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Copyright of Journal of Nanchang University (Engineering & Technology) is the property of Nanchang University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Attempts were made to produce osteoinductive three- dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds with interconnected pores. Among the synthetic polymers, poly (ε- caprolactone) (PCL) was proven to be highly biocompatible and osteoinductive. However, it suffers from shrinkage due to high crystallinity and fast crystal growth. Here, we used polylactic acid, which is a rigid, low- crystalline and biocompatible polymer, as the major phase blended with PCL comprising the minor phase. However, these two polymers are highly incompatible and the PCL minor phase tend to form large droplets, distributing it unevenly throughout the continuous phase. Here, we used cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), as a hydrophilic and osteoinductive nanoparticle, to suppress coalescence of PCL droplets and a tri-block copolymer of PCL-PEG-PCL (BCP) to reduce the interfacial tension of the two phases. 3D foams were prepared using thermally-induced phase separation and salt leaching and the porosity and pore size was tuned using CNC and BCP. The biocompatibility of the 3D scaffolds was evaluated by MG63 cell lines and the results indicated high biocompatibility. The scaffolds were also quite successful at inducing the osteogenesis of hMSCs. The specimen containing 10% BCP and 1.0% CNC had the highest calcium deposition with the highest expression of bone- specific genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Experimental Technology & Management is the property of Experimental Technology & Management Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Anatolian Physics & Astronomy is the property of Aves Yayincilik Ltd. STI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In an aqueous solution of ferrous chloride, γ - Glycine Crystal (γ-GC), an efficient nonlinear optical (NLO) material, was created. AR grade glycine and ferrous chloride in a molar ratio of 1: 0.5 were employed to grow the title sample. The lattice properties of γ-GC were determined using a single crystal X-ray diffraction method. High transmittance in the visible area and a UV-visible spectrum make γ-GC excellent for optical applications. Using a Nd:YAG laser, the produced crystal's LDT value was ascertained. The crystal's hardness was assessed using the Vickers test, and other mechanical properties were determined. The electrical properties of γ-GC were examined by measuring the dielectric constant and dielectric loss at various frequencies, and temperatures. Using TG/DTA tests to gauge the sample's thermal stability, the functional groups of the γ-GC were identified by FTIR analysis. The material also underwent SHG and LDT testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific studies on binary semiconductors have been going on for half a century. The growth and research of semiconductors have contributed greatly to the advancement of semiconductor technology. Indium and selenium were synthesised from elements in stoichiometric ratios and doped with manganese. InSe and InSe:Mn single crystals were successfully grown by Bridgman/Stockbarger crystal growth method. Since the surfaces of the grown samples do not contain contamination, chemical contamination was not caused by chemical treatment. Since the grown semiconductors have a layered structure, the samples were easily prepared for characteristic analyses along the (001) planes. The structure of the InSe and InSe:Mn semiconductors was analysed using x-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray techniques. An important study has been conducted on the structural properties of InSe and InSe:Mn semiconductors grown with the modified Bridgman/Stockbarger technique. The hexagonal structure of the InSe semiconductor with lattice parameters a = b = 4,025 Å and c = 16,732 Å was confirmed with the help of X-ray diffraction. III-VI semiconductors are used in visible and infrared light emitting diodes, infrared detectors, converters, amplifiers, optical parameter oscillators and far infrared generators.

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to study the crystallization of formamidinium lead iodide. From all-atom simulations of the crystal growth process and the δ-α-phase transitions, we try to reveal the formation of various stack-faulted intermediate defected structures and report various polytypes of formamidinium lead iodide that are observed from simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optically active spin defects in semiconductors can serve as spin-to-photon interfaces, key components in quantum technologies. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising host of spin defects thanks to its wide bandgap and well-established crystal growth and device technologies. In this study, we investigated the oxygen-vacancy complexes as potential spin defects in SiC by means of ab initio calculations. We found that the OCVSi defect has a substantially low formation energy compared with its counterpart, OSiVC, regardless of the Fermi level position. The OCVSi defect is stable in its neutral charge state with a high-spin ground state (S = 1) within a wide energy range near the midgap energy. The zero-phonon line (ZPL) of the OCVSi0 defect lies in the near-infrared regime, 1.11–1.24 eV (1004–1117 nm). The radiative lifetime for the ZPL transition of the defect in kk configuration is fairly short (12.5 ns). Furthermore, the estimated Debye–Waller factor for the optical transition is 13.4%, indicating a large weight of ZPL in the photoluminescence spectrum. All together, we conclude that the OCVSi0 defect possesses desirable spin and optical properties and thus is potentially attractive as a quantum bit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The precipitation of struvite, a magnesium ammonium phosphate hexahydrate (MgNH4PO4 · 6H2O) mineral, from wastewater is a promising method for recovering phosphorous. While this process is commonly used in engineered environments, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms responsible for the formation of struvite crystals remains limited. Specifically, indirect evidence suggests the involvement of an amorphous precursor and the occurrence of multi-step processes in struvite formation, which would indicate non-classical paths of nucleation and crystallization. In this study, we use synchrotron-based in situ x-ray scattering complemented by cryogenic transmission electron microscopy to obtain new insights from the earliest stages of struvite formation. The holistic scattering data captured the structure of an entire assembly in a time-resolved manner. The structural features comprise the aqueous medium, the growing struvite crystals, and any potential heterogeneities or complex entities. By analysing the scattering data, we found that the onset of crystallization causes a perturbation in the structure of the surrounding aqueous medium. This perturbation is characterized by the occurrence and evolution of Ornstein-Zernike fluctuations on a scale of about 1 nm, suggesting a non-classical nature of the system. We interpret this phenomenon as a liquid-liquid phase separation, which gives rise to the formation of the amorphous precursor phase preceding actual crystal growth of struvite. Our microscopy results confirm that the formation of Mg-struvite includes a short-lived amorphous phase, lasting >10 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of crystal growth and characterization methods allows us to investigate new substances with excellent nonlinear optical characteristics. To