Elementary Processes Research Articles

DFT Study on Copper‐Catalyzed Hydroboration of 1,3‐Diynes: Mechanism, Selectivity, and Comparison with Ruthenium

AbstractDensity functional theory calculations have been performed to explore the mechanism of copper‐catalyzed hydroboration of 1,3‐diyne with HBpin. The catalytic cycles are composed of three elementary processes in succession, namely, the generation of copper hydride species, migratory insertion and σ‐bond metathesis, among which the σ‐bond metathesis step is rate‐determining with a free‐energy barrier of 19.7 kcal/mol. The syn‐addition selectivity originates from the high barrier for converting (Z)‐product to (E)‐product. Effects of diphosphine ligands and substituents on the reactivity were also addressed. Lastly, this copper‐catalyzed hydroboration was compared with a related ruthenium‐catalyzed one, and the obtained results indicated that copper‐catalyzed hydroboration has a more favorable σ‐bond metathesis step and a more challenging migratory insertion step as compared to the ruthenium‐catalyzed counterpart. Wavefunction analyses were performed to understand the observed behaviors.

Validation of OpenFOAM with respect to the elementary processes involved in the generation of waves by subaerial landslides

This study presents a validation of the OpenFOAM multiphase solver (i.e., multiphaseInterFoam) with respect to the elementary processes involved in the simulation of waves generated by high mobility subaerial landslide with a specific focus on the computation of energy terms. These processes include slide flow over a slope, impulse wave generation, wave dispersion, wave propagation and breaking. The simulations are conducted in 2D. The results allow to determine the minimum number of cells and the appropriate model tuning to reach acceptable accuracy while maintaining the computation time in a reasonable limit. To respect energy conservation, the choice of the turbulence model appears critical. Only, with a turbulence including a buoyancy term in the equations to account for the multiphase flow, and optimized initial values of the turbulence model parameters, could be the energy components of the flow accurately calculated. This study highlights the complexity of the phenomenon and the care with which, simulations should be conducted for the accurate computation of the energy transfers in the context of subaerial landslides.

Atomically Dispersed Ru Species Induced by Strong Metal-Support Interaction for Electrochemical Methane Reforming.

During the high-temperature oxygen evolution reaction for CO2 electrolysis in solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs), the key elementary process of O2- transfer is restricted by the high anodic oxygen pressure thermodynamically, thus requiring a high external voltage [open-circuit voltage (OCV)] to drive the electrolysis reaction. Herein, electrochemical CH4 reforming is introduced to the SOEC anode, which remarkably lowers the anodic oxygen pressure and OCV, finally reducing the energy demand from 3.12 to 0.11 kW h per cubic meter of CO. Meanwhile, atomically dispersed Ru species is anchored on the anode surface due to the strong metal-support interaction, which exhibits superior CH4 reforming activity (90% of CO selectivity) and stability (300 h) to the infiltrated Ru nanoparticles and doped Ru species in the bulk lattice at 600 °C. This work proposes an efficient strategy to boost the SOEC performance thermodynamically and produce value-added chemicals at both the cathode and anode of SOEC simultaneously.

Effects of low temperature on near-nozzle breakup and droplet size distribution in airblast kerosene spray

Atomization of low-temperature fuel is encountered in extreme operating conditions of liquid propulsion systems such as cold start and high-altitude relight for aeroengines. Fuel temperature has a great impact on airblast spray characteristics by influencing fuel viscosity and thus the gas–liquid interaction, which raises the demand to clarify the temperature-dependent transition in near-nozzle breakup behavior and the corresponding droplet size distribution. A liquid-centered swirl coaxial injector is tested on the low-temperature swirl spray and combustion test rig at Zhejiang University, using 25 kHz high-speed digital off-axis holography. RP-3 aviation kerosene is atomized under ignition conditions at temperatures of 233, 253, and 301 K, fuel pressures of 0.03 and 0.69 MPa, and air pressure ranging from 0 to 4.0 kPa. Time-resolved near-nozzle dynamics suggest four types of elementary breakup processes: wavy-sheet breakup, pulsating breakup, membrane-type breakup, and nonaxisymmetric Rayleigh breakup. Each process alternately dominates the near field as fuel Reynolds number (Ref) and aerodynamic Weber number (Weg) decrease, corresponding to four primary breakup modes. A mode classification plot is summarized. Spray structures show an extended breakup length and reduced spray cone angle as fuel temperature (Tf) decreases. Increasing air pressure (Pg) promotes spray expansion at 0.03 MPa, but contracts spray cone at 0.69 MPa. Cross-sectional Sauter mean diameter (SMD) distribution indicates a solid-cone spray at 0.03 MPa and a hollow cone spray at 0.69 MPa. Lowering Tf will rise the SMD in the spray center at 0.03 MPa and transform the toroidal SMD distribution at 0.69 MPa into a solid one. Finally, a temperature-related SMD model is derived considering the exponential viscosity–temperature relationship, and a good fit with R2 > 0.95 is achieved. This research aims to deepen the understanding of the effects of low temperature on the transition of near-nozzle atomization characteristics for airblast sprays. Both spray visualization and SMD results provide reference for numerical simulations and near-nozzle spray modeling.

