Multimodal synapses with hybrid signal processing mechanisms are promising to enable complex functions of neural computing. However, the absent homology of physical mechanisms for bionic-coupled mapping behavior hinders multimodal synaptic application. Here, based on polarization dynamics, we explore a homeotic mechanism to achieve the multimodal mapping of emotion simulation and visual bionics in BaTiO3-based photo-ferroelectric synapses. Synaptic plasticity for multi-emotional evolution arises from weight-featured resistance switching in various ferroelectric memristors through the polarization-modulated interfacial barrier. Based on the regulation homology of polarization dynamics for the bulk photovoltaic effect, the optical synaptic responses of visual bionics are coupled into a precise emotion mapping with arousal-valence dimensions. These multimodal photo-ferroelectric synapses complete precise digit-pattern recognition within an artificial neural network system and possess rectifications against crosstalk and superior high thermal stability. Circuit simulations of optoelectronic mapping response display the application potential of multimodal synapses as smart decoupling components for balanced ternary computing. Our results provide a paradigm for designing multimodal devices with synergistic and coupled multi-synaptic functions.

In this study, a series of novel two-dimensional (2D) Co-BTB/MX composite nanosheets were successfully synthesized through strong electrostatic interactions between metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheet Co-BTB and MXene. X-Ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the composite of Co-BTB and MXene expands the interlayer spacing of MXene, and effectively prevents the stacking of MXene nanosheets, which allows them to serve as a structural buffer that accommodates the volume expansion of Co-BTB during cycling, thereby enhancing the conductivity and stability of the composite nanosheets. The Co-BTB/MX-2 electrode exhibits exceptional electrochemical performance, delivering a high specific capacitance of 2954.0 F center dot g-1 at 1 A center dot g-1, marking a 115.3 % increase compared to the pure Co-BTB electrode (1372.0 F center dot g-1), while demonstrating superior cycling stability with a 108.9 % capacitance retention after 1000 cycles at 10 A center dot g-1. Furthermore, the Co-BTB/ MX-2//AC based device was fabricated, which achieved a maximum energy density of 121.36 Wh center dot kg-1 at a power density of 1700.0 W center dot kg-1, along with an outstanding long-term cycling stability, retaining 94.5 % of its initial capacitance after 9000 charge-discharge cycles, which substantially surpasses that of the Co-BTB//AC based device. This study provides a promising strategy for the design and synthesis of novel composite materials derived from a diverse class of 2D materials, paving the way for advanced energy storage applications.

The emergence of transformer-based artificial intelligence (AI) models has made a great impact on modern AI computing paradigms, where the attention mechanisms in transformer models dynamically generate weights and require computations involving global parameters. These requirements pose unprecedented challenges for memristor performance in in-memory computing, which demands memristor arrays with exceptional endurance, latency, energy consumption, and device uniformity. This perspective focuses on the alignment between AI computational requirements and memristor specifications, highlighting recent breakthroughs in materials, mechanisms, and applications for next-generation in-memory computing. Through this comprehensive analysis, our perspective provides critical insights into advancing memristor-based computing research toward practical AI applications. It also underscores key research priorities and the necessity for interdisciplinary collaboration to propel the future of AI innovation.

Half-metals are promising candidates for spintronic applications due to the complete spin polarization at the Fermi level. Recently, ferromagnetic half-metallic NiMnSb has regained considerable research attention owing to its nontrivial topological properties. For example, Singh et al. found that the Weyl node in NiMnSb produces anomalous Hall conductivity [Adv. Sci. 11, no.31 (2024): 2 404 495]. In this work, we design an AlAs/NiMnSb heterostructure and a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) NiMnSb/AlAs/NiMnSb to explore the potential spintronic applications of half-metallic NiMnSb. Density functional theory combined with non-equilibrium Green's function method reveals that the heterostructure exhibits an ideal thermal spin filtering effect and a spin diode effect. In addition, the MTJ has a large tunnel magnetoresistance ratio up to 3.7 & times; 105% at room temperature. These phenomena can be understood from the spin-dependent band structure and transmission spectrum. These results highlight the promising potential of NiMnSb for spintronic devices.

