Recent progress in enhancing built-in electric fields of perovskite solar cells via junction engineering

• Tong Xiao and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 602–621, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.42

• , carriers migrate at the interface through diffusion and drift, gradually establishing a built-in electric field (BEF) that aligns the Fermi levels on both sides. This field is not only the primary driving force that sustains carrier separation but also a direct determinant of device photovoltaic conversion

• engineering from the perspective of the BEF is warranted, with particular emphasis on unifying studies of homojunctions, gradient junctions, and 2D/3D heterojunctions into a coherent framework. Against this background, we define a “junction” as a generalized structure formed in the bulk or at the interface

• groundwork for the present review. Homojunctions focus on constructing continuous band bending and Fermi level gradients within the same material system using methods such as doping, surface reconstruction, or orientation induction, thereby smoothly extending the BEF from the interface into the bulk. Their

Probing tribological evolution in atomically thin MoS₂ at different scales

• Xingzhong Zeng and
• Miao Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 586–597, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.40

• factor limiting the performance and reliability of nanotechnology-enabled devices, including magnetic storage systems and micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) [1][2]. Unlike macroscale friction, nanoscale friction of two-dimensional (2D) materials exhibits unique size-dependent and interface

• gives rise to the layer-dependent nature of the strengthening effect. Thus, the transient strengthening effect can be regarded as a dynamic adaptation process of the tip–sample contact interface prior to attaining a stable sliding state. Regarding sub-nanoscale stick–slip motion, previous studies have

Impacts of annealing on structural and photophysical properties of zinc phthalocyanine adsorbed on graphene

• Gautier Creutzer,
• Quentin Fernez,
• Nataliya Kalashnyk,
• Zohreh Safarzadeh,
• Lydia Sosa Vargas,
• Céline Fiorini-Debuisschert,
• Nicolas Fabre and
• Fabrice Charra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 576–585, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.39

• a promising route to design original and innovative electronic devices [1] such as diodes [2][3], transistors [4][5][6], photodetectors [7][8], solar cells [9][10][11], or light-emitting devices [12]. In such heterostructures most electronic processes take place at the interface between graphene and

• , application in interface structure management, and impact on electronic or photonic properties are still poorly understood. In this paper, focusing on ZnPc, we report the demonstration and analysis by combined STM operated at the air–solid interface and optical microspectroscopy of a 2D phase change

• molecular architectures. These results could also open important outlooks in the context of future organic electronics, since numerous electronic processes take place at the interface between substrate and molecule, and a proper control of its molecular-scale structure may be determinant [13]. Experimental

Advances in nanotechnology applied to natural products

• Douglas Dourado,
• Fábio Rocha Formiga,
• Éverton do Nascimento Alencar and
• Franceline Reynaud

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 555–558, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.36

• products have also been widely investigated for their antiparasitic activity [9]. Notably, some of the studies featured here suggest that nanoemulsion droplets can be internalized by infected macrophages, increasing local exposure at the host–parasite interface and thereby enhancing leishmanicidal activity

• compared with nonformulated oils. The issue also includes research illustrating the potential of nanoemulsions for vector control. This subject particularly highlights the potential of the high oil interface area of nanoemulsions in enhancing penetration through the cuticle of Aedes aegypti larvae [10] and

Electrochemical determination of ciprofloxacin using a MIL-101/reduced graphene oxide-modified electrode

• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Nguyen Ngoc Nghia,
• Nguyen Vinh Phu,
• Vo Thi Khanh Ly,
• Le Lam Son,
• Pham Khac Lieu,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Nguyen Dinh Luyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 541–554, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.35

• electrochemical performance of the composite material. This combination can promote efficient analyte adsorption and fast charge transfer at the electrode interface. Consistent with this idea, Gu et al. reported that MIL-101/rGO composites exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of

Defects and defect-mediated engineering of two-dimensional materials: challenges and open questions

