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Internal interfaces in Weyl semimetals (WSMs) are predicted to host distinct topological features that are different from the commonly studied external interfaces (crystal-to-vacuum boundaries). However, the lack of atomically sharp and crystallographically oriented internal interfaces in WSMs makes it difficult to experimentally investigate hidden topological states buried inside the material. Here, we study a unique internal interface known as merohedral twin boundary in chemically synthesized single-crystal nanowires (NWs) of CoSi, a chiral WSM of space group P213 (No. 198). High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals that this internal interface is (001) twin plane and connects two enantiomeric counterparts at an atomically sharp interface with inversion twinning. Ab-initio calculations show localized internal Fermi arcs at the (001) twin boundary that can be clearly distinguished from both external Fermi arcs and bulk states. These merohedrally twinned CoSi NWs provide an ideal material system to probe unexplored topological properties associated with internal interfaces in WSMs., Comment: 19 pages, 4 figures

Zinc metal anodes show great promise for cheap and safe energy storage devices. However, it remains challenging to regulate highly efficient Zn plating/stripping under a high depth of discharge (DOD). Guided by density functional theory calculation, we here synthesized an oxygen- and nitrogen-codoped carbon superstructure as an efficient host for high-DOD Zn metal anodes through rational monomer selection, polymer self-assembly, and structure-preserved carbonization. With microscale 3D hierarchical structures, microcrystalline graphitic layers, and zincophilic heteroatom dopants, a flower-shaped carbon (C

Chemical etching can create novel structures inaccessible by growth and provide complementary understanding on the growth mechanisms of complex nanostructures. Screw dislocation-driven growth influences the layer stackings of transition metal dichalcogenides (MX2) resulting in complex spiral morphologies. Herein, we experimentally and theoretically study the etching of screw dislocated WS2 and WSe2 nanostructures using H2O2 etchant. The kinetic Wulff constructions and Monte Carlo simulations establish the etching principles of single MX2 layers. Atomic force microscopy characterization reveals diverse etching morphology evolution behaviors around the dislocation cores and along the exterior edges, including triangular, hexagonal, or truncated hexagonal holes and smooth or rough edges. These behaviors are influenced by the edge orientations, layer stackings, and the strain of screw dislocations. Ab initio calculation and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations support the experimental observations and provide further mechanistic insights. This knowledge can help one to understand more complex structures created by screw dislocations through etching.

The orbital angular momentum (OAM) of light offers a new degree of freedom for light-matter interactions, yet how to control such interactions with this physical dimension remains open. Here, by developing a numerical method enabling optical OAM simulations, we provide insights into complex plasmon behaviors with the physical dimension of OAM, and we prove in theory that plasmonic nanostructures can function as efficient antennas to intercept and directionally reradiate the power of OAM beams. The interplay between optical OAM and spin angular momentum (SAM) generates novel particle polarizations and radiations, which were inaccessible before. For arrayed nanoparticles, coherent surface plasmons with specific phase retardations determined by OAM of the beams enable directional power radiations, making a phased array antenna. These findings expand our knowledge of nanoplasmonics in the OAM area and are promising for quantum information processing and dynamic sensing of ultraweak biosignals.

Metal halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs) recently have attracted great research attentions. However, blue-emitting perovskite QDs generally suffer from low photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) because of easily formed defects and insufficient surface passivation. Replacement of lead with low toxicity elements is also preferred toward potential commercial applications. Here, we apply Cl-passivation to boost the PLQY of MA3Bi2Br9 QDs to 54.1% at the wavelength of 422 nm, a new PLQY record for blue emissive, lead-free perovskite QDs. Because of the incompatible crystal structures between MA3Bi2Br9 and MA3Bi2Cl9 and the careful kinetic control during the synthesis, Cl– anions are engineered to mainly locate on the surface of QDs acting as passivating ligands, which effectively suppress surface defects and enhance the PLQY. Our results highlight the potential of MA3Bi2Br9 QDs for applications of phosphors, scintillators, and light-emitting diodes.

