Next-generation Applications Research Articles

Investigation of Emerging Two-dimensional Materials with Transmission Electron Microscopy

Various two-dimensional (2D) materials have emerged as exciting platforms for investigation of novel physical phenomena and next-generation electronic applications. In this article, the history and recent research results on 2D materials with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are reviewed. In particular, the utilization of high-resolution TEM and scanning TEM (STEM) imaging for direct visualization of structural inhomogeneities in 2D materials is discussed. The out-of-plane rippling, local bonding rotations, vacancy defects, stacking configurations, and edge reconstruction in various 2D crystals are exemplified. TEM-based structural analysis will continue to serve as the core analytical tool for designing the synthesis rules and understanding of materials’ properties for 2D materials.

Characterization of sol-gel synthesized Zn0.25Co0.75(NiZr)xFe2-2xO4 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) spinel ferrites based microwave absorbers in Ka frequency band

A series of nickel and zirconium co-substituted zinc-cobalt spinel ferrites with the chemical formula Zn0.25Co0.75(NiZr)xFe2-2xO4 (0.05 ≤ x ≤ 0.25, Δx = 0.05) was successfully synthesized using the sol-gel citrate route to curb the rapidly growing electromagnetic pollution caused due to 5G technologies. A comprehensive study of the structural, morphological, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, and microwave absorption characteristics was carried out to analyze the effect of Ni2+ and Zr4+ ionic substitution. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of nanoparticles having a cubic spinel structure with an Fd-3m space group. Magnetic parameters like saturation magnetization and remanent magnetization were found to decrease with increasing the level of substitution. The permittivity, permeability, and absorption properties were investigated in the Ka-band (26.5–40 GHz). Composition x = 0.10 yielded an optimum value of reflection loss up to −50.34 dB at a matching frequency of 29.20 GHz and a matching thickness of 1.3 mm. The results obtained suggest that the synthesized materials prove to be good microwave absorbers for next-generation devices and applications.

A matching design co-enhancing thermal barrier and thermal cyclic performances of sintering-resistant coatings

Sintering-induced healing of intrinsic micropores is the main cause of thermal insulation degradation in plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Although large pores can effectively retain the thermal-insulation performance, they can lower the mechanical performance during thermal cyclic tests. Therefore, balancing the tradeoff between the thermal and mechanical performances is a challenging task. Herein, sintering-resistant coatings were achieved through a matching design that co-enhances the thermal insulation and thermal cycling span. TBCs with different contents of sintering-resistant pores were prepared. The thermal-insulation performance was found to be positively correlated with the contents of sintering-resistant pores. However, in thermal cyclic tests, the lifespan increased as the pore content increased from 0 vol% to 20 vol% but drastically decreased as the pore content increased further above 20 vol%. Next, the competing effects of the newly formed pores on the crack driving force and fracture toughness, which might hasten TBC failure, are discussed. Based on the critical pore content, the matching design enhances the thermal insulation and lifespan of the resultant TBCs by 50% and 40%, respectively, from those of conventional TBCs. Therefore, the sintering-resistant structure is expected to considerably contribute to next-generation applications of TBCs.

Bibliometric Analysis of Next-Generation Sequence Applications in Livestock

Bibliometric analyzes are widely used in many fields. However, there are still insufficient bibliometric studies evaluating animal science studies from different perspectives. Therefore, we performed the comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 335 documents scanned in the Web of Science (WoS) database in next-generation sequence applications in livestock between 2009 and 2023. According to the analysis results, this field has been increasing interest recently. The fact that the studies (45.07% of total) were carried out by international large research groups with the participation of many researchers shows that the collaborative working culture in this field is developed. BMC Genomics, Animals and Frontiers in Genetics are among the most preferred journals in studies in this field, and 14, 10 and 10 articles have been published, respectively, to date. The number of citations per article indicates the high impact of the articles published in this field. It has been determined that the three most frequently used keywords in next-generation sequence studies in the field of livestock are "identification", "diversity" and "expression". Overall, studies about next-generation sequence applications in livestock seem to be very popular among the scientific community in recent years.

