Pub Date : 2026-01-16DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02465-7
Xin Xu, Teng Cui, Geoff McConohy, Harsh D Jagad, Samuel S Lee, Sunny Wang, Celeste Melamed, Yufei Yang, Edward Barks, Emma Kaeli, Leah Narun, Yi Cui, Zewen Zhang, Hye Ryoung Lee, Rong Xu, Melody M Wang, Levi Hoogendoorn, Ajai Romana, Alexis Geslin, Robert Sinclair, Yi Cui, Yue Qi, X Wendy Gu, William C Chueh
Lithium dendrite intrusion in solid-state batteries limits fast charging and causes short-circuiting, yet the underlying regulating mechanisms are not well-understood. Here we discover that heterogeneous Ag+ doping dramatically affects lithium intrusion into Li6.6La3Zr1.6Ta0.4O12 (LLZO), a brittle solid electrolyte. Nanoscale Ag+ doping is achieved by thermally annealing a 3-nm-thick metallic coating on LLZO, inducing Ag-Li ion exchange and Ag diffusion into grains and grain boundaries. Density functional theory calculations and experimental characterization show negligible impact on the electronic properties and surface wettability from Ag+ incorporation. Mechanically, nanoindentation experiments show a fivefold increase in the mechanical force required to fracture the surface Ag+-doped LLZO, indicating substantial doping-induced surface toughening. Operando microprobe scanning electron microscopy experiments show that the Ag+-doped LLZO surface exhibits improved lithium plating at >250 mA cm-2 and an electroplating diameter that is expanded by over fourfold, even under an extreme indentation stress of 3 GPa. This demonstrates enhanced defect tolerance in LLZO, rather than electronic or adhesion effects. Our study reveals a chemo-mechanical mechanism via surface heterogeneous doping, complementing present bulk design rules to minimize mechanical failures in solid-state batteries.
锂枝晶在固态电池中的侵入限制了电池的快速充电并导致短路，但其潜在的调节机制尚不清楚。本研究发现，非均相Ag+掺杂显著影响了锂离子在Li6.6La3Zr1.6Ta0.4O12 （LLZO）脆性固体电解质中的侵入。通过在LLZO上热退火3 nm厚的金属涂层，诱导Ag- li离子交换和Ag向晶粒和晶界扩散，实现了纳米级Ag+掺杂。密度泛函理论计算和实验表征表明，银离子掺入对电子性能和表面润湿性的影响可以忽略不计。机械上，纳米压痕实验表明，Ag+掺杂LLZO表面断裂所需的机械力增加了5倍，表明掺杂诱导了大量的表面增韧。Operando微探针扫描电镜实验表明，在>250 mA cm-2下，Ag+掺杂的LLZO表面的锂镀层得到了改善，即使在3gpa的极端压痕应力下，电镀直径也扩大了4倍以上。这证明了LLZO的缺陷容忍度提高，而不是电子或粘附效应。我们的研究揭示了一种化学-机械机制，通过表面非均相掺杂，补充了目前的体积设计规则，以最大限度地减少固态电池的机械故障。
{"title":"Heterogeneous doping via nanoscale coating impacts the mechanics of Li intrusion in brittle solid electrolytes.","authors":"Xin Xu, Teng Cui, Geoff McConohy, Harsh D Jagad, Samuel S Lee, Sunny Wang, Celeste Melamed, Yufei Yang, Edward Barks, Emma Kaeli, Leah Narun, Yi Cui, Zewen Zhang, Hye Ryoung Lee, Rong Xu, Melody M Wang, Levi Hoogendoorn, Ajai Romana, Alexis Geslin, Robert Sinclair, Yi Cui, Yue Qi, X Wendy Gu, William C Chueh","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02465-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02465-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lithium dendrite intrusion in solid-state batteries limits fast charging and causes short-circuiting, yet the underlying regulating mechanisms are not well-understood. Here we discover that heterogeneous Ag<sup>+</sup> doping dramatically affects lithium intrusion into Li<sub>6.6</sub>La<sub>3</sub>Zr<sub>1.6</sub>Ta<sub>0.4</sub>O<sub>12</sub> (LLZO), a brittle solid electrolyte. Nanoscale Ag<sup>+</sup> doping is achieved by thermally annealing a 3-nm-thick metallic coating on LLZO, inducing Ag-Li ion exchange and Ag diffusion into grains and grain boundaries. Density functional theory calculations and experimental characterization show negligible impact on the electronic properties and surface wettability from Ag<sup>+</sup> incorporation. Mechanically, nanoindentation experiments show a fivefold increase in the mechanical force required to fracture the surface Ag<sup>+</sup>-doped LLZO, indicating substantial doping-induced surface toughening. Operando microprobe scanning electron microscopy experiments show that the Ag<sup>+</sup>-doped LLZO surface exhibits improved lithium plating at >250 mA cm<sup>-2</sup> and an electroplating diameter that is expanded by over fourfold, even under an extreme indentation stress of 3 GPa. This demonstrates enhanced defect tolerance in LLZO, rather than electronic or adhesion effects. Our study reveals a chemo-mechanical mechanism via surface heterogeneous doping, complementing present bulk design rules to minimize mechanical failures in solid-state batteries.