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Abstract Early diagnosis of acute diseases is restricted by the sensitivity and complex process of sample treatment. Here, an ultrasensitive, rapid, and portable electrochemiluminescence‐microfluidic (ECL‐M) system is described via sandwich‐type immunoassay and surface plasmonic resonance (SPR) assay. Using a sandwich immunoreaction approach, the ECL‐M system employs cardiac troponin‐I antigen (cTnI) as a detection model with a Ru@SiO2 NPs labeled antibody as the signal probe. For miR‐499‐5p detection, gold nanoparticles generate SPR effects to enhance Ru(bpy)32+ ECL signals. The system based on alternating current (AC) electroosmotic flow achieves an LOD of 2 fg mL−1 for cTnI in 5 min and 10 aM for miRNAs in 10 min at room temperature. The point‐of‐care testing (POCT) device demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 98% specificity for cTnI detection in 123 clinical serum samples. For miR‐499‐5p, it exhibited 100% sensitivity and 97% specificity in 55 clinical serum samples. Continuous monitoring of these biomarkers in rats' saliva, urine, and interstitial fluid samples for 48 hours revealed observations rarely documented in biotic fluids. The ECL‐M POCT device stands as a top‐performing system for ECL analysis, offering immense potential for ultrasensitive, rapid, highly accurate, and facile detection and monitoring of acute diseases in POC settings.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a disease caused by the infectious agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The primary method of diagnosing SARS-CoV-2 is nucleic acid detection, but this method requires specialized equipment and is time consuming. Therefore, a sensitive, simple, rapid, and low-cost diagnostic test is needed. Graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) biosensors have become the most promising diagnostic technology for detecting SARS-CoV-2 due to their advantages of high sensitivity, fast-detection speed, label-free operation, and low detection limit. This review mainly focus on three types of GFET biosensors to detect SARS-CoV-2. GFET biosensors can quickly identify SARS-CoV-2 within ultra-low detection limits. Finally, we will outline the pros and cons of the diagnostic approaches as well as future directions.

Abstract In principle, polymerization tends to produce amorphous or poorly crystalline materials. Efficiently producing high-quality single crystals by polymerization in solvent remains as an unsolved issue in chemistry, especially for covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with highly complex structures. To produce μm-sized single crystals, the growth time is prolonged to >15 days, far away from the requirements in practical applications. Here, we find supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2) accelerates single-crystal polymerization by 10,000,000 folds, and produces two-dimensional (2D) COF single crystals with size up to 0.2 mm within 2~5 min. Although it is the fastest single-crystal polymerization, the growth in sc-CO2 leads to not only the largest crystal size of 2D COFs, but also higher quality with improved photoconductivity performance. This work overcomes traditional concept on low efficiency of single-crystal polymerization, and holds great promise for future applications owing to its efficiency, industrial compatibility, environmental friendliness and universality for different crystalline structures and linkage bonds.

Wireless indoor localization technology is a hot research field at present. Its basic principle is to estimate the geometric position of the mobile node by measuring the characteristic parameters of the propagation signal between the mobile node and the beacon node. However, in the process of position estimation, there are non-line-of-sight errors such as multipath propagation, which greatly reduces the localization accuracy. This paper proposes an enhanced closest neighbor data association approach based on ultra-wide band (UWB) measurement. First, the measured values were grouped to obtain a series of undetermined prediction position points, and the undetermined points were put into our set verification gate for screening. Then, the particle filter was introduced to weight and redistribute the position estimation after screening, removing the NLOS-contaminated location estimation from consideration. The position estimation group with low error was finally confirmed and weighted again by the nearest neighbor association algorithm. Simulation results showed that the average localization accuracy of the proposed method was about 1 m. Compared with the existing localization algorithms, the proposed method can successfully reduce the influence of NLOS error and obtain higher localization accuracy.

Field-effect transistor (FET) sensors require not only high sensitivity but also excellent regeneration ability before widespread applications are possible. Although some regenerative FETs have been reported, their lowest limit of detection (LoD) barely achieves 10−15 mol L−1. Here, we develop a graphene FET with a regenerative sensing interface based on dynamic covalent chemistry (DCvC). The LoD down to 5.0 × 10−20 mol L−1 remains even after 10 regenerative cycles, around 4–5 orders of magnitude lower than existing transistor sensors. Owing to its ultra-sensitivity, regeneration ability, and advantages such as simplicity, low cost, label-free and real-time response, the FET sensor based on DCvC is valuable in applications such as medical diagnosis, environment monitoring, etc.

Field effect transistors based on graphene hold promise for future sensing applications. Here, the authors report a free radical sensor in which the •OH radical cuts cysteamine to release Cd2 + from the electrolyte/graphene interface and selectively detects •OH with a concentration down to 10−9 M.

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) is an industrially compatible microelectronics technology. Here, the authors use PECVD to obtain low-temperature, catalyst-free growth of poly-crystalline two-dimensional hexagonal-boron nitride, thus enabling superior thermal dissipation in WSe2 field-effect transistors with mobility up to 121 cm2 V−1 s−1.

