Two-step laser synthesis of Ag@TiO₂ nanomaterials for the photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B

• Marija Kovačević,
• Miloš Tošić,
• Rafaela Radičić,
• Vladimir Rajić,
• Nikša Krstulović,
• Miloš Momčilović and
• Sanja Živković

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 622–634, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.43

• results highlight the potential of this chemical-free, laser-based approach as a sustainable and versatile platform for fabricating advanced nanomaterials tailored for high-efficiency environmental remediation. Experimental Synthesis of photocatalysts TiO2 and Ag@TiO2 (200p and 2000 p) Thin films of Ag

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

• . [35] applied an isopropanol (IPA) post-treatment on finished organic–inorganic perovskite films, which induced the in situ formation of a PbI2-rich top layer. This created an n/n+ homojunction between the weakly n-type bulk and the more n-type surface layer, generating downward band bending and an

• initial PCE of 91%. Beyond establishing sustained band tilting in conventional three-dimensional perovskite films, gradient-engineering strategies also exhibit considerable potential in addressing performance bottlenecks in specific types of perovskite devices [53]. The key lies in targeting the unique

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

• layers increases, attributed to the reduced out-of-plane flexibility in thicker films. Critically, we identify the slip distance during the slip phase as a reliable metric for sub-nanoscale stick–slip motion. The slip distance increases with the frequency of sub-nanoscale stick–slip events and exhibits a

• were performed on relatively flat regions of the MoS2 films, and the AFM tip was calibrated to ensure a constant tip radius during all measurements. To quantify the sub-scale slip distance, the slip phase of nanoscale stick–slip motion was first extracted. Then a linear baseline was fitted for the

• roughness induces slight strain and wrinkle deformation of MoS2 films, which slightly expands the stick–slip period. However, this modulation is a systematic effect for both 1L and 4L MoS2 under all load conditions, and it does not change the relative variation trend of the strengthening effect and sub

Probing internal continua and atomic ultrafast charge transfer within size-controlled nanoparticles by post-collision interaction in core-hole clock spectroscopy

• Johannes Lütgert,
• Erika Giangrisostomi,
• Nomi L. A. N. Sorgenfrei and
• Alexander Föhlisch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 505–514, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.33

• % of the Auger signal originates solely from the shell, while, in the shell with eleven double layers, this value increases to over 60% [32]. Given that the QDs are covered with a surface layer of long-chain hydrocarbon ligands (hexadecylamine) and that such films can reach film thicknesses of 1–2 nm

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

• concentration of individual S vacancies and a lower concentration of S vacancy dimers in exfoliated single-layer films [61]. In contrast, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that molecular oxygen reacts very readily with larger S vacancy clusters (three or more vacancies), with O2 dissociation

• ], which can propagate further the formation of larger vacancy clusters. It is expected that the mechanisms of oxidation will be similar for multilayer films and defective monolayers and driven by the effective charges of W atoms exposed by S vacancy clusters. However, changes in the positions of the

• multilayer films into the bulk are poorly understood. In relatively unstable TMDs, such as MoTe2 and WTe2, an ultrathin amorphous layer of MoO3 or TeO2 is immediately formed when CVD or MBE-grown MoTe2 is exposed to ambient environments [53][68]. However, the barrier for S vacancy diffusion between TMD

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

• , Brazil 10.3762/bjnano.17.30 Abstract This proof-of-concept study evaluated whether semi-solid extrusion (SSE) 3D printing could be used to fabricate multilayer topical films that simultaneously enhance skin bioadhesion and photoprotection of curcumin, a highly photolabile anti-inflammatory and

• antioxidant compound. The development of topical films for cutaneous delivery faces several challenges, including the need for strong skin adhesion and the protection of photolabile actives from light exposure. We hypothesized that multilayered films designed for the cutaneous delivery of curcumin and

• efficiency. Films were fabricated containing either C-NCs (FC-NC) or unloaded curcumin (FC) and consisted of three layers, namely, a chitosan-based bottom layer, a middle layer of carboxymethylcellulose and alginate, and a carboxymethylcellulose top layer incorporating titanium dioxide (TiO2). The lower and

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

• several weeks and prolonged antimicrobial activity [21][22][23]. Beyond classical PDA films, broader catechol-based and PDA-inspired chemistries have been explored, including phenolic polymer systems, mussel-inspired adhesive interfaces and catechol-rich surface architectures, which have been shown to