</p>","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":38.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145990079","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Charged surfaces in aqueous solution establish electric double layers that modulate interfacial electron transfer and drive redox chemistry. However, the capability to engineer the interfacial electrochemical environments of soft biomaterials to enable electron generation for chemical reactions has not been realized. Here we show that genetically encoded biomaterials that can undergo self-assembly into protein condensates can be engineered to function as electrochemical reactors. We establish the fundamental principles that govern the sequence–electrochemical property relationship of protein condensates, thereby programming their electrogenic behaviours. We demonstrate the applications of protein condensates in various electrochemical reactions in vitro. We also deploy these condensates in biological cells as living materials for intracellular nanoparticle synthesis, pollutant degradation and antibiotic-free inhibition of bacteria through artificial ferroptosis. These intrinsic electrogenic materials offer a biomaterial platform that could be used as a clean and sustainable energy source for the development of next-generation bioelectrochemical devices.
{"title":"Electrogenic protein condensates as intracellular electrochemical reactors","authors":"Wen Yu, Yuefeng Ma, Leshan Yang, Yanrun Zhou, Xinrui Liu, Yifan Dai","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02434-0","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02434-0","url":null,"abstract":"Charged surfaces in aqueous solution establish electric double layers that modulate interfacial electron transfer and drive redox chemistry. However, the capability to engineer the interfacial electrochemical environments of soft biomaterials to enable electron generation for chemical reactions has not been realized. Here we show that genetically encoded biomaterials that can undergo self-assembly into protein condensates can be engineered to function as electrochemical reactors. We establish the fundamental principles that govern the sequence–electrochemical property relationship of protein condensates, thereby programming their electrogenic behaviours. We demonstrate the applications of protein condensates in various electrochemical reactions in vitro. We also deploy these condensates in biological cells as living materials for intracellular nanoparticle synthesis, pollutant degradation and antibiotic-free inhibition of bacteria through artificial ferroptosis. These intrinsic electrogenic materials offer a biomaterial platform that could be used as a clean and sustainable energy source for the development of next-generation bioelectrochemical devices.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"177 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":41.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145968720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Two-dimensional semiconductors are emerging as crucial materials for the post-Moore era. However, the transition to industrial-scale applications is hindered by engineering challenges, including the contact engineering. Among different strategies, edge contact offers advantages of ultimate contact scaling and the elimination of Fermi level pinning, but struggles with co-optimization between on-state current, threshold voltage and off-state leakage current. Here we address these challenges by utilizing an in situ multistep process, in which etching, soft plasma treatment and metal deposition are performed sequentially within the same custom-designed high-vacuum chamber to minimize interface defects. This approach enables molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based edge-contact field-effect transistors exhibiting an ultralow leakage current of 1.75 × 10-20 A μm-1 at zero gate voltage and an enhanced on-state current. The optimized capacitorless two-transistor dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) achieves a quasi-non-volatile memory operation, 5-bit memory accuracy and nanosecond-level write speed, demonstrating the potential for two-dimensional semiconductor-based circuits and memory devices.