synthesize nonlinear optical material L-histidine hydrochloride hydrate (L-HHCLH), the gradual evaporation process was used. The produced samples were characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy, UV–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, second harmonic generation (SHG) test, dielectric, and mechanical investigations. The L-HHCLH sample was crystallized in an orthorhombic structure with the P212121 space group, as verified by the crystallographic data. FTIR and Raman spectroscopy were applied to examine the molecular vibrations and availability of the functional groups of the compound. The L-HHCLH is significantly transparent across the UV and visible ranges, as shown by the UV–Vis spectra measurements. The bandgap of L-HHCLH is 5.45 eV. The SHG test showed that the L-HHCLH crystals produced a significant amount of SHG output thrice that of the potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) sample. The frequency dependences of the dielectric parameters were investigated in the dielectric tests. With increasing frequency, both the dielectric constant and loss dropped exponentially. The crystal hardness was determined using a microhardness test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study presents the effect of the reinforcement of carbon nanotubes (CNT) into high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) blends. The Avrami exponent of CNT blends ranges within the 1.3–1.6 range. It demonstrates the 3D growth of crystals and nucleation activity during crystallization. The change in the Ozawa exponent indicates a two-stage crystallization process. The values of the Mo exponent show that the nucleation activity is affected by changing temperatures during the cooling process and the formation of high-quality crystal growth. The activation energy of the HDPE/PP matrix is 420.5 kJ/mol and adding 1.5% CNT resulted in 369.9 kJ/mol for Run-3. The polymer chains encounter difficulties in transitioning during the cooling process and release a significant amount of energy. The composition of the nanofiller in the blend affects the nucleation activity of the crystals. The permeability of the pure HDPE/PP sample obtained from sorption studies is 1.05 × 10−5 m2/s and adding 1.5% CNT in Run-3 provides a permeability of 5.2 × 10−5 m2/s. The CNT has a homogeneous dispersion in the matrix to form a net-like morphology. The crystallinity index calculated using the Seagal method for HDPE/PP, Run-3, Run-4 and Run-5 is 75%, 75.8%, 77.34% and 78%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of multi‐step sintering at high temperatures was used to meticulously characterize the crystallization, mechanical, and optical properties of a SiO2−Li2O−Al2O3−K2O−P2O5${\rm SiO}_2{-}{\rm Li}_2{\rm O}{-}{\rm Al}_2{\rm O}_3{-}{\rm K}_2{\rm O}{-}{\rm P}_2{\rm O}_5$ glass system with the addition of ZrO2${\rm ZrO}_2$ and Y2${\rm Y}_2$O3${\rm O}_3$. The research began with a novel base glass composition of 3.8 wt% Li2${\rm Li}_2$CO3${\rm CO}_3$, 4.2 wt% K2${\rm K}_2$CO3${\rm CO}_3$, 4.5 wt% Al2${\rm Al}_2$O3${\rm O}_3$, 35 wt% SiO2${\rm SiO}_2$, and 2.5 wt% (NH4)2${({\rm NH}_4)}_2$HPO4${\rm HPO}_4$, to which 47 wt% ZrO2${\rm ZrO}_2$ and 3 wt% Y2${\rm Y}_2$O3${\rm O}_3$ added. The initial glass powder was sintered in two steps at low temperatures. Either 500∘C$^\circ{\rm C}$ for 10 min or 500∘C$^\circ{\rm C}$ for 10 min then a raise to 650∘C$^\circ{\rm C}$ for 20 min was used in the first step. Then, the second step of sintering was done at 850∘C$^\circ{\rm C}$. Finally, after the pellet preparation, final calcination was conducted at 1450∘C$^\circ{\rm C}$. The resulting microstructure was a composite material with various grain components embedded within a glass matrix. The low first sintering temperature triggered the optimum crystal growth, and after the final calcination process, a new glass‐ceramic named ZrSiO4−ZrO2−Zr0.95Y0.066O1.985${\rm ZrSiO}_4{-}{\rm ZrO}_2{-}{\rm Zr}_{0.95}{\rm Y}_{0.066}{\rm O}_{1.985}$–LiAl(SiO3)2${\rm LiAl}{({\rm SiO}_3)}_2$ was synthesized. The synthesized ceramics demonstrated strong diametral tensile strength and excellent Vickers micro‐hardness values, a remarkable refractive index, and optical band gaps larger than 3.1 eV. Consequently, the process of multi‐step sintering at high temperatures clenches the impending manufacture of a novel composite ceramic having remarkable hardness and good optical properties that encourage several biological, technological, and industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanomaterials have facilitated the development of innovative technologies in various industries. However, most research has been limited to nanoscale phenomena, and the effects of nanomaterials on microscale crystal growth remain obscure. In this study, we demonstrated a straight 2H–Si microneedle with a longitudinal growth rate of 6.7 × 104 Å·s−1, which could not be explained by conventional crystal growth mechanisms, through AlN nanowires. The AlN nanowires were grown using the hydride vapor-phase epitaxy method, which induced the formation of Al membranes when NH3 supply was ceased. At this time, an elliptical Al membrane was created within 0.166 s, in accordance with the principle of Plateau–Rayleigh instability. The average spacing of the Al membrane was 4 μ m, and approximately 10 000 elliptical Al membranes absorbed SiCl almost simultaneously to form a 40 mm 2H–Si microneedle within 100 min of growth time. Therefore, we realized straight 2H–Si microneedles with a growth rate of 6.7 × 104 Å·s−1. Differing from the conventional growth mechanism, this new growth method sheds light on the mechanism by which nanoscale phenomena contribute to the growth of microscale crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foamed concrete has been considered a low-strength cementitious material due to its flaky and porous structure. The CO2 foaming agents are thought to enhance the mechanical properties of foamed concrete, but the exact enhancement mechanism is not known. In this study, high-strength foamed concrete was prepared using a CO2 foaming agent, and the mechanism of synergistic reinforcement of foamed concrete with CO2 foaming agent was analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), the BET method, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that both sodium bicarbonate and potassium aluminum sulfate helped to generate more ettringite and C-S-H gel. The average diameter of ettringite in Sample FA4 was 5.414 μm. This was about twice the average diameter of ettringite (2.891 μm) in the control group. SEM indicated that this was because calcium carbonate generated in situ by sodium bicarbonate adheres to ettringite crystals and stabilizes ettringite crystal growth. The in-situ generation of calcium carbonate from sodium bicarbonate stabilized the ettringite crystals by attaching them to the ettringite crystals to keep the ettringite crystals from being converted. Incorporating the CO2 foaming agent into the slurry generated large quantities of calcium carbonate and ettringite crystals. Based on the stabilizing effect of calcium carbonate and the strengthening effect of ettringite inorganic skeleton, the interaction between the two can synergistically enhance the foamed concrete matrix. The obtained results lay a theoretical foundation for the synergistic enhancement of foamed concrete by CO2 foaming agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a top-down nanoscale analysis of Cu-Ni-Fe sulfide inclusions in laurite from the Taitao ophiolite (Chile) and the Kevitsa mafic-ultramafic igneous intrusion (Finland). High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) reveal that Cu-Ni-Fe sulfide inclusions are euhedral