Controlled molecule injector for cold, dense, and pure molecular beams at the European x-ray free-electron laser.

A permanently available molecular-beam injection setup for controlled molecules (COMO) was installed and commissioned at the small quantum systems (SQS) instrument at the European x-ray free-electron laser (EuXFEL). A b-type electrostatic deflector allows for pure state-, size-, and isomer-selected samples of polar molecules and clusters. The source provides a rotationally cold (T ≈ 1 K) and dense (ρ ≈ 108 cm-3) molecular beam with pulse durations up to 100 µs generated by a new version of the Even-Lavie valve. Here, a performance overview of the COMO setup is presented along with characterization experiments performed both with an optical laser at the Center for Free-Electron-Laser Science and with x rays at EuXFEL under burst-mode operation. COMO was designed to be attached to different instruments at the EuXFEL, in particular, the SQS and single particles, clusters, and biomolecules (SPB) instruments. This advanced controlled-molecules injection setup enables x-ray free-electron laser studies using highly defined samples with soft and hard x-ray FEL radiation for applications ranging from atomic, molecular, and cluster physics to elementary processes in chemistry and biology.

Проблема футбольного інтелекту у сучасних дослідженнях

Speed, dynamism, high physical and mental loads characterize modern soccer. In this regard, the player's intelligence plays an important role during the game, because it: affects the form of tactical behavior; allows to make effective decisions in stressful situations; increases the player's ability to understand and establish links between game episodes and solve problematic game episodes using available tactical information. Therefore, the study of theoretical, tactical and psychological aspects of the development of intellectual abilities of a player is important for obtaining high results in this sport. The aim of the study is to analyze theoretical research on the peculiarities and development of intellectual abilities of soccer players. Research methods: theoretical analysis and generalization of scientific and methodological literature. Research results. As a result of the conducted analysis of literary sources it was determined that soccer intelligence is a way of thinking that allows a player to solve problem situations using knowledge, experience, skills and natural data, which are best suited for a particular game situation. Player's intelligence is a complex multilevel structure that is the result of player's adaptation to the conditions of the game space, constitutes a special form of tactical behavior of the player, is the result of purposeful tactical training of the player as a set of elementary processes of information processing and a system of cognitive processes. Conclusions. In soccer, the intellectual component is an integral part of both the game itself and the training process. Coaches are interested in its improvement and effective use because soccer intelligence is a way of thinking that allows a player to successfully solve problem situations using knowledge, experience, skills, and natural data that are best suited for a particular game situation.

Programmable Lipid Bilayer Tension-Control Apparatus for Quantitative Mechanobiology.

