Selective reduction of layers at low temperature in artificial superlattice thin films

Reduction and oxidation in transition-metal oxides are keys to develop technologies related to energy and the environment. Here we report the selective topochemical reduction observed when artificial superlattices with transition-metal oxides are treated at a temperature below 300 °C with CaH2. [CaFeO2]m/[SrTiO3]n infinite-layer/perovskite artificial superlattice thin films were obtained by low-temperature reduction of [CaFeO2.5]m/[SrTiO3]n brownmillerite/perovskite artificial superlattice thin films. By the reduction only the CaFeO2.5 layers in the artificial superlattices were reduced to the CaFeO2 infinite layers whereas the SrTiO3 layers were unchanged. The observed low-temperature reduction behaviors strongly suggest that the oxygen ion diffusion in the artificial superlattices is confined within the two-dimensional brownmillerite layers. The reduced artificial superlattice could be reoxidized, and thus, the selective reduction and oxidation of the constituent layers in the perovskite-structure framework occur reversibly

Field-induced evolution of magnetic ordering in the quantum spin system (CuBr)Sr₂Nb₃O₁₀ with a ⅓ magnetization plateau

The field-induced evolution of the magnetic ordering in (CuBr)Sr₂Nb₃O₁₀ with a 1/3 magnetization plateau has been investigated by neutron diffraction under magnetic fields up to 10 T. With an increasing magnetic field, the zero-field helical antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase, AF1, with κ = [0 3/8 1/2] is replaced by a simple ferromagnetic phase with κ = [0 0 0], the formation of which is, however, retarded by the appearance of a second AFM, AF2, with κ = [0 1/3 ∼0.46]. Upon further increasing of the magnetic field, the AF2 phase disappears and only the ferromagnetic phase persists. The results clearly show that the magnetization plateau, induced by the competition between field-induced ferromagnetic, F, and AF2 phases, is coincidentally situated at M = 1/3 MS of the dc magnetization curve. The AF1 and AF2 phases have strongly differing magnetic propagation vectors and are therefore not directly related

Expanding frontiers in materials chemistry and physics with multiple anions

During the last century, inorganic oxide compounds laid foundations for materials synthesis, characterization, and technology translation by adding new functions into devices previously dominated by main-group element semiconductor compounds. Today, compounds with multiple anions beyond the single-oxide ion, such as oxyhalides and oxyhydrides, offer a new materials platform from which superior functionality may arise. Here we review the recent progress, status, and future prospects and challenges facing the development and deployment of mixed-anion compounds, focusing mainly on oxide-derived materials. We devote attention to the crucial roles that multiple anions play during synthesis, characterization, and in the physical properties of these materials. We discuss the opportunities enabled by recent advances in synthetic approaches for design of both local and overall structure, state-of-the-art characterization techniques to distinguish unique structural and chemical states, and chemical/physical properties emerging from the synergy of multiple anions for catalysis, energy conversion, and electronic materials

Landscape of somatic single nucleotide variants and indels in colorectal cancer and impact on survival

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a biologically heterogeneous disease. To characterize its mutational profile, we conduct targeted sequencing of 205 genes for 2,105 CRC cases with survival data. Our data shows several findings in addition to enhancing the existing knowledge of CRC. We identify PRKCI, SPZ1, MUTYH, MAP2K4, FETUB, and TGFBR2 as additional genes significantly mutated in CRC. We find that among hypermutated tumors, an increased mutation burden is associated with improved CRC-specific survival (HR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.21-0.82). Mutations in TP53 are associated with poorer CRC-specific survival, which is most pronounced in cases carrying TP53 mutations with predicted 0% transcriptional activity (HR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.21-1.94). Furthermore, we observe differences in mutational frequency of several genes and pathways by tumor location, stage, and sex. Overall, this large study provides deep insights into somatic mutations in CRC, and their potential relationships with survival and tumor features. Large scale sequencing study is of paramount importance to unravel the heterogeneity of colorectal cancer. Here, the authors sequenced 205 cancer genes in more than 2000 tumours and identified additional mutated driver genes, determined that mutational burden and specific mutations in TP53 are associated with survival odds

Spin transition in a four-coordinate iron oxide

四本の手をもつ金属原子の磁性の変換に成功 －磁気記録、スイッチ素子の革新につながるか－. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2009-07-21.Spin transition has attracted the interest of researchers in various fields since the early 1930s, with thousands of examples now recognized, including those in minerals and biomolecules. However, so far the metal centres in which it has been found to occur are almost always octahedral six-coordinate 3d4 to 3d7 metals, such as Fe(II). A five-coordinate centre is only rarely seen. Here we report that under pressure SrFe(II)O2, which features a four-fold square-planar coordination, exhibits a transition from high spin (S = 2) to intermediate spin (S = 1). This is accompanied by a transition from an antiferromagnetic insulating state to a ferromagnetic so-called half-metallic state: only half of the spin-down (dxz, dyz) states are filled. These results highlight the square-planar coordinated iron oxides as a new class of magnetic and electric materials

Field induced evolution of magnetic ordering in the quantum spin system CuBr Sr2Nb3O10 with a 1 3 magnetization plateau

The field induced evolution of the magnetic ordering in CuBr Sr2Nb3O10 with a 1 3 magnetization plateau has been investigated by neutron diffraction under magnetic fields up to 10 T. With an increasing magnetic field, the zero field helical antiferromagnetic AFM phase, AF1, with [0 3 8 1 2] is replaced by a simple ferromagnetic phase with [0 0 0], the formation of which is, however, retarded by the appearance of a second AFM, AF2, with [0 1 3 0.46]. Upon further increasing of the magnetic field, the AF2 phase disappears and only the ferromagnetic phase persists. The results clearly show that the magnetization plateau, induced by the competition between field induced ferromagnetic, F, and AF2 phases, is coincidentally situated at M 1 3 MS of the dc magnetization curve. The AF1 and AF2 phases have strongly differing magnetic propagation vectors and are therefore not directly relate