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Experiments have shown that carbon nanotubes are ideal optical wires, with properties affected by excitonic and other intrinsic properties, as well as by shape.
Graphene nanoribbons manufactured by annealing unzipped carbon nanotubes have been measured to have a large energy bandgap of ∼50 meV, even for widths of ∼100 nm.
Cadmium concentrations in ciliates increase when bacteria that contain CdSe quantum dots are consumed by ciliate predators, suggesting that quantum dots could potentially be available to other levels of the food web.
An endoscope formed by attaching carbon nanotubes to the tips of glass micropipettes can be used to probe intracellular processes, and transport fluids and nanoparticles to and from precise locations.
An ultrafast visible band in the photoluminescence spectrum of silicon nanocrystals increases in intensity and shifts to longer wavelengths as the size of the nanocrystals decreases.
The magnetic state of a thin film of iron can be controlled by an electric field, demonstrating that high-density non-volatile information storage in metals is possible.
Confining gadolinium-based contrast agents inside the porous structure of silicon microparticles can improve their T1 contrast, offering a general approach for developing highly efficient MRI contrast agents.
The capabilities of a new direct-printing method are demonstrated by fabricating nanowire field-effect transistors and arrays of pentacene thin-film transistors.
The replication of individual DNA templates catalysed by DNA polymerases at the orifice of an α-haemolysin nanopore allows the synthesis of DNA to be monitored in real time.
A technique that employs surface-diffusion-mediated deposition has been used to form ‘soft’ electronic contacts on molecular layers with excellent yields and reproducibility.
Dithiocarbamates are used to form contacts between metal electrodes and molecules, producing molecular junctions that display a low contact resistance and good thermal stability.
A lithium battery whose positive electrode consists of functionalized carbon nanotubes can achieve higher energy densities than electrochemical capacitors while delivering higher power than conventional lithium-ion batteries.
High-angle annular dark-field scanning transmission electron microscopy, combined with electron energy-loss spectroscopy, can analyse both the organic and inorganic components of a hybrid nanoparticle.
Single silicon nanowires are assembled onto patterned electrodes with a 98.5% yield and submicrometre precision using dielectrophoresis under constant fluid flow.
Pyroelectric forces are used to transfer liquids between two substrates and create patterns without the use of nozzles, electrodes or complicated high-voltage circuits, opening up a new route for manipulating liquids.