NUM division - Publication Highlights
Defect Profiling of Oxide-Semiconductor Interfaces Using Low-Energy Muons
Muon spin rotation with low-energy muons (LE-μSR) is a powerful nuclear method where electrical and magnetic properties of surface-near regions and thin films can be studied on a length scale of ≈200 nm. This study shows the potential of utilizing low-energy muons for a depth-resolved characterization of oxide-semiconductor interfaces, i.e., for silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (4H-SiC). The performance of semiconductor devices relies heavily on the quality of the oxide-semiconductor interface; thus, investigation of defects present in this region is crucial to improve the technology.
Tuning magnetoelectricity in a mixed-anisotropy antiferromagnet
Control of magnetization and electric polarization is attractive in relation to tailoring materials for data storage and devices such as sensors or antennae. In magnetoelectric materials, these degrees of freedom are closely coupled, allowing polarization to be controlled by a magnetic field, and magnetization by an electric field, but the magnitude of the effect remains a challenge in the case of single-phase magnetoelectrics for applications.
A deep look into hydration of cement
Researchers led by the University of Málaga show the Portland cement early age hydration with microscopic detail and high contrast between the components. This knowledge may contribute to more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes.
Nodeless electron pairing in CsV3Sb5-derived kagome superconductors
The newly discovered kagome superconductors represent a promising platform for investigating the interplay between band topology, electronic order and lattice geometry. Despite extensive research efforts on this system, the nature of the superconducting ground state remains elusive. In particular, consensus on the electron pairing symmetry has not been achieved so far, in part owing to the lack of a momentum-resolved measurement of the superconducting gap structure. Here we report ...
Quantum disordered ground state in the triangular-lattice magnet NaRuO2
It has long been hoped that spin liquid states might be observed in materials that realize the triangular-lattice Hubbard model. However, weak spin–orbit coupling and other small perturbations often induce conventional spin freezing or magnetic ordering. Sufficiently strong spin–orbit coupling, however, can renormalize the electronic wavefunction and induce anisotropic exchange interactions that promote magnetic frustration.
Active learning-assisted neutron spectroscopy with log-Gaussian processes
Neutron scattering experiments at three-axes spectrometers (TAS) investigate magnetic and lattice excitations by measuring intensity distributions to understand the origins of materials properties. The high demand and limited availability of beam time for TAS experiments however raise the natural question whether we can improve their efficiency and make better use of the experimenter’s time.
Amyloid-polysaccharide interfacial coacervates as therapeutic materials
Coacervation via liquid-liquid phase separation provides an excellent oppor- tunity to address the challenges of designing nanostructured biomaterials with multiple functionalities. Protein-polysaccharide coacervates, in particular, offer an appealing strategy to target biomaterial scaffolds, but these systems suffer from the low mechanical and chemical stabilities of protein-based condensates. Here we overcome these limitations by transforming native proteins into amyloid fibrils and demonstrate ...
Muonic X-rays peer into brooch from Roman city
Using Muon Induced X-ray Emission, researchers could reveal the inner composition of a knob-bow fibula, excavated at Augusta Raurica in northern Switzerland.
A practical guide to pulsed laser deposition
Nanoscale thin films are widely implemented across a plethora of technological and scientific areas, and form the basis for many advancements that have driven human progress, owing to the high degree of functional tunability based on the chemical composition. Pulsed laser deposition is one of the multiple physical vapour deposition routes to fabricate thin films, employing laser energy to eject material from a target in the form of a plasma ...