to (sub)-anhedral (i.e., droplet-like) and form single, biphasic or polyphasic grains, made up of different polymorphs, polytypes and polysomes even within a single sulfide crystal. Tetragonal (I4 d) and cubic (F 3m) chalcopyrite (CuFeS2) host frequent fringes of bornite (Cu5FeS4; cubic F 3m and/or orthorhombic Pbca) ± talnakhite (Cu9(Fe, Ni)8S16; cubic I 3m) ± pyrrhotite (Fe1 − xS; monoclinic C2/c polytype 4C and orthorhombic Cmca polytype 11C) ± pentlandite ((Ni, Fe)9S8; cubic Fm3m). Pentlandite hosts fringes of pyrrhotite, bornite and/or talnakhite. Laurite and Cu-Fe-Ni sulfide inclusions display coherent, semi-coherent and incoherent crystallographic orientation relationships (COR), defined by perfect edge-to-edge matching, as well as slight (2–4º) to significant (45º) lattice misfit. These COR suggest diverse mechanisms of crystal growth of Cu-Fe-Ni sulfide melt mechanically trapped by growing laurite. Meanwhile, the mutual COR within the sulfide inclusions discloses: (1) Fe-Ni-S melt solidified into MSS re-equilibrated after cooling into pyrrhotite ± pentlandite, (2) Cu-Ni-Fe-S melts crystallized into the quaternary solid solution spanning the compositional range between heazlewoodite [(Ni, Fe)3±xS2] (Hzss) and ISS [(Cu1±x, Fe1±y)S2]. Additionally, nanocrystallites (50–100 nm) of Pt-S and iridarsenite (IrAsS) accompanying the sulfide inclusions spotlight the segregation of PGE-rich sulfide and arsenide melt earlier and/or contemporarily to laurite crystallization from the silicate magmas. Cobaltite (CoAsS)-gersdorffite (NiAsS) epitaxially overgrown on laurite further supports the segregation of arsenide melts at early stages of chromitite formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The crystal growth rate has a significant impact on the quality of crystals grown with the traveling heater method (THM) and the vertical Bridgman method (VBM). The THM and VBM growth processes of GaInSb crystals were simulated with the transient numerical method, and the effects of crystal growth rate on the temperature field in the crucible domain and the convection field in the melt during the crystal growth process were investigated, especially the effects on the growth interface shape, the axial temperature gradient inside the crystal, and the melt flow velocity. The mushy zone in the front of growth interface for the ternary compound crystals like GaInSb has almost always been ignored in the previous numerical simulation works. This work not only considers the mushy zone, but also compares the effects of growth rate and the mushy zone on both THM and VBM crystal growth processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With further investigation on biomineralization, biomimetic mineralization has been proposed in imitation of microorganism behavior, in which the mechanism of biomineralization is utilized for the control of the crystal growth to synthesize inorganic materials with special structures and superior physical-chemical properties. This review summarizes the recent advances in biomimetic-chemically induced carbonate precipitation (BCICP). BCICP is a biomimetic mineralization process induced by calcium carbonate crystal modifiers, which directly regulates the metathesis reaction of calcium salts with carbonates in soils to improve the soil properties. Several crystal modifiers for BCICP, including the aspartic acid (organic), the boric acid (inorganic), and the polyacrylic acid (polymer), are reviewed, and the biomimetic mineralization mechanism is introduced. In addition, current findings about BCICP in cementitious materials, soil reinforcement, dust suppression, as well as other fields are discussed, aiming to give deeper insights into the further development and application of BCICP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a reverse growth surface planarization mechanism for achieving high-efficiency precision processing of the potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystal. The KDP crystal reverse growth has ordered and controllable characteristics similar to growth, which differs from the disordered and random dissolution in the natural state. Experiments are conducted using a high-precision annular polisher to investigate the surface characteristics, material removal, and surface planarization of different crystallographic planes in reverse growth. The repeat utilization of polishing liquids is studied to reduce processing costs. The difference in material removal and surface roughness of different crystallographic planes obtained from the same reverse growth polishing process is within 8%. The suitable undersaturation range for reverse growth surface planarization is 0.01–0.18, with a maximum material removal rate of 90 μm/min, 50 times that of the microemulsion polishing methods. Finally, a mirror-like KDP crystal surface is obtained with a surface roughness Ra of 0.00975 μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During devitrification, pre-existing crystallites grow by adding particles to their surface via a process that is either thermally activated (diffusive mode) or happens without kinetic barriers (fast crystal growth mode). It is yet unclear what factors determine the crystal growth mode and how to predict it. With simulations of repulsive hard-sphere-like (Weeks–Chandler–Andersen) glasses, we show for the first time that the same system at the same volume fraction and temperature can devitrify via both modes depending on the preparation protocol of the glass. We prepare two types of glass: conventional glass (CG) via fast quenching and uniform glass (UG) via density homogenization. First, we bring either glass into contact with a crystal (X) and find the inherent structure (CGX/UGX). During energy minimization, the crystal front grows deep into the CG interface, while the growth is minimal for UG. When thermal noise is added, this behavior is reflected in different crystallization dynamics. CGX exhibits a density drop at the crystal growth front, which correlates with enhanced dynamics at the interface and a fast growth mode. This mechanism may explain the faster crystal growth observed below the glass transition experimentally. In contrast, UGX grows via intermittent avalanche-like dynamics localized at the interface, a combination of localized mechanical defects and the exceptional mechanical stability imposed by the UG glass phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experimental and simulation studies were conducted for surface segregation-limited kinetics of nitrogen incorporation into a 4H-SiC crystal during physical vapor transport (PVT) crystal growth. It was revealed that the nitrogen incorporation is kinetically limited by the step-flow velocity on the growing crystal surface of a 4H-SiC crystal; in this study, the surface step-flow velocity at the growth front was deduced from the local inclination angle of the growth front measured from the (000 1 ¯) plane, assuming a uniform growth rate along the c-axis (crystal growth direction) across the growth front, and the nitrogen concentration across the growth front was measured using Raman scattering microscopy. The step-flow velocity dependence of nitrogen incorporation was theoretically analyzed using a two-site-exchange model, and the simulated dependence using the model was in good agreement with the experimental data. On the basis of these experimental and simulation results, kinematical and energetical aspects of nitrogen incorporation at the growth front of a 4H-SiC crystal during PVT growth are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt solubility is generally determined under isotropic stress conditions. Yet, in the context of salt weathering of porous media, mechanical