• Arkady V. Krasheninnikov,
• Matthias Batzill,
• Anouar-Akacha Delenda,
• Marija Drndić,
• Chris Ewels,
• Katharina J. Franke,
• Mahdi Ghorbani-Asl,
• Alexander Holleitner,
• Ado Jorio,
• Ute Kaiser,
• Daria Kieczka,
• Hannu-Pekka Komsa,
• Jani Kotakoski,
• Manuel Längle,
• David Lamprecht,
• Yun Liu,
• Steven G. Louie,
• Janina Maultzsch,
• Thomas Michely,
• Katherine Milton,
• Anna Niggas,
• Hanako Okuno,
• Joshua A. Robinson,
• Marika Schleberger,
• Bruno Schuler,
• Alexander Shluger,
• Kazu Suenaga,
• Kristian S. Thygesen,
• Richard A. Wilhelm,
• E. Harriet Åhlgren and
• Carla Bittencourt

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 454–488, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.31

• ]. Indeed, in areas where the MoS2 layer was decoupled from the metal by a Au vacancy island at the interface [148], the Kondo resonance was absent, and the spectroscopy indicated a charge-neutral state [146]. More recently, the use of STM has been extended to detect signals of electron spin resonance (ESR

Nanocarrier-integrated multilayer films produced by 3D printing for improved skin adhesion and curcumin photostability

• Thayse Viana de Oliveira,
• Ana Paula Farias Leão,
• Júlia Leão,
• Cesar Liberato Petzhold and
• Ruy Carlos Ruver Beck

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 440–453, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.30

• presented a negative zeta potential. In addition to the low magnitude of the negative zeta potential, physical stability was further ensured by steric stabilisation, resulting from the presence of a non-ionic polymer (polysorbate 80) at the nanocapsule–water interface. The curcumin concentration in the

First-principles study on elastic properties of Cu, (Cu_1−x,Ni_x)₃Sn and interfacial mechanical properties of (Cu_1−x,Ni_x)₃Sn/Cu in the lead-free solder joint

• Guomin Hua

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 428–439, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.29

• the substrate [9]. In contrast to the barrier layer formed with lead-containing solder, the lead-free solder forms a compact interface between the intermetallics and the substrate without a barrier layer [9]. The compact interface could result in poor resistance to high temperatures and thermal shocks

• interfacial mechanical properties of lead-free solder joints. Considering the important role the interface between the intermetallics and the substrate plays in the strength and reliability of a solder joint, Gan et al. investigated the formation of Cu3Sn and Cu6Sn5 on a Cu substrate and determined the

• orientation relationship of ε-Cu3Sn/Cu interfaces as (001)ε//(111)Cu and [100]ε//[−110]Cu [13], that is, the interface was constructed by attaching the (001) facet of ε-Cu3Sn to the (111) facet of the Cu substrate and making the [100] axis of ε-Cu3Sn parallel to the [−110] axis of Cu substrate. Based on the

Polycatecholamine nanocoatings on stainless steel: the effect on attachment of human fibroblasts and platelets

• Paulina Trzaskowska,
• Ewa Rybak,
• Maciej Trzaskowski,
• Kamil Kopeć,
• Jakub Krzemiński,
• Rafał Podgórski,
• Hatice Genc,
• Mehtap Civelek and
• Iwona Cicha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 365–380, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.25

• homeostasis and suppress thrombogenic and proliferative responses [6]. Under long-term hemodynamic loading, stainless steel implants may also suffer from localized corrosion and metal-ion release, leading to chronic inflammation at the tissue–implant interface [8]. While rapid colonization of implant surfaces

Ferroelectric nanodot reservoir for neuromorphic computing

• Anna Razumnaya,
• Yuri Tikhonov,
• Dmitrii Naidenko,
• Léo Boron,
• Valerii Vinokur and
• Igor Lukyanchuk

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 352–364, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.24

• -Ising energy landscape, and outline practical interface schemes for signal injection and readout. Altogether, the presented framework connects the collective polarization dynamics of ferroelectric nanodots with emergent nonlinear and memory effects, providing a solid foundation for developing and

• associated readout layer can remain minimal, typically linear, while the principal feature transformation occurs within the reservoir itself. Interface architecture The setup considered in the previous section corresponds to the case where all nanodots are confined between the same pair of conducting

• , the ferroelectric reservoir utilizes no active current-driving elements, allowing for passive, high-density neuromorphic integration. To interface the ferroelectric reservoir with external neuromorphic systems, specific schemes for signal injection and readout are required. Several architectures

