A5039647205- Magnetic properties of thin films
- X-ray Diffraction in Crystallography
- Crystallization and Solubility Studies
- Force Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Quantum and electron transport phenomena
- Acoustic Wave Resonator Technologies
- Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Materials
- Surface and Thin Film Phenomena
- Advanced Sensor and Energy Harvesting Materials
- Electrical and Thermal Properties of Materials
- Advanced Electron Microscopy Techniques and Applications
- Supramolecular Self-Assembly in Materials
- Magnetic Properties and Applications
- Advancements in Semiconductor Devices and Circuit Design
- Polydiacetylene-based materials and applications
- Block Copolymer Self-Assembly
- Microwave Dielectric Ceramics Synthesis
- Mechanical and Optical Resonators
- Magnetic Field Sensors Techniques
- Electron and X-Ray Spectroscopy Techniques
- Electronic and Structural Properties of Oxides
- Adhesion, Friction, and Surface Interactions
- Planarian Biology and Electrostimulation
- Semiconductor materials and devices
- 2D Materials and Applications
University of Limerick
2017-2025
University of Sheffield
2010-2013
University of Twente
2004-2006
Linköping University
2002
Diphenylalanine (FF) represents the simplest peptide building block that self-assembles into ordered nanostructures with interesting physical properties. Among self-assembled structures, FF nanotubes display notable stiffness and piezoelectric parameters (Young's modulus = 19–27 GPa, strain coefficient d33 18 pC/N). Yet, inorganic alternatives remain major materials of choice for many applications due to higher piezoelectricity. Here, aiming broaden motif in chemistry, we designed three...
Single crystal L-amino acids can exhibit technologically useful piezoelectric and nonlinear optical properties. Here we predict, using density functional theory, the charge strain voltage tensors of racemic amino acid DL alanine, use modeling data to guide first macroscopic nanoscopic measurements on DL-alanine single crystals polycrystalline aggregates. We demonstrate generation up 0.8 V from films under simple manual compression, twice as high other crystals. Our results suggest that net...
The apparent piezoelectricity of biological materials is not yet fully understood at the molecular level. In particular, dynamic noncovalent interactions, such as host–guest binding, are included in classical piezoelectric model, which limits rational design eco-friendly supramolecular materials. Here, inspired by conformation-dependent mechanoresponse Piezo channel proteins, we show that guest–host interactions can amplify electromechanical response a conformationally mobile peptide...
The "Millipede", developed by Binnig and co-workers (Bining, G. K.; et al. IBM J. Res. Devel. 2000, 44, 323.), elegantly solves the problem of serial nature scanning probe lithography processes, deploying massive parallelism. Here we fuse "Millipede" concept with near-field photolithography to yield a "Snomipede" that is capable executing parallel chemical transformations at high resolution over macroscopic areas. Our prototype has sixteen probes are separately controllable using methodology...
Bioinspired assemblies bear massive potential for energy generation and storage. Yet, biological molecules have severe limitations charge transfer. Here, we report l-tryptophan-d-tryptophan assembling architectures comprising alternating water peptide layers. The extensive connection of results in significant dipole-dipole interactions piezoelectric response that can be further engineered by doping via iodine adsorption or isotope replacement with no change the chemical composition. This...
The current European (EU) policies, that is, the Green Deal, envisage safe and sustainable practices for chemicals, which include nanoforms (NFs), at earliest stages of innovation. A theoretically by design (SSbD) framework has been established from EU collaborative efforts toward definition quantitative criteria in each SSbD dimension, namely, human environmental safety dimension environmental, social, economic sustainability dimensions. In this study, we target demonstrate journey...
We report on the fabrication and electrical characterization of epitaxial Schottky diodes a half-metallic ferromagnet an oxide semiconductor. La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 thin films are grown by pulsed laser deposition niobium-doped SrTiO3 semiconductor substrates with two doping concentrations TiO2 surface termination. The current across is dominated thermionic emission shows high rectification low reverse bias leakage. At room temperature, barrier height 0.95 eV (0.65 eV) ideality factor 1.08 (1.18)...
Abstract Controlling the electromechanical response of piezoelectric biological structures including tissues, peptides, and amino acids provides new applications for biocompatible, sustainable materials in electronics medicine. Here, effect is revealed another class materials, with robust longitudinal shear piezoelectricity measured single crystals transmembrane protein ba 3 cytochrome c oxidase from Thermus thermophilus . The experimental findings piezoresponse force microscopy are...