To realize efficient optoelectronic devices based on two-dimensional (2D) organic crystals, optimizing the photoelectrical response and growth of these materials at the 2D limit is vital. Here, the authors report enhanced internal photoresponse in large-area 2D crystals using a novel growth method.

Abstract Terahertz (THz) photon detection is of particular appealing for myriad applications, but it still lags behind efficient manipulation with electronics and photonics due to the lack of a suitable principle satisfying both high sensitivity and fast response at room temperature. Here, a new strategy is proposed to overcome these limitations by exploring the photothermoelectric (PTE) effect in an ultrashort (down to 30 nm) channel with black phosphorus as a photoactive material. The preferential flow of hot carriers is enabled by the asymmetric Cr/Au and Ti/Au metallization with the titled‐angle evaporation technique. Most intriguingly, orders of magnitude field‐enhancement beyond the skin‐depth limit and photon absorption across a broadband frequency can be achieved. The PTE detector has excellent sensitivity of 297 V W−1, noise equivalent power less than 58 pW/Hz0.5, and response time below 0.8 ms, which is superior to other thermal‐based detectors at room temperature. A rigorous comparison with existing THz detectors, together with verification by further optical‐pumping and imaging experiments, substantiates the importance of the localized field effect in the skin‐depth limit. The results allow solid understanding on the role of PTE effect played in the THz photoresponse, opening up new opportunities for developing highly sensitive THz detectors for addressing targeted applications.

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a promising technology for sensitive optical sensors, generally using rough metal films. Here, Liu et al. synthesize high-quality graphene quantum dot films which offer a large SERS enhancement due to a strong light-matter interaction with Van Hove singularities.

Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have attracted intensive attention owing to their permanent nanoporosity, large surface area and possibility for functionalization, however their application in energy storage suffers from poor conductivity and low hetero-atom content. Here, we demonstrate a hybrid of conjugated microporous polymers and graphene aerogel with improved conductivity. After treating at 800°C in NH3, the nitrogen content increases to 9.8%. The resulting microporous carbon exhibits a significant rise in supercapacitive performance up to 325 F g−1, 55% higher than pristine triazine-based CMPs, with energy density up to 12.95 Wh kg−1. Moreover, it has high stability with 99% retention after 10,000 cycles at 5 A g−1. The synergy of hierarchical porous structure, graphene-based conduction path and high percentage of hybridization with nitrogen ensures effective ion/electron transport and diffusion, making NH3-treated graphene aerogel/CMP hybrid a promising electrode material in high-performance supercapacitor.

A new magnetism-assisted chemical vapor deposition method is devised to produce and synthesize branched or iron-capsulated carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The coalescence or the division of the catalyst particles is found to being promoted by the external magnetic field, providing such CNTs.

A template chemical vapor deposition method was developed for scalable synthesis of few-layer graphene ribbons (FLGRs) with controlled morphologies. The realized controllable and scalable synthesis of graphene provides an application of graphene in nanoelectromechanic (NEM) switches and to conduct valuable studies for both the scientific and the practical applications of graphene.

The outstanding electronic properties of low-cost organic transistors and invertors that use the M-TCNQ (M-Ag or Cu)-modified Ag or Cu source-drain (S-D) electrodes in bottom-contact configurations are described. It is shown that the contact resistance and energetic mismatch typically observed with the low-cost bare electrodes in the petacene bottom-contact organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) can be properly removed.

