Strain engineering and hydrogen effect for two-dimensional ferroelectricity in monolayer group-Ⅳmonochalcogenides MX(M=Sn,Ge;X=Se,Te,S)

Two-dimensional(2D)ferroelectric compounds are a special class of materials that meet the need for devices miniaturization,which can lead to a wide range of applications.Here,we investigate ferroelectric properties of monolayer group-IV monochalcogenides MX(M=Sn,Ge;X=Se,Te,S)via strain engineering,and their effects with contaminated hydrogen are also discussed.GeSe,GeTe,and GeS do not go through transition up to the compressive strain of-5%,and consequently have good ferroelectric parameters for device applications that can be further improved by applying strain.According to the calculated ferroelectric properties and the band gaps of these materials,we find that their band gap can be adjusted by strain for excellent photovoltaic applications.In addition,we have determined the most stable hydrogen occupancy location in the monolayer SnS and SnTe.It reveals that H prefers to absorb on SnS and SnTe monolayers as molecules rather than atomic H.As a result,hydrogen molecules have little effect on the polarization and electronic structure of monolayer SnTe and SnS.

Diamond semiconductor and elastic strain engineering

Diamond,as an ultra-wide bandgap semiconductor,has become a promising candidate for next-generation microelec-tronics and optoelectronics due to its numerous advantages over conventional semiconductors,including ultrahigh carrier mo-bility and thermal conductivity,low thermal expansion coefficient,and ultra-high breakdown voltage,etc.Despite these ex-traordinary properties,diamond also faces various challenges before being practically used in the semiconductor industry.This review begins with a brief summary of previous efforts to model and construct diamond-based high-voltage switching diodes,high-power/high-frequency field-effect transistors,MEMS/NEMS,and devices operating at high temperatures.Following that,we will discuss recent developments to address scalable diamond device applications,emphasizing the synthesis of large-area,high-quality CVD diamond films and difficulties in diamond doping.Lastly,we show potential solutions to modulate diamond’s electronic properties by the“elastic strain engineering”strategy,which sheds light on the future development of diamond-based electronics,photonics and quantum systems.

Strain Engineering for Germanium-on-Insulator Mobility Enhancement with Phase Change Liner Stressors

We investigate the strain in various Ge-on-insulator （GeOI） micro-structures induced by three phase-change maferials （PCMs） （Ge2Sb2Te5, Sb2Te3, GeTe） deposited. The PCMs could change the phase from amorphous state to polycrystalline state with a low temperature thermal annealing, resulting in an intrinsic contraction in the PCM films. Raman spectroscopy analysis is performed to compare the strain induced in the GeOI micro- structures by various PCMs. By comparison, Sb2 Tea could induce the largest amount of tensile strain in the GeOI micro-structures after the low temperature annealing. Based on the strain calculated from the Raman peak shifts, finite element numerical simulation is performed to calculate the strain-induced electron mobility enhancement for Ge n-MOSFETs with PCM liner stressors. With the adoption of Sb2 Te3 liner stressor, 22% electron mobility enhancement at Xinv=1×10^13cm^-2 could be achieved, suggesting that PCM especially Sb2 Te3 liner stressor is a promising technique for the performance enhancement of Ge MOSFETs.

Control of surface wettability via strain engineering

Reversible control of surface wettability has wide applications in lab-on-chip systems, tunable optical lenses, and microfluidic tools. Using a graphene sheet as a sam- ple material and molecular dynamic simulations, we demon- strate that strain engineering can serve as an effective way to control the surface wettability. The contact angles 0 of water droplets on a graphene vary from 72.5° to 106° under biaxial strains ranging from -10% to 10% that are applied on the graphene layer. For an intrinsic hydrophilic surface （at zero strain）, the variation of 0 upon the applied strains is more sensitive, i.e., from 0° to 74.8°. Overall the cosines of the contact angles exhibit a linear relation with respect to the strains. In light of the inherent dependence of the contact an- gle on liquid-solid interfacial energy, we develop an analytic model to show the cos 0 as a linear function of the adsorption energy Eads of a single water molecule over the substrate sur- face. This model agrees with our molecular dynamic results very well. Together with the linear dependence of Eads on bi- axial strains, we can thus understand the effect of strains on the surface wettability. Thanks to the ease of reversibly ap- plying mechanical strains in micro/nano-electromechanical systems, we believe that strain engineering can be a promis- ing means to achieve the reversibly control of surface wetta- bility.