Two-dimensional (2D) layered metal dichalcogenides can form spiral nanostructures by a screw-dislocation-driven mechanism, which leads to changes in crystal symmetry and layer stackings that introduce attractive physical properties different from their bulk and few-layer nanostructures. However, controllable growth of spirals is challenging and their growth mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we report the controllable growth of WS2 spiral nanoplates with different stackings by a vapor phase deposition route and investigate their formation mechanisms by combining atomic force microscopy with second harmonic generation imaging. Previously not observed “spiral arm” features could be explained as covered dislocation spiral steps, and the number of spiral arms correlates with the number of screw dislocations initiated at the bottom plane. The supersaturation-dependent growth can generate new screw dislocations from the existing layers, or even new layers templated by existing screw dislocations. Different...

The facile chemical transformation of metal halide perovskites via ion exchange has been attributed to their “soft” crystal lattices that enable fast ion migration. Kinetic studies of such processes could provide mechanistic insights on the ion migration dynamics. Herein, by using aligned single-crystal nanowires of cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) perovskite on epitaxial substrates as platforms, we visualize and investigate the cation or anion interdiffusion kinetics via spatially resolved photoluminescence measurement on heterostructures fabricated by stacking CsPbCl3, MAPbI3, or MAPbBr3 microplates on top of CsPbBr3 nanowires. Time-dependent confocal photoluminescence microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed the solid-state anion interdiffusion readily occurs to result in halide concentration gradients along CsPbBr3–3xCl3x (x = 0–1) nanowires. Quantitative analysis of such composition profiles using Fick’s law allowed us, for the first time, to extract interdiffusion coefficients of the ...

The development of inexpensive electrode materials with a high volumetric capacity and long cycle-life is a central issue for large-scale lithium-ion batteries. Here, we report a nanostructured porous Fe2N anode fully encapsulated in carbon microboxes (Fe2N@C) prepared through a facile confined anion conversion from polymer coated Fe2O3 microcubes. The resulting carbon microboxes could not only protect the air-sensitive Fe2N from oxidation but also retain thin and stable SEI layer. The appropriate internal voids in the Fe2N cubes help to release the volume expansion during lithiation/delithiation processes, and Fe2N is kept inside the carbon microboxes without breaking the shell, resulting in a very low electrode volume expansion (the electrode thickness variation upon lithiation is ∼9%). Therefore, the Fe2N@C electrodes maintain high volumetric capacity (1030 mA h cm–3 based on the lithiation-state electrode volume) comparable to silicon anodes, stable cycling performance (a capacity retention of over 91...

Metastable structural polymorphs can have superior properties and applications to their thermodynamically stable phases, but the rational synthesis of metastable phases is a challenge. Here, a new strategy for stabilizing metastable phases using surface functionalization is demonstrated using the example of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite, which is metastable at room temperature (RT) but holds great promises in solar and light-emitting applications. We show that, through surface ligand functionalization during direct solution growth at RT, pure FAPbI3 in the cubic perovskite phase can be stabilized in nanostructures and thin films at RT without cation or anion alloying. Surface characterizations reveal that long-chain alkyl or aromatic ammonium (LA) cations bind to the surface of perovskite structure. Calculations show that such functionalization reduces the surface energy and plays a dominant role in stabilizing the metastable perovskite phase. Excellent photophysics and optically pumped la...

With the intense interest in inorganic cesium lead halide perovskites and their nanostructures for optoelectronic applications, high-quality crystalline nanomaterials with controllable morphologies and growth directions are desirable. Here, we report a vapor-phase epitaxial growth of horizontal single-crystal CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) nanowires (NWs) and microwires (MWs) with controlled crystallographic orientations on the (001) plane of phlogopite and muscovite mica. Moreover, single NWs, Y-shaped branches, interconnected NW or MW networks with 6-fold symmetry, and, eventually, highly dense epitaxial network of CsPbBr3 with nearly continuous coverage were controllably obtained by varying the growth time. Detailed structural study revealed that the CsPbBr3 wires grow along the [001] directions and have the (100) facets exposed. The incommensurate heteroepitaxial lattice match between the CsPbBr3 and mica crystal structures and the growth mechanism of these horizontal wires due to asymmetric lattice mismatch ...