constraints on the in-pore growth of salt crystals are likely to be orientation-dependent, resulting in an anisotropic stress state on the crystal. In this paper, we determine by molecular simulation the solubility of NaCl in water when the crystal is subjected to anisotropic stress. Such anisotropy causes the chemical potential of the crystal to be orientation-dependent, and proper thermodynamic formulation requires describing the chemical potential as a tensor. The solute and crystal chemical potentials are computed from free energy calculations using Hamiltonian thermodynamic integration, and the usual condition of solubility is reformulated to account for the tensorial nature of the crystal chemical potential. We investigate in detail how the uniaxial compression of the crystal affects its solubility. The molecular simulation results led to revisiting the Correns law under anisotropic stress. Regarding the solute, the non-ideal behavior of the liquid phase is captured using Pitzer's ion interaction approach up to high concentrations of interest for in-pore crystallization and beyond the concentrations addressed in the existing literature. Regarding NaCl crystals, the validity of the generalized Gibbs–Duhem equation for a tensorial chemical potential is carefully verified, and it is found that crystallization progresses almost orthogonally to the crystal surface even under high shear stresses. Comparing uniaxial and isotropic compression highlights the major differences in solubility caused by stress anisotropy, and the revisited Correns law offers an appropriate framework to capture this phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metallic glasses have the potential to become transformative materials, but this is hindered by the lack of ability to accurately predict which metallic alloys will form good glasses. Current approaches are limited to empirical rules that often rely on parameters that are unknown until the glasses are made, rendering them not predictive. In this Perspective, properties of metallic liquids at elevated temperatures and how these might lead to better predictions for glass formation are explored. A central topic is liquid fragility, which characterizes the different dynamics of the liquids. What fragility is and how it might be connected to the liquid structure is discussed. Since glass formation is ultimately limited by crystallization during cooling, recent advances in crystal growth and nucleation are also reviewed. Finally, some approaches for improving glass stability and glass rejuvenation for improved plasticity are discussed. Building on a summary of results, some key questions are raised and a prospective for future studies is offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the minority carrier lifetime and behavior of lattice defects in ZnSnP2 bulk crystals through experiments on carrier recombination and defect properties. Advanced deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) revealed that an electron trap with a short time constant at 0.2 eV below the conduction band minimum edge may contribute to the short minority carrier lifetime evaluated by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL). The temperature dependence of steady-state photoluminescence suggested that the carrier recombination through the electron trap was nonradiative around room temperature, which supports the fact of the short carrier lifetime and lower current density in ZnSnP2 solar cells. Previously reported theoretical calculation suggests that such a trap comes from the antisite defect of Sn from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic transition level. We, thus, prepared ZnSnP2 crystals by the solution growth method under conditions with a higher chemical potential of Zn, and we achieved the enhancement of the carrier lifetime compared to that under other growth conditions. In this case, the evaluation of the liquidus temperature and chemical potentials by a thermodynamic model indicated that the formation of Sn antisite was effectively suppressed by a lower precipitation temperature in addition to the effect of chemical potentials. Finally, we demonstrated the improvement of current density in ZnSnP2 solar cells using crystals with a longer lifetime, especially in the longer wavelength range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the minority carrier lifetime and behavior of lattice defects in ZnSnP2 bulk crystals through experiments on carrier recombination and defect properties. Advanced deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) revealed that an electron trap with a short time constant at 0.2 eV below the conduction band minimum edge may contribute to the short minority carrier lifetime evaluated by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL). The temperature dependence of steady-state photoluminescence suggested that the carrier recombination through the electron trap was nonradiative around room temperature, which supports the fact of the short carrier lifetime and lower current density in ZnSnP2 solar cells. Previously reported theoretical calculation suggests that such a trap comes from the antisite defect of Sn from the viewpoint of the thermodynamic transition level. We, thus, prepared ZnSnP2 crystals by the solution growth method under conditions with a higher chemical potential of Zn, and we achieved the enhancement of the carrier lifetime compared to that under other growth conditions. In this case, the evaluation of the liquidus temperature and chemical potentials by a thermodynamic model indicated that the formation of Sn antisite was effectively suppressed by a lower precipitation temperature in addition to the effect of chemical potentials. Finally, we demonstrated the improvement of current density in ZnSnP2 solar cells using crystals with a longer lifetime, especially in the longer wavelength range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to determine the properties of the crystal–liquid interfaces of Ni and Ni50Al50. The interfacial free energies and kinetic growth coefficients for different crystal orientations are estimated using simulations of crystal–liquid systems at the melting temperature T m from time- and wavenumber-dependent capillary wave height–height correlation functions. Growth coefficients are also determined from non-equilibrium simulations using the free solidification method, which compares well with those obtained from analysis of capillary wave fluctuations. Crystal growth in pure Ni is about a factor of 10 faster than in the binary Ni50Al50 system. The interfacial properties of the B2 intermetallic crystal phase of Ni50Al50 exhibit much lower anisotropy than those of the face-centered cubic crystalline structure of Ni. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the efficiency of commercially available sorbitol-based clarifying agent (NA) and varying amounts of long chain-branched polypropylene (LCBPP) acting as a specific α-nucleating agent for linear polypropylene (PP). The sorbitol-based clarifying agent, 1,3;2,4-bis(3,4-dimethyl benzylidene)sorbitol (Millad 3988), in concentration 0.2 wt%, and LCBPP in the concentration of 1, 2, 5 and 10 wt% were mixed into PP. The comparison of the effect of NA and long branches under isothermal conditions on the crystallization process, crystallinity and polymorphic composition was realized by differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray scattering. The addition of long chain-branched polypropylene, even at the lowest concentration, performs better at higher crystallization temperatures and has a superior effect on the crystallization process, crystallization rate and overall crystallization than the addition of NA.