The biological membrane is not just a platform for information processing but also a field of mechanics. The lipid bilayer that constitutes the membrane is an elastic body, generating stress upon deformation, while the membrane protein embedded therein deforms the bilayer through structural changes. Among membrane-protein interplays, various channel species act as tension-current converters for signal transduction, serving as elementary processes in mechanobiology. However, in situ studies in chaotically complex cell membranes are challenging, and characterizing the tension dependency of mechanosensitive channels remains semiquantitative owing to technical limitations. Here, we developed a programmable membrane tension-control apparatus on a lipid bilayer system. This synthetic membrane system [contact bubble bilayer (CBB)] uses pressure to drive bilayer tension changes via the Young-Laplace principle, whereas absolute bilayer tension is monitored in real-time through image analysis of the bubble geometry via the Young principle. Consequently, the mechanical nature of the system permits the implementation of closed-loop feedback control of bilayer tension (tension-clamp CBB), maintaining a constant tension for minutes and allowing stepwise tension changes within a hundred milliseconds in the tension range of 0.8 to 15 mN·m-1. We verified the system performance by examining the single-channel behavior of tension-dependent KcsA and TREK-1 potassium channels under scheduled tension time courses prescribed via visual interfaces. The result revealed steady-state activity and dynamic responses to the step tension changes, which are essential to the biophysical characterization of the channels. The apparatus explores a frontier for quantitative mechanobiology studies and promotes the development of a tension-operating experimental robot.

A chiral hydrogen atom abstraction catalyst for the enantioselective epimerization of meso-diols.

Hydrogen atom abstraction is an important elementary chemical process but is very difficult to carry out enantioselectively. We have developed catalysts, readily derived from the Cinchona alkaloid family of natural products, which can achieve this by virtue of their chiral amine structure. The catalyst, following single-electron oxidation, desymmetrizes meso-diols by selectively abstracting a hydrogen atom from one carbon center, which then regains a hydrogen atom by abstraction from a thiol. This results in an enantioselective epimerization process, forming the chiral diastereomer with high enantiomeric excess. Cyclic and acyclic 1,2-diols are compatible, as are acyclic 1,3-diols. Additionally, we demonstrate the viability of combining our approach with carbon-carbon bond formation in Giese addition. Given the increasing number of synthetic methods involving hydrogen atom transfer steps, we anticipate that this work will have a broad impact in the field of enantioselective radical chemistry.

Spectroscopic Study of Strain, Oxidation, and Formation of Few-Layer Graphene at Steel Surfaces Tribologically Tested against MoS2 Films.

MoS2 not only has unique optoelectronic properties realizing photonic and semiconductor applications but also serves as a promising solid lubricant in tribological three-body contacts due to its advantageous friction and wear behavior. Its functionality is defined by elementary processes including strain, oxidation processes, and material mixing. However, these mechanisms were not elucidated for MoS2 having transferred from the MoS2 film synthesized at the main body to a steel counter body during tribological ball-on-disk tests. Using spatially and spectrally high-resolved Raman spectroscopy, we study the compressive and tensile strain within the MoS2 transfer material and analyze the oxidation of molybdenum, sulfur, and iron. In addition, we elaborate on the impact of transition metals modifying the MoS2 films on the strain distribution and oxidation processes. Decreasing intensities of the MoS2 Raman lines are accompanied with enhanced intensities of sulphur and molybdenum oxide Raman signatures which are particularly agglomerated at the edges of the tribological track. The formation of tribochemical oxides, including Mo4O11 in the Magnéli-phase, depends weakly on the type of modifying element, and an oxidation of a modification element itself is not detected. We also identified a tribologically induced formation of disordered few-layer graphene at counter-body surface areas which experienced weak thermo-mechanical tribological load. Our results characterize structural and chemical features of the MoS2 transfer material, thus predicting material failure at the microscopic level.

Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations for Rydberg-blockade processes

We discuss time-optimal control problems for two setups involving globally driven Rydberg atoms in the blockade limit by deriving the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations. From these equations, we extract the globally optimal trajectories and the corresponding controls for several target processes of the atomic system, using a generalized method of characteristics. We apply this method to retrieve known results for CZ and C-phase gates, and to find new optimal pulses for all elementary processes involved in the universal quantum computation scheme introduced in []. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Promoting effect of interfacial hole accumulation on photoelectrochemical water oxidation in BiVO4 and Mo-doped BiVO4