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically stable vortex-like spin structures that are promising for next generation information storage applications. Materials that host magnetic skyrmions, such as MnSi and FeGe with the noncentrosymmetric cubic B20 crystal structure, have been shown to stabilize skyrmions upon nanostructuring. Here, we report a chemical vapor deposition method to selectively grow nanowires (NWs) of cubic FeGe out of three possible FeGe polymorphs for the first time using finely ground particles of cubic FeGe as seeds. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirm that these micron-length NWs with ∼100 nm to 1 μm diameters have the cubic B20 crystal structure. Although Fe13Ge8 NWs are also formed, the two types of NWs can be readily differentiated by their faceting. Lorentz TEM imaging of the cubic FeGe NWs reveals a skyrmion lattice phase under small applied magnetic fields (∼0.1 T) at 233 K, a skyrmion chain state at lower temperatures (95 K) and under high magnetic fi...

Two-dimensional (2D) layered metal dichalcogenides can form spiral nanostructures by a screw-dislocation-driven mechanism, which leads to changes in crystal symmetry and layer stackings that introduce attractive physical properties different from their bulk and few-layer nanostructures. However, controllable growth of spirals is challenging and their growth mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we report the controllable growth of WS

Using dynamic cantilever magnetometry we measure an enhanced skyrmion lattice phase extending from around 29 K down to at least 0.4 K in single MnSi nanowires (NWs). Although recent experiments on two-dimensional thin films show that reduced dimensionality stabilizes the skyrmion phase, our results are surprising given that the NW dimensions are much larger than the skyrmion lattice constant. Furthermore, the stability of the phase depends on the orientation of the NWs with respect to the applied magnetic field, suggesting that an effective magnetic anisotropy, likely due to the large surface-to-volume ratio of these nanostructures, is responsible for the stabilization. The compatibility of our technique with nanometer-scale samples paves the way for future studies on the effect of confinement and surfaces on magnetic skyrmions.

Understanding semiconductor surface states is critical for their applications, but fully characterizing surface electrical properties is challenging. Such a challenge is especially crippling for semiconducting iron pyrite (FeS2), whose potential for solar energy conversion has been suggested to be held back by rich surface states. Here, by taking advantage of the high surface-to-bulk ratio in nanostructures and effective electrolyte gating, we develop a general method to fully characterize both the surface inversion and bulk electrical transport properties for the first time through electrolyte-gated Hall measurements of pyrite nanoplate devices. Our study shows that pyrite is n-type in the bulk and p-type near the surface due to strong inversion and yields the concentrations and mobilities of both bulk electrons and surface holes. Further, solutions of the Poisson equation reveal a high-density of surface holes accumulated in a 1.3 nm thick strong inversion layer and an upward band bending of 0.9-1.0 eV. This work presents a general methodology for using transport measurements of nanostructures to study both bulk and surface transport properties of semiconductors. It also suggests that high-density of surface states are present on surface of pyrite, which partially explains the universal p-type conductivity and lack of photovoltage in polycrystalline pyrite.

The development of inexpensive electrode materials with a high volumetric capacity and long cycle-life is a central issue for large-scale lithium-ion batteries. Here, we report a nanostructured porous Fe

With the intense interest in inorganic cesium lead halide perovskites and their nanostructures for optoelectronic applications, high-quality crystalline nanomaterials with controllable morphologies and growth directions are desirable. Here, we report a vapor-phase epitaxial growth of horizontal single-crystal CsPbX

We investigate solution-grown single-crystal methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) nanowires and nanoplates with spatially resolved photocurrent mapping. Sensitive perovskite photodetectors with Schottky contacts are fabricated by directly transferring the nanostructures on top of prepatterned gold electrodes. Scanning photocurrent microscopy (SPCM) measurements on these single-crystal nanostructures reveal a minority charge carrier diffusion length up to 21 μm, which is significantly longer than the values observed in polycrystalline MAPbI3 thin films. When the excitation energy is close to the bandgap, the photocurrent becomes substantially stronger at the edges of nanostructures, which can be understood by the enhancement of light coupling to the nanostructures. These perovskite nanostructures with long carrier diffusion lengths and strong photonic enhancement not only provide an excellent platform for studying their intrinsic properties but may also boost the performance of perovskite-based optoelectron...