Piezoelectric materials， as important functional materials， have been widely used in various fields of the national economy for the preparation of structural health detection devices. With the development of modern industrial technology， especially aerospace， nuclear energy， and intelligent manufacturing， various high-temperature conditions have put forward higher requirements for the performance of piezoelectric materials. Therefore， the development of high-temperature piezoelectric materials with excellent comprehensive performance and their application in sensor devices with higher service temperatures have received widespread attention from researchers. Fresnoite （Ba2TiSi2O8， BTS） crystal is a kind of promising piezoelectric material for high-temperature sensing applications due to its high electrical resistivity， low dielectric loss， and excellent piezoelectric properties. The preparation process of BTS crystal by Czochralski method， characterization of single crystal electro-elastic properties， phase transition regulation， and the research progress of surface acoustic wave sensors and high-temperature vibration sensors based on BTS piezoelectric crystal were introduced in this paper. Finally， the research and development of new high-temperature piezoelectric crystals and their sensors were summarized and presented.

Kinetic roughening of the (001) singular surface during steady crystal growth is studied on the basis of a lattice model using the Monte Carlo method. At a sufficiently low temperature, there are known to be two kinetic roughening points as the driving force for crystal growth Δ μ increases. At a low driving force Δ μ KPZ (001) , there is the Karder–Parisi–Zhang (KPZ) roughening transition point. On the KPZ rough surface, elementary steps around islands are well defined though the surface is thermodynamically rough, with a roughness exponent α consistent with the KPZ universal value of 0.3869. Island-on-island structures were found to be crucial in forming the KPZ rough surface. To understand the effects of the atomical roughness of the (001) surface and the interplay of steps on long-period undulations on this surface, the dependence on the temperature T and driving force for crystal growth Δ μ of surface quantities is investigated. At higher temperatures, additional Berezinskii–Kosterlitz–Thouless (BKT) rough and re-entrant KPZ regions are found for large Δ μ , where the crystal surface grows adhesively. A T– Δ μ kinetic roughening diagram is also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list from the journal CrystEngComm, focusing on the design and understanding of solid-state and crystalline materials. It includes articles on topics such as comparing slips induced by thermal stresses in SiC crystals, surface functionalized chalcogenides for Hg2+ removal, and structural insights into ketanserin salts. The journal also introduces a new journal, RSC Applied Interfaces GOLD, and features papers on various topics like azobenzene crystal motions, hydrogen peroxide photosynthesis, and biomass quasi-solid-state batteries. [Extracted from the article]

Numerical simulations are frequently utilized to investigate and optimize the complex and hardly in situ examinable Physical Vapor Transport (PVT) method for SiC single crystal growth. Since various process and quality-related aspects, including growth rate and defect formation, are strongly influenced by the thermal field, accurately incorporating temperature-influencing factors is essential for developing a reliable simulation model. Particularly, the physical material properties of the furnace components are critical, yet they are often poorly characterized or even unknown. Furthermore, these properties can be different for each furnace run due to production-related variations, degradation at high process temperatures and exposure to SiC gas species. To address this issue, the present study introduces a framework for efficient investigation and calibration of the material properties of the PVT simulation by leveraging machine learning algorithms to create a surrogate model, able to substitute the computationally expensive simulation. The applied framework includes active learning, sensitivity analysis, material parameter calibration, and uncertainty analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve high-performance optoelectronic devices and thermoelectric behaviour, non-stoichiometric compositions have been utilised in ternary transition metal dichalcogenides. This study marks the first report on the growth of CuxSb1−xSe2 (x = 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8) crystals using the Bridgman technique. We investigated the impact on their structural, optical, thermal and electrical properties in comparison with pure CuSbSe2. Powder X-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of the dominant orthorhombic CuSbSe2 phase along with minor secondary phases and this result was well supported by Raman spectroscopy. The crystallite size increases from 12 nm to 27 nm while the lattice strain decreases from 0.0116 to 0.0054 with Cu content in the crystal. Elemental analysis carried out by EDAX has reflected the desired stoichiometry of each crystal. FESEM images have shown flat as well as layer growth on their surfaces, thereby giving an indication that the growth of crystals occurred by a layer-by-layer growth mechanism. Raman spectra indicated the red shift in the Ag vibrational mode of CuSbSe2 with increasing Cu proportion. The direct bandgap of each crystal is reduced from 1.55 eV to 1.42 eV with higher Cu percentage which is determined from the Kubelka–Munk function using the recorded reflectance spectrum which shows that these crystals can be promising candidates for optoelectronic applications. The positive value of the Seebeck coefficient (S) demonstrates the p-type semiconducting nature of each crystal measured in the temperature range of 323 K to 593 K. Among the grown crystals, P3 (Cu0.6Sb0.4Se2) exhibited the superior power factor and ZT values of 0.0182 μW cm−1 K−2 and 0.935 × 10−4 at 595 K, respectively. The TGA of each crystal demonstrated single step decomposition, showcasing a maximum weight loss of 18.07% for the P4 crystal, which is confirmed by DTG. To assess the photodetection properties of each crystal, I–V curves and pulse photoresponses are recorded in parallel to plane configuration. Among all grown crystals, the P3 (Cu0.6Sb0.4Se2) crystal based photodetector exhibits superior responsivity and detectivity of 0.014 mA W−1 and 5.656 × 108 Jones, respectively. These findings show that these crystals can be considered as a choice for thermoelectric as well as photodetection applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Special multilayer heterostructures and lattice modulation play a crucial role in the field of microwave absorption. Herein, a unique “nested doll” MoS2/V2O3 heterostructures are synthesized via crystal epitaxy growth and solvothermal strategy. The synchronized modulation of lattice spacing and interfacial vacancies in MoS2 nanosheets is achieved by adjusting the S2⁻ concentration. A high concentration of S2⁻ expands the MoS2 lattice spacing and increases interfacial vacancies, facilitating the precise modulation of the orderly arrangement of MoS2‐V2O3‐MoS2 