In the field of condensed matter physics, extensive efforts have been put into the exploration of the anomalous Hall effect (AHE) since the dominance of Berry phase curvature and spin-orbit-coupling-mediated scattering provides a powerful probe for topological order in quantum materials, a key pursuit for developing nextgeneration dissipationless spintronic devices. Nonetheless, the underlying mechanisms of the AHE in the low conductive dirty regime (longitudinal conductivity sigma(xx)< 10(4) Omega(-1) cm(-1)) remain insufficiently understood because of the difficulty in preparing pure ferromagnetic metals with low conductivity. To address this, we utilized the technology of low-energy cluster beam deposition to control the structural disorder and successfully prepared ferromagnetic nanogranular CoFe films with a low conductive metallic state, which allow us to systematically investigate the AHE of pure ferromagnetic metals in the dirty regime. Our results reveal a nonmonotonic evolution of anomalous Hall conductivity sigma AHE with increasing cluster size. The possible dominant mechanism is the intrinsic contribution derived from the scaling relationship between sigma(xx) and sigma(AHE) notwithstanding the presence of the extrinsic skew scattering. More importantly, sigma AHE not only falls within the dirty regime but also is consistent with the widely established scaling exponent of sigma(AHE) proportional to sigma(1.6)(xx) that the degenerative AHE arises from the damping of the intrinsic contribution. In this work, we show the potential of cluster-assembled engineering in the exploration of the quantum transport properties for future electronics devices.

Transition metal oxide (TMO) crystalline epitaxial thin film-based resistive switching (RS) devices are proven to be promising candidates for future data storage, information processing, and artificial neuromorphic computing. However, the development of TMO epitaxial film devices is hindered by strict epitaxial preparation requirements, including coherent substrates and high temperatures. The emerging freestanding TMO films, with the advantages of room-temperature transferring and stacking, are desired to be a promising platform for building new oxide devices, while it is still a challenging endeavor to transfer high-quality freestanding oxide films to assemble high-performance devices. Here, we report a prototype synaptic memristor based on freestanding SrTiO3-δ membranes (model perovskite) hosted on indium tin oxide via transferring and stacking. The assembled memristor displays excellent RS performance with a large ON/OFF ratio, good endurance, and superior retention time compared to the reported epitaxially grown memristors. Moreover, the memristor is proved to be an excellent synaptic emulator with multiple synaptic plasticity and is successfully employed in a reservoir computing system to realize pattern recognition with high accuracy. The newly assembled oxide synaptic memristor could theoretically be built on arbitrary substrates, breaking the restriction of epitaxial growth and revealing the huge application potential in next-generation high-density memory and neuromorphic computing.

Heterogeneous Fenton process represents one of the most reliable technologies for rapid water decontamination, but still challenged by the sluggish Fe(III) reduction. Herein, a heterojunction with abundant oxygen vacancies (Vo) is constructed by confining Fe2O3-x into layered zinc silicate (LZS) to expedite the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycling for long-lasting generation of reactive oxygen species in photo-Fenton process. By integrating the experimental and theoretical results, two pathways for enhancing Fenton oxidation are proposed: 1) built-in electric field across the heterojunction serves as an electron "pump" to driving the photogenerated electrons transfer from LZS to Fe2O3-x for Fe(II) recovery under light irradiation, while the interfacial Vo on the Fe2O3-x side acts as electron trap sites to concentrate the electrons on neighboring Fe atoms, increasing the electron density of Fe for the cleavages of H2O2 into center dot OH; and 2) creation of Vo induces significant electronic delocalization of adjacent Fe atoms to reinforce the H2O2 adsorption, thereby promoting H2O2-induced reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) in darkness, accompanied by the center dot O2- production. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, the Fe2O3-x@LZS-10 heterojunction exhibits high-efficiency performance in photo-Fenton reaction with impressive catalytic activity (2.20 min-1) using phenol as the probe, significantly surpassing that of Fe2O3 by approximately 117 times, with the mineralization rate of 86 % in 60 min. Moreover, the proposed system possesses general applicability for other phenols, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides elimination in water. This work provides a valuable guidance for eliminating refractory organic pollutants from water.

Based on atomistic calculation of electronic transport, we propose a new recipe to enhance the thermoelectric power factor by utilizing the exotic transport of Weyl point fermions. The Weyl semimetal SrSi2 is used as an example to illustrate the underlying correlation. We find that (i) the twofold degenerate Weyl point helps to produce the peak Seebeck coefficient, resulting in a peak and enhanced power factor, (ii) the eliminated degeneracy of physical spin under spin–orbit coupling significantly reduces the Seebeck coefficient, and (iii) if the Weyl point is opened with a significant gap, both the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductance are decreased, which in turn indicates a direct correlation between the presence of Weyl points and improved thermoelectric performance.