• polycatecholamines, as standalone coating systems [12][26]. Their results indicated that polycatecholamines may provide tunable surface properties distinct from those of conventional PDA films. Although PDA and PTYR originate from different amino acid precursors, both polymers are believed to undergo oxidation

• [30], and autoxidation in basic solution leading to films 2 nm or less [31][32]. In contrast, immersion processes produce approximately 1 µm films [33]. These results differ from our PDA coating thickness values due to divergent reaction parameters and, most probably, distinct initial surface

Interconnection morphology effects on the radio frequency response of carbon nanotube sponges

• Manuela Scarselli,
• Javad Rezvani,
• Zeno Zuccari,
• Mattia Scagliotti and
• Simone Tocci

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 343–351, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.23

• supporting substrate, showing high flexibility, light weight, and mechanical robustness. We tested our synthesized CNSs as active material for the production of antennas working in the radio frequency (RF) range to determine whether CNT sponges present, in addition to practical advantages over CNT films

• conductors is not appreciable. Interesting results have been found for shear-aligned CNT films, which showed a radiation efficiency of 94% at 10 and 14 GHz, comparable to copper antennas [18]. Threads made of twisted bundles of as-grown CNTs worked as dipole antennas resonating at 2.45 GHz [6]. A recent

• dimensions compared to SWCNTs and have higher conductivity. Wang et al. [15], demonstrated that films of MWCNTs can operate as antennas when irradiated with light in the visible and near-UV regions. In particular, the maximum intensity of the reflected light in the visible range is obtained when the average

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

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

• that NbRe thin films are polycrystalline with oriented grains of nanometric size, of the order of a few nanometers [20][21]. Furthermore, earlier investigations have demonstrated that the superconducting and transport properties of NbRe are robust against moderate thickness variations [19]. These

• characteristics, together with disorder-dominated transport, favor very short temperature-independent quasiparticle relaxation times of the order of hundreds of picoseconds [22] making NbRe-based films particularly attractive for studying non-equilibrium effects and for the realization of fast superconducting

• characterization The normalized resistive transitions, R/R10K, of the two microbridges are reported in Figure 1a. The critical temperatures are = 6.8 K and = 5.6 K. The obtained values are smaller than those reported for NbRe thin films of similar thickness [19][22], with a stronger reduction observed in the

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

• layers as thin as sub-nanometer for SiO2 [37] and extending to tens of nanometers for materials such as SiOxCy [34], TiOx, and MoOx [38]. In contrast, atomic layer deposition (ALD) provides exceptional conformality and atomic-scale thickness control, typically depositing films at 0.1–0.2 nm per cycle [39

• films and highlight its relevance beyond inorganic substrates. Table 2 presents a comparative analysis of the key materials that have been successfully utilized for LAO experiments and device fabrication. 2.5.1 Semiconductors. Semiconductors like silicon have been widely studied for LAO due to their

• [29]. A more recent study demonstrates the use of LAO to nanostructure thin amorphous vanadium oxide (VOx) films [97], converting them locally to vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) for selective removal. Achieving sub-50 nm lateral precision and sub-0.3 nm depths, the process is influenced by humidity, film

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

• present within the graphene films, which facilitate oxygen diffusion, depending on the growth process. The variation in the colour distribution also reflects potential variations in the composition of the oxide layer that forms on the surface. To further explore the extent of the substrate oxidation in

Structure-dependent thermochromism of PAZO thin films: theory and experiment

• Georgi Mateev,
• Dean Dimov,
• Nataliya Berberova-Buhova,
• Nikoleta Kircheva,
• Todor Dudev,
• Ludmila Nikolova,
• Elena Stoykova,
• Keehoon Hong,
• Dimana Nazarova,
• Silvia Angelova and
• Lian Nedelchev

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 186–199, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.12

• ]-1,2-ethanediyl, sodium salt] (PAZO) exhibits a range of unique physical properties that are critical for its diverse applications in photonics, optoelectronics, memory devices, and sensing technologies. In this study, we investigate the thermochromic behavior of PAZO thin films, focusing on the

• relationship between the structural organization of the polymer side chains and temperature-induced optical changes. By combining experimental spectroscopic techniques with theoretical modeling, we demonstrate that the thermochromic response of PAZO films is strongly influenced by molecular aggregation, film

• calculations further support these findings, indicating that temperature-dependent intermolecular interactions and conformational changes play a significant role in shaping the optical behavior of the films. These results provide new insights into the structure–property relationships underlying thermochromism