Hole transfer at the semiconductor-electrolyte interface is a key elementary process in (photo)electrochemical (PEC) water oxidation. However, up to now, a detailed understanding of the hole transfer and the influence of surface hole density on PEC water oxidation kinetics is lacking. In this work, we propose a model for the first time in which the surface accumulated hole density in BiVO4 and Mo-doped BiVO4 samples during water oxidation can be acquired via employing illumination-dependent Mott-Schottky measurements. Based on this model, some results are demonstrated as below: (1) Although the surface hole density increases when increasing light intensity and applied potential, the hole transfer rate remains linearly proportional to surface hole density on a log-log scale. (2) Both water oxidation on BiVO4 and Mo-doped BiVO4 follow first-order reaction kinetics at low surface hole densities, which is in good agreement with literature. (3) We find that water oxidation active sites in both BiVO4 and Mo-doped BiVO4 are very likely to be Bi5+, which are produced by photoexcited or/and electro-induced surface holes, rather than VOx species or Mo6+ due to their insufficient redox potential for water oxidation. (4) Introduction of Mo doping brings about higher OER activity of BiVO4, as it suppresses the recombination rate of surface holes and increases formation of Bi5+. This surface hole model offers a general approach for the quantification of surface hole density in the field of semiconductor photoelectrocatalysis.

Hybrid Quantum Mechanical, Molecular Mechanical, and Machine Learning Potential for Computing Aqueous-Phase Adsorption Free Energies on Metal Surfaces.

Performing reliable computer simulations of elementary processes occurring at metal-water interfaces is pivotal for novel catalyst design in sustainable energy applications. Computational catalyst design hinges on the ability to reliably and efficiently compute the potential energy surface (PES) of the system. Due to the large system sizes needed for studying processes at liquid water-metal interfaces, these systems can currently not be described using density functional theory (DFT). In this work, we used a hybrid quantum mechanical, molecular mechanical, and machine learning potential for studying the adsorption behavior of phenol, atomic hydrogen, 2-butanol, and 2-butanone on the (0001) facet of Ru under reducing conditions when Ru is not oxidized. Specifically, we describe the adsorbate and the surrounding metal atoms at the DFT level of theory. Here, we also considered the electrostatic field effect of the water molecules on adsorbate-metal interactions. Next, for the water-water and water-adsorbate interactions, we used established classical force fields. Finally, for the water-Ru surface interaction, for which no reliable force fields have been published, we used Behler-Parrinello high-dimensional neural network potentials (HDNNPs). Employing this setup, we used our explicit solvation for metal surface (eSMS) approach to compute the aqueous-phase effect on the low-coverage adsorption of selected molecules and atoms on the (0001) facet of Ru. In agreement with previous experimental and computational studies of oxygenated molecules over transition metal facets, we found that liquid water destabilizes the tested adsorbates on Ru(0001). Interestingly, our findings indicate that adsorbates on Ru are less affected by the presence of an aqueous phase than on other transition metals (e.g., Pt), highlighting the necessity of experimental investigations of Ru-based catalytic systems in liquid water.

Liquid water radiolysis induced by secondary electrons generated from MeV-energy carbon ions.

Fast ion beams induce damage to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by chemical products, including secondary electrons, produced from interaction with liquid water in living cells. However, the production process of these chemical products in the Bragg peak region used in particle therapy is not fully understood. To investigate this process, we conducted experiments to evaluate the radiolytic yields produced when a liquid water jet in vacuum is irradiated with MeV-energy carbon beams. We used secondary ion mass spectrometry to measure the products, such as hydronium cations (H3O+) and hydroxyl anions (OH-), produced along with ·OH radicals, which are significant inducers of DNA damage formation. In addition, we simulated the ionization process in liquid water by incident ions and secondary electrons using a Monte Carlo code for radiation transport. Our results showed that secondary electrons, rather than incident ions, are the primary cause of ionization in water. We found that the production yield of H3O+ or OH- was linked to the frequency of ionization by secondary electrons in water, with these electrons having energies between 10.9 and 550eV. These electrons are responsible for ionizing the outer-shell electrons of water molecules. Finally, we present that the elementary processes contribute to advancing radiation biophysics and biochemistry, which study the formation mechanism of DNA damage.