Inducing long-range magnetic order in topological insulators (TIs), thereby breaking the time-reversal symmetry, is essential for constructing exotic new phases such as the quantum anomalous Hall effect or the axion insulator state. The magnetic proximity effect is regarded as a promising strategy to induce uniform magnetization to the topological surface states from ferromagnetic insulators. However, existing ferromagnetic insulators are difficult to introduce robust magnetic order into TIs at room temperature. This work designs a novel highly resistive ferromagnet by assembling Ni80Fe20 clusters, and magnetic order is introduced into Bi2Te3 via the magnetic proximity effect. The Ni80Fe20/Bi2Te3 heterojunction exhibits a large anomalous Hall effect (AHE) at room temperature and can be effectively controlled by the cluster size. This indicates that the strong magnetic order has been induced into TIs, and the strength of proximity coupling is easily controllable. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the proximity-induced magnetism at the point contact interface cooperating with the strong spin-orbit coupling in the TI effectively enhances the skew scattering mechanism, thereby dominating the AHE over the entire temperature range. The work provides a promising strategy for achieving room-temperature magnetic order in TIs, and reveals its potential in manipulating topological surface states.

The heterogeneous photo-Fenton process stands out as an up-and-coming technology for water decontamination, but insufficient electron replenishment for continuous Fe(II) regeneration remains a substantial challenge. Herein, we present a Z-scheme heterojunction (Fe3O4/Cu0@CSN) with Fe3O4 and Cu0 decorated copper silicate nanotubes (CSN). The construction of ternary Fe3O4/Cu0@CSN heterojunction establishes a well-defined charge flow path and ensures robust electron transfer, achieving excellent photo-Fenton performance for simultaneous degradation of refractory organic pollutants and reduction of heavy metal. Cu0 generated in situ from CSN serves as an electron donor, providing electrons for Fe3O4 to reduce Fe(III) into Fe(II). Moreover, the intrinsic electric field drives the photogenerated electrons of CSN to move toward Fe3O4, improving interfacial charge separation/ transfer efficiency, while Cu0 as a transport mediator further accelerates this targeted migration, thereby enhancing the Fe(III)/Fe(II) cycle and continuously exposing "fresh" reactive sites for dissociating H2O2. Thanks to these beneficial advantages, the Fe3O4/Cu0@CSN heterojunction achieves 100 % removal efficiency of sulfamethoxazole within 3 min (k = 2.156 min(-1)), which was 65.3 times higher than that of Fe3O4 (0.033 min(-1)). Meanwhile, this heterojunction is also generally applicable to the elimination of other antibiotics, dyes, and phenols. Moreover, in simulated mixed wastewater, Fe3O4/Cu0@CSN exhibited 100 % degradation for antibiotics within 5 min and simultaneous complete reduction of Cr(VI) within 2 min. The toxicological evaluation and pea growth experiment verify that the photo-Fenton system realized deep mineralization and even harmless treatment for organic pollutants. This investigation offers a sophisticated synchronous redox strategy for treating mixed polluted wastewater.

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are pivotal for spintronic applications such as magneto resistive memory and sensors. Two-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures offer a promising platform for miniaturizing MTJs while enabling the twist-angle engineering of their properties. Here, we investigate the impact of twisting the insulating barrier layer on the performance of a van der Waals MTJ with the structure graphene/1T-VSe2/h-BN/1T-VSe2/graphene, where 1T-VSe2 serves as the ferromagnetic electrodes and the monolayer h-BN acts as the tunnel barrier. Using first-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) combined with the non-equilibrium Green’s function (NEGF) formalism, we systematically calculate the spin-dependent transport properties for 18 distinct rotational alignments of the h-BN layer (0° to 172.4°). Our results reveal that the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) ratio exhibits dramatic, rotation-dependent variations, ranging from 2328% to 24,608%. The maximum TMR occurs near 52.4°. An analysis shows that the twist angle modifies the d-orbital electronic states of interfacial V atoms in the 1T-VSe2 layers and alters the spin polarization at the Fermi level, thereby governing the spin-dependent transmission through the barrier. This demonstrates that rotational manipulation of the h-BN layer provides an effective means to engineer the TMR and performance of van der Waals MTJs.