Beam shaping techniques for pulsed laser ablation in liquids: Unlocking tunable control of nanoparticle synthesis in liquids

• Sergio Molina-Prados,
• Nadezhda M. Bulgakova,
• Alexander V. Bulgakov,
• Jesus Lancis,
• Gladys Mínguez Vega and
• Carlos Doñate-Buendia

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 309–342, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.22

• carried out, the propagation in air will not be affected by nonlinear effects, which require a high intensity above terawatt per square centimetre. The air–liquid interface represents the first difference between PLAL and material laser processing in air. The change in refractive index shifts the laser

Fast vortex dynamics and relaxation times in NbRe-based heterostructures

• Francesco De Chiara,
• Zahra Makhdoumi Kakhaki,
• Francesco Avitabile,
• Francesco Colangelo,
• Abhishek Kumar,
• Carmine Attanasio and
• Carla Cirillo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 292–302, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.20

• vortex velocity than a single superconducting strip [27]. This result may be attributed to proximity-induced superconductivity in the normal layer. At the interface, superconductivity is induced into the normal metal over the coherence length where DN = vFl/3 [36] is the electron diffusion coefficient in

• . As a consequence, the relaxation time does not exhibit any significant reduction and remains mainly governed by the underlying NbRe layer. The small improvement in the energy relaxation time could be related to the presence of the interface that moderately influences the quasiparticle relaxation

Advancing nanolithography: a comprehensive review of materials for local anodic oxidation with AFM

• Matteo Lorenzoni

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 275–291, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.19

• patterns through a biased conductive tip. The process relies on the formation of a nanoscale water meniscus [14] at the tip–sample interface, enabling electrochemical reactions that oxidize the substrate, creating protruding nanostructures mainly composed of oxide. Unlike other techniques requiring complex

• coworkers further demonstrated that charge accumulation within the growing oxide leads to space-charge-limited behavior, reinforcing the self-limiting character of LAO [47]. As the oxide thickens, the local electric field weakens, the supply of reactive species at the water–oxide interface decreases, and

• , and most commercial AFM nowadays implement some interface enabling LAO lithography. Often, the oxide features are used as masks to amplify the pattern depth, as shown in Figure 1e, where silicon nanowires (SiNWs) are created by patterning a SOI wafer [42]. In Figure 2b,c, we show some outcome of LAO

Time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging of contaminant species in chemical vapour deposited graphene on copper

• Barry Brennan,
• Vlad-Petru Veigang-Radulescu,
• Philipp Braeuninger-Weimer,
• Stephan Hofmann and
• Andrew J. Pollard

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 200–213, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.13

• ambient exposure detected on the surface. This is of note as the graphene/Cu interaction strength is known to depend on the Cu crystal orientation as well as the epitaxial relationship [49][50][51], which leads to anisotropy in the Cu oxidation rate at the graphene/Cu interface for different Cu

• interface with the Cu foil substrate. Upon annealing, the interfacial PO3− signal is observed to diffuse to the surface of the PVD layer, indicating that the phosphorous species are very mobile within the Cu. The sulphur signal that was previously observed is no longer detectable, indicating that the

• corresponding sulphur compound is likely to be volatile under the annealing conditions. This all suggests that it is unlikely possible to prevent P buildup at the surface or interface between graphene and Cu foils, where P is present within the foils prior to growth, due to the apparent stability of these

Development and in vitro evaluation of liposomes and immunoliposomes containing 5-fluorouracil and R-phycoerythrin as a potential phototheranostic system for colorectal cancer

• Raissa Rodrigues Camelo,
• Vivianne Cortez Sombra Vandesmet,
• Octavio Vital Baccallini,
• José de Brito Vieira Neto,
• Thais da Silva Moreira,
• Luzia Kalyne Almeida Moreira Leal,
• Claudia Pessoa,
• Daniel Giuliano Cerri,
• Maria Vitória Lopes Badra Bentley,
• Josimar O. Eloy,
• Ivanildo José da Silva Júnior and
• Raquel Petrilli

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 97–121, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.7