Kinetics and soft computing evaluation of Linseed oil transesterification via CD-BaCl-IL catalyst

A novel clay-doped ionic liquid and BaCl (CD-BaCl-IL) heterogeneous catalyst for biodiesel synthesis from linseed oil (LSO) was generated after 4 h of calcination at 600°C using Scanning Electron Micrograph (SEM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to evaluate the catalyst's processability. After optimization using response surface methodology (RSM), the second-order polynomial model was shown in the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) with R2 values of 0.9947, Adj R2 (0.9850), and Pred R2 (0.8594), demonstrating model acceptability. The maximum biodiesel yield (97.097 %) was obtained with 2.6 wt% catalyst, 6 mol/mol methanol/molar ratio, 1.5 h, 50 °C, and 400 rpm agitation. ANFIS predicted biodiesel yield more accurately than ANN (R2 = 0.999, MSE = 0.27594), with the lowest MSE (R2 = 0.99, MSE = 0.00038). Under optimal conditions, this study employed a kinetic model based on two elementary chemical processes: Eley-Rideal (ER) and Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson (LHHW). The LHHW model accurately described CD-BaCl-IL catalyst experimental data at 50 °C, with favourable parameters, an R2 value of 0.9348, and a variance of 2.61E-8. The surface reaction between adsorbed triglyceride and alcohol dictated the rate-determining step. Temperature increased the rate, indicating an endothermic process. The reaction's activation energy and frequency factor were 10.22 kJ/mol and 6.41 h-1, respectively. Linseed biodiesel met the D6751 criterion.

Competitive processes shape multi-synapse plasticity along dendritic segments

Neurons receive thousands of inputs onto their dendritic arbour, where individual synapses undergo activity-dependent plasticity. Long-lasting changes in postsynaptic strengths correlate with changes in spine head volume. The magnitude and direction of such structural plasticity - potentiation (sLTP) and depression (sLTD) - depend upon the number and spatial distribution of stimulated synapses. However, how neurons allocate resources to implement synaptic strength changes across space and time amongst neighbouring synapses remains unclear. Here we combined experimental and modelling approaches to explore the elementary processes underlying multi-spine plasticity. We used glutamate uncaging to induce sLTP at varying number of synapses sharing the same dendritic branch, and we built a model incorporating a dual role Ca2+-dependent component that induces spine growth or shrinkage. Our results suggest that competition among spines for molecular resources is a key driver of multi-spine plasticity and that spatial distance between simultaneously stimulated spines impacts the resulting spine dynamics.

Impact of oxytosis on the cross-talk of mTORC with mitochondrial proteins in drug-resistant cancer stem cells.

By delivering the environmental inputs to transport nutrients and growth factors, Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) plays a significant role in the growth and metabolism of eukaryotic cells through the regulation of numerous elementary cellular processes such as autophagy, protein synthesis, via translation of mitochondrial protein transcription factor A mitochondrial, mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, and mitochondrial respiratory complexes I &V that are encoded in the nucleus with the help of translation initiation factor 4E-BP. These mitochondrial proteins are involved in cell signaling to regulate proper cell growth, proliferation, and death which are essential for tumor growth and proliferation. This suggests that tumor cells are dependent on mTORC1 for various metabolic pathways. However, this crucial regulator is activated and regulated by calcium homeostasis. Mounting evidence suggests the role of calcium ions in regulating mitochondrial enzymes and proteins. Hence, disrupting calcium homeostasis leads to calcium-dependent cell death called "Oxytosis" through hampering the expression of various mitochondrial proteins. "Oxytosis" is a novel non-apoptotic cell death characterized by glutamate cytotoxicity and ferritin degradation. The present review focuses on the crosstalk between mTORC1 and mitochondrial proteins in the cancer pathophysiology and the impact of calcium ions on disrupting mTORC1 leading to the induction of "Oxytosis."

(Invited) Theoretical Insights in the Design of Active Sites and Environments to Guide Electrocatalytic Transformations for Sustainable Energy and Chemicals Production

Future strategies for sustainable energy and chemicals production will undoubtedly require the design of electrocatalytic systems that actively and selectively convert wastes such as CO2 emissions and biomass into chemicals and fuels. While enzymes elegantly integrate highly active centers together with adaptive nanoscale environments to selectively control catalytic transformations, they are limited industrially by their durability. The design of robust electrocatalytic materials and systems that can mimic the activity and selectivity of enzymes, however, has been hindered by our understanding of how such transformations proceed over inorganic materials and complex environments. Advances in theory, simulations, spectroscopy and characterization begin to allow us to track the molecular transformations and how they proceed in electrocatalytic systems at specific sites and within particular environments. This information can enable the design of unique surface ensembles and nanoscale environments that can efficiently catalyze specific molecular transformations. Herein we develop and use ab initio methods to examine the influence of anions, cations and solvents in complex electrochemical environments to carry out selective molecular transformations. More specifically, we discuss the electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 and aromatics to valuable chemical and pharmaceutical intermediates. We draw direct analogies between the elementary processes that govern these seemingly different systems. We explore the manipulation of different solvents (ionic liquids and water), electrolytes (effects of anions and cations), pH as well as different metals and electrochemical potential to drive the formation of 3D environments that aid in controlling these transformations. We expand the discussion to selective oxidation reactions and examine the design of mediators to enable the selective C-H bond activation.