Expanded Noise Margin 10T SRAM Cell using Finfet Device

Static random access memory (SRAM) cells are being improved in order to increase resistance to device level changes and satisfy the requirements of low-power applications. A unique 10-transistor FinFET-based SRAM cell with single-ended read and differential write functionality is presented in this study. This cutting-edge architecture is more power-efficient than ST (Schmitt trigger) 10T or traditional 6T SRAM cells, using only 1.87 and 1.6 units of power respectively during read operations. The efficiency is attributable to a lower read activity factor, which saves electricity. The read static noise margin (RSNM) and write static noise margin (WSNM) of the proposed 10T SRAM cell show notable improvements over the 6T SRAM cell, increasing by 1.67 and 1.86, respectively. Additionally, compared to the 6T SRAM cell, the read access time has been significantly reduced by 1.96 seconds. Utilising the Cadence Virtuoso tool and an 18nm Advanced Node Process Design Kit (PDK) technology file, the design's efficacy has been confirmed. For low-power electronic systems and next-generation memory applications, this exciting 10T SRAM cell has a lot of potential.

Color Centers in Hexagonal Boron Nitride.

Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) has emerged as an essential material for the encapsulation layer in van der Waals heterostructures and efficient deep ultraviolet optoelectronics. This is primarily due to its remarkable physical properties and ultrawide bandgap (close to 6 eV, and even larger in some cases) properties. Color centers in hBN refer to intrinsic vacancies and extrinsic impurities within the 2D crystal lattice, which result in distinct optical properties in the ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (IR) range. Furthermore, each color center in hBN exhibits a unique emission spectrum and possesses various spin properties. These characteristics open up possibilities for the development of next-generation optoelectronics and quantum information applications, including room-temperature single-photon sources and quantum sensors. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the atomic configuration, optical and quantum properties, and different techniques employed for the formation of color centers in hBN. A deep understanding of color centers in hBN allows for advances in the development of next-generation UV optoelectronic applications, solid-state quantum technologies, and nanophotonics by harnessing the exceptional capabilities offered by hBN color centers.

A highly birefringent and compact nonlinear photonic crystal fiber for next-generation optical fiber applications: design and investigation

A highly birefringent and compact nonlinear photonic crystal fiber for next-generation optical fiber applications: design and investigation

Overcoming the Miscibility Gap of GaN/InN in MBE Growth of Cubic InxGa1-xN.

The lack of internal polarization fields in cubic group-III nitrides makes them promising arsenic-free contenders for next-generation high-performance electronic and optoelectronic applications. In particular, cubic InxGa1-xN semiconductor alloys promise band gap tuning across and beyond the visible spectrum, from the near-ultraviolet to the near-infrared. However, realization across the complete composition range has been deemed impossible due to a miscibility gap corresponding to the amber spectral range. In this study, we use plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) to fabricate cubic InxGa1-xN films on c-GaN/AlN/3C-SiC/Si template substrates that overcome this challenge by careful adjustment of the growth conditions, conclusively closing the miscibility gap. X-ray diffraction reveals the composition, phase purity, and strain properties of the InxGa1-xN films. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals a CuPt-type ordering on the atomistic scale in highly alloyed films with x(In) ≈ 0.5. Layers with much lower and much higher indium content exhibit statistical distributions of the cations Ga and In. Notably, this CuPt-type ordering results in a spectrally narrower emission compared to that of statistically disordered zincblende materials. The emission energies of the films range from 3.24 to 0.69 eV and feature a quadratic bowing parameter of b = 2.4 eV. In contrast, the LO-like phonon modes that are observed by Raman spectroscopy exhibit a one-mode behavior and shift linearly from c-GaN to c-InN.

Laser surface treatment of Inconel 617 for next-generation nuclear reactors: A strengthening mechanisms study

With the recent acceptance of Inconel Alloy 617 (IN617) for use under the ASME boiler and pressure vessel nuclear code, there is significant interest in developing manufacturing methods that can further magnify its effectiveness in intense thermo-mechanical loading scenarios. In this work, one such method, known as laser peening, was utilized in tandem with thermal aging to determine the relationship between the dislocation-rich microstructure following laser peening and the precipitation behavior of the strengthening phases. Results show that surface hardness after laser peening alone increased to 226 HV over the as-cast value of 195 HV. Following an aging heat treatment, the microhardness of the entire specimen and the laser peened zone increased by an additional 20%. Microstructural investigations revealed no change in grain size or orientation, though the precipitation of carbides throughout the microstructure resulted in a more homogenous dispersion after aging. Transmission electron microscopy revealed a rich dispersion of nanoscale γ’ phases with an average area fraction of 12.5%, in addition to a high density of dislocations (3 × 1014 lines/m2) near the laser peened surface. The Jackson-Reed model of precipitate strengthening was used in tandem with the Taylor hardening relationship to determine the effects of γ’ strengthening and work hardening respectively. Both models were able to closely approximate the experimentally observed hardness data, leading to the conclusion that major surface strengthening effects result from (i) the precipitation of γ’, and (ii) work hardening effects, with minor strengthening effects coming from (iii) residual stresses, and (iv) carbide strengthening. The results outlined herein present a promising, proof-of-concept for the use of laser peening to introduce surface mechanical property enhancement for IN617, a prime candidate material for next-generation nuclear reactor applications.

