Quantum Hall (QH) edge states in two-dimensional electron gas systems have drawn attention as potential carriers of quantum information, owing to their chiral ballistic nature, arising from Landau ...level formation under a strong perpendicular magnetic field. They remain stable even in the presence of material disorder, making them ideal for phase-sensitive measurements like QH interferometry. We report the equilibration processes between electron waves in spin and valley polarized QH edge states, particularly in a four-terminal measurement configuration. We compare experimental results with theoretical estimations based on the Landauer formula, taking into account selective equilibration depending on spin polarization. Furthermore, quantum interference in co-propagating QH edge states is investigated, elucidating how factors such as magnetic fields, voltage bias, and gate configurations influence quantum phase. The research offers insights into the controllability of interactions between QH edge states, vital for harnessing the potential of graphene in QH interferometers and quantum information processing. KCI Citation Count: 0
Examining the potential of monolayer graphene in quantum information processing, this study investigates electron transport characteristics of a ballistic graphene device featuring a quantum point ...contact (QPC) in a split-gate geometry for Quantum Hall (QH) interferometry. Utilizing the QPC in a split-gate geometry, we demonstrate robust control over electron transport, allowing selective transmission and reflection. Our experimental study involves careful examination of quantized conductance in a four-terminal geometry under varying magnetic fields and gate voltage, confirming the effectiveness of the QPC as an electron beam splitter. The experiment reveals quantized conductance steps in steps of
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in the absence and presence of a magnetic field, emphasizing stability of our quasi-1D transport channels. The tunable transmission probabilities of the QPC offer a versatile tool for manipulating electron transport, providing valuable insights for controlled quantum interferometric setups. The findings lay a foundation for future advancements in quantum information processing, opening avenues for topologically protected quantum computation.
Maintenance of homeostatic immune surveillance and development of effective adaptive immune responses require precise regulation of spatial and temporal lymphocyte trafficking throughout the body to ...ensure pathogen clearance and memory generation. Dysregulation of lymphocyte activation and migration can lead to impaired adaptive immunity, recurrent infections, and an array of autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation. Central to the recruitment of T cells, integrins are cell surface receptors that regulate adhesion, signal transduction, and migration. With 24 integrin pairs having been discovered to date, integrins are defined not only by the composition of the heterodimeric pair but by cell-type specific expression and their ligands. Furthermore, integrins not only facilitate adhesion but also induce intracellular signaling and have recently been uncovered as mechanosensors providing additional complexity to the signaling pathways. Among several leukocyte-specific integrins, lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1 or α
β
; CD11a/CD18) is a key T cell integrin, which plays a major role in regulating T cell activation and migration. Adhesion to LFA-1's ligand, intracellular adhesion receptor 1 (ICAM-1) facilitates firm endothelium adhesion, prolonged contact with antigen-presenting cells, and binding to target cells for killing. While the downstream signaling pathways utilized by LFA-1 are vastly conserved they allow for highly disparate responses. Here, we summarize the roles of LFA-1 and ongoing studies to better understand its functions and regulation.
Biological tissues are multiresponsive and functional, and similar properties might be possible in synthetic systems by merging responsive polymers with hierarchical soft architectures. For example, ...mechanochromic polymers have applications in force‐responsive colorimetric sensors and soft robotics, but their integration into sensitive, multifunctional devices remains challenging. Herein, a hierarchical nanoparticle‐in‐micropore (NP‐MP) architecture in porous mechanochromic polymers, which enhances the mechanosensitivity and stretchability of mechanochromic electronic skins (e‐skins), is reported. The hierarchical NP‐MP structure results in stress‐concentration‐induced mechanochemical activation of mechanophores, significantly improving the mechanochromic sensitivity to both tensile strain and normal force (critical tensile strain: 50% and normal force: 1 N). Furthermore, the porous mechanochromic composites exhibit a reversible mechanochromism under a strain of 250%. This architecture enables a dual‐mode mechanochromic e‐skin for detecting static/dynamic forces via mechanochromism and triboelectricity. The hierarchical NP‐MP architecture provides a general platform to develop mechanochromic composites with high sensitivity and stretchability.
A hierarchical nanoparticle‐in‐micropore architecture in porous mechanochromic polymers enhances the mechanosensitivity and stretchability of mechanochromic electronic skins. In this device structure, stress‐concentration‐induced mechanochemical activation of mechanophores significantly improves the mechanochromic sensitivity for both tensile strain and normal force stimuli. This architecture also enables a dual‐mode mechanochromic electronic skin for detecting static/dynamic forces via mechanochromism and triboelectricity.
Energy harvesting devices based on the triboelectric effect have attracted great attention because of their higher output performance compared to other nanogenerators, which have been utilized in ...various wearable applications. Based on the working mechanism, the triboelectric performance is mainly proportional to the surface charge density of the triboelectric materials. Various approaches, such as modification of the surface functional group and dielectric composition of the triboelectric materials, have been employed to enhance the surface charge density, leading to improvements in triboelectric performances. Notably, tuning the dielectric properties of triboelectric materials can significantly increase the surface charge density because the surface charge is proportional to the relative permittivity of the triboelectric material. The relative dielectric constant is modified by dielectric polarization, such as electronic, vibrational (or atomic), orientation (or dipolar), ionic, and interfacial polarization. Therefore, such polarization represents a critical factor toward improving the dielectric constant and consequent triboelectric performance. In this review, we summarize the recent insights on the improvement of triboelectric performance via enhanced dielectric polarization.