• between the same HSPC-based formulations. The enhanced encapsulation of R-PE with increasing HSPC content may reflect improved bilayer stability or more favorable partitioning into the aqueous core or thebilayer interface. In all formulations analyzed, the EE% of R-PE exceeded 90%, indicating a remarkably

Functional surface engineering for cultural heritage protection: the role of superhydrophobic and superoleophobic coatings – a comprehensive review

• Giuseppe Cesare Lama,
• Marino Lavorgna,
• Letizia Verdolotti,
• Federica Recupido,
• Giovanna Giuliana Buonocore and
• Bharat Bhushan

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 63–96, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.6

• bronze interface, thus reducing leaching and enhancing long-term protection. These effects are believed to be a direct consequence of the presumed formation of Cu–inhibitor complexes, attenuating inhibitor release into the environment. In contrast, BTA and MPT were less stable and contributed to faster

Reduced graphene oxide paper electrode for lithium-ion cells – towards optimized thermal reduction

• Agata Pawłowska,
• Magdalena Baran,
• Stefan Marynowicz,
• Aleksandra Izabela Banasiak,
• Adrian Racki,
• Adrian Chlanda,
• Tymoteusz Ciuk,
• Marta Wolczko and
• Andrzej Budziak

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 24–37, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.3

• discharge and 456, 310, 272, and 284 mAh/g for charge for samples M300, T400, T600, and T800, respectively, in the fifth charge–discharge cycle. Such a behavior stems from the formation and growth of a solid electrolyte interface on the negative electrode [52]. The current density increase during these

• XPS spectra: samples T600 and T800. Funding The research leading to these results has received funding from the National Centre for Research and Development, Poland, under Grant Agreement No. MERA.NET3/2021/83/I4BAGS/2022 for project “Ion Implantation for Innovative Interface modifications in Battery

Competitive helical bands and highly efficient diode effect in F/S/TI/S/F hybrid structures

• Tairzhan Karabassov,
• Irina V. Bobkova,
• Pavel M. Marychev,
• Vasiliy S. Stolyarov,
• Vyacheslav M. Silkin and
• Andrey S. Vasenko

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 15–23, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.2

• , we supplement the above equations with two pairs of the boundary conditions (two for each S/N interface) of the following type: Here, γB = RBσl/ξl, γ = ξrσl/ξlσr where σl(r) is the conductivity of the material on the left (right) side of the interface. The parameter γ controls the slope of the

• Green’s functions at the interface, whereas γB controls the mismatch between the functions at the interface. While for identical materials γ = 1, in general, this parameter may have arbitrary values. γB is the parameter that determines the transparency of the S/F interface [83][84][85]. The final problem

• in a substantially suppressed superconducting state. Finally, we can see how the interface transparency affects η. Higher transparency can increase the efficiency up to 40%, however at smaller critical currents. The interface transparency γB is an important parameter of the system, which, in

Quantitative estimation of nanoparticle/substrate adhesion by atomic force microscopy

• Aydan Çiçek,
• Markus Kratzer,
• Christian Teichert and
• Christian Mitterer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 1–14, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.1

• [5] and physicochemical properties [6]. Among these properties, particle adhesion (which is determined by the interaction between the NP and the substrate) and the interface formed between NPs and substrate [7][8] play a decisive role. Particularly when the contact area between NPs and the substrate

• /substrate interface [43] might be possible reasons. In addition, since Si(100) substrates are naturally covered by a thin native SiO2 layer under ambient conditions and may form a mixed SiOxNy surface after N2 plasma cleaning, local modification of this oxide or oxynitride layer by NP impact, such as

• still result in high forces in the small region at the NP/substrate interface. However, under such low-energetic conditions there is a good chance that NPs deposit “softly” at their landing sites, becoming immobilized with minimal distortion and no significant surface damage. Figure 3 represents an

Improving magnetic properties of Mn- and Zn-doped core–shell iron oxide nanoparticles by tuning their size

• Dounia Louaguef,
• Ghouti Medjahdi,
• Sébastien Diliberto,
• Klaus M. Seemann,
• Thomas Gries,
• Joelle Bizeau,
• Damien Mertz,
• Eric Gaffet and
• Halima Alem

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2285–2295, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.157