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

• transparency and reversibility, while smoother substrates favor thinner, more controllable films. Furthermore, artworks having stone or inorganic surfaces, may experience erosion due to the effect of acid rain if in outdoor environment (limestone might shift to gypsum due to sulfur dioxide, becoming porous and

• alteration of color or gloss. In terms of reversibility, while the material formed a stable film, the study did not provide conclusive evidence regarding its removability without affecting the substrate, which remains a limitation. Stability was demonstrated, with the films retaining integrity under

• chemical resistance within a green-chemistry framework, but transparency and reversibility were not convincingly addressed. The TiO2 sol–gel films on Portuguese glazed tiles [68] failed to ensure transparency and stability as they induced aesthetic alterations and did not prevent biodeterioration

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

• -ion batteries with Li4T5O12 and LiFePO4 active materials for the electrodes [13]. Chen et al. described current collectors based on rGO films [14]. Reduced graphene oxide finds further use in sodium-ion composite cathode materials as a conduction-improving agent with Prussian white as the active

• are removed after thermal reduction at 850 °C. The research presented herein extends the scope of the cited article since it concerns the structural, chemical, and physical properties of free-standing rGO thin films (i.e., reduced graphene oxide paper) with the practical purpose of performance

• Discussion SEM images are presented in Figure 2a–c. With these, the rGO paper sheet thickness was determined (Table 1), reaching from 4.95 μm for the initial M300 material [34] up to 36.48 μm after the thermal treatment. The expansion of the fabricated films originates from thermal exfoliation [42]. The

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

• ], similar to friction studies on thin films [19]. Therefore, proper calibration of the normal and lateral force constants of the cantilever is crucial in order to extract quantitative, accurate, reliable, and reproducible lateral force values from AFM manipulation experiments [20]. Overall, manipulating NPs

• capturing the full complexity of the interaction. While the case from 0 to 500 V is in fair agreement with interface energies of sputter-deposited Cu films grown on SiO2/Si substrates at temperatures of 100–120 °C [56], the 1000 V case deviates substantially. This is most likely to due to the high impact

Terahertz-range on-chip local oscillator based on Josephson junction arrays for superconducting quantum-limited receivers

• Fedor V. Khan,
• Lyudmila V. Filippenko,
• Andrey B. Ermakov,
• Mikhail Yu. Fominsky and
• Valery P. Koshelets

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2296–2305, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.158

• those in the sample arrays. The S21 parameter for the coplanar line is shown by the cyan dotted line in Figure 6a and Figure 6b. The values are indicated on the right axis. The decrease is caused by the leak of the JJ array radiation into the substrate. Moreover, the parameters of the films that form

• Vgap of the tunnel junctions (see Figure 4, where Vgap ≈ 2.7 mV, which corresponds to the gap frequency of niobium films ≈650 GHz). A possible solution to address this problem is the CPW with a smaller gap width Wgap (see the inset in Figure 7). As can be seen from Figure 7, with a decreasing Wgap the

Chiral plasmonic nanostructures fabricated with circularly polarized light

• Tian Qiao and
• Ming Lee Tang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 2245–2264, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.154

• ) (Figure 3a). In a typical experimental setup, AuNRs were immobilized on tens of nanometer thick TiO2 films deposited on glass. (A similar setup is shown in Figure 3d left panel for Au bipyramids (AuBPs)) Under CPL illumination, hot carriers were generated in Au. The hot electrons are diverted to the TiO2

• nanostructures in Sections 2.2 and 2.3 were collected on their thin films deposited on the substrate, with the exceptions of the AuNP in Figure 4a, chiral nanobars, and chiral AuNR@Ag NPs in Table 1. The authors of [28] provided an approach that can potentially redissolve CPL-induced chiral nanostructures in

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

• 53.5 ng/mL using graphene nanoribbons modified with specific recognition elements [96]. Moreover, Bareza et al. demonstrated the scalability and industrial applicability of this bioassay through the use of large-area nanostructured graphene films, proving the promising future of graphene-based mid-IR

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

• microbalance observations of highly hydrated cellulose films [48], which found 3.6 mol water per cellulose subunit at 97% RH. Under hydrophobic conditions, PEG AuNPs show a moderate increase in AFM height, corresponding to one water layer, not observed under hydrophilic conditions. It is possible that this is

• of dimanno-AuNPs and PEG AuNPs was recorded in a broad-band VSFG system at Fritz-Haber-Institute (Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Berlin, Germany). Gold thin films (200 nm on 10 nm Cr on glass) were used as surfaces. Prior to sample deposition, the surfaces were cleaned with ethanol and Milli-Q water under