Perovskite single crystals exhibit extraordinary optoelectronic performances due to their advantages such as low trap-state densities, long carrier diffusion, and large absorption coefficient, and thus, photodetectors based on perovskite single crystals have attracted much research interest. Unlike the reported one-component single-crystal perovskite photodetectors, here, we have developed a facile two-step approach to fabricate a core-shell heterojunction based on the CH3NH3PbBr3 single crystal. A photodetector made of the as-prepared perovskite heterojunction renders the feature of self-power attributed to a built-in electric field in the junction and exhibits a wavelength-dependent responsivity with a peak responsivity up to 11.5mAW-1 under 450nm irradiation at zero bias, which is one order of magnitude higher than the CH3NH3PbBr3 single crystal and shows a maximum external quantum efficiency of 3.17%, also higher than the reported 0.2% of the CH3NH3PbBr3 single crystal. Our work may lead to more efficient self-powered heterojunction systems based on perovskite single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional (1D) nanostructures of the wide band gap semiconductors are promising building blocks for photoelectric nanodevices. However, some problems like strong 1D confinement largely hamper their applications. To avoid these problems, here, we provide another 1D configuration, in which an inner-wire coaxial Schottky junction exists, thus effectively avoiding the recombination of the photoexcited carriers. As an example, we produce ZnS/carbon nanotube nanocables with uniform morphologies by a two-step vapor deposition method and find that they have good conductance, obvious light response, and ohmic contacts with electrodes, avoiding the limitations of both the pristine nanomaterials. We believe that this configuration would be valuable for applying the 1D nanomaterials in photoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular electronics is often limited by the lack of a simple method to fabricate nanoelectrodes with controlled gap size. This is partly attributed to the lack of a real time characterization in the fabrication. Here, we report a new method based on an electron induced deposition process operated in scanning electron microscopy that realizes in situ and real time characterization in the nanoelectrode fabrication; thus the gap size can be controlled easily and precisely. It is a clean and nondestructive process for carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes. The mechanism is detailed. The nanoelectrodes have a π-conjugated surface due to the deposition of sp 2-rich amorphous carbon. As an application, DNA molecules are assembled between the CNT electrodes by π-stacking interaction for current−voltage measurement. Our result provides a feasible route to prepare nanoelectrodes with controlled gap size, and it will be valuable for current efforts in molecular electronics and nanoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report high performance organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) with the modified Cu bottom-contact electrodes. Efficient modification of the Cu electrodes with nanometer-size copper tetracyanoquinodimethane (Cu-TCNQ) increases the electrode/organic layer contact area and reduces contact resistance. We investigated the effect of the Cu-TCNQ morphology on the device performance. The pentacene-based OFETs with the modified Cu bottom-contact electrodes exhibited high device performance. The field-effect mobility up to 0.31 cm2/V s was achieved. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest device performance for the OFETs with the bottom Cu electrodes ever reported. Consequently, our results provide an effective approach to fabricate high performance and low-cost OFETs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here we develop a simple method by using flow fluctuation to synthesize arrays of multibranched carbon nanotubes (CNTs) that are far more complex than those previously reported. The architectures and compositions can be well controlled, thus avoiding any template or additive. A branching mechanism of fluctuation-promoted coalescence of catalyst particles is proposed. This finding will provide a hopeful approach to the goal of CNT-based integrated circuits and be valuable for applying branched junctions in nanoelectronics and producing branched junctions of other materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-catalyzed chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has been broadly employed for large-scale production of high-quality graphene. However, a following transfer process to targeted substrates is needed, which is incompatible with current silicon technology. We here report a new CVD approach to form nanographene and nanographite films with accurate thickness control directly on non-catalytic substrates such as silicon dioxide and quartz at 800 °C. The growth time is as short as a few seconds. The approach includes using 9-bis(diethylamino)silylanthracene as the carbon source and an atomic layer deposition (ALD) controlling system. The structure of the formed nanographene and nanographite films were characterized using atomic force microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, Raman scattering, and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. The nanographite film exhibits a transmittance higher than 80% at 550 nm and a sheet electrical resistance of 2000 ohms per square at room temperature. A negative temperature-dependence of the resistance of the nanographite film is also observed. Moreover, the thickness of the films can be precisely controlled via the deposition cycles using an ALD system, which promotes great application potential for optoelectronic and thermoelectronic-devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the development of a closed-loop catalytic nanoreactor system, which enables precise control and monitoring of chemical reactions at the molecular level. Topics include the use of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) frameworks and enzymes for precise reaction control, the application of this technology in sensitive molecular diagnostics, and the intelligent nano-systems for precision chemistry.

Graphene has attracted tremendous research interest owing to its widespread potential applications. However, these applications are partially hampered by the lack of a general method to produce high-quality graphene at low cost. Here, to the best of our knowledge, we use low-cost solid carbon allotropes as the precursor in plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) for the first time, and find that the hydrogen plasma and reaction temperature play a crucial role in the process. Hydrogen plasma etches carbon black, and produces graphene crystals in a high-temperature zone. Based on this finding, a modified PECVD technology is developed, which produces transparent conductive nanographene films directly on various substrates at a temperature as low as 600 °C. For application, the closely packed structure of the nanographene film enables a remarkable temperature-dependent behavior of the resistance with a ratio higher than that previously reported, indicating its great potential for usage in highly sensitive temperature detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses emergent topological Dirac semimetals afford fresh pathways for optoelectronics, device implementation has elusive to date. Topics include palladium ditelluride combining the capabilities provided by peculiar band structure, with topologically protected electronic states; and a responsivity of 10 A/W and a noise-equivalent power lower than 2 pW/Hz0.5 are achieved at room temperature.

We report significant changes of optical conductivity (σ1) in single-layer graphene induced by mild oxygen plasma exposure and explore the interplay between carrier doping, disorder, and many-body interactions from their signatures in the absorption spectrum. The first distinctive effect is the reduction of the excitonic binding energy that can be extracted from the renormalized saddle point resonance at 4.64 eV. Secondly, σ1 is nearly completely suppressed (σ1⪡σ0) below an exposure-dependent threshold in the near-infrared range. The clear steplike suppression follows the Pauli blocking behavior expected for doped monolayer graphene. The nearly zero residual conductivity below ω ~ 2EF can be interpreted as arising from the weakening of the electronic self-energy. Our data shows that mild oxygen exposure can be used to controllably dope graphene without introducing the strong physical and chemical changes that are common in other approaches to oxidized graphene, allowing a controllable manipulation of the optical properties of graphene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]