In cell signaling pathways, proteins interact with each other to determine cell fate in response to either cell-extrinsic (micro-environmental) or intrinsic cues. One of the well-studied pathways, ...the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, regulates cell processes such as differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and survival in response to various micro-environmental stimuli in eukaryotes. Upon micro-environmental stimulus, receptors on the cell membrane become activated. Activated receptors initiate a cascade of protein activation in the MAPK pathway. This activation involves protein binding, creating scaffold proteins, which are known to facilitate effective MAPK signaling transduction.
This paper presents a novel mathematical model of a cell signaling pathway coordinated by protein scaffolding. The model is based on the extended Boolean network approach with stochastic processes. Protein production or decay in a cell was modeled considering the stochastic process, whereas the protein-protein interactions were modeled based on the extended Boolean network approach. Our model fills a gap in the binary set applied to previous models. The model simultaneously considers the stochastic process directly. Using the model, we simulated a simplified mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway upon stimulation of both a single receptor at the initial time and multiple receptors at several time points. Our simulations showed that the signal is amplified as it travels down to the pathway from the receptor, generating substantially amplified downstream ERK activity. The noise generated by the stochastic process of protein self-activity in the model was also amplified as the signaling propagated through the pathway.
The signaling transduction in a simplified MAPK signaling pathway could be explained by a mathematical model based on the extended Boolean network model with a stochastic process. The model simulations demonstrated signaling amplifications when it travels downstream, which was already observed in experimental settings. We also highlight the importance of stochastic activity in regulating protein inactivation.
Stimuli-responsive colorimetric sensors are promising for various industrial and medical applications due to the capability of simple, fast, and inexpensive visualization of external stimuli. Here we ...demonstrate a thermoresponsive, smart colorimetric patch based on a thermoresponsive plasmonic microgel embedded in a stretchable hydrogel film. To achieve a fast and efficient thermoresponsive color change, raspberry-shaped plasmonic microgels were fabricated by decorating gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) microgels, which exhibit reversible and strain-insensitive color shifts (between red and grayish violet) in response to a temperature change. The smart colorimetric patch containing a plasmonic microgels exhibits a significant extinction peak shift (176 nm) in a short time (1 s), with a temperature-sensing resolution of 0.2 °C. Moreover, the transition temperature of the plasmonic microgel can be finely tuned by additives and comonomers, so that the exquisite temperature visualization can be conducted over a wide temperature range of 25‒40 °C by assembling plasmonic microgel films with different transition temperatures into an array patch. For proof-of-concept demonstrations, a freestanding smart colorimetric patch was utilized as a spatial temperature scanner and a colorimetric thermometer for a thermoresponsive actuator, which is potentially applicable in smart, wearable sensors and soft robotics.
Triboelectric nanogenerators based on the state-of-the-art functional materials and device engineering provide an exciting platform for future multifunctional electronics, but it remains challenging ...to realize due to the lack of in-depth understanding on the functional properties of nanomaterials that are compatible with microstructural engineering. In this study, a high-performance stretchable (∼60% strain) triboelectric nanogenerator is demonstrated via an interlocked microstructural device configuration sandwiched between silver-nanowire-(Ag-NW) electrodes and hierarchically engineered spongy thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) polymer composite with ferroelectric barium-titanate-coupled (BTO-coupled) 2D MXene (Ti3C2T x ) nanosheets. The use of MXene results in an increase in the dielectric constant whereas the dielectric loss is lowered via coupling with the ferroelectricity of BTO, which increases the overall output performance of the nanogenerator. The spongy nature of the composite film increases the capacitance variation under deformation, which results in improved energy-conversion efficiency (∼79%) and pressure sensitivity (4.6 VkPa–1 and 2.5 mAkPa–1) of the device. With the quantum-mechanically calculated electronic structure, the device converts biomechanical energy to electrical energy and generates an open-circuit output voltage of 260 V, short-circuit output current of 160 mA/m2, and excellent power output of 6.65 W/m2, which is sufficient to operate several consumer electronics. Owing to its superior pressure sensitivity and efficiency, the device enables a broad range of applications including real-time clinical human vital-sign monitoring, acoustic sensing, and multidimensional gesture-sensing functionality of a robotic hand. Considering the ease of fabrication, excellent functionality of the hierarchical polymer nanocomposite, and outstanding energy-harvesting performance of nanogenerators, this work is expected to stimulate the development of next-generation self-powered technology.
The utilization of triboelectric materials has gained considerable attention in recent years, offering a sustainable approach to energy harvesting and sensing technologies. Biomass-derived materials, ...owing to their abundance, renewability, and biocompatibility, offer promising avenues for enhancing the performance and versatility of triboelectric devices. This paper explores the synthesis and characterization of biomass-derived materials, their integration into triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), and their applications in energy harvesting, self-powered sensors, and environmental monitoring. This review presents an overview of the emerging field of advanced triboelectric applications that utilize the unique properties of biomass-derived materials. Additionally, it addresses the challenges and opportunities in employing biomass-derived materials for triboelectric applications, emphasizing the potential for sustainable and eco-friendly energy solutions.
Multifunctional wearable devices detect electric signals responsive to various biological stimuli and monitor present body motions or conditions, necessitating flexible materials with high ...sensitivity and sustainable operation. Although various dielectric polymers have been utilized in self-powered wearable applications in response to multiple external stimuli, their intrinsic limitations hinder further device performance enhancement. Because triboelectric devices comprising dielectric polymers are based on triboelectrification and electrostatic induction, multilayer-stacking structures of dielectric polymers enable significant improvements in device performance owing to enhanced interfacial polarization through dissimilar permittivity and conductivity between each layer, resulting in self-powered high-performance wearable devices. Moreover, novel triboelectric polymers with unique chemical structures or nano-additives can control interfacial polarization, allowing wearable devices to respond to multiple external stimuli. This review summarizes the recent insights into multilayered functional triboelectric polymers, including their fundamental dielectric principles and diverse applications.
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