layers and inducing interfacial polarization. By increasing the number of V2O3‐MoS2 layers from two to five, a built‐in electric field is formed, which enhances charge transfer from the MoS2 surface to the V2O3 core. The introduction of vacancies reduces the MoS2 band gap, lowers the electron hopping barrier, increases dielectric loss, and ultimately synergistically improves microwave absorption (MA). As a result, the “nested doll” MoS2/V2O3‐5 (5 layers) microspheres exhibit superior MA behavior compared to other MoS2/V2O3 absorbers. The reflection loss reaches −69.65 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth achieves 7.68 GHz. These discoveries have contributed to the further development of multilayer heterostructures and improved advances in the theory of energy band structures and electromagnetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI exists in two cocrystal forms with different stoichiometric ratios of 1:1 and 1:3. The properties (such as blast performance, thermal performance, sensitivity, and density) of the two cocrystals are significantly different, but both cocrystals are expected to become new high‐energy insensitive explosives and have good applications. The AE model and molecular dynamics were used to simulate the crystal morphology and important crystal planes of 1:1 and 1:3 CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI under vacuum conditions, as well as in five solvents and different temperatures. 1:1 CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI has five main growth crystal planes of (002), (102), (111), (020) and (021), of which (002) has the largest proportion. 1:3 CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI has six main growth crystal planes of (001), (010), (011), (100), (101) and (111), of which (001) accounts for the largest proportion. The crystal morphology aspect ratio of 1:3 CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI in acetonitrile and 1:1 CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI in methanol are 1.936 and 1.680, respectively. The results were consistent with the experiments, which has certain guiding significance for CL‐20/4,5‐MDNI to obtain a crystal morphology closer to spherical shape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of 80 K superconductivity in bilayer La3Ni2O7 at pressures greater than 14 GPa presents a unique opportunity to study a novel class of high-temperature superconductors. Therefore, other bilayer nickelates following the classical (T4+) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) series of Sr3Ni2O7 would present an interesting new candidate. In this work, we study the stabilization of RP n = 2 phase in Sr3Ni2−xAlxO7−δ, via floating zone growth of crystals. With powder and single-crystal XRD, we study the stability range of the RP-type phase. Our Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and gas extraction studies reveal a remarkably high oxidation state of Ni4+ stabilized by chemical strain from Al. The obtained black crystals are insulating in transport and show a magnetic transition around 12 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of rotational speeds on the growth kinetics of KDP crystal (101) faces is explored by the Michelson interference technique. The experimental results show that the growth rates rise as the rotational speed increases. The decrease in rotational speed affects the slopes of growth hillock on KDP crystal (101) faces, resulting in an overall decrease in the slopes. The kinetic coefficient of KDP crystal (101) face increases with increasing rotational speeds, and always βI, βII>βIII. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel cooperative regulatory strategy is proposed in this work to optimize the crystallization dynamics of Formamidinium (FA)‐based perovskite materials, which is achieved by meticulously incorporating the organic molecule guanidinium (GA+) and the high boiling point organic solvents N‐Methyl‐2‐Pyrrolidone (NMP) into the perovskite precursor solution synergistically. This findings indicated that the GA+ doping strategy (G‐DS) is toward to inhibits the formation of α‐phase perovskite crystals owing to its larger ionic radius, thereby promoting the formation of perovskite films with enlarged grain size. Simultaneously, the NMP‐doping strategy (N‐DS) has assisted controllable crystallization dynamics in as‐cast films by optimizing nucleation density and crystal growth rate through a delayed supersaturated environment induced re‐dissolution function. Briefly, it can assume that the crystallization dynamics dual modulation strategy enables the realization of high‐quality perovskite film with micro‐meter sized perovskite grain, appropriate internal strain and a compact, dense surface texture. The optimized films therefore exhibits powerful exciton separation energy, suppressed charge carrier recombination and reduces series resistance, leading to a remarkable champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.38% and exceptional reliability, retaining 93.09% of their initial PCE after storage the unencapsulated devices in a moisture‐rich environment for 2160 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide perovskites are widely employed in photodetectors (PDs) due to their exceptional photoelectric conversion ability. However, the high dark current induced by defect states during perovskite crystallization has not been well resolved, which enormously deteriorates the sensitivity of PD. Herein, a vacuum‐assisted template‐confined growth method is proposed to successfully fabricate high‐quality single crystal perovskite microwire arrays with low defect states and superior photoelectric characteristics. Experimentally and theoretically, it is proved that the fabricated perovskite microwire arrays PDs exhibit superior performance with commendable responsivity of 0.49 A W−1 and detectivity surpassing 1.21 × 1013 Jones, which profits from ultralow dark current of ≈200 fA at a 5 V bias. Particularly, the perovskite microwire arrays PD behaves the characteristics of flexible robust stability and high‐definition image recognition. This work provides a universal strategy for optimizing perovskite crystal quality and constructing high‐performance optoelectronic devices in many scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high performance electrochromic materials with energy storage function is essential for next generation smart display devices. Here, a double-layer NiO film (NiO-dl) was prepared by compositing the defective NiO (d-NiO) with the crystalline NiO (c-NiO), with a unique prismatic nanosheet array structure. The synergistic effect as well as the large active area with defect sites and valence modulation brought about by the (111) crystal plane-oriented growth of the sputtering process can promote the intercalation and extraction of OH− and Li+, which greatly enhances the electrochemical properties. Specifically, the NiO-dl film achieves a prominent optical modulation covering visible region (89.5 % in KOH and 64.8 % in Li+ electrolyte at 550 nm) and near-infrared region (54.5 % in KOH and 37.2 % in Li+ electrolyte at 1000 nm), a high transparent bleached state (92.7 %), a superior coloring efficiency (44.7 cm2 C−1) and robust stability (95.1 % retention