The excellent intrinsic optoelectronic properties of methylammonium lead halide perovskites (MAPbX3, X = Br, I), such as high photoluminescence quantum efficiency, long carrier lifetime, and high gain coupled with the facile solution growth of nanowires make them promising new materials for ultralow-threshold nanowire lasers. However, their photo and thermal stabilities need to be improved for practical applications. Herein, we report a low-temperature solution growth of single crystal nanowires of formamidinium lead halide perovskites (FAPbX3) that feature red-shifted emission and better thermal stability compared to MAPbX3. We demonstrate optically pumped room-temperature near-infrared (∼820 nm) and green lasing (∼560 nm) from FAPbI3 (and MABr-stabilized FAPbI3) and FAPbBr3 nanowires with low lasing thresholds of several microjoules per square centimeter and high quality factors of about 1500-2300. More remarkably, the FAPbI3 and MABr-stabilized FAPbI3 nanowires display durable room-temperature lasing under ∼10(8) shots of sustained illumination of 402 nm pulsed laser excitation (150 fs, 250 kHz), substantially exceeding the stability of MAPbI3 (∼10(7) laser shots). We further demonstrate tunable nanowire lasers in wider wavelength region from FA-based lead halide perovskite alloys (FA,MA)PbI3 and (FA,MA)Pb(I,Br)3 through cation and anion substitutions. The results suggest that formamidinium lead halide perovskite nanostructures could be more promising and stable materials for the development of light-emitting diodes and continuous-wave lasers.

Copper (Cu) nanowires (NWs) are inexpensive conducting nanomaterials intensively explored for transparent conducting electrodes and other applications. However, the mechanism for solution growth of Cu NWs remains elusive so far. Here we show that the one-dimensional anisotropic growth of Cu NWs and nanotubes (NTs) in solution is driven by axial screw dislocations. All three types of evidence for dislocation-driven growth have been conclusively observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques: rigorous two-beam TEM analysis that conclusively characterizes the dislocations in the NWs to be pure screw dislocations along110direction, twist contour analysis that confirms the presence of Eshelby twist associated with the dislocation, and the observation of spontaneously formed hollow NTs. The reduction-oxidation (redox) electrochemical reaction forming the Cu NWs presents new chemistry for controlling supersaturation to promote dislocation-driven NW growth. Using this understanding to intentionally manipulate the supersaturation, we have further improved the NW growth by using a continuous flow reactor to yield longer Cu NWs under much milder chemical conditions. The rational synthesis of Cu NWs with control over size and geometry will facilitate their applications.

In the current examples of dislocation-driven nanowire growth, the screw dislocations that propagate one-dimensional growth originate from spontaneously formed highly defective "seed" crystals. Here we intentionally utilize screw dislocations from defect-rich gallium nitride (GaN) thin films to propagate dislocation-driven growth, demonstrating epitaxial growth of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowires directly from aqueous solution. Atomic force microscopy confirms screw dislocations are present on the native GaN surface and ZnO nanowires grow directly from dislocation etch pits of heavily etched GaN surfaces. Furthermore, transmission electron microscopy confirms the existence of axial dislocations. Eshelby twist in the resulting ZnO nanowires was confirmed using bright-/dark-field imaging and twist contour analysis. These results further confirm the connection between dislocation source and nanowire growth. This may eventually lead to defect engineering strategies for rationally designed catalyst-free dislocation-driven nanowire growth for specific applications.

