Enhanced condensation on multihole-decorated slippery surfaces.

Abstract Steel sheet surface flatness serves as a critical quality indicator in modern industrial manufacturing, where its accurate measurement is essential for structural integrity assessment. This paper presents a vision-based measurement system using fringe projection for efficient and reliable flatness inspection. Through Fourier spectrum correction, the system extracts the spatial frequency of fringe patterns projected onto the steel surface and establishes a direct quantitative model between fringe frequency and surface flatness, enabling rapid, precise, and non-contact measurement. Comprehensive simulations and experiments were conducted to analyze key factors influencing system performance, confirming the feasibility and reliability of the proposed approach. Comparative tests against conventional stereoscopic vision demonstrate that the proposed system offers superior robustness to highly reflective surfaces, reduced system complexity, and higher operational efficiency. The core innovation lies in integrating spectral correction with a direct analytical model, which maintains high measurement accuracy while effectively suppressing specular reflections and significantly simplifying the system structure, thereby lowering costs. This provides a practical and innovative solution for online, rapid, and non-contact flatness inspection of steel sheets in industrial settings.

Agglomeration and crystallization of atoms are the key processes in nucleation. For heterogeneous nucleation, investigating the influence of the substrate surface on agglomeration and crystallization, and then understanding the related mechanism at the atomic scale is crucial to material synthesis. Here, electron beam in transmission electron microscopy is utilized to decompose BiOCl material for generating dissociative Bi atoms. We observe the heterogeneous nucleation process of Bi nanocrystals at the surface of BiOCl from the side view with atomic spatial resolution and millisecond temporal resolution. The nucleation and crystallization of Bi nanocrystal is found to occur at the concave sites of the surface with angles ranging from 91° to 157° and form stable nucleus with sizes of 1 to 2 nanometers, while the pre-agglomerated Bi clusters dissociate again on the flat and convex surface. We demonstrate the collision between the Bi atoms and the concave structure helps Bi atoms release kinetic energy and form nucleus, and then the concave surface further stabilizes the nucleus and promotes crystallization.

ABSTRACT Three classes of mid‐infrared metasurfaces operating in the 12–24 µm spectral range are produced solely through the structuration of a single‐crystal silicon surface. By controlling surface topography, we achieve tailorable spectral responses, including resonant, broadband, and anti‐resonant absorptance. Two metasurfaces use smooth gratings, while the third employs a hierarchical topography involving further nanostructuration, leading to a rough grating. Simulations and experiments reveal distinct spectral behaviors: (i) narrow‐band absorptance with mid‐quality factor and angle‐tunable resonant wavelength, also enabling precise control over the photon lifetime, (ii) broadband absorptance, and (iii) broadband absorptance with narrow‐band anti‐resonant absorption dip. Compared to flat silicon surfaces, these metasurfaces enable significantly enhanced light‐matter interactions, achieving a two‐fold increase in the absorptance with only 10% increase in effective surface area. The observed effects are attributed to different expressions of Wood anomalies, driven by the high carrier concentration in heavily doped silicon, which critically shape the metasurfaces’ optical behavior.

Strain is a proven technique for modifying the bandgap and enhancing carrier mobility in 2D materials. Most current strain engineering techniques rely on the post-growth transfer of these atomically thin materials from growth substrates to target surfaces, limiting their integration into nanoelectronics. Here, we present a new approach where strain in 2D materials is already introduced directly during their growth on grayscale-patterned topographies instead of flat surfaces. Both strain levels and orientations are deterministically engineered by controlling grayscale surface contour lengths through thermal expansion mismatches in nanostructured stacks, where the conformally grown and firmly attached 2D material is forced to match the underlying morphology change during cooling. With this method, we experimentally demonstrate precise control of localized tensile strain from 0 to 0.5% in grown MoS2 monolayer along both uni- and multiaxial directions, while higher strain levels are shown to be theoretically possible. This strain-engineered growth of 2D material films directly on the target substrates is a generic and adaptable approach to various combinations of grayscale-thin-film/substrates and eliminates all the transfer-related limitations of previous approaches, thus paving the way for integrating strained 2D materials into next-generationnanoelectronics.