二维半导体正在成为后摩尔时代的关键材料。然而，向工业规模应用的过渡受到工程挑战的阻碍，包括接触工程。在不同的策略中，边缘接触具有极限接触缩放和消除费米能级钉钉的优势，但在导通状态电流、阈值电压和关断状态泄漏电流之间的协同优化方面存在困难。在这里，我们通过利用原位多步骤工艺来解决这些挑战，其中蚀刻，软等离子体处理和金属沉积在同一个定制设计的高真空室中依次进行，以最大限度地减少界面缺陷。该方法使基于二硫化钼（MoS2）的边接触场效应晶体管在零栅极电压下具有1.75 × 10-20 A μm-1的超低漏电流和增强的导通电流。优化后的无电容双晶体管动态随机存取存储器（DRAM）实现了准非易失性存储器操作，5位存储器精度和纳秒级写入速度，展示了二维半导体电路和存储器件的潜力。
{"title":"Quasi-non-volatile capacitorless DRAM based on ultralow-leakage edge-contact MoS2 transistors.","authors":"Saifei Gou,Yuxuan Zhu,Zhejia Zhang,Menglin Huang,Jinshu Zhang,Xiangqi Dong,Mingrui Ao,Qicheng Sun,Zhenggang Cai,Yan Hu,Yufei Song,Jiahao Wang,Haojie Chen,Yuchen Tian,Xinliu He,Jieya Shang,Zhengjie Sun,Qihao Chen,Yang Liu,Zihan Xu,Xiaofei Yue,Chunxiao Cong,Yin Wang,Liwei Liu,Xiaojun Tan,Mengjiao Li,Chen Yang,Hao Meng,Mingyuan Liu,Huihui Li,Shiyou Chen,Peng Zhou,Wenzhong Bao","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02470-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02470-w","url":null,"abstract":"Two-dimensional semiconductors are emerging as crucial materials for the post-Moore era. However, the transition to industrial-scale applications is hindered by engineering challenges, including the contact engineering. Among different strategies, edge contact offers advantages of ultimate contact scaling and the elimination of Fermi level pinning, but struggles with co-optimization between on-state current, threshold voltage and off-state leakage current. Here we address these challenges by utilizing an in situ multistep process, in which etching, soft plasma treatment and metal deposition are performed sequentially within the same custom-designed high-vacuum chamber to minimize interface defects. This approach enables molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)-based edge-contact field-effect transistors exhibiting an ultralow leakage current of 1.75 × 10-20 A μm-1 at zero gate voltage and an enhanced on-state current. The optimized capacitorless two-transistor dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) achieves a quasi-non-volatile memory operation, 5-bit memory accuracy and nanosecond-level write speed, demonstrating the potential for two-dimensional semiconductor-based circuits and memory devices.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"266 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":41.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145968537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
High optical nonlinearity can enable classical and quantum functionalities in all-fibre laser systems. However, despite long-standing efforts to exploit second-order optical nonlinearity in conventional all-fibre systems, nonlinear optical conversion efficiencies remain modest. Here we demonstrate all-fibre integration of twist-phase-matched rhombohedral boron nitride (rBN) flakes on the end facet of optical fibres for second-harmonic generation (SHG) and spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC). We provide local and global optimization of the interflake twist angles for phase-matching design, achieving an SHG conversion efficiency of ~4.1% and an SPDC coincidence rate of ~90 in van der Waals crystals integrated on optical fibre devices. Finally, we design an all-fibre frequency-doubling ultrafast laser by integrating a multifunctional nonlinear crystal of a graphene/rBN heterostructure to simultaneously generate mode-locked pulses and intracavity SHG emission. This work establishes a route for developing high-efficiency, second-order nonlinear functionalities, such as optical parametric oscillators, optical modulators and entangled photon sources, in all-fibre lasers.