Single-crystal nanorods of half-metallic chromium dioxide (CrO2) were synthesized and structurally characterized. Spin-dependent electrical transport was investigated in individual CrO2 nanorod devices contacted with nonmagnetic metallic electrodes. Negative magnetoresistance (MR) was observed at low temperatures due to the spin-dependent direct tunneling through the contact barrier and the high spin polarization in the half-metallic nanorods. The magnitude of this negative magnetoresistance decreases with increasing bias voltage and temperature due to spin-independent inelastic hopping through the barrier, and a small positive magnetoresistance was found at room temperature. It is believed that the contact barrier and the surface state of the nanorods have great influence on the spin-dependent transport limiting the magnitude of MR effect in this first attempt at spin filter devices of CrO2 nanorods with nonmagnetic contacts.

We report single-crystal nanowires of magnetic semiconducting Fe1-xCoxSi alloys synthesized using a two-component single source precursor approach. Extending our previous syntheses of FeSi and CoSi nanowires from Fe(SiCl3)2(CO)4 and Co(SiCl3)(CO)4 precursors, we found that a homogeneous solution formed upon mixing these two precursors due to melting point suppression. This liquid constitutes the single-source precursor suitable for delivery through chemical vapor deposition, which enables the chemical synthesis of Fe1-xCoxSi alloy nanowires on silicon substrates covered with a thin (1-2 nm) SiO2 layer. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and mapping, we demonstrate two homogenously mixed alloy nanowire samples with very different Co substitution concentrations (x): 6+/-5%, the ferromagnetic semiconductor regime, and 44+/-5%, the helical magnetic regime. The magnetotransport properties of these alloy nanowires are pronouncedly different from that of the host structures FeSi and CoSi, as well as from one another, and consistent with the physical properties as expected for their corresponding compositions. These novel magnetic semiconducting silicide nanowires will be important building blocks for silicon-based spintronic nanodevices.

Ultralong, single-crystal Ni2Si nanowires sheathed with amorphous silicon oxide were synthesized on a large scale by a chemical vapor transport (CVT) method, using iodine as the transport reagent and Ni2Si powder as the source material. Structural characterization using powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy shows that the nanowires have Ni2Si-SiOx core-shell structure with single-crystal Ni2Si core and amorphous silicon oxide shell. The oxide shell is electrically insulating and can be removed by HF etching. Four-terminal electrical measurements show that the single-crystal nanowire has extremely low resistivity of 21 muOmega.cm and is capable of supporting remarkably high failure current density108 A/cm2. These unique Ni2Si nanowires are very attractive nanoscale building blocks for interconnects and fully silicided (FUSI) gate applications in nanoelectronics.

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are a family of two-dimensional (2D) materials with layered crystal structures that have found many applications. Common strategies to synthesize LDHs lead to a wide variety of morphologies, from discrete 2D nanosheets to nanoflowers. Here, we report a study of carefully controlled LDH nanoplate syntheses using zinc aluminum (ZnAl) and cobalt aluminum (CoAl) LDHs as examples and reveal their crystal growth to be driven by screw dislocations. By controlling and maintaining a low precursor supersaturation using a continuous flow reactor, individual LDH nanoplates with well-defined morphologies were synthesized on alumina-coated substrates, instead of the nanoflowers that result from uncontrolled overgrowth. The dislocation-driven growth was further established for LDH nanoplates directly synthesized using the respective metal salt precursors. Atomic force microscopy revealed screw dislocation growth spirals, and under transmission electron microscopy, thin CoAl LDH nanoplates displayed complex contrast contours indicative of strong lattice strain caused by dislocations. These results suggest the dislocation-driven mechanism is generally responsible for the growth of 2D LDH nanostructures, and likely other materials with layered crystal structures, which could help the rational synthesis of well-defined 2D nanomaterials with improved properties.