A Study of the Dynamic Characteristics of an Electrical Rotating Machine Applying No-Insulation HTS Field Coils

This paper presents a dynamic characteristic analysis of an electrical rotating machine that applies no-insulation (NI) high-temperature superconductor (HTS) field coils. The HTS electrical rotating machine applying HTS field coils has high power density compared to conventional electrical rotating machines that utilize normal conductor field coils, meaning that it has great potential for next-generation mobility applications such as electric ships and aircraft. Recently, several studies have reported the possibility of solving the quench protection problem of the HTS field coil, which is one of the most pressing issues in HTS electrical rotating machines, and the key technology is the no-insulation (NI) winding technique. The NI winding technique enhances the electrical and thermal stability of the HTS field coil because the over-current can be automatically bypassed through the turn-to-turn contacts. Although there have been many studies of the electrical and thermal stability of NI HTS field coils, there are still issues related to NI HTS field coil applications to electrical rotating machines. In particular, there are few studies of the behavior of electrical rotating machines with a NI HTS field coil under dynamic conditions, such as active shortcircuit and speed drop conditions. In this study, we designed an electrical rotating machine that utilizes NI HTS field coils and analyzed the dynamic characteristics of the designed machine. The results demonstrate there is a possibility of larger torque fluctuations and armature current fluctuations in the NI HTS machine than in the insulated HTS machine.

Quantitative assessment of automated purification and concentration of E. coli bacteria.

Automated methods for rapidly purifying and concentrating bacteria from environmental interferents are needed in next-generation applications for anything from water purification to biological weapons detection. Though previous work has been performed by other researchers in this area, there is still a need to create an automated system that can both purify and concentrate target pathogens in a timely manner with readily available and replaceable components that could be easily integrated with a detection mechanism. Thus, the objective of this work was to design, build, and demonstrate the effectiveness of an automated system, the Automated Dual-filter method for Applied Recovery, or aDARE. aDARE uses a custom LABVIEW program that guides the flow of bacterial samples through a pair of size-based separation membranes to capture and elute the target bacteria. Using aDARE, we eliminated 95% of the interfering beads of a 5 mL-sample volume containing 107 CFU/mL of E. coli contaminated with 2 µm and 10 µm polystyrene beads at 106 beads/mL concentration., The target bacteria were concentrated to more than twice the initial concentration in 900 µL of eluent, resulting in an enrichment ratio for the target bacteria of 42 ± 13 in 5.5 min. These results show the feasibility and effectiveness of using size-based filtration membranes to purify and concentrate a target bacterium, in this case E. coli, in an automated system.

Graphene enables equiatomic FeNiCrCoCu high-entropy alloy with improved TWIP and TRIP effects under shock compression

Graphene (Gr) reinforced high-entropy alloy (HEA) matrix composites are expected as potential candidates for next-generation structural applications in light of outstanding mechanical properties. A deep comprehension of the underlying deformation mechanisms under extreme shock loading is of paramount importance, however, remains lacking due to experimentally technical limitations in existence. In the present study, by means of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, dynamic deformation behaviors and corresponding mechanisms in equiatomic FeNiCrCoCu HEA/Gr composite systems were investigated in terms of various shock velocities. The resistance to dislocation propagation imparted by Gr was corroborated to encourage the elevated local stress level by increasing the likelihood of dislocation interplays, which facilitated the onset of twins and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) martensite laths. Meanwhile, the advent of Gr was demonstrated to endow the HEA with an additional twinning pathway that induced a structural conversion from HCP to parent face-centered cubic (FCC) inside HCP martensite laths, different from the classical one that necessitated undergoing the intermediate procedure of extrinsic stacking fault (ESF) evolution. More than that, by virtue of an increase in flow stress, the transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) effect was validated to be additionally evoked as the predominant strain accommodation mechanism at higher strains on the one hand, but which only assisted plasticity in pure systems, and on the other hand, can also act as an auxiliary regulation mode together with the twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) effect under intermediate strains, but with enhanced contributions relative to pure systems. One may expect that TRIP and TWIP effects promoted by introducing Gr would considerably inspire a synergistic effect between strength and ductility, contributing to the exceptional shock-resistant performance of FeNiCrCoCu HEAs under extreme regimes.