Achieving effective manipulation of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy within the coupling of ferroelectricity remains an intricate challenge, yet it is crucial in the electric-field control of the excitation and propagation of magnonic spin-polarization currents. Perpendicularly magnetized structures are normally inhibited to varying degrees in a polarization switching path due to the intrinsic chemical incompatibility of electronic mechanisms for single-phase multiferroics. Here, we demonstrate a geometrically coupling strategy of oxygen octahedral distortions to regulate hybrid improper ferroelectricity and perpendicular magnetic anisotropy coupled in double-perovskite superlattice films. The geometrical ferroic mechanisms lead to a coexistence of strong ferromagnetism and room-temperature ferroelectricity, particularly with a perpendicularly magnetized structure. Based on the perturbation theory and Arrott-Noakes equation, it is revealed that such magnetic anisotropy originates from spin-orbit coupling and is regulated by the crystal-field splitting from Jahn-Teller distortion in a stable mean-field exchange model, compatible with polarization changes. Our Letter provides a geometrical route to design and regulate the coupling ferroic orders of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and ferroelectricity.

The n-TiO2 nanoballs-sticks (TiO2 NBSs) were successfully deposited on p-lightly boron-doped diamond (LBDD) substrates by the hydrothermal method. The temperature-dependent optoelectronic properties and carrier transport behavior of the n-TiO2 NBS/p-LBDD heterojunction were investigated. The photoluminescence (PL) of the heterojunction detected four distinct emission peaks at 402 nm, 410 nm, 429 nm, and 456 nm that have the potential to be applied in white-green light-emitting devices. The results of the I-V characteristic of the heterojunction exhibited excellent rectification characteristics and good thermal stability at all temperatures (RT-200 °C). The forward bias current increases gradually with the increase in external temperature. The temperature of 150 °C is ideal for the heterojunction to exhibit the best electrical performance with minimum turn-on voltage (0.4 V), the highest forward bias current (0.295 A ± 0.103 mA), and the largest rectification ratio (16.39 ± 0.005). It is transformed into a backward diode at 200 °C, which is attributed to a large number of carriers tunneling from the valence band (VB) of TiO2 to the conduction band (CB) of LBDD, forming an obvious reverse rectification effect. The carrier tunneling mechanism at different temperatures and voltages is analyzed in detail based on the schematic energy band structure and semiconductor theoretical model.

Linearly polarized photodetectors (PDs), leveraging the inherent structural and material information encoded in light’s polarization state, hold transformative potential for applications ranging from remote sensing to biomedical imaging. Traditional systems that rely on external polarizing elements face challenges in miniaturization and efficiency, driving interest in materials with intrinsic anisotropy. Low-dimensional metal halide perovskites, distinguished by their tunable bandgaps, high carrier mobility, and quantum confinement effects, have emerged as a groundbreaking platform for next-generation polarized PDs. This review comprehensively summarizes the theory, materials, and device engineering of linearly polarized PDs based on low-dimensional perovskites. It aims to elucidate polarization mechanisms across dimensions by establishing a rigorous theoretical foundation for linearly polarized PDs of low-dimensional perovskites. Beyond theoretical insights, the review also highlights cutting-edge fabrication techniques for one-dimensional nanowires and two-dimensional heterostructures, along with performance benchmarks of state-of-the-art devices. By integrating experimental advancements with theoretical insights, this work not only advances the fundamental understanding of polarization mechanisms but also outlines actionable pathways for optimizing device performance, stability, and scalability, which may serve as a critical resource for researchers aiming to harness the full potential of low-dimensional perovskites in polarized optoelectronics.

The search for anyons, quasiparticles with fractional charge and exotic exchange statistics, has inspired the research of condensed matter physics for decades. Moiré materials, as superlattice systems characterized by tunable isolated topological flat bands, represent a vast material library, with the ability to adjust properties via various tuning knobs, and show particular suitability for investigating the physics of anyons. In the study of Hall effects, Moiré systems offer a distinctive platform to achieve various Hall effects such as the valley Hall effect, nonlinear Hall effect, quantum anomalous Hall effect, and fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect (FQAHE). Particularly, over the nearly four decades from the discovery of the integer quantum Hall effect in 1980 to the observation of the FQAHE in 2023, research on Moiré materials has advanced the development of condensed matter physics rapidly. The discovery of FQAHE contributes to the study of non-Abelian quasiparticles, which holds potential for applications in topological quantum computing. This review primarily reviews the experimental advances brought about by the emergence of Moiré material systems on the path to achieving the FQAHE as well as the technological transformations driven by advancements in recent device fabrication techniques. Furthermore, we highlight the critical challenges and provide perspectives for future research.

