Controlled assembly of graphene-capped nickel, cobalt and iron silicides

In-situ dendrite/metallic glass matrix composites (MGMCs) with a composition of Ti46Zr20V12Cu5Be17 exhibit ultimate tensile strength of 1510 MPa and fracture strain of about 7.6%. A tensile deformation model is established, based on the five-stage classification: (1) elastic-elastic, (2) elastic-plastic, (3) plastic-plastic (yield platform), (4) plastic-plastic (work hardening), and (5) plastic-plastic (softening) stages, analogous to the tensile behavior of common carbon steels. The constitutive relations strongly elucidate the tensile deformation mechanism. In parallel, the simulation results by a finite-element method (FEM) are in good agreement with the experimental findings and theoretical calculations. The present study gives a mathematical model to clarify the work-hardening behavior of dendrites and softening of the amorphous matrix. Furthermore, the model can be employed to simulate the tensile behavior of in-situ dendrite/MGMCs

Atomically precise semiconductor-graphene and hBN interfaces by Ge intercalation

The full exploration of the potential, which graphene offers to nanoelectronics requires its integration into semiconductor technology. So far the real-world applications are limited by the ability to concomitantly achieve large single-crystalline domains on dielectrics and semiconductors and to tailor the interfaces between them. Here we show a new direct bottom-up method for the fabrication of high-quality atomically precise interfaces between 2D materials, like graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), and classical semiconductor via Ge intercalation. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and complementary DFT modelling we observed for the first time that epitaxially grown graphene with the Ge monolayer underneath demonstrates Dirac Fermions unaffected by the substrate as well as an unperturbed electronic band structure of hBN. This approach provides the intrinsic relativistic 2D electron gas towards integration in semiconductor technology. Hence, these new interfaces are a promising path for the integration of graphene and hBN into state-of-the-art semiconductor technology

Robust Magnetic Order Upon Ultrafast Excitation of an Antiferromagnet

The ultrafast manipulation of magnetic order due to optical excitation is governed by the intricate flow of energy and momentum between the electron, lattice, and spin subsystems. While various models are commonly employed to describe these dynamics, a prominent example being the microscopic three temperature model M3TM , systematic, quantitative comparisons to both the dynamics of energy flow and magnetic order are scarce. Here, an M3TM was applied to the ultrafast magnetic order dynamics of the layered antiferromagnet GdRh2Si2. The femtosecond dynamics of electronic temperature, surface ferromagnetic order, and bulk antiferromagnetic order were explored at various pump fluences employing time and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy and time resolved resonant magnetic soft X ray diffraction, respectively. After optical excitation, both the surface ferromagnetic order and the bulk antiferromagnetic order dynamics exhibit two step demagnetization behaviors with two similar timescales lt;1 ps, amp; 8764;10 ps , indicating a strong exchange coupling between localized 4f and itinerant conduction electrons. Despite a good qualitative agreement, the M3TM predicts larger demagnetization than the experimental observation, which can be phenomenologically described by a transient, fluence dependent increased N el temperature. The results indicate that effects beyond a mean field description have to be considered for a quantitative description of ultrafast magnetic order dynamic

Discovery of 505-million-year old chitin in the basal demosponge Vauxia gracilenta

Sponges are probably the earliest branching animals, and their fossil record dates back to the Precambrian. Identifying their skeletal structure and composition is thus a crucial step in improving our understanding of the early evolution of metazoans. Here, we present the discovery of 505-million-year-old chitin, found in exceptionally well preserved Vauxia gracilenta sponges from the Middle Cambrian Burgess Shale. Our new findings indicate that, given the right fossilization conditions, chitin is stable for much longer than previously suspected. The preservation of chitin in these fossils opens new avenues for research into other ancient fossil groups

Deterministic control of an antiferromagnetic spin arrangement using ultrafast optical excitation

A central prospect of antiferromagnetic spintronics is to exploit magnetic properties that are unavailable with ferromagnets. However, this poses the challenge of accessing such properties for readout and control. To this end, light-induced manipulation of the transient ground state, e.g. by changing the magnetic anisotropy potential, opens promising pathways towards ultrafast deterministic control of antiferromagnetism. Here, we use this approach to trigger a coherent rotation of the entire long-range antiferromagnetic spin arrangement about a crystalline axis in GdRh2Si2 and demonstrate deterministic control of this rotation upon ultrafast optical excitation. Our observations can be explained by a displacive excitation of the Gd spins' local anisotropy potential by the optical excitation, allowing for a full description of this transient magnetic anisotropy potential

Carbon nanowalls: the next step for physical manifestation of the black body coating

The optical properties of carbon nanowall (CNW) films in the visible range have been studied and reported for the first time. Depending on the film structure, ultra-low total reflectance up to 0.13% can be reached, which makes the CNW films a promising candidate for the black body-like coating, and thus for a wide range of applications as a light absorber. We have estimated important trends in the optical property variation from sample to sample, and identified the presence of edge states and domain boundaries in carbon nanowalls as well as the film mass density variation as the key factors. Also we demonstrated that at much lower film thickness and density than for a carbon nanotube forest the CNWs yield one order higher specific light absorption