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    Persistent peri-Heptacene: Synthesis and In Situ Characterization
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2021) Ajayakumar, M.R.; Ma, Ji; Lucotti, Andrea; Schellhammer, Karl Sebastian; Serra, Gianluca; Dmitrieva, Evgenia; Rosenkranz, Marco; Komber, Hartmut; Liu, Junzhi; Ortmann, Frank; Tommasini, Matteo; Feng, Xinliang
    n-peri-Acenes (n-PAs) have gained interest as model systems of zigzag-edged graphene nanoribbons for potential applications in nanoelectronics and spintronics. However, the synthesis of n-PAs larger than peri-tetracene remains challenging because of their intrinsic open-shell character and high reactivity. Presented here is the synthesis of a hitherto unknown n-PA, that is, peri-heptacene (7-PA), in which the reactive zigzag edges are kinetically protected with eight 4-tBu-C6H4 groups. The formation of 7-PA is validated by high-resolution mass spectrometry and in situ FT-Raman spectroscopy. 7-PA displays a narrow optical energy gap of 1.01 eV and exhibits persistent stability (t1/2≈25 min) under inert conditions. Moreover, electron-spin resonance measurements and theoretical studies reveal that 7-PA exhibits an open-shell feature and a significant tetraradical character. This strategy could be considered a modular approach for the construction of next-generation (3 N+1)-PAs (where N≥3). © 2021 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH
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    DNA Nanotechnology Enters Cell Membranes
    (Weinheim : Wiley-VCH, 2019) Huo, Shuaidong; Li, Hongyan; Boersma, Arnold J.; Herrmann, Andreas
    DNA is more than a carrier of genetic information: It is a highly versatile structural motif for the assembly of nanostructures, giving rise to a wide range of functionalities. In this regard, the structure programmability is the main advantage of DNA over peptides, proteins, and small molecules. DNA amphiphiles, in which DNA is covalently bound to synthetic hydrophobic moieties, allow interactions of DNA nanostructures with artificial lipid bilayers and cell membranes. These structures have seen rapid growth with great potential for medical applications. In this Review, the current state of the art of the synthesis of DNA amphiphiles and their assembly into nanostructures are first summarized. Next, an overview on the interaction of these DNA amphiphiles with membranes is provided, detailing on the driving forces and the stability of the interaction. Moreover, the interaction with cell surfaces in respect to therapeutics, biological sensing, and cell membrane engineering is highlighted. Finally, the challenges and an outlook on this promising class of DNA hybrid materials are discussed.
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    Femtosecond Field‐Driven On‐Chip Unidirectional Electronic Currents in Nonadiabatic Tunneling Regime
    (Weinheim : Wiley VCH, 2021) Shi, Liping; Babushkin, Ihar; Husakou, Anton; Melchert, Oliver; Frank, Bettina; Yi, Juemin; Wetzel, Gustav; Demircan, Ayhan; Lienau, Christoph; Giessen, Harald; Ivanov, Misha; Morgner, Uwe; Kovacev, Milutin
    Recently, asymmetric plasmonic nanojunctions have shown promise as on-chip electronic devices to convert femtosecond optical pulses to current bursts, with a bandwidth of multi-terahertz scale, although yet at low temperatures and pressures. Such nanoscale devices are of great interest for novel ultrafast electronics and opto-electronic applications. Here, the device is operated in air and at room temperature, revealing the mechanisms of photoemission from plasmonic nanojunctions, and the fundamental limitations on the speed of optical-to-electronic conversion. Inter-cycle interference of coherent electronic wavepackets results in a complex energy electron distribution and birth of multiphoton effects. This energy structure, as well as reshaping of the wavepackets during their propagation from one tip to the other, determine the ultrafast dynamics of the current. It is shown that, up to some level of approximation, the electron flight time is well-determined by the mean ponderomotive velocity in the driving field.
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    Comparative Analysis of Raman Signal Amplifying Effectiveness of Silver Nanostructures with Different Morphology
    (Basel : MDPI, 2022) Yakimchuk, Dzmitry V.; Khubezhov, Soslan A.; Prigodich, Uladzislau V.; Tishkevich, Daria I.; Trukhanov, Sergei V.; Trukhanov, Alex V.; Sivakov, Vladimir; Kaniukov, Egor Y.