In n-type PbTe compounds with low optimal carrier concentrations (similar to 1019 cm-3), structural defects critically govern charge transport. While defect engineering typically focuses on chemical composition or synthesis optimization, atmospheric control remains an overlooked dimension. Herein, we establish atmospheric control as a new defect-engineering dimension, demonstrating that oxygen exposure during mechanical grinding fundamentally changes defect evolution and thermoelectric properties in n-type I-doped PbTe systems. The PbTe0.998I0.002 sample achieves a peak ZT of 1.26 at 773 K and the PbTe0.999I0.001 sample exhibits a superior average ZT of 0.8 over 298-723 K when ground in Ar, significantly outperforming air-ground counterparts (ZTmax = 1.08; ZTave = 0.5). First-principles calculations reveal that mechanically generated surface vacancies modify the preferential oxygen adsorption sites from the pristine Te-top position to Te-vacancy sites on defective surfaces, substantially reducing both oxygen adsorption energy and dissociation barriers. Moreover, iodine dopants and oxygen synergistically lower the formation energy of VPb2-, which intensifies carrier scattering via Coulomb interactions, reducing mobility to merely 300 cm2 V-1 s-1. Conversely, Ar protection effectively prevents oxygen contamination and suppresses O-I mediated VPb2- formation, enabling a remarkable carrier mobility of 1800 cm2 V-1 s-1 in the lightly doped PbTe0.999I0.001 sample with comparable carrier concentration, and yielding an ultrahigh power factor of 35 mu W cm-1 K-2 at room temperature. This work provides critical guidelines for optimizing thermoelectric performance in oxygen-sensitive material systems where mechanochemical fracture processes occur.

Violet phosphorus (VP), with its high carrier mobility, is a promising candidate for next-generation optoelectronic devices. Its anisotropic structure, polarization sensitivity, high photoelectric efficiency, and tunable bandgap enable diverse optical responses, making it ideal for applications such as photodetectors, neural networks, and multimodal systems. However, the basic anisotropic transport properties have not been experimentally revealed. Here, we report the anisotropic transport behavior of VP nanosheets using polarized transient absorption microscopy. The ambipolar mobility along the a-axis reaches ∼2100 cm2V-1s-1, significantly higher than the b-axis mobility of ∼380 cm2V-1s-1, yielding a diffusion anisotropy ratio of 5.5:1. Steady-state optical techniques further indicate that anisotropy in the deformation potential plays a key role in this behavior. This study clarifies the intrinsic mechanism of anisotropic carrier transport in VP and offers theoretical insight for designing angle-sensitive optoelectronic devices.

Two-dimensional materials offer great potential for addressing the constraints of conventional semiconductors in the post-Moore era; however, the persuit of stable p-type two-dimensional semiconductors with high mobility remains a formidable challenge. Tellurium emerges as a noteworthy candidate for p-type two-dimensional semiconductors due to its high hole mobility, outstanding chemical stability, and polarization-dependent optoelectronic characteristics. Its anisotropic crystal structure and thickness-dependent bandgap render it particularly suitable for next-generation electronic and optoelectronic applications, with recent advancements demonstrating its exceptional performance. Furthermore, the intrinsic topological features of tellurium, such as strong spin-orbit coupling and Weyl points situated below the Fermi level, classify it as a topological semiconductor - a pioneering category of quantum materials that provides innovative avenues for merging topological physics with conventional semiconductor technologies. The remarkable synergy of mobility, stability, and intrinsic topological attributes in tellurium positions it as a transformative material for the advancement of sophisticated electronic, optoelectronic and quantum systems, among other applications.

Two-dimensional (2D) organic–inorganic van der Waals heterojunctions (vdWHs) represent an emerging class of materials that could combine the characteristic structures and outstanding properties of both 2D materials and organic–inorganic components within a single composite, providing an ideal platform for broader, superior, and on-demand functional applications. Particularly, the use of 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs with different photosensitive materials and photonic structures plays a critical role in optimizing the photodetection and modulation efficiency, opening new avenues for designing and developing advanced optoelectronic devices. In recent years, great progress has been made in photodetectors based on the 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs, and this review aims to offer a timely overview of this evolving field. First, a survey of 2D inorganic and organic materials that prototypically are used for the fabrication of vdWHs, and then the fabrication approaches toward advanced 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs are highlighted. Following this, 2D organic–inorganic vdWH-based photodetectors and their potential applications are described. Finally, the frontier challenges and perspectives associated with the 2D organic–inorganic vdWHs are presented, in the hope of providing guidance for future research.