) type photodetectors.

Experimental evidence and characterization of nonlinear third harmonic generation from hybrid FAPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals embedded in a porous thin film demonstrate a new potential application of these semiconductors.

Ternary telluride nanocrystals have gained increasing interest as materials for thermoelectric, optoelectronic, and phase-change memory applications. This paper presents an amide-promoted synthesis for Ag–Sb–Te colloidal nanocrystals with accurate composition control.

Based on the example of the p-type LaAlO₃/SrTiO₃ interface, we discuss charge-transfer phenomena that tailor the ionic conductivity along oxide heterointerfaces, by providing a confined space-charge layer as channel for oxygen ion conduction.

We present a colour tunable system obtained by combining a humidity-responsive cholesteric liquid crystal network and hydrogel coatings, in a diligently designed cell-geometry.

A novel approach to sharp and persist NIR luminescence at 1 μm wavelength.

An all-solution-based modular functionalization of a cross-linked polymer semiconductor interface is presented. The thus covalently introduced moieties can be utilised for tailor-made organic–organic interfaces in organic optoelectronic devices.

We characterise the magnetism of self-assembled Fe_nN nanocrystals, combining core level spectroscopy with first-principles theory. Ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic phases are found, which are magnetically ordered at room temperature.

Self-readsorption of surface ligands completely restores the photoluminescence of CsPbBr₃ quantum dots damaged by excitation light.

[MCl₃(EⁿBu₂)₃] (M = Sb, Bi; E = Se, Te) enable CVD growth of ternary Bi₂(Se_1−xTe_x)₃ and (Bi_1−ySb_y)₂Te₃ thin films with good compositional, structural and morphological control.

Upon doping with sulfonic acids and bistriflimide the polar polythiophene p(g₄2T-T) exhibits a maximum conductivity of 120 S cm⁻¹ and can be hot-pressed into self-standing, flexible films.

A 0D perovskite-related material Cs₃Fe₂Br₉ is shown to have a low bandgap of 1.65 eV and exhibit antiferromagnetic behaviour.

A new heterocoronene-based chromophore was synthesized via a two-step reaction and showed similar photostability to perylenetetracaboxdiimides.

We report the synthesis, photophysics and application of a novel semiconducting polymer as a colour converter for high speed visible light communication.

Electronic structure calculations are used to develop design rules for enhanced electrical conductivity in zeolitic imidazolate frameworks.

Modifications in nanoscale chemical order can tune the magnetic properties of Co₂FeSi_xAl_1−x, indicating disorder as a potential engineering tool.

We report the development of indium oxide (In₂O₃) transistors via a single step laser-induced photochemical conversion process of a sol–gel metal oxide precursor.

Simply “migrating” the aromatic sextet of cata-condensed 2D PAH with the same number of fused benzene rings affords novel organic semiconductors with different properties.

Polymer-stabilized blue phase liquid crystal in-plane switching cell.

Functionalising 2,5-di(N,N'-carbazolyl)terephthalonitrile or 2,3,5,6-tetra(N,N'-carbazolyl)terephthalonitrile on the carbazole moiety with alkoxy chains, gives a family of materials that show TADF response; two of them are also liquid crystalline.

Encapsulated iron oxide nanoparticles with g-C₃N₄ shells (Fe_x-NC) promote the hydrogen evolution reaction. The interactions between Fe_x-NC nanocomposites were investigated by DFT.

We show reversible room temperature control of the Ti band structure in SrTiO₃–CoFe₂O₄ heterostructures exploiting CoFe₂O₄ magnetostriction. Changes as a function of the applied magnetic field suggest the development of a net electric polarization.

The exfoliation mechanism of high charge density 2D tantalum oxide nanosheets was optimized. Single monolayers and thicker thin films were realized and the bandgap of single nanosheets was measured electrically.

Passivation and optimization of luminescent AZTS QDs with ZnS shells gave rise to a ∼30-fold increase in the PLQY results in RoHS compliant low-cost, bright and tunable NIR-luminescent phosphors for bio-imaging and LED applications.

The heating-induced transformation of Co₃O₄ nanoparticles to CoO at 350–400 °C was monitored in nanoscale detail by in situ TEM; DFT calculations predict a considerable net ferromagnetic moment originating from the Co₃O₄/CoO interface.

We have developed a new post-synthetic approach, ligand-assisted solid phase synthesis (LASPS), to tune the optical properties of colloidal methylammonium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals with color-pure electroluminescence.

By high-pressure/high-temperature multianvil synthesis a new high-pressure (HP) phase of Co₃TeO₆ was obtained.

A new series of liquid crystal dimers exhibits rich smectic behaviour, including a modulated phase made of tilted SmC layer fragments, the strong biaxiality of which results in an unusual switching mode on application of an electric field.

Combining the SCAN and mBJ-LDA meta-GGA functionals of DFT facilitates accurate and efficient computation of physical properties of photocatalysts which is either comparable or better than computationally expansive hybrid functionals or GW methods.

Three-dimensional porous and defect-rich nitrogen-doped nanocarbon is successfully prepared by facile pyrolysis of crab shell-derived chitin nanofiber paper, delivering promising performance in both photosensing and energy storage.

Lasing-relevant processing and physical properties of Yb-doped Ca₃(NbGa)₅O₁₂-CNGG-type disordered garnet crystals are discussed. Future directions for Yb³⁺ bandwidth and laser performance improvements are foreseen.

EHD printing of discrete conducting polymer arrays, bridging the electrodes for highly sensitive chemiresistive gas sensors.

Interfacial resistive switching and composition-tunable R_LRS are realized in ionically conducting Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ thin films, allowing optimised ON/OFF ratio (>10⁴) to be achieved with low growth temperature (600 °C) and low thickness (<20 nm).

We report on the fabrication of transparent thin films from colloidal suspensions of ZnGa₂O₄:Cr³⁺ nanoparticles and the evaluation, for the first time in the literature, of their persistent red to NIR emission.

Charge transport in organic non-fullerene acceptor n-type organic transistors is improved by synergistic doping effects and morphological changes.

The growth process of zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) accompanied by the presence of oxygen gas pulsing is investigated by means of the isotopic tracking of oxygen ¹⁸O from the water precursor and oxygen ¹⁶O from the gas.

The effect of the NaCl doping and its implementation in perovskite light-emitting diodes were studied for the first time.

The adsorption of Li-ions on the bottom site contributes to improve the photodetectivity and photoresponsivity in B/C₄N₄ vdW heterojunction photodiode, owing to the elimination of interlayer Schottky barrier.

N-type charge transport from cross-conjugated polymers derived from an ancient dye.

Applying ultrathin MgO as the top component of a ZnO/MgO electron transport layer enhances the performance of organic photovoltaics.

Comparison of a set of perovskite electrodes shows that La_1−x(Ca,Sr)_xMnO₃ is critical to stabilize the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase in epitaxial films. The stabilization is favored if the La content in the manganite is high.

The thermal conductivity of CuNi alloys grown by pulsed electrodeposition is reduced by the nanostructuration to a value of 9.0 ± 0.9 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ due to the incorporation of saccharine in the electrolyte which allowed reduction of the crystallite size.

Optical properties of BaF₂ single crystals doped with Yb³⁺ and Er ions are studied. The highest ϕ_UC value of 10.0% was demonstrated for the BaF₂:Er³⁺ (2 mol%) /Yb³⁺ (3 mol%) sample under 490 W cm⁻² of 976 nm excitation.

Facile synthesis of single crystal of two-dimensional mixed-halide copper-based perovskites with tunable band gaps and their capability of exfoliation and reversible thermochromism.