after 1000 cycles). A high area capacitance of 99.5 mF cm−2 at 0.14 mA cm−2 with the promising cycling performance exhibits the supercapacitor characteristics. The comprehensive evaluation of the NiO-dl film demonstrated its exploitative potential application in electrochromic energy storage fields. [Display omitted] • The approach focuses on designing multifunctional electrochromic energy storage materials. • A NiO-dl film with (111) crystal plane-oriented growth is prepared and the formation mechanism is studied. • The improved properties stem from Ni3+ ions, Ni vacancies and synergistic effect of crystalline and defective NiO. • The NiO-dl film exhibits prominent optical modulation and promising supercapacitance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The document is a contents list from the journal CrystEngComm, which focuses on the design and understanding of solid-state and crystalline materials. It includes various papers on topics such as metal-organic frameworks, molecular magnetic materials, and photocatalytic properties. The journal is published by The Royal Society of Chemistry, a leading chemistry community that reinvests profits back into the chemistry community. [Extracted from the article]

15 ultra-pure sapphire single crystals of 32 mm diameter and 100 mm long were grown under a stationary stable regime using the Czochralski (Cz) technique. Despite varying several growth parameters, the obtained crystals were transparent without visible macroscopic defects such as cracks, inclusions and grain boundaries. The optical absorption coefficients (α) at the 1064 nm wavelength of the grown sapphire crystals were mapped by Photothermal Deflection Spectroscopy (PDS). The crystals grown along c-axis using low pulling rates lower than 1.5 mm h−1, at 1064 nm present an very low optical absorption coefficients (α = 11 ppm cm−1). At such low levels, the origin of the optical absorption has never been explained. However, in this paper we point toward the role of Fe2+–Fe3+ and Ti3+–Ti3+ pairs. These results open the route to upscaling the growth process to achieve ultra-large sapphire crystals with outstanding optical performances, which are a key for the next generation of gravitational wave detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past 20 to 30 years, relational, post‐humanist, processual, and non‐representational approaches to space and place have gained an increasing purchase within anglophone human geography, whether underpinned by academic engagements with Western philosophy, anthropology, or indigenous thinking and praxis. One approach by anglophone geographers has been to incorporate assemblage thinking into constructivist and representational accounts of the building, settling, and/or disassembling of places, but here I argue that assemblage may not be the best way to do this if we wish to foreground process and the dynamism of places. Assemblage theories place too much emphasis on the structural logics and thing‐like qualities of identifiable places, even when they aim to focus on the processual or verb‐like qualities of places. I suggest that geographers who are keen to advance processual and dynamic understandings of place can usefully (re)focus their attention on Deleuze and Guattari's writings on the ritournelle (refrain) because they articulate many of the rhythmic, repetitive, differentiated, intensive, affective, eventful, and performative qualities of placing and emplacement, while resisting any easy assimilation into constructivist and representational ‘building’ perspectives which foreground the assembly and disassembly of worlds. I outline the usefulness of Gilbert Simondon's writings on individuation and crystal growth for understanding individual‐milieu relations, before discussing Deleuze and Guattari's description of the refrain as being like a ‘glass harmonica’, which captures the reverberative, refractive, and rhythmic aspects of the concept. I then revisit a series of well‐established debates about the relationship between place and placelessness, or places and ‘non‐places’, suggesting how placelessness and non‐places can be linked to either a failed process of individuation or to uneventful expressions of a series of circulating, deterritorialising, and territorialising refrains which have differing rhythmic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional gradient materials (FGMs) possess gradient-varying properties, which make them important in applications for connecting different materials and inhomogeneous environments. Ferroelectric single crystals have multiple excellent physical properties, but it is difficult to design gradient properties during the crystal growth. Here, a method is reported to achieve gradient piezoelectric properties in the tetragonal Mn&Fe-doped KTa1−xNbxO3 (Mn&Fe: KTN) crystals by alternating current poling and internal strain design. Furthermore, opposite piezoelectric coefficients are obtained in the direction perpendicular to the applied electric field, with a gradient variation from −221 to 227 pC/N. This phenomenon has been revealed to result from the co-regulating effect of flexoelectric field and alternating current electric field on defect dipoles and domain structures. This study contributes to the fabrication of functional gradient piezoelectric single crystals and expands the application scenarios of FGMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal solid waste (MSW) incineration bottom ash (BA) and molybdenum tailings (MTs) are bulk solid wastes that have low added value and is of a serious environmental concern. Hence, it is imperative to develop technology that potentially as convert these wastes into potential products that are safe to handle. In the present work, the goal is to synthesize glass-ceramics from BA and MTs without addition other supplement materials. The study attempts to assess the influences of raw material ratio and sintering temperature on the phase transformation, microstructure and properties of glass-ceramics. The synthesized product shows that diopside ferroan and anorthite were the dominant crystals, and the content of diopside ferroan and anorthite increased with an increase in the proportion of MTs. It was observed that the presence of Fe 2 O 3 and TiO 2 inside solid wastes promote nucleation facilitating growth of crystals. Diopside ferroan and anorthite distribute uniformly and are well interweaved, densifying the structure with favorable properties of glass-ceramics. At the optimal processing temperature the presence of Na 2 O and K 2 O in the raw materials act as fluxing agents that facilitate formation of liquid phase, that enhance diffusion and rate of crystallization. The optimal mass ratio of BA to MTs was 45:55 and the sintering temperature of 1000 °C, exhibited the best comprehensive properties of the glass ceramics. At the optimal conditions the flexural strength, Vickers hardness, bulk density and water absorption were observed to be 76.00 MPa, 5.77 GPa, 2.69 g/cm3 and 0.32 %, respectively. The leaching test proved stability of the glass ceramics, and hence can serve to be a potential way of utilizing the waste into a valuable product benefiting the environment and promoting sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The study shows for the