    To increase the attractiveness of the practical application of molecular sensing methods, the experimental search for the optimal shape of silver nanostructures allowing to increase the Raman cross section by several orders of magnitude is of great interest. This paper presents a detailed study of spatially separated plasmon-active silver nanostructures grown in SiO2/Si template pores with crystallite, dendrite, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures shapes. Nile blue and 2-mercaptobenzothiazole were chosen as the model analytes for comparative evaluation of the Raman signal amplification efficiency using these structures. It was discussed the features of the structures for the enhancement of Raman intensity. Finally, we showed that silver crystals, dendrites, and “sunflower-like” nanostructures in SiO2/Si template could be used as the relevant materials for Raman signal amplification, but with different efficiency.
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    Timescales of self-healing in human bone tissue and polymeric ionic liquids
    (London : Institution of Civil Engineers, 2014) Akbarzadeh, Johanna; Puchegger, Stephan; Stojanovic, Anja; Kirchner, Helmut O.K.; Binder, Wolfgang H.; Bernstorff, Sigrid; Zioupos, Peter; Peterlik, Herwig
    Strain (stress-free) relaxation in mechanically prestrained bone has a time constant of 75 s. It occurs by a reorganization of the proteoglycan-glycoprotein matrix between collagen fibers, which requires ionic interactions. Dissolving and relinking the ionic bonds is thus an important tool of nature to enable plastic deformation and to develop self-healing tissues. A way to transfer this approach to technical materials is the attachment of ionic end groups to polymeric chains. In these classes of materials, the so-called polymeric ionic liquids, structural recovery of thermally disorganized material is observed. A time constant between minutes and a week could be achieved, also by ionic rearrangement. The same mechanism, rearrangement of ionic bonds, can lead to vastly different relaxation times when the ionic interaction is varied by exchange of the cationic end groups or the anions.
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    Can One Series of Self-Organized Nanoripples Guide Another Series of Self-Organized Nanoripples during Ion Bombardment: From the Perspective of Power Spectral Density Entropy?
    (Basel : MDPI, 2023) Li, Hengbo; Li, Jinyu; Yang, Gaoyuan; Liu, Ying; Frost, Frank; Hong, Yilin
    Ion bombardment (IB) is a promising nanofabrication tool for self-organized nanostructures. When ions bombard a nominally flat solid surface, self-organized nanoripples can be induced on the irradiated target surface, which are called intrinsic nanoripples of the target material. The degree of ordering of nanoripples is an outstanding issue to be overcome, similar to other self-organization methods. In this study, the IB-induced nanoripples on bilayer systems with enhanced quality are revisited from the perspective of guided self-organization. First, power spectral density (PSD) entropy is introduced to evaluate the degree of ordering of the irradiated nanoripples, which is calculated based on the PSD curve of an atomic force microscopy image (i.e., the Fourier transform of the surface height. The PSD entropy can characterize the degree of ordering of nanoripples). The lower the PSD entropy of the nanoripples is, the higher the degree of ordering of the nanoripples. Second, to deepen the understanding of the enhanced quality of nanoripples on bilayer systems, the temporal evolution of the nanoripples on the photoresist (PR)/antireflection coating (ARC) and Au/ARC bilayer systems are compared with those of single PR and ARC layers. Finally, we demonstrate that a series of intrinsic IB-induced nanoripples on the top layer may act as a kind of self-organized template to guide the development of another series of latent IB-induced nanoripples on the underlying layer, aiming at improving the ripple ordering. The template with a self-organized nanostructure may alleviate the critical requirement for periodic templates with a small period of ~100 nm. The work may also provide inspiration for guided self-organization in other fields.
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    Nanotrimer enhanced optical fiber tips implemented by electron beam lithography
    (Washington D.C. : Optical Society of America, 2018) Wang, Ning; Zeisberger, Matthias; Hübner, Uwe; Schmidt, Markus A.