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

• [2], nanoscale electronics and electronic components [3], thermoelectric devices [4], and transparent films [5]. Graphene is a two-dimensional zero-bandgap semiconductor with excellent bulk conductivity. Its in-plane electron transport strongly depends on lattice order, lattice defects, and three

Evaluating metal-organic precursors for focused ion beam-induced deposition through solid-layer decomposition analysis

• Benedykt R. Jany,
• Katarzyna Madajska,
• Aleksandra Butrymowicz-Kubiak,
• Franciszek Krok and
• Iwona B. Szymańska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1942–1951, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.135

• masks, and resistance, with the flexibility of depositing materials on non-planar surfaces [4][5][14]. The FIBID method has several advantages compared to the FEBID technique in depositing thin films on substrates. First, ions generate more secondary electrons on the substrate surface than electrons

• previously in CVD, and β-diketonates are the most common CVD precursors, yielding films of high purity up to 99 atom % [5][15][22][23][24][25][26]. In FEBID, silver(I) carboxylates, in contrast to β-diketonates, result in high metal content in the deposits. Recent research [5] using [Ag2(μ-O2CR)2], where R

• a more in-depth understanding of the proposed pathway for successful testing of the new potential FIBID precursors. The Fabrication of the Precursor Thin Layer The metal-organic precursors films for the FIB/SEM experiments were deposited by sublimation using a glassware sublimation apparatus. The Si

Quantum circuits with SINIS structures

• Mikhail Tarasov,
• Mikhail Fominskii,
• Aleksandra Gunbina,
• Artem Krasilnikov,
• Maria Mansfeld,
• Dmitrii Kukushkin,
• Andrei Maruhno,
• Valeria Ievleva,
• Mikhail Strelkov,
• Daniil Zhogov,
• Konstantin Arutyunov,
• Vyacheslav Vdovin,
• Vladislav Stolyarov and
• Valerian Edelman

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1931–1941, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.134

• tunnel junction In tunnel structures, the barrier is a dielectric layer between two metal films (often the oxide layer on the surface of the first metal layer is used as a dielectric). The first experimental study of a tunnel junction was carried out in 1960 [21] for an aluminum–aluminum oxide–lead

• are the thicknesses of the normal metal and superconductor films, respectively. Another feature of the tunnel–NIS junction is the phenomenon of electron cooling. This process is a transfer of heat from a normal metal to a superconductor and is caused by the fact that charge carriers with higher energy

Electrical, photocatalytic, and sensory properties of graphene oxide and polyimide implanted with low- and medium-energy silver ions

• Josef Novák,
• Eva Štěpanovská,
• Petr Malinský,
• Vlastimil Mazánek,
• Jan Luxa,
• Ulrich Kentsch and
• Zdeněk Sofer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1794–1811, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.123

• for the precise introduction of implanted atoms into the surface layers without the need for subsequent chemical modification, thus opening new possibilities in the development of functional thin films. In this study, Ag ions were used to modify polymer matrices to improve chemical and electronic

• yield. Such properties are promising for applications including photocatalytic water purification, self-cleaning surfaces, and light-activated antimicrobial coatings [20]. The elemental composition of the modified films was characterized by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) and elastic recoil

• often leads to the displacement of the target nuclei and to significant defect formation in the irradiated material, such as substitution defects [21]. We performed an initial estimation of the ions’ energy losses and range depth of the implanted Ag ions in GO and PI films using SRIM software [22]. This

Ambient pressure XPS at MAX IV

• Mattia Scardamaglia,
• Ulrike Küst,
• Alexander Klyushin,
• Rosemary Jones,
• Jan Knudsen,
• Robert Temperton,
• Andrey Shavorskiy and
• Esko Kokkonen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1677–1694, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.118

• performance in integrated circuits. Its precision, scalability, and ability to produce conformal films on intricate surfaces make ALD a cornerstone in the pursuit of miniaturization and enhanced performance in technology. ALD achieves such high levels of growth control by a well-separated alternating exposure

• –liquid interfaces and is particularly relevant for battery research. Corrosion Nanometer-thin and spontaneously formed oxide layers, also known as passive films, play a crucial role in the corrosion resistance of many advanced alloys. The current knowledge of the passive films’ structure and composition

• evolution of passive films under electrochemical stress [67][68]. Batteries The dip-and-pull method allows for surface-sensitive XPS measurements of interfaces that are typically hidden inside batteries. Whilst the cell geometry obviously differs dramatically from that of any conventional cell, the approach