first time a fivefold difference in the survivability of the bacterium Pseudomonas Aeruginosa (PA) in a realistic respiratory fluid droplet on fomites undergoing drying at different environmental conditions. For instance, in 2023, the annual average outdoor relative humidity (RH) and temperature in London (UK) is 71 % and 11 °C, whereas in New Delhi (India), it is 45 % and 26 °C, showing that disease spread from fomites could have a demographic dependence. Respiratory fluid droplet ejections containing pathogens on inanimate surfaces are crucial in disease spread, especially in nosocomial settings. However, the interplay between evaporation dynamics, internal fluid flow and precipitation and their collective influence on the distribution and survivability of pathogens at different environmental conditions are less known. Shadowgraphy imaging is employed to study evaporation, and optical microscopy imaging is used for precipitation dynamics. Micro-particle image velocimetry (MicroPIV) measurements reveal the internal flow dynamics. Confocal imaging of fluorescently labelled PA elucidates the bacterial distribution within the deposits. The study finds that the evaporation rate is drastically impeded during drying at elevated solutal concentrations, particularly at high RH and low temperature conditions. MicroPIV shows reduced internal flow under high RH and low temperature (low evaporation rate) conditions. Evaporation rate influences crystal growth, with delayed efflorescence and extending crystallization times. PA forms denser peripheral arrangements under high evaporation rates and shows a fivefold increase in survivability under low evaporation rates. These findings highlight the critical impact of environmental conditions on pathogen persistence and disease spread from inanimate surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Designing new materials and architectures to maintain activity and stability requires a better understanding on the anticorrosion dynamics of nanoparticles. Under‐coordinated atoms on the surface of nanoparticles can be protected by deposited shells. Real‐time observation on how protective shells grow and play a role is challenging but worthwhile. Here, protective effects of AuCl3 shells on Au nanobipyramids (NBPs) are studied in HAuCl4 aqueous solutions by in‐situ liquid cell transmission electron microscopy (LCTEM). This study is the first to observe the formation of Au‐AuCl3 core‐shell nanostructure and the corresponding anticorrosion behaviors of AuCl3 deposited shell. The presence of CTAB can substantially influence the growth mode and structure of AuCl3 shell, by a direct or indirect way, intervene the dissolution of Au NBP. These growth or dissolution kinetics here revealed at the nanoscale provide insights towards engineering of the surface anticorrosion to pursue Au nanoparticles with improved stability in acidic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Inverted (p‐i‐n) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are favored by researchers owing to their superior compatibility with flexible substrates and tandem device fabrication. Additionally, the hole transport layer (HTL) serves as a template for perovskite growth, which is critical for enhancing the device performance. However, the current research on how the HTL promotes perovskite crystallization is insufficient. Here, 4PADCB, a self‐assembled monolayer (SAM) hole transport material, was optimized as a superior template for perovskite growth through comparative analysis; accordingly, compact perovskite film with vertical growth was prepared. The better matched energy level alignment between 4PADCB and perovskite suppressed nonradiative recombination at the interface and enabled rapid hole extraction. Moreover, high‐quality perovskite film growth on 4PADCB exhibited lower Young's modulus and less residual stress. By integrating 4PADCB into p‐i‐n PSCs, the optimal device achieved a power conversion efficiency of 24.80%, with an open‐circuit voltage of 1.156 V, thus achieving the best rank among devices without perovskite post‐treatment, additives, dopants, or intermediate layers. Furthermore, the unencapsulated device demonstrated exceptional thermostability and photostability under maximum power point tracking. Thus, this work provides a new understanding for the development of novel SAMs and perovskite growth, and it is expected to further improve device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskites have emerged as attractive X‐ray detector materials, owing to properties such as strong X‐ray stopping power, excellent carrier transport, and high sensitivity. Additionally, they can be easily prepared by using solution‐based synthesis approaches. However, traditional 3D (three‐dimensional) perovskites X‐ray detectors have shown limited application due to high dark currents generated under bias voltage as a result of strong ion migration. In this work, an X‐ray detector with a vertical structure device is demonstrated using 2D (two‐dimensional) histamine lead halide perovskite single crystal HAPbI4 (HPI, HA = histamine). Due to the dielectric screening effect of diamine and the vertical structure of the HPI device, the fabricated detector shows a sensitivity of 7737 µC Gyair−1 cm−2 under a bias voltage of 30 V. Furthermore, the detector shows a sensitivity of 293 µC Gyair−1 cm−2 and detection limit of 51.38 nGyair s−1 without bias voltage, wherein the dark current is almost completely suppressed. All of these properties indicate the X‐ray detection device is a promising candidate for next‐generation optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1.55 μm laser technology has been widely applied in many fields such as military, information and communications, and biomedical. With the continuous progress in these fields, the demand for new 1.55 μm laser gain media has become stronger. However, the small non-radiative transition probability and long fluorescence lifetime between the 4I 11/2 and 4I 13/2 energy levels of Er3+ ions lead to up-conversion loss, which in turn reduces the luminescence efficiency in the 1.55 μm band. To address this problem, this paper introduces a novel Yb3+, Er3+ and Ce3+ co-doped KBa 0.94 Ca 0.06 Y(MoO 4) 3 crystal and explores the relationship between its structure and spectral properties. By doping Ce3+ ions, the non-radiative transition probability between the 4I 11/2 and 4I 13/2 energy levels of Er3+ ions is effectively increased, which significantly enhances the emission intensity of Er3+ ions in the 1.55 μm band. Meanwhile, the near-infrared luminescence mechanism of Er3+ ions and its complex competition with up-conversion and mid-infrared luminescence are elaborated in detail. In addition, the doping of Ce3+ ions also significantly enhances the energy transfer efficiency between Yb and Er, from 39.6 % to 94 %. At a Ce3+ ion concentration of 4 mol%, the crystals exhibit optimal emission intensities, indicating their great potential as laser gain media. The research presented here not only provides a comprehensive analysis of the spectral properties of the new laser gain material but also contributes to the advancement of all-solid-state laser gain media suitable for the 1.5 μm spectral range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]