• Zn0.4Fe2.6O4 core and the MnFe2O shell. This strain distorts the tetrahedral FeO4 units, further stiffening the Fe–O bonds, while electronic coupling and potential cation redistribution at the interface increase the vibrational frequency. These structural and electronic effects collectively explain the

• moment than those observed for single-phase materials [7]. This is consistent with findings from previous reports that show that bimagnetic core–shell NPs exhibit higher SAR values than single-component systems [7]. This enhancement is attributed to the interface exchange coupling effect, which improves

Geometry-controlled engineering of the low-temperature proximity effect in normal metal–superconductor junctions

• Munisa A. Tomayeva,
• Vyacheslav D. Neverov,
• Andrey V. Krasavin,
• Alexei Vagov and
• Mihail D. Croitoru

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2265–2273, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.155

• , we demonstrate that geometric factors, such as interface curvature, significantly affect the decay exponent of the Cooper pair wave function, with negative curvature increasing the proximity range exponent and positive curvature shortening it. Furthermore, we discuss how the geometry of the NS

• interface governs the transparency of the clean NS junction and thus influences the proximity effect. These results deepen our understanding of how geometry and the proximity effect interact, which is important for the design and optimization of superconducting hybrid devices. Keywords: Bogoliubov–de

• electrons from the normal side scatter into the superconductor, suppressing the superconducting order parameter near the interface [5][6][7]. In the normal region, the absence of intrinsic attractive electron–electron interaction causes Cooper pairs to break up beyond a characteristic length scale, namely

Optical bio/chemical sensors for vitamin B₁₂ analysis in food and pharmaceuticals: state of the art, challenges, and future outlooks

• Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi and
• Zeynep Altintas

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2207–2244, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.153

• Seyed Mohammad Taghi Gharibzahedi Zeynep Altintas Division of Bioinspired Materials and Biosensor Technologies, Institute of Materials Science, Faculty of Engineering, Kiel University, 24143, Kiel, Germany Kiel Nano, Surface and Interface Science (KiNSIS), Kiel University, 24118, Kiel, Germany

• plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors operate through a simple and effective mechanism in five key steps: (i) An electromagnetic field at the metal–dielectric interface excites coherent electron oscillations in the metal; (ii) this leads to the generation of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs; i.e., oscillating

• 5.9–24.8 μg/L and 180–914 ng/L, respectively [116]. Wiesholler et al. developed a self-assembled nanoengineered interface to facilitate direct detection of VB12 in serum through a simple luminescence method. Here, VB12 in serum was the recognition target, thulium (Tm3+)-doped sodium yttrium fluoride

Ultrathin water layers on mannosylated gold nanoparticles

• Maiara A. Iriarte Alonso,
• Jorge H. Melillo,
• Silvina Cerveny,
• Yujin Tong and
• Alexander M. Bittner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2183–2198, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.151

• organic layers. In contrast, VSFG was applied to obtain interface-sensitive information on CH and OH bonds at the AuNP/air interface, under hydration and dehydration. We also used a deuterated water (D2O) atmosphere to distinguish the mannosyl hydroxy groups from adsorbed and absorbed water. Absorption is

Electron transport through nanoscale multilayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride junctions

• Aleksandar Staykov and
• Takaya Fujisaki

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2132–2143, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.147

• Pt(111) surface, graphene, and h-BH using the QuantumWise ATK interface builder. The process involves strain minimization in the lattice mismatch by symmetry multiplication of the unit cells. The junctions shown in Figure 4 and Figure 5 have 1.06% distributed strain over Pt and graphene or h-BN. The

Rapid synthesis of highly monodisperse AgSbS₂ nanocrystals: unveiling multifaceted activities in cancer therapy, antibacterial strategies, and antioxidant defense

• Funda Ulusu,
• Adem Sarilmaz,
• Yakup Ulusu,
• Faruk Ozel and
• Mahmut Kus

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2105–2115, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.145

• effective exposure of surface facets to the reaction medium. Green-synthesized nanoparticles in various studies have consistently shown elevated FRAP responses compared to their bulk counterparts, due to improved electron transfer kinetics at the nano–bio interface [51][52]. When considered alongside DPPH