Raman Scattering Modification in Monolayer ReS_2 Controlled by Strain Engineering

Regulation of optical properties and electronic structure of two-dimensionM layered ReS2 materials has attracted much attention due to their potential in electronic devices. However, the identification of structure transformation of monolayer ReS2 induced by strain is greatly lacking. In this work, the Raman spectra of monolayer ReS2 with external strain are determined theoretically based on the density function theory. Due to the lower structural symmetry, deformation induced by external strain can only regulate the Raman mode intensity but cannot lead to Raman mode shifts. Our calculations suggest that structural deformation induced by external strain can be identified by Raman scattering.

Valley-dependent transport in strain engineering graphene heterojunctions

We study the effect of strain on band structure and valley-dependent transport properties of graphene heterojunctions.It is found that valley-dependent separation of electrons can be achieved by utilizing strain and on-site energies.In the presence of strain,the values of transmission can be effectively adjusted by changing the strengths of the strain,while the transport angle basically keeps unchanged.When an extra on-site energy is simultaneously applied to the central scattering region,not only are the electrons of valleys K and K'separated into two distinct transmission lobes in opposite transverse directions,but the transport angles of two valleys can be significantly changed.Therefore,one can realize an effective modulation of valley-dependent transport by changing the strength and stretch angle of the strain and on-site energies,which can be exploited for graphene-based valleytronics devices.

Monodispersed ultrathin twisty PdBi alloys nanowires assemblies with tensile strain enhance C_(2+)alcohols electrooxidation

Direct alcohol fuel cells(DAFCs)are powered by the alcohol electro-oxidation reaction(AOR),where an electrocatalyst with an optimal electronic structure can accelerate the sluggish AOR.Interestingly,strain engineering in hetero-catalysis offers a promising route to boost their catalytic activity.Herein,we report on a class of monodispersed ultrathin twisty PdBi alloy nanowires(TNWs)assemblies with face-centered structures that drive AORs.These thin nanowire structures expose a large number of reactive sites.Strikingly,Pd_(6)Bi_(1)TNWs show an excellent current density of 2066,3047,and 1231 mA mg_(Pd)^(-1)for oxidation of ethanol,ethylene glycol,and glycerol,respectively.The“volcano-like”behaviors observed on PdBi TNWs for AORs indicate that the maximum catalytic mass activity is a well balance between active intermediates and blocking species at the interface.This study offers an effective and universal method to build novel nanocatalysts in various applications by rationally designing highly efficient catalysts with specific strain.

Bismuth doping enhanced tunability of strain-controlled magnetic anisotropy in epitaxial Y_(3)Fe_(5)O_(12)(111) films

Y_(3)Fe_(5)O_(12)(YIG) and Bi Y_(3)Fe_(5)O_(12)(Bi:YIG) films were epitaxially grown on a series of(111)-oriented garnet substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Structural and ferromagnetic resonance characterizations demonstrated the high epitaxial quality, extremely low magnetic loss and coherent strain state in these films. Using these epitaxial films as model systems, we systematically investigated the evolution of magnetic anisotropy(MA) with epitaxial strain and chemical doping. For both the YIG and Bi:YIG films, the compressive strain tends to align the magnetic moment in the film plane while the tensile strain can compete with the demagnetization effect and stabilize perpendicular MA. We found that the strain-induced lattice elongation/compression along the out-of-plane [111] axis is the key parameter that determines the MA. More importantly, the strain-induced tunability of MA can be enhanced significantly by Bi doping;meanwhile, the ultralow damping feature persists. We clarified that the cooperation between strain and chemical doping could realize an effective control of MA in garnet-type ferrites, which is essential for spintronic applications.