Leveraging extreme scale analytics, AI and digital twins for maritime digitalization: the VesselAI architecture.

The modern maritime industry is producing data at an unprecedented rate. The capturing and processing of such data is integral to create added value for maritime companies and other maritime stakeholders, but their true potential can only be unlocked by innovative technologies such as extreme-scale analytics, AI, and digital twins, given that existing systems and traditional approaches are unable to effectively collect, store, and process big data. Such innovative systems are not only projected to effectively deal with maritime big data but to also create various tools that can assist maritime companies, in an evolving and complex environment that requires maritime vessels to increase their overall safety and performance and reduce their consumption and emissions. An integral challenge for developing these next-generation maritime applications lies in effectively combining and incorporating the aforementioned innovative technologies in an integrated system. Under this context, the current paper presents the architecture of VesselAI, an EU-funded project that aims to develop, validate, and demonstrate a novel holistic framework based on a combination of the state-of-the-art HPC, Big Data and AI technologies, capable of performing extreme-scale and distributed analytics for fuelling the next-generation digital twins in maritime applications and beyond.

High-energy electron local injection in top-gated metallic superconductor switch

The gate-tunable superconductivity in metallic superconductors has recently attracted significant attention due to its rich physics and potential applications in next-generation superconducting electronics. Although the operating principles of these devices have been attributed to the small leakage currents of high-energy electrons in recent experiments, the generated phonons can spread over considerable distances in the substrate, which may limit their further applications. Here, we utilize a top gate structure with monocrystalline h-BN as a gate dielectric and demonstrate the gate-adjustable supercurrent in a metallic Nb microbridge. The gate current of the devices perfectly follows the Fowler–Nordheim law of field emission, indicating that the injection of high-energy electrons presumably causes the suppression of the supercurrent. Our devices reduce the distance between the gate and the microbridge to a few nanometers or less, significantly minimizing the generated phonons’ spreading distance and power dissipation in the substrate or surrounding environment. These observations demonstrate that top-gated metallic superconducting switches with local electron injection can improve the device integration density, providing us with more versatile and practical opportunities to explore superconducting circuit architecture.

Hydrogen Bonding-Assisted Complete Ferroelectric β-Phase Conversion in Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Thin Films: Exhibiting an Excellent Memory Window and Long Retention.

Organic nonvolatile memory with low power consumption is a critical research demand for next-generation memory applications. Ferroelectric switching characteristics of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) thin films modified with a trace amount of hydrated Cu salt (CuCl2·2H2O) are explored in the present study. Herein, a Cu salt-mediated PVDF (Cu/PVDF) thin film with preferential edge-on β-crystallites is fabricated through the orientation-controlled spin coating (OCSC) technique. This work proposes a convenient and effective approach to produce edge-on-oriented electroactive PVDF thin films with a high degree of polar β-phase, so as to realize the favorable switching under low operating voltages. Herein, chemically modified PVDF is anticipated to form a complex intermediate, which attains its stability by undergoing favorable hydrogen bonding that reorients the C-C structure of PVDF to obtain the β-conformation. Such information is verified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Grazing incidence Fourier transform infrared (GI-FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that the Cu salt incorporated into the PVDF matrix favored the formation of the electroactive β-phase with edge-on crystallite lamellae. Consequently, the Cu/PVDF thin film demonstrates a good contrast between electric field-assisted written and erased data bits in the piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) phase image. Furthermore, to obtain the ferroelectric memory window, a metal-ferroelectric-insulator-semiconductor (MFIS) diode with Cu/PVDF as a ferroelectric layer has been fabricated. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristic of the MFIS diode exhibits a memory window of 12 V with a long-term retention behavior (∼longer than 7 days). In a nutshell, we tried to represent a clear understanding of the interfacial interactions of the Cu salt with PVDF, which favor the edge-on formation that results in the promising low-voltage ferroelectric switching and excellent retention response, where any additional electrical poling and/or external stretching is completely possible to be ruled out, thus offering a new prospect for the evolution of devices with long-lasting nonvolatile memories.

The Impact of Cloud Computing on Firms: A Case Study of Cloud Adoption in Saudi Airline Navigation Services Company

The world has become increasingly digital. Companies rely on technology to assist them in improving their business processes. They are searching for an information system capable of handling massive work. An Enterprise Resource Planning system (ERP) comes into play at this point. Most ERP systems have been implemented on-premise, also known as traditional ERP systems. ERP system offers a variety of advantages, including integrated submodules, mature system functionality, and enhanced customization and integration capabilities. Other software applications have shifted to cloud computing over the past decade, which has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the IT industry. In addition, cloud computing is a modern trend that reveals the architecture of the next generation of applications. In this paper, we present a case study of Saudi Air Navigation Services company regarding their migration to cloud computing, highlighting the key concepts and services that cloud computing provides today and its impact on their businesses. This research aims to provide a better understanding of the cloud computing transformation.

