Interconnected magnetic nanowire (NW) networks offer a promising platform for three-dimensional (3D) information storage and integrated neuromorphic computing. Here we report discrete propagation of magnetic states in interconnected Co nanowire networks driven by magnetic field and current, manifested in distinct magnetoresistance (MR) features. In these networks, when only a few interconnected NWs were measured, multiple MR kinks and local minima were observed, including a significant minimum at a positive field during the descending field sweep. Micromagnetic simulations showed that this unusual feature was due to domain wall (DW) pinning at the NW intersections, which was confirmed by off-axis electron holography imaging. In a complex network with many intersections, sequential switching of nanowire sections separated by interconnects was observed, along with stochastic characteristics. The pinning/depinning of the DWs can be further controlled by the driving current density. These results illustrate the promise of such interconnected networks as integrated multistate memristors.

Free-standing, interconnected metallic nanowire networks with densities as low as 40 mg/cm3 have been achieved over centimeter-scale areas, using electrodeposition into polycarbonate membranes that have been ion-tracked at multiple angles. Networks of interconnected magnetic nanowires further provide an exciting platform to explore 3-dimensional nanomagnetism, where their structure, topology, and frustration may be used as additional degrees of freedom to tailor the materials properties. New magnetization reversal mechanisms in cobalt networks are captured by the first-order reversal curve method, which demonstrate the evolution from strong demagnetizing dipolar interactions to intersection-mediated domain wall pinning and propagation, and eventually to shape-anisotropy dominated magnetization reversal. These findings open up new possibilities for 3-dimensional integrated magnetic devices for memory, complex computation, and neuromorphics.

Nanostructured palladium foams offer exciting potential for applications in diverse fields such as catalysts, fuel cells, and particularly hydrogen storage technologies. We have fabricated palladium nanowire foams using a cross-linking and freeze-drying technique. These foams have a tunable density down to 0.1% of the bulk, and a surface area-to-volume ratio of up to 1.54 X 10(6):1 m(-1). They exhibit highly attractive characteristics for hydrogen storage, in terms of loading capacity, rate of absorption, and heat of absorption. The hydrogen absorption/desorption process is hysteretic in nature, accompanied by substantial lattice expansion/contraction as the foam converts between Pd and PdHx.

Majorana fermion is a hypothetical particle that is its own antiparticle. We report transport measurements that suggest the existence of one-dimensional chiral Majorana fermion modes in the hybrid system of a quantum anomalous Hall insulator thin film coupled with a superconductor. As the external magnetic field is swept, half-integer quantized conductance plateaus are observed at the locations of magnetization reversals, giving a distinct signature of the Majorana fermion modes. This transport signature is reproducible over many magnetic field sweeps and appears at different temperatures. This finding may open up an avenue to control Majorana fermions for implementing robust topological quantum computing.

L'invention concerne des mousses de metal pur a tres faible densite, d'une densite approchant 0,1 % de la densite en vrac, et des procedes de synthese faisant appel a des nanofils metalliques interconnectes. Des nanofils de diverses tailles et de divers metaux sont synthetises par electrodeposition dans des gabarits nanoporeux tels que de l'oxyde ou polycarbonate d'aluminium anodise. Les gabarits font l'objet d'une attaque chimique et les nanofils sont disperses dans de l'eau par le biais d'un echange de fluide approprie. Des traitements de surface assurent que les nanofils demeurent suffisamment metalliques et physiquement separes. Les solutions de fil-eau peuvent etre deversees directement dans de l'azote liquide sous la forme de gouttelettes ou placees dans des moules de diverses formes. Une technique de lyophilisation est employee pour transformer le melange resultant glace-fil en une mousse autoportante, a faible densite, composee de nanofils entremeles. Enfin, un traitement de frittage ou d'oxydation du materiau en mousse a des temperatures elevees est utilise pour relier les nanofils en une mousse metallique interconnectee, ameliorant fortement la solidite de la structure.