Strain engineering of Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reaction reduction

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs)are playing irreplaceable roles in the construction of the future sustainable energy system.However,the insufficient performance of platinum(Pt)-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction(ORR)hinders the overall efficiency of PEMFCs.Engineering the surface strain of catalysts is considered an effective way to tune their electronic structures and therefore optimize catalytic behavior.In this paper,insights into strain engineering for improving Pt-based catalysts toward ORR are elaborated in detail.First,recent advances in understanding the strain effects on ORR catalysts are comprehensively discussed.Then,strain engineering methodologies for adjusting Ptbased catalysts are comprehensively discussed.Finally,further information on the various challenges and potential prospects for strain modulation of Pt-based catalysts is provided.

Lipopeptide Antibiotics Produced by the Engineered Strain Bacillus subtilis GEB3 and Detection of Its Bioactivity

MALDI-TOF-MS technology was used for identification of lipopeptide antibiotics producedby GEB3 strain, a derivative of Bacillus subtilis 168 which was transformed by lpaB3gene. The result showed GEB3 only produced lipopeptide antibiotic surfactin. The analysisby LC-MS demonstrated that GEB3 produced standard surfactin isoforms with side chainlengths of 13,14 and 15 carbon atoms. The bioactivity detection of surfactin indicatedthat the surfactin produced by GEB3 had inhibition effect on plant pathogens Rhizoctoniasolani and Pyricularia oryzae.

Parallel Nanoimprint Forming of One-Dimensional Chiral Semiconductor for Strain-Engineered Optical Properties

The low-dimensional,highly anisotropic geometries,and superior mechanical properties of one-dimensional(1D) nanomaterials allow the exquisite strain engineering with a broad tunability inaccessible to bulk or thin-film materials.Such capability enables unprecedented possibilities for probing intriguing physics and materials science in the 1-D limit.Among the techniques for introducing controlled strains in 1D materials,nanoimprinting with embossed substrates attracts increased attention due to its capability to parallelly form nanomaterials into wrinkled structures with controlled periodicities,amplitudes,orientations at large scale with nanoscale resolutions.Here,we systematically investigated the strain-engineered anisotropic optical properties in Te nanowires through introducing a controlled strain field using a resist-free thermally assisted nanoimprinting process.The magnitude of induced strains can be tuned by adjusting the imprinting pressure,the nanowire diameter,and the patterns on the substrates.The observed Raman spectra from the chiral-chain lattice of 1D Te reveal the strong lattice vibration response under the strain.Our results suggest the potential of 1D Te as a promising candidate for flexible electronics,deformable optoelectronics,and wearable sensors.The experimental platform can also enable the exquisite mechanical control in other nanomaterials using substrate-induced,on-demand,and controlled strains.

Strain-dependent resistance and giant gauge factor in monolayer WSe_(2)

We report the strong dependence of resistance on uniaxial strain in monolayer WSe_(2)at various temperatures,where the gauge factor can reach as large as 2400.The observation of strain-dependent resistance and giant gauge factor is attributed to the emergence of nonzero Berry curvature dipole.Upon increasing strain,Berry curvature dipole can generate net orbital magnetization,which would introduce additional magnetic scattering,decreasing the mobility and thus conductivity.Our work demonstrates the strain engineering of Berry curvature and thus the transport properties,making monolayer WSe_(2)potential for application in the highly sensitive strain sensors and high-performance flexible electronics.