We report the controlled synthesis of NiCo layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplates using a newly developed high temperature high pressure hydrothermal continuous flow reactor (HCFR), which enables direct growth onto conductive substrates in high yield and, most importantly, better control of the precursor supersaturation and, thus, nanostructure morphology and size. The solution coordination chemistry of metal-ammonia complexes was utilized to synthesize well-defined NiCo LDH nanoplates directly in a single step without topochemical oxidation. The as-grown NiCo LDH nanoplates exhibit a high catalytic activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). By chemically exfoliating LDH nanoplates to thinner nanosheets, the catalytic activity can be further enhanced to yield an electrocatalytic current density of 10 mA cm(-2) at an overpotential of 367 mV and a Tafel slope of 40 mV dec(-1). Such enhancement could be due to the increased surface area and more exposed active sites. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) suggests the exfoliation also caused some changes in electronic structure. This work presents general strategies to controllably grow nanostructures of LDH and ternary oxide/hydroxides in general and to enhance the electrocatalytic performance of layered nanostructures by exfoliation.

A general strategy for the parallel and scalable integration of nanowire devices over large areas without the need to register individual nanowire−electrode interconnects has been developed. The ap...

The merger of nanoscale building blocks with flexible and/or low cost substrates could enable the development of high-performance electronic and photonic devices with the potential to impact a broad spectrum of applications. Here we demonstrate that high-quality, single-crystal nanowires can be assembled onto inexpensive glass and flexible plastic substrates to create basic transistor and light-emitting diode devices. In our approach, the high-temperature synthesis of single-crystal nanowires is separated from ambient-temperature solution-based assembly to enable the fabrication of single-crystal-like devices on virtually any substrate. Silicon nanowire field-effect transistors were assembled on glass and plastic substrates and display device parameters rivaling those of single-crystal silicon and exceeding those of state-of-the-art amorphous silicon and organic transistors currently used for flexible electronics on plastic substrates. Nanowire transistor devices have been configured as low-threshold logi...

The assembly of nanowires and nanotubes into arrays patterned on multiple length scales is critical to the realization of integrated electronic and photonic nanotechnologies. A general and efficient solution-based method for controlling organization and hierarchy of nanowire structures over large areas has been developed. Nanowires were aligned with controlled nanometer to micrometer scale pitch using the Langmuir−Blodgett technique and transferred to planar substrates in a layer-by-layer process to form parallel and crossed nanowire structures. The parallel and crossed nanowire structures were efficiently patterned into repeating arrays of controlled dimensions and pitch using photolithography to yield hierarchical structures with order defined from the nanometer through centimeter length scales. In addition, electrical transport studies show that reliable electrical contacts can be made to the hierarchical nanowire arrays prepared by this method. This solution-based process offers a flexible pathway for...

A general and scalable method has been developed for patterning nanometer scale lines hierarchically over large areas using nanowires as masks for etching and deposition. Core-shell nanowires with controlled diameter and shell dimensions were aligned with nanometer to micrometer scale pitches using a Langmuir-Blodgett approach and then transferred en mass to planar substrates. Transferred nanowires were used as deposition masks to define metal lines with pitches from the nanometer to micrometer scale over centimeter square areas. Hierarchical parallel nanowire arrays were also prepared and used as masks to define nanometer pitch lines in 10 × 10 Im 2 arrays repeated with a 25 Im array pitch over centimeter square areas. This nanolithography method represents a highly scalable and flexible pathway for defining nanometer scale lines on multiple length scales and thus has substantial potential for enabling the fabrication of integrated nanosystems.

We report a facile chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of vertical heterostructures of layered metal dichalcogenides (MX2) enabled by van der Waals epitaxy. Few layers of MoS2, WS2, and WSe2 were grown uniformly onto microplates of SnS2 under mild CVD reaction conditions (500 °C) and the heteroepitaxy between them was confirmed using cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and unequivocally characterized by resolving the large-area Moiré patterns that appeared on the basal planes of microplates in conventional TEM (nonsectioned). Additional photoluminescence peaks were observed in heterostructures of MoS2-SnS2, which can be understood with electronic structure calculations to likely result from electronic coupling and charge separation between MoS2 and SnS2 layers. This work opens up the exploration of large-area heterostructures of diverse MX2 nanomaterials as the material platform for electronic structure engineering of atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) semiconducting heterostructures and device applications.