{"title":"Nonlinear phase-matched van der Waals crystals integrated on optical fibres","authors":"Kaifeng Lin, Guangjie Yao, Jiahui Shao, Yilong You, Jiajie Qi, Daopeng Yuan, Yijun Wang, Muhong Wu, Lingjun Kong, Xiangdong Zhang, Enge Wang, Zhipei Sun, Hao Hong, Kaihui Liu","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02461-x","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02461-x","url":null,"abstract":"High optical nonlinearity can enable classical and quantum functionalities in all-fibre laser systems. However, despite long-standing efforts to exploit second-order optical nonlinearity in conventional all-fibre systems, nonlinear optical conversion efficiencies remain modest. Here we demonstrate all-fibre integration of twist-phase-matched rhombohedral boron nitride (rBN) flakes on the end facet of optical fibres for second-harmonic generation (SHG) and spontaneous parametric downconversion (SPDC). We provide local and global optimization of the interflake twist angles for phase-matching design, achieving an SHG conversion efficiency of ~4.1% and an SPDC coincidence rate of ~90 in van der Waals crystals integrated on optical fibre devices. Finally, we design an all-fibre frequency-doubling ultrafast laser by integrating a multifunctional nonlinear crystal of a graphene/rBN heterostructure to simultaneously generate mode-locked pulses and intracavity SHG emission. This work establishes a route for developing high-efficiency, second-order nonlinear functionalities, such as optical parametric oscillators, optical modulators and entangled photon sources, in all-fibre lasers.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"37 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":41.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956351","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02444-y
Hao Zhou, Xiaolei Wu, David Srolovitz, Yuntian Zhu
Heterostructures are composed of spatially distinct zones with differing mechanical and/or physical properties. When carefully engineered, these architectures can exhibit superior performance compared with their homogeneous counterparts. However, not all heterostructures inherently lead to a pronounced improvement in properties. Realizing the full potential of complex heterostructures requires a rigorous understanding of the structure-property relationships and mechanisms related to inter-zone interactions. This knowledge is essential if the heterostructure effect is to be effectively harnessed and the overall performance of the material optimized. Here we examine the fundamental mechanisms underlying the unusual mechanical properties of heterostructured materials, highlighting the important role of interactive coupling in the heterozone boundary-affected regions. We outline strategies for evaluating the effects that arise from heterostructures, in particular the heterodeformation-induced stress. We also provide guidelines for designing heterostructured materials with optimal mechanical properties, and discuss future directions for property design and characterization development.
{"title":"Designing heterostructured materials.","authors":"Hao Zhou, Xiaolei Wu, David Srolovitz, Yuntian Zhu","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02444-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02444-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heterostructures are composed of spatially distinct zones with differing mechanical and/or physical properties. When carefully engineered, these architectures can exhibit superior performance compared with their homogeneous counterparts. However, not all heterostructures inherently lead to a pronounced improvement in properties. Realizing the full potential of complex heterostructures requires a rigorous understanding of the structure-property relationships and mechanisms related to inter-zone interactions. This knowledge is essential if the heterostructure effect is to be effectively harnessed and the overall performance of the material optimized. Here we examine the fundamental mechanisms underlying the unusual mechanical properties of heterostructured materials, highlighting the important role of interactive coupling in the heterozone boundary-affected regions. We outline strategies for evaluating the effects that arise from heterostructures, in particular the heterodeformation-induced stress. We also provide guidelines for designing heterostructured materials with optimal mechanical properties, and discuss future directions for property design and characterization development.</p>","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":38.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145966752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A promising strategy for further miniaturizing metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors is the use of ultrathin two-dimensional channel materials. However, achieving robust dielectric integration with a sub-1-nm capacitance equivalent thickness (CET) remains challenging. Here we present a wafer-scale monolayer MoO3, transformed from MoS2, which can be seamlessly integrated with atomically thin semiconductors. Its atomically flat surface and the strong electronegativity of Mo6+ further enable the uniform deposition of high-κ dielectrics. Utilizing the 0.96-nm-CET MoO3/HfO2 as the dielectric, the top-gated p-type (n-type) two-dimensional transistors show a high ON/OFF ratio of 6.5 × 106 (3.2 × 108) and a steep subthreshold swing of 60.8 (63.1) mV dec−1. Statistical analysis of a 1,024-device array achieves a high yield of 92.2%. Furthermore, when monolayer MoO3 is used as the top-gated dielectric with an ultimately scaled CET of 0.64 nm, the gate leakage current meets the low-power limit standard (1.5 × 10−2 A cm−2) over the entire bias range. Our study provides a scalable approach for the integration of ultralow-CET dielectrics on two-dimensional materials, marking a critical step towards their future industrial deployment. Wafer-scale monolayer MoO3 enables the integration of dielectrics with ultralow capacitance equivalent thickness on atomically thin semiconductors, achieving high yield and effective operation of n-type and p-type top-gated transistors.