Strain effects on the interfacial thermal conductance of graphene/h-BN heterostructure

Previous experimental and computational results have confirmed that the thermal conductivity of a twodimensional(2D) material can be considerably affected by strain. Numerous attention has been paid to explore the relevant mechanisms. However, the strain effects on the interfacial thermal conductance(ITC) of 2D heterostructure have attracted little attention. Herein, the non-equilibrium molecular dynamics(NEMD) simulations were conducted to the graphene/hexagonal boron nitride(GR/h-BN) heterostructure to investigate the strain effects on the ITC. Three types of strains were considered, i.e., tensile strain, compressive strain, and shear strain.The results indicate that the strain can adjust the ITC for the GR/h-BN heterostructure effectively, and the strain loading direction also influences the ITC. Generally, the tensile strain reduces the ITC of the heterostructure, in addition to the BN-C system at small tensile strain;both the compressive strain and shear strain increase the ITC,especially at a small strain. For the NB-C system, it is more sensitive to the strain loading direction and the yx shear strain of 0.06 is the most effective way to strengthen the ITC. Our results also show that the out-of-plane deformation weakens the in-plane vibration of atoms, leading to a reduction of the interfacial thermal energy transport.

Analysis on Construction and Property of the Constitutively Desulfurization Engineered Strain

[Objective] The research aimed to study construction and property of the constitutively desulfurization engineered strain. [Method] Des- ulfurization gene dszABC in Pseudomonas delafieldii R-8 strain was cloned into expression vector pPR9TT with gap promoter to build a constitutive expression plasmid pRT-C. Then, pRT-C was reintroduced into R-8-0 strain to obtain constitutively engineered strain R-8-C. Moreover, its desulfu- rization property was studied. [ Result ] Strain R-8-C still had higher desulfurization activity in BSM medium with 0.10 mmol/L of Na2 SO4. Within 72 h, its desulfurization activity was 93% of the strain R-8 using DBT as the sole sulfur source, while control （strain R-8） nearly couldn＇t desulphate. When DBT was the sole sulfur source, in different growth periods, the desulfurization activity of strain R-8-C was all higher than that of the strain R-8. Within 24 h, its activity was 1.3 times of the strain R-8. [ Conclusion] These results were theoretically and technically helpful for understanding regulation mechanism of the desulfurization gene and constructing highly active desulphurization engineering strain.

Response of rice to inoculation with genetic engineered strains of associative diazotrophs

Enhancement of nitrogen fixation in the rhizo-sphere of cereals has attracted a wide interestin biological and agricultural research,insteadof chemicals,for supplying higher plants withcombined nitrogen.Bacteria in association withrice plant.s were sensitive to the surroundingfactors in the soil,such as NH~+ or O,whichrepressed associative nitrogen fixation between

Opportunities and challenges of strain engineering for advanced electrocatalyst design

Electrocatalysis is becoming more and more important in energy conversion and storage due to rising energy demands,increasing carbon dioxide emissions,and impending climate change.The design and synthesis of high-performance electrocatalysts are the spotlights of electrocatalysis.Among many design methodologies reported,strain engineering has gained growing attention because it can change the atomic arrangement and lattice structure of electrocatalysts.However,strain engineering remains to be problematic in regulating the properties of electrocatalysts.This review discusses the strain effect tactics to regulate metal and non-metal electrocatalysts,including three sections focusing on strain categorization,strain regulation mechanism,and applications in electrocatalysis,respectively.Finally,the current challenges and an outlook of strain engineering are discussed.

New Janus structure photocatalyst having widely tunable electronic and optical properties with strain engineering

Photoelectrochemical water splitting using solar energy,generating oxygen and hydrogen is one of the clean fuel production processes.Inspired by surface-dependent characteristics of Janus structures,a newly designed Janus monolayer Silicon Phosphorous Arsenide(SiPAs)was analyzed with Density Functional Theory(DFT)methods.Hybrid exchange-correlation functional(HSE06)combined with Wannier90-based analysis for electronic and optical properties of SiPAs reveals that it can act as a photocatalyst.SiPAs show an indirect bandgap of 1.88 eV,absorbing visible light range is 350 to 500 nm.The phonon spectrum confirms dynamic stability.The exciton binding energy is computed with GW/BSE methods.The electronic band edge positions are at-5.75 and-4.43 eV,perfectly straddling the water redox potentials.Interestingly the strain application modifies the bandgap and also non-homogenously widens the absorption band.A novel range of photocatalyst designs with Group IV-V elements with great promise for water-splitting,photovoltaic,and narrow bandgap semiconductor(optoelectronics)applications may be feasible.