Luminescence and Degeneration Mechanism of Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes and Strategies for Improving Device Performance.

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) can be a promising technology for next-generation display and lighting applications due to their excellent optoelectronic properties. However, a systematical overview of luminescence and degradation mechanism of perovskite materials and PeLEDs is lacking. Therefore, it is crucial to fully understand these mechanisms and further improve device performances. In this work, the fundamental photophysical processes of perovskite materials, electroluminescence mechanism of PeLEDs including carrier kinetics and efficiency roll-off as well as device degradation mechanism are discussed in detail. In addition, the strategies to improve device performances are summarized, including optimization of photoluminescence quantum yield, charge injection and recombination, and light outcoupling efficiency. It is hoped that this work can provide guidance for future development of PeLEDs and ultimately realize industrial applications.

A high κ, transparent, and stretchable Cu@TiO2 core@shell nanowire/poly(dimethylsiloxane) composite film for sensitive wearable touch sensor

Touch sensors are crucial for the development of advanced wearable devices and enhancement of the user experience through human-machine interaction. The properties of dielectric films, including their high dielectric constants (high-κ), low loss tangents (tan⁡δ), transparency, and stretchability are key factors that impact the accuracy, reliability, and display visibility of wearable touch sensors. Here, we present an approach for fabricating a Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS)-based dielectric film that can achieve a dielectric constant 6 times larger than that of pure PDMS film by loading a very low wt% (3%) of copper@titanium dioxide (Cu@TiO2) core-shell nanowires (NWs) to PDMS matrix. TiO2 was deposited on surfaces of Cu NWs by a hydrothermal reaction to form the covering shell, and it is experimentally and theoretically proved that the shell can suppress the scattering from metal surfaces, resulting in improving the transparency, and reducing the dielectric loss of the film (tan⁡δ=0.01–0.06). The nanocomposite film also exhibits outstanding mechanical property (standing up to a tensile strain of 200%). The demonstration of a transparent, highly sensitive and low noise multi-touch sensor using high-κ film suggests that this film has potential application in next-generation of wearable electronic devices for human-machine interaction.

Review of Electrochemically Synthesized Resistive Switching Devices: Memory Storage, Neuromorphic Computing, and Sensing Applications.

Resistive-switching-based memory devices meet most of the requirements for use in next-generation information and communication technology applications, including standalone memory devices, neuromorphic hardware, and embedded sensing devices with on-chip storage, due to their low cost, excellent memory retention, compatibility with 3D integration, in-memory computing capabilities, and ease of fabrication. Electrochemical synthesis is the most widespread technique for the fabrication of state-of-the-art memory devices. The present review article summarizes the electrochemical approaches that have been proposed for the fabrication of switching, memristor, and memristive devices for memory storage, neuromorphic computing, and sensing applications, highlighting their various advantages and performance metrics. We also present the challenges and future research directions for this field in the concluding section.

New High-Performance Piezoelectric: Ferroelectric Carbon-Boron Clathrate.

High-performance piezoelectrics have been extensively reported with a typical perovskite structure, in which a huge breakthrough in piezoelectric constants is found to be more and more difficult. Hence, the development of materials beyond perovskite is a potential means of achieving lead-free and high piezoelectricity in next-generation piezoelectrics. Here, we demonstrate the possibility of developing high piezoelectricity in the nonperovskite carbon-boron clathrate with the composition of ScB_{3}C_{3} using first-principles calculations. The robust and highly symmetric B-C cage with mobilizable Sc atom constructs a flat potential valley to connect the ferroelectric orthorhombic and rhombohedral structures, which allows an easy, continuous, and strong polarization rotation. By manipulating the cell parameter b, the potential energy surface can be further flattened to produce an extra-high shear piezoelectric constant d_{15} of 9424 pC/N. Our calculations also confirm the effectiveness of the partial chemical replacement of Sc by Y to form a morphotropic phase boundary in the clathrate. The significance of large polarization and high symmetric polyhedron structure is demonstrated for realizing strong polarization rotation, offering the universal physical principles to aid the search for new high-performance piezoelectrics. This work takes ScB_{3}C_{3} as an example to exhibit the great potential for realizing high piezoelectricity in clathrate structure, which opens the door to developing next-generation lead-free piezoelectric applications.