ABSTRACT We present results of the direct observation, in real‐space, phase separation high molecular weight polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate) from ortho ‐xylene using our newly developed technique speed stroboscopic interference microscopy. Taking a fixed concentration (3 wt % o‐ xylene) at composition (1:4 by weight) varying rotational rate during spin‐coating process, we are able to observe formation range separated bicontinuous morphologies differing length‐scales. Importantly,...
Lower back pain is a major global health challenge that can often be caused by degeneration of the Intervertebral Disc (IVD). While IVD biomechanics are key factor in degenerative cycle, many mechanotransduction pathways remain unknown, particular electro-mechanical coupling loaded tissue. However, despite evidence for role mechanically-induced remodelling similar tissue, piezoelectricity has been overlooked IVD. In this study, we investigate piezoelectric properties Annulus Fibrosus (AF)...
Metronidazole (MNZ) is one of the extensively consumed generic antibiotics, which, due to its high resistance biological degradation, considered a potent environmental contaminant. In this study, we use CuO nanoparticles (NPs) for photocatalytic degradation MNZ. Photocatalytic NPs with crystallinity over 80% were synthesized using facile co‐precipitation method followed by calcination at temperature 500°C duration 1 h. characterized thoroughly investigate their opto‐structural properties. We...
Spin-dependent transport of nonequilibrium holes in ferromagnetic thin films and trilayers is investigated using ballistic hole magnetic microscopy. For Co, the attenuation length short increases from 6 to 10 A energy range 0.8 2 eV. The transmission a Ni(81)Fe(19)/Au/Co trilayer clearly spin dependent, resulting surprisingly large current change by factor 2.3 field. dependence cannot be explained phase space available for inelastic decay hot holes.
Pyroelectricity is the ability of certain non-centrosymmetric materials to generate an electric charge in response a change temperature and finds use range applications from burglar alarms thermal imaging. Some biological also exhibit pyroelectricity but examples effect are limited fibrous proteins, polypeptides, tissues organs animals plants. Here, we report polycrystalline aggregate films lysozyme, globular protein.
A technique to study nanoscale spin transport of holes is presented: ballistic hole magnetic microscopy. The tip a scanning tunneling microscope used inject hot electrons into ferromagnetic heterostructure, where inelastic decay creates distribution electron-hole pairs. Spin-dependent transmission the excited an underlying p-type semiconductor collector induces current in valence band semiconductor, with magnetocurrent values up 180%. spin-filtering obtain local hysteresis loops and imaging...
The ability to reliably measure electromechanical properties is crucial the advancement of materials design for applications in fields ranging from biology and medicine energy storage electronics. With relentless miniaturization device technology, perform this characterization on nanoscale paramount. Due its probe micro- nano-scales, piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) has become premier tool piezoelectric ferroelectric a new generation smart, functional materials. Despite widespread use...
The transport of hot holes across metal-semiconductor interfaces is studied using ballistic hole emission microscopy. From the tip a scanning tunneling microscope nonequilibrium are injected into thin metallic overlayer on p-type Si semiconductor, inducing current valence band. We have between and different metals (Au, Cu, Al). It found that magnitude transmitted depends strongly type metal, Schottky barrier height, energy distribution holes. In addition, we show significant yet smaller can...
The discovery of piezoelectricity in calcined thin films and sintered ceramics synthetic hydroxyapatite is interest to understand the role electricity bone growth find use piezoelectric implants stimulation or deceleration energy harvesting run spinal neuro stimulators. Synthetic apatites including a mixture tricalcium phosphates are extensively used graft substitute cement-less implant coating. We provide experimental evidence screen-printed thick-films hydroxyapatite, which may allow many...
We report fabrication and piezo- pyroelectric characterizations of spark plasma sintered (SPS) lead-free K <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0.5</sub> Na NbO xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> (KNN) ceramics. SPS sintering produced dense KNN (99% the theoretical density) at temperature as low 900°C. A significant improvement in dielectric, piezoelectric properties is observed after annealing sample 925°C. The...
Ballistic electron magnetic microscopy is used to study spin-dependent hot-electron transport and local switching of ferromagnetic thin films grown on a Au/Si(100) collector. For Ni80Fe20 films, the collector current factor 2 larger than for Co, consistent with shorter attenuation length Co. Ni80Fe20/Au/Co spin valves, reduced by 5 when relative magnetization layers changes from parallel antiparallel. By sweeping applied field, we obtain nanoscale hysteresis loops, where hot electrons are...