Eu11-xYbxCd6Sb12 Zintl solid solutions have been prepared by tin flux reaction by employing the elements Eu/Yb/Cd/Sb/Sn in the ratio 11 - xp:xp:6:12:30, where xp is an integer less than 11 representing the preparative amount of Eu (11 - xp) and Yb (xp). Efforts to make the Yb compositions for x exceeding ∼3 resulted in structures other than the Sr11Cd6Sb12 structure type. The crystal structures and compositions were determined by single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction and wavelength-dispersive X-ray analysis measurements. The title solid-solution Zintl compounds crystallize in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group C2/m (no. 12, Z = 2) as the Sr11Cd6Sb12 structure type (Pearson symbol mC58), and the lattice parameters decrease with increasing ytterbium content. Single crystal X-ray diffraction shows that Yb atoms are not randomly distributed in the Eu sites but have a site preference which can be attributed to size effects. The influence of the rare earth (RE) metal sites on thermal and electronic properties of RE11Cd6Sb12 solid solutions has been studied by measuring their thermoelectric properties from 5 to 300 K after consolidation by either spark plasma sintering (SPS) or hot pressing (HP). Electron microprobe analysis reveals that some of the rare earth metal is lost during SPS; as a result pellets formed through SPS have lower electrical resistivity by an order of magnitude due to increased hole-charge carrier concentrations. While the carrier concentration increases, the mobility decreases due to deficiencies in Eu content. Refinement of powder X-ray diffraction shows that Eu loss is mainly from the Eu1 crystallographic site, which has a unique coordination suggesting that this site plays a key role in the transport properties of RE11Cd6Sb12.

Iron oxide films were produced using ion-beam-assisted deposition, and Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction indicate single-phase magnetite. However, incorporation of significant fractions of argon in the films from ion bombardment is evident from chemical analysis, and Fe/O ratios are lower than expected from pure magnetite, suggesting greater than normal disorder. Low temperature magnetometry and first-order reversal curve measurements show strong exchange bias, which likely arises from defects at grain boundaries, possibly amorphous, creating frustrated spins. Since these samples contain grains ∼6 nm, a large fraction of the material consists of grain boundaries, where spins are highly disordered and reverse independently with external field.

Heterogeneous processes at solid/gas, liquid/gas and solid/liquid interfaces are ubiquitous in modern devices and technologies but often difficult to study quantitatively. Full characterization requires measuring the depth profiles of chemical composition and state with enhanced sensitivity to narrow interfacial regions of a few to several nm in extent over those originating from the bulk phases on either side of the interface. We show for a model system of NaOH and CsOH in an ~1-nm thick hydrated layer on α-Fe2O3 (haematite) that combining ambient-pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and standing-wave photoemission spectroscopy provides the spatial arrangement of the bulk and interface chemical species, as well as local potential energy variations, along the direction perpendicular to the interface with sub-nm accuracy. Standing-wave ambient-pressure photoemission spectroscopy is thus a very promising technique for measuring such important interfaces, with relevance to energy research, heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry, and atmospheric and environmental science.

A cluster deposition method was used to produce a film of loosely aggregated particles of Fe-Fe3O4 core-shell nanoclusters with an 8 nm iron core size and 2 nm oxide shell thickness. The film of particles on a silicon substrate was irradiated with 5.5 MeV Si2+ ions to a fluence of 10(16) cm(-2) near room temperature, and computer simulations based on the SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) code show that the implanted Si species stops near the film-substrate interface. The ion irradiation creates a structural change in the film with corresponding chemical and magnetic changes. X-ray diffraction shows that the core size and chemistry stay the same but the shell becomes FeO that grows to a thickness of 17 nm. Helium ion microscopy shows that the previously separate particles have densified into a nearly continuous film. Major loop magnetic hysteresis measurements show a decrease in saturation magnetization that we attribute to the presence of the antiferromagnetic (AFM) FeO shell. First-order reversal curve measurements on the irradiated film performed with a vibrating sample magnetometer show that the AFM shell prevents the particles from interacting magnetically, leading to low coercivity from the iron core and little bias field from the core interactions. These results, and others reported previously on different compositions (Fe3O4 or FeO + Fe3N nanoclusters), show that the ion irradiation behavior of nanocluster films such as these depends strongly on the initial nanostructure and chemistry.

A cluster deposition method was used to produce films of loosely aggregated nanoclusters (NCs) of Fe core-Fe3O4 shell or fully oxidized Fe3O4. Films of these NC on Si(100) or MgO(100)/Fe3O4(100) were irradiated to 1016 Si2+/cm2 near room temperature using an ion accelerator. Ion irradiation creates structural change in the NC film with corresponding chemical and magnetic changes which depend on the initial oxidation state of the cluster. Films were characterized using magnetometry (hysteresis, first order reversal curves), microscopy (transmission electron, helium ion), and x-ray diffraction. In all cases, the particle sizes increased due to ion irradiation, and when a core of Fe is present, irradiation reduces the oxide shells to lower valent Fe species. These results show that ion irradiated behavior of the NC films depends strongly on the initial nanostructure and chemistry, but in general saturation magnetization decreases slightly.