Topologically stable magnetic skyrmions realized in B20 metal silicide or germanide compounds with helimagnetic order are very promising for magnetic memory and logic devices. However, these applications are hindered because the skyrmions only survive in a small temperature-field (T-H) pocket near the critical temperature Tc in bulk materials. Here we demonstrate that the skyrmion state in helimagnetic MnSi nanowires with varied sizes from 400 to 250 nm can exist in a substantially extended T-H region. Magnetoresistance measurements under a moderate external magnetic field along the long axis of the nanowires (H∥) show transitions corresponding to the skyrmion state from Tc ∼32 K down to at least 3 K, the lowest temperature in our measurement. When the field is applied perpendicular to the wire axis (H⊥), the skyrmion state was not resolvable using the magnetoresistance measurements. Our analysis suggests that the shape-induced uniaxial anisotropy might be responsible for the stabilization of skyrmion state observed in nanowires.

We report here the real-space observation of skyrmions and helical magnetic domains in a MnSi nanowire (NW) using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM). The MnSi NW was thinned to a rectangular cross-section by focused-ion beam milling to reduce obstructive Fresnel fringes. Helimagnetic domains, imaged as alternating bright and dark contrast stripes with an 18 nm period, were observed to be the spontaneous magnetic ground state at 6 K, while the hexagonal skyrmion lattice (SkX) with a domain diameter of 18 nm was observed under a normal magnetic field of 210 mT. Temperature-dependent measurements reveal that the SkX is stable over a larger range in this NW system (6-35 K) compared to the narrow temperature regime of skyrmion phase in bulk MnSi (26-30 K) and thin films of MnSi (5-23 K).

We present a general methodology for measuring the Hall effect on nanostructures with one-dimensional (1D) nanowire morphology. Relying only on typical e-beam lithography, the methodology developed herein utilizes an angled electrode evaporation technique so that the nanowire itself is a shadow mask and an intimate sidewall contact can be formed for the Hall electrodes. A six-contact electrode scheme with offset transverse contacts is utilized that allows monitoring of both the longitudinal resistivity and the Hall resistivity which is extracted from the raw voltage from the transverse electrodes using an antisymmetrization procedure. Our method does not require the use of a highly engineered lithographic process to produce directly opposing Hall electrodes with a very small gap. Hall effect measurements on semiconducting iron pyrite (FeS2) nanowire devices are validated by comparing to Hall effect measurements in the conventional Hall geometry using FeS2 plate devices. This Hall effect measurement is further extended to MnSi nanowires, and the distinct anomalous Hall effect signature is identified for the first time in chiral magnetic MnSi nanowires, a significant step toward identifying the topological Hall effect due to skyrmions in chiral magnetic nanowires.

The increasing demands from large-scale energy applications call for the development of lithium-ion battery (LIB) electrode materials with high energy density. Earth abundant conversion cathode material iron trifluoride (FeF(3)) has a high theoretical capacity (712 mAh g(-1)) and the potential to double the energy density of the current cathode material based on lithium cobalt oxide. Such promise has not been fulfilled due to the nonoptimal material properties and poor kinetics of the electrochemical conversion reactions. Here, we report for the first time a high-capacity LIB cathode that is based on networks of FeF(3) nanowires (NWs) made via an inexpensive and scalable synthesis. The FeF(3) NW cathode yielded a discharge capacity as high as 543 mAh g(-1) at the first cycle and retained a capacity of 223 mAh g(-1) after 50 cycles at room temperature under the current of 50 mA g(-1). Moreover, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy revealed the existence of continuous networks of Fe in the lithiated FeF(3) NWs after discharging, which is likely an important factor for the observed improved electrochemical performance. The loss of active material (FeF(3)) caused by the increasingly ineffective reconversion process during charging was found to be a major factor responsible for the capacity loss upon cycling. With the advantages of low cost, large quantity, and ease of processing, these FeF(3) NWs are not only promising battery cathode materials but also provide a convenient platform for fundamental studies and further improving conversion cathodes in general.