{"title":"Wafer-scale monolayer dielectric integration on atomically thin semiconductors","authors":"Zhenzhen Shen, Haoqi Wu, Chunsen Liu, Zizheng Liu, Yongbo Jiang, Tanjun Wang, Peng Zhou","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02445-x","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41563-025-02445-x","url":null,"abstract":"A promising strategy for further miniaturizing metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistors is the use of ultrathin two-dimensional channel materials. However, achieving robust dielectric integration with a sub-1-nm capacitance equivalent thickness (CET) remains challenging. Here we present a wafer-scale monolayer MoO3, transformed from MoS2, which can be seamlessly integrated with atomically thin semiconductors. Its atomically flat surface and the strong electronegativity of Mo6+ further enable the uniform deposition of high-κ dielectrics. Utilizing the 0.96-nm-CET MoO3/HfO2 as the dielectric, the top-gated p-type (n-type) two-dimensional transistors show a high ON/OFF ratio of 6.5 × 106 (3.2 × 108) and a steep subthreshold swing of 60.8 (63.1) mV dec−1. Statistical analysis of a 1,024-device array achieves a high yield of 92.2%. Furthermore, when monolayer MoO3 is used as the top-gated dielectric with an ultimately scaled CET of 0.64 nm, the gate leakage current meets the low-power limit standard (1.5 × 10−2 A cm−2) over the entire bias range. Our study provides a scalable approach for the integration of ultralow-CET dielectrics on two-dimensional materials, marking a critical step towards their future industrial deployment. Wafer-scale monolayer MoO3 enables the integration of dielectrics with ultralow capacitance equivalent thickness on atomically thin semiconductors, achieving high yield and effective operation of n-type and p-type top-gated transistors.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"25 2","pages":"199-206"},"PeriodicalIF":38.5,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145955949","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nanoconfined water exhibits many abnormal properties compared with bulk water. However, the origin of those anomalies remains controversial due to the lack of experimental access to the molecular-level details of the hydrogen-bonding network of water within a nanocavity. Here we address this issue by combining scanning probe microscopy with nitrogen-vacancy-centre-based quantum sensing. Such a technique allows us to characterize both dynamics and structure of water confined between a hexagonal boron nitride flake and a hydrophilic diamond surface by nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance. We observe a liquid–solid phase transition of nanoconfined water at ambient temperature with an onset confinement size of ~1.6 nm, below which the water diffusion is considerably suppressed and the hydrogen-bonding network of water becomes structurally ordered. The complete crystallization is observed below a confinement size of ~1 nm. The liquid–solid transition is further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation. These findings shed new light on the phase transition of nanoconfined water and may form a unified picture for understanding water anomalies at the nanoscale.