Improved multiferroic in EuTiO_(3) films by interphase strain engineering

Interphase strain engineering provides a unique methodology to significantly modify the lattice structure across a single film,enabling the emergence and manipulation of novel functionalities that are inaccessible in the context of traditional strain engineering methods.In this work,by using the interphase strain,we achieve a ferromagnetic state with enhanced Curie temperature and a room-temperature polar state in EuO secondary phase-tunned EuTiO_(3) thin films.A combination of atomic-scale electron microscopy and synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy unravels the underlying mechanisms of the ferroelectric and ferromagnetic properties enhancement.Wherein,the EuO secondary phase is found to be able to dramatically distort the TiO_6 octahedra,which favors the non-centrosymmetric polar state,weakens antiferromagnetic Eu-Ti-Eu interactions,and enhances ferromagnetic Eu-O-Eu interactions.Our work demonstrates the feasibility and effectiveness of interphase strain engineering in simultaneously promoting ferroelectric and ferromagnetic performance,which would provide new thinking on the property regulation of numerous strongly correlated functional materials.

Unravelling the anisotropic light-matter interaction in strainengineered trihalide MoCl_(3)

Layered trihalides exhibit distinctive band structures and physical properties due to the sixfold coordinated 3d or 4d transition metal site and partially occupied d orbitals,holding great potential in condensed matter physics and advanced electronic applications.Prior research focused on trihalides with highly symmetric honeycomb-like structures,such as CrI3 andα-RuCl_(3),while the role of crystal anisotropy in trihalides remains elusive.In particular,the trihalide MoCl_(3) manifests strong in-plane crystal anisotropy with the largest difference in Mo–Mo interatomic distances.Research on such material is imperative to address the lack of investigations on the effect of anisotropy on the properties of trihalides.Herein,we demonstrated the anisotropy of MoCl_(3) through polarized Raman spectroscopy and further tuned the phonon frequency via strain engineering.We showed the Raman intensity exhibits twofold symmetry under parallel configuration and fourfold symmetry under perpendicular configuration with changing the polarization angle of incident light.Furthermore,we found that the phonon frequencies of MoCl_(3) decrease gradually and linearly with applying uniaxial tensile strain along the axis of symmetry in the MoCl_(3) crystal,while those frequencies increase with uniaxial tensile strain applied perpendicularly.Our results shed light on the manipulation of anisotropic light-matter interactions via strain engineering,and lay a foundation for further exploration of the anisotropy of trihalides and the modulation of their electronic,optical,and magnetic properties.

Unveiling strain-enhanced moiréexciton localization in twisted van der Waals homostructures

Moirésuperlattices,arising from the controlled twisting of van der Waals homostructures at specific angles,have emerged as a promising platform for quantum emission applications.Concurrently,the manipulation of strain provides a versatile strategy to finely adjust electronic band structures,enhance exciton luminescence efficiency,and establish a robust foundation for two-dimensional quantum light sources.However,the intricate interplay between strain and moirépotential remains partially unexplored.Here,we introduce a meticulously designed fusion of strain engineering and the twisted 2L-WSe_(2)/2L-WSe_(2) homobilayers,resulting in the precise localization of moiréexcitons.Employing low-temperature photoluminescence spectroscopy,we unveil the emergence of highly localized moiré-enhanced emission,characterized by the presence of multiple distinct emission lines.Furthermore,our investigation demonstrates the effective regulation of moirépotential depths through strain engineering,with the potential depths of strained and unstrained regions differing by 91%.By combining both experimental and theoretical approaches,our study elucidates the complex relationship between strain and moirépotential,thereby opening avenues for generating strain-induced moiréexciton single-photon sources.