We report for the first time the facile solution growth of α-FeF(3)·3H(2)O nanowires (NWs) in large quantity at a low supersaturation level and their scalable conversion to porous semiconducting α-Fe(2)O(3) (hematite) NWs of high aspect ratio via a simple thermal treatment in air. The structural characterization by transmission electron microscopy shows that thin α-FeF(3)·3H(2)O NWs (typically100 nm in diameter) are converted to single-crystal α-Fe(2)O(3) NWs with internal pores, while thick ones (typically100 nm in diameter) become polycrystalline porous α-Fe(2)O(3) NWs. We further demonstrated the photoelectrochemical (PEC) application of the nanostructured photoelectrodes prepared from these converted hematite NWs. The optimized photoelectrode with a ~400 nm thick hematite NW film yielded a photocurrent density of 0.54 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode potential after modification with cobalt catalyst under standard conditions (AM 1.5 G, 100 mW/cm(2), pH = 13.6, 1 M NaOH). The low cost, large quantity, and high aspect ratio of the converted hematite NWs, together with the resulting simpler photoelectrode preparation, can be of great benefit for hematite-based PEC water splitting. Furthermore, the ease and scalability of the conversion from hydrated fluoride NWs to oxide NWs suggest a potentially versatile and low-cost strategy to make NWs of other useful iron-based compounds that may enable their large-scale renewable energy applications.

We report the dislocation-driven growth of two-dimensional (2D) nanoplates. They are another type of dislocation-driven nanostructure and could find application in energy storage, catalysis, and nanoelectronics. We first focus on nanoplates of zinc hydroxy sulfate (3Zn(OH)(2)·ZnSO(4)·0.5H(2)O) synthesized from aqueous solutions. Both powder X-ray and electron diffraction confirm the zinc hydroxy sulfate (ZHS) crystal structure as well as their conversion to zinc oxide (ZnO). Scanning electron, atomic force, and transmission electron microscopy reveal the presence of screw dislocations in the ZHS nanoplates. We further demonstrate the generality of this mechanism through the growth of 2D nanoplates of α-Co(OH)(2), Ni(OH)(2), and gold that can also follow the dislocation-driven growth mechanism. Finally, we propose a unified scheme general to any crystalline material that explains the growth of nanoplates as well as different dislocation-driven nanomaterial morphologies previously observed through consideration of the relative crystal growth step velocities at the dislocation core versus the outer edges of the growth spiral under various supersaturations.

We report the synthesis, structural characterization, and magnetotransport of single-crystalline nanowires of manganese monosilicide, MnSi. Bulk MnSi has unusual magnetic orderings, helimagnetism, and skyrmions at ambient pressure, and high pressure studies have revealed partial magnetic ordering and non-Fermi liquid behavior. MnSi nanowires were synthesized using chemical vapor deposition of MnCl(2) onto silicon substrates. The morphology, structure, and composition of these nanowires were analyzed using electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The low-temperature magnetoresistance characteristics of MnSi nanowires reveal the first signature of helimagnetism in one-dimensional nanomaterials.

We report for the first time the chemical synthesis of free-standing single-crystal nanowires (NWs) of FeSi, the only transition-metal Kondo insulator and the host structure for ferromagnetic semiconductor Fe(x)Co(1-x)Si. Straight and smooth FeSi nanowires are produced on silicon substrates covered with a thin layer of silicon oxide through the decomposition of the single-source organometallic precursor trans-Fe(SiCl3)2(CO)4 in a simple chemical vapor deposition process. Unlike typical vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) NW growth, FeSi NWs form without the addition of metal catalysts, have no catalyst tips, and depend strongly on the surface employed. X-ray spectroscopy verifies the identity and the room-temperature metallic nature of FeSi NWs. Room-temperature electrical transport measurements using NW devices show an average resistivity of 210 micro Omega cm, similar to the value for bulk FeSi. Investigations into the low-temperature physical properties of the first one-dimensional Kondo insulator and the possible new NW growth mechanism are underway. This unique synthetic approach to FeSi NWs will be generally applicable to many other transition-metal silicides.