{"title":"Experimental observation of liquid–solid transition of nanoconfined water at ambient temperature","authors":"Wentian Zheng, Shichen Zhang, Jian Jiang, Yipeng He, Rainer Stöhr, Andrej Denisenko, Jörg Wrachtrup, Xiao Cheng Zeng, Ke Bian, En-Ge Wang, Ying Jiang","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02456-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02456-8","url":null,"abstract":"Nanoconfined water exhibits many abnormal properties compared with bulk water. However, the origin of those anomalies remains controversial due to the lack of experimental access to the molecular-level details of the hydrogen-bonding network of water within a nanocavity. Here we address this issue by combining scanning probe microscopy with nitrogen-vacancy-centre-based quantum sensing. Such a technique allows us to characterize both dynamics and structure of water confined between a hexagonal boron nitride flake and a hydrophilic diamond surface by nanoscale nuclear magnetic resonance. We observe a liquid–solid phase transition of nanoconfined water at ambient temperature with an onset confinement size of ~1.6 nm, below which the water diffusion is considerably suppressed and the hydrogen-bonding network of water becomes structurally ordered. The complete crystallization is observed below a confinement size of ~1 nm. The liquid–solid transition is further confirmed by molecular dynamics simulation. These findings shed new light on the phase transition of nanoconfined water and may form a unified picture for understanding water anomalies at the nanoscale.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"39 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":41.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145956343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1038/s41563-025-02452-y
Junyoung Kwon,Kyoung Yeon Kim,Dongwon Jang,Min Seok Yoo,Alum Jung,Dong-Su Ko,Yoonhoo Ha,Huije Ryu,Woon Ih Choi,Yeonchoo Cho,Changhyun Kim,Eunji Yang,Eun Kyu Lee,Chang-Seok Lee,Sang Won Kim,Uihui Kwon,Dae Sin Kim,Sung Kyu Lim,Kyung-Eun Byun,Minsu Seol,Jeehwan Kim
The foundry industry and academia are confronting the limits of Moore's Law scaling for logic transistors. Silicon field‑effect transistors (FETs) now rely on gate‑all‑around structures and ultrathin channels, even at the cost of decreased carrier mobility and complex fabrication processes. Two‑dimensional (2D) semiconductors offer a promising alternative because they retain their crystalline quality at atomic thicknesses. Nonetheless, whether they truly exhibit higher performance than silicon remains questionable. Here, by implementing a dual‑gate structure on bilayer MoS2 FETs, we mitigate the fringing‑field barrier created by the elevated top contact and achieve high carrier densities without increasing fabrication complexity. Simulations and statistical analysis confirm that the dual‑gate compensates the fringe field, enabling a drain current of 1.55 mA µm-1 even with conventional gold contacts. Quantum‑transport simulation indicates that, with further gate‑length and equivalent‑oxide‑thickness scaling, the on-state current can reach levels comparable to silicon FETs at the 3-nm node, and monolithic 3D integration can extend the applicability of dual‑gate 2D transistors to future logic technologies.
{"title":"Gate structuring on n-type bilayer MoS2 field-effect transistors for ultrahigh current density.","authors":"Junyoung Kwon,Kyoung Yeon Kim,Dongwon Jang,Min Seok Yoo,Alum Jung,Dong-Su Ko,Yoonhoo Ha,Huije Ryu,Woon Ih Choi,Yeonchoo Cho,Changhyun Kim,Eunji Yang,Eun Kyu Lee,Chang-Seok Lee,Sang Won Kim,Uihui Kwon,Dae Sin Kim,Sung Kyu Lim,Kyung-Eun Byun,Minsu Seol,Jeehwan Kim","doi":"10.1038/s41563-025-02452-y","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41563-025-02452-y","url":null,"abstract":"The foundry industry and academia are confronting the limits of Moore's Law scaling for logic transistors. Silicon field‑effect transistors (FETs) now rely on gate‑all‑around structures and ultrathin channels, even at the cost of decreased carrier mobility and complex fabrication processes. Two‑dimensional (2D) semiconductors offer a promising alternative because they retain their crystalline quality at atomic thicknesses. Nonetheless, whether they truly exhibit higher performance than silicon remains questionable. Here, by implementing a dual‑gate structure on bilayer MoS2 FETs, we mitigate the fringing‑field barrier created by the elevated top contact and achieve high carrier densities without increasing fabrication complexity. Simulations and statistical analysis confirm that the dual‑gate compensates the fringe field, enabling a drain current of 1.55 mA µm-1 even with conventional gold contacts. Quantum‑transport simulation indicates that, with further gate‑length and equivalent‑oxide‑thickness scaling, the on-state current can reach levels comparable to silicon FETs at the 3-nm node, and monolithic 3D integration can extend the applicability of dual‑gate 2D transistors to future logic technologies.","PeriodicalId":19058,"journal":{"name":"Nature Materials","volume":"244 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":41.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145937738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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