Aim: To compare and assess the shear bond strength of two distinct generations of dentin bonding agents.  Material and Methods: Thirty-four extracted human premolars were collected for the study. The teeth's occlusal surfaces were decreased to expose the flat surface of dentin and randomly divided into two experimental groups (n=14). Group I- Seventh generation dentin bonding agent Group II- Eighth generation dentin bonding agent. Following the manufacturer's directions, bonding agents were applied and light-cured. On these prepared dentinal surfaces, a plastic mould was used to create composite cylinders. A Universal Testing Machine was used to determine the shear bond strength of each sample.  Results: When compared to seventh generation dentin bonding agent, the eighth generation dentin bonding agent shows highest shear bond strength value and demonstrated a statistically significant difference.  Conclusion: The study concluded that the shear bond of eighth generation bonding agents is stronger than that of seventh generation bonding agents.

Achieving reliable hydrogen sensing at room temperature remains a critical challenge due to the limited carrier transport and unstable surface chemistry of conventional polycrystalline oxides. Here, we demonstrate that precise growth-mode control of epitaxial anatase TiO2 thin films via sputtering atmosphere engineering provides an effective route to overcoming these limitations. By systematically tuning the Ar/O2 ratio, the TiO2 growth mode transitions from a defective island-like mode to a layer-by-layer mode and finally to a stress-induced island. The film deposited at an 8/1 Ar/O2 ratio achieves an ideal combination of perfect crystallinity, an atomically flat surface, and a balanced oxygen vacancy concentration, yielding a clean and well-defined Pd-TiO2 interface upon catalyst deposition. The resulting Pd/TiO2 sensor exhibits exceptional room-temperature hydrogen sensing performance: a strong response of 11.34 to 100 ppm of H2, a low detection limit (5 ppm), excellent selectivity over other battery abuse gases, remarkable humidity resistance, and long-term stability. Comprehensive structural and mechanistic analyses reveal that the superior performance originates from an efficient interface-dominated sensing mechanism, rather than the conventional surface reaction pathway. This work establishes a "structure over stoichiometry" paradigm for developing advanced gas sensors and provides an effective route toward high-reliability, low-power hydrogen safety monitoring.

Microparticles abundant in marine and aquatic environments can readily deposit on surfaces and influence the biofouling development there. So far, the impacts of micrometer scale particles on bacterial adhesion, including most sediments and cellular debris, remain unclear. By using digital holographic microscopy for real-time 3D bacterial tracking, we have investigated the interaction of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PAO1) near surface deposited with particles having diameter of 0.5 to 8.0 μm sparsely distributed on the glass substrate. It reveals that the bacterial adhesion is reduced for all the particle-decorated surfaces compared with flat surface and shows size dependence with minimum adhesion on surfaces deposited with 5.0 μm particle. In addition, the near-surface motions of PAO1 are greatly changed by the microparticles. PAO1 speeds up with more continuous climbing and leveling as it approaches the particle. Flow simulation demonstrates that a deposited particle alters the local flow depending on its size, where a 5.0 μm particle has the shortest-range flow disruption. Anyhow, the hydrodynamic interaction between particles and bacteria is responsible for the near-surface bacterial motions. The present study provides a basis for designing marine antifouling materials.

Antiferromagnetic kagome metal FeGe has attracted tremendous attention in condensed matter physics due to the charge density wave (CDW) being well below its magnetic transition temperature. Up to now, numerous works on kagome FeGe have been based on single crystal bulk, but its thin film form has still not been reported. Here, we achieved epitaxial growth of FeGe thin films on Al2O3 substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Structural characterization with x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals single phase with flat surface of kagome FeGe thin films. Moreover, a Néel temperature of 397 K and a rapid variation of Hall coefficient and magnetoresistance around 100 K, which might be related to the CDW, were revealed via transport measurements. The high quality kagome FeGe thin films are expected to provide a versatile platform to study the mechanism of CDW and explore the application of FeGe in antiferromagnetic spintronics.