(Invited) Exciton Dynamics in Triplet Fusion of Diphenylanthracene in Fluid Solution and Crystalline Solid

Triplet fusion (TF) has recently attracted attention because of its great potential of various applications. Since high reaction efficiency of TF is demanded in any applications, it is necessary to clarify the mechanism of triplet exciton dynamics that is an important elementary process to enhance the TF efficiency. Therefore, in this paper, we study the triplet exciton dynamics of 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA), which shows the TF-based fluorescence, in a solvent of tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether and in polycrystal of DPA, in combination with the triplet sensitization using platinum octaethylporphyrin. The observed emission kinetics and their magnetoluminescence effect indicate that the rotational and the multitrapping diffusions of the triplet exciton play an inherent role respectively in the fluid solution and in the polycrystalline solid.

(Keynote) Light Driven H2 Generation in Pt-Tipped CdS Nanorods: Dependence on the Pt Size and CdS Rod Length

Colloidal quantum confined semiconductor-metal nano-heterostructures are a promising class of photocatalysts for solar energy conversion. In these photocatalysts, the semiconductor domain serves as the light absorber and the metal as the catalyst. Such photocatalysts combine the superior light absorption and charge transport properties of the semiconductor with the superior catalytic activity and selectivity of the metal. Furthermore, both domains can be independently tuned to enhance the photocatalytic performance of the heterostructure. Among various semiconductor/metal heterostructures, metal-tipped colloidal semiconductor nanorods have attracted extensive interest because they have been reported to have high quantum efficiencies of light driven H2 generation and their morphology can be systematically tuned. The overall light driven H2 generation process involves multiple elementary charge separation and recombination steps in the semiconductor and across the semiconductor/metal interface as well as proton-coupled electron transfer reactions at the catalytic center. The change of the semiconductor or metal domains can often have effects on multiple competing processes involved in the overall reaction. As a result of these complexities, the mechanisms for the morphological dependence of the observed H2 generation efficiencies are not fully understood, hindering the rational design of these photocatalysts. In this talk, we use Pt tipped CdS nanorods (CdS-Pt) as a model system to examine the effect of Pt size and CdS rod length on their light driven H2 generation efficiency. We show that increasing the Pt particle size increases the overall H2 generation quantum efficiency through both increasing the rate of electron transfer from the CdS to Pt and enhancing the efficiency of water/proton reduction; H2 generation efficiency increases at longer CdS rod length by suppression of charge recombination across the Pt/CdS interface. Furthermore, because of rapid trapping of valence band holes, multi-exciton states in CdS nanorods can be long lived, enabling efficient multi-electron transfer to the Pt. Our work demonstrates that through systematic in situ study of elementary processes involved in the overall H2 generation, it is possible to rationally design and improve semiconductor-metal hybrid photocatalysts.

Quantum thermodynamics with a single superconducting vortex.

We demonstrate complete control over dynamics of a single superconducting vortex in a nanostructure, which we coin the Single Vortex Box. Our device allows us to trap the vortex in a field-cooled aluminum nanosquare and expel it on demand with a nanosecond pulse of electrical current. Using the time-resolving nanothermometry we measure [Formula: see text] joules as the amount of the dissipated heat in the elementary process of the single-vortex expulsion. Our experiment enlightens the thermodynamics of the absorption process in the superconducting nanowire single-photon detectors, in which vortices are perceived to be essential for a formation of a detectable hotspot. The demonstrated opportunity to manipulate a single superconducting vortex reliably in a confined geometry comprises a proof of concept of a nanoscale nonvolatile memory cell with subnanosecond write and read operations, which offers compatibility with quantum processors based either on superconducting qubits or on rapid single-flux quantum circuits.