    Here we present a novel fabrication approach that allows for the implementation of sophisticated planar nanostructures with deep subwavelength dimensions on fiber end faces by electron beam lithography. Specifically, we planarize the end faces of fiber bundles such that they are compatible with planar nanostructuring technology, with the result that fibers can be treated in the same way as typical wafers, opening up the entire field of nanotechnology for fiber optics. To demonstrate our approach, we have implemented densely-packed arrays of gold nanotrimers on the end face of 50 cm long standard single mode fibers, showing asymmetrical resonance lineshapes that arise due to the interplay of diffractive coupling of the individual timer response at infrared wavelengths that overlap with the single mode regime of typical telecommunication fibers. Refractive index sensing experiments suggest sensitivities of about 390 nm/RIU, representing the state-of-the-art for such a device type. Due to its unique capability of making optical fibers compatible with planar nanostructuring technology, we anticipate our approach to be applied in numerous fields including bioanalytics, telecommunications, nonlinear photonics, optical trapping and beam shaping.
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    Light coupling between vertical III-As nanowires and planar Si photonic waveguides for the monolithic integration of active optoelectronic devices on a Si platform
    (Washington, DC : Optical Society of America, 2016) Giuntoni, Ivano; Geelhaar, Lutz; Bruns, Jürgen; Riechert, Henning
    We present a new concept for the optical interfacing between vertical III-As nanowires and planar Si waveguides. The nanowires are arranged in a two-dimensional array which forms a grating structure on top of the waveguide. This grating enables light coupling in both directions between the components made from the two different material classes. Numerical simulations show that this concept permits a light extraction efficiency from the waveguide larger than 45% and a light insertion efficiency larger than 35%. This new approach would allow the monolithic integration of nanowire-based active optoelectronics devices, like photodetectors and light sources, on the Si photonics platform.
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    Orientation‐dependent nanostructuring of titanium surfaces by low‐energy ion beam erosion
    (Chichester [u.a.] : Wiley, 2020) Bauer, Jens; Frost, Frank
    Regular nanoscopic ripple and dot patterns are fabricated on poly-crystalline titanium samples by irradiation with 1.5 keV argon ions at normal incidence. The morphology of the nanostructures is investigated by scanning electron microscopy and scanning force microscopy. The ripple structures exhibit a saw-tooth cross-section profile. Electron backscatter diffraction experiments are performed to analyze the local grain structure. The study suggests a distinct correlation of the nanostructure morphology to the crystallographic orientation of the titanium surface.
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    Spontaneous periodic ordering on the surface and in the bulk of dielectrics irradiated by ultrafast laser: A shared electromagnetic origin
    (London : Nature Publishing Group, 2017) Rudenko, Anton; Colombier, Jean-Philippe; Höhm, Sandra; Rosenfeld, Arkadi; Krüger, Jörg; Bonse, Jörn; Itina, Tatiana E.
    Periodic self-organization of matter beyond the diffraction limit is a puzzling phenomenon, typical both for surface and bulk ultrashort laser processing. Here we compare the mechanisms of periodic nanostructure formation on the surface and in the bulk of fused silica. We show that volume nanogratings and surface nanoripples having subwavelength periodicity and oriented perpendicular to the laser polarization share the same electromagnetic origin. The nanostructure orientation is defined by the near-field local enhancement in the vicinity of the inhomogeneous scattering centers. The periodicity is attributed to the coherent superposition of the waves scattered at inhomogeneities. Numerical calculations also support the multipulse accumulation nature of nanogratings formation on the surface and inside fused silica. Laser surface processing by multiple laser pulses promotes the transition from the high spatial frequency perpendicularly oriented nanoripples to the low spatial frequency ripples, parallel or perpendicular to the laser polarization. The latter structures also share the electromagnetic origin, but are related to the incident field interference with the scattered far-field of rough non-metallic or transiently metallic surfaces. The characteristic ripple appearances are predicted by combined electromagnetic and thermo-mechanical approaches and supported by SEM images of the final surface morphology and by time-resolved pump-probe diffraction measurements.