Boiling of dielectric liquids is limited by a trade-off between efficient nucleation and interfacial instabilities that trigger premature critical heat flux (CHF). In this Letter, we show that the dynamics of bubble coalescence and liquid-film drainage in HFE (Hydrofluoroether)-7100 can be tuned by coupling surface structuring with fluid composition. Micro-grooved surfaces enhance the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) by increasing nucleation-site density, but hydrodynamic instabilities restrict gains in CHF. Introducing a small fraction of high surface-tension lubricant alters interfacial stresses: the oil accumulates at the gas–liquid interface, generates Marangoni convection into thinning films, and suppresses coalescence. This stabilizes bubble dynamics, concentrates energy fluctuations at low frequencies, and delays CHF. When 1 wt. % oil is combined with 100 μm-pitch grooves, HTC is enhanced by 64.9% relative to a flat surface, while CHF is significantly extended. These results highlight the fundamental role of Marangoni-driven interfacial flows in retarding film rupture in boiling and demonstrate a hybrid pathway to overcome the HTC–CHF trade-off in dielectric boiling.

Dynamic mechanical stimulation plays an important role in determining the function and health of cells and tissues, and it is therefore highly relevant to study the real-time response of cells to time-dependent forces. We introduce a platform for providing controllable dynamic mechanical stimulation to single cells, suitable for investigating large cell populations and enabling live cell imaging, and we present proof-of-principle experiments that demonstrate the platform's capabilities. Cells are cultured on a hydrogel surface with magnetic artificial cilia made from a magnetic elastomer using a tailored micromolding process. The cilia are actuated with an electromagnet integrated with an in-incubator fluorescent microscope. We show that cells attach to the cilia and exhibit widely different morphologies than cells on flat surfaces. Cellular forces involved can be estimated by measuring cilia deflection. We demonstrate that cells can be exposed to continuous dynamic forces by cilia actuation and that their response can be monitored by real-time observation of Yes-Associated Protein (YAP). These experiments indicate rare events of mechanotransduction due to cilia actuation, but the low response prohibits drawing final conclusions about the biological response. Our artificial cilia-based platform offers new opportunities for studying mechanical cell stimulation in real time and understanding dynamicmechanotransduction.

The stiffness of a roller between two flat surfaces: An experimental study using modal analysis

Micro-centrifuge: Controlling coffee ring effect with surface acoustic waves on a patterned substrate.

Cleaning of a soluble soil layer by flow over a flat surface: an example of a Stefan-Graetz problem

In trans women, low-pitched voice can be raised by cricothyroid approximation (CTA). The aim of the study was to analyze voice outcomes in trans women with Type A cricothyroid joints (CTJs) over a period of 5 years. Prospective cohort study. Thirty-five trans women were included in the study after high-resolution computed tomography evaluation revealed a Type A CTJ (Type A: well-defined facet; B: no definable facet; C: flat cartilage surface). All had voice therapy before CTA. Additionally, voice assessment (mean speaking level [MSL], loudness, vocal range of speaking voice, Trans Women Voice Questionnaire [TWVQ]) was performed before and after voice therapy, and after CTA at 4 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year, and then annually for 5 years. MSL rose with voice therapy from 134 to 150 Hz. With CTA, the MSL increased to 184 Hz 4 weeks postoperatively and to 199 Hz 6 months postoperatively. The MSL has remained stable at 203-209 Hz for 5 years. The TWVQ score decreased from 91 to 84 patients with voice therapy. After CTA, it decreased to 50 patients and has remained stable for 5 years. CTA in trans women with Type A CTJ is a valuable technique for elevating MSL, providing stable results for 5 years. Therefore, CTA should only be performed in patients with Type A CTJs who desire higher pitched voices. Level 4.

Surface structure of long-chain ionic liquids: Temperature and chain-length evolution.

Achieving atomically flat NiTi surfaces: A tribochemical slurry strategy targeting selective material removal

Nitrogen adsorption and dissociation on flat and stepped Fe(110) surfaces

Modelling of spherical wave reflection on an absorbing flat surface considering its finite size – Application to traffic noise barriers

Plasma-assisted polishing with silicon and silica plates: Comparison of interaction mechanism and achievement of atomically flat surfaces on single- and polycrystalline diamond