Two-dimensional semiconductors have emerged as promising platforms for quantum photonics due to the ability to create spatially deterministic quantum emitters (QE) with large exciton binding energies. Despite these benefits, reaching radiation-limited coherence times or single photon indistinguishability remains challenging. Here we show that the T2 dephasing time of 0D localized excitons in strain-induced QE in WSe2 can be significantly prolonged through the utilization of programmable 1D strain-folds. Specifically, we demonstrate two approaches to induce pronounced 1D strain folds, either via hBN capping or by adding bowtie-pillar stressors, which both prolong the QE exciton coherence by up to 7-fold, with an average value of T2 = 15.3 ps and a best case up to T2 = 25 ps. Furthermore, the influence of the 1D strain on the 0D exciton wave function is directly evident from the strong aligning of the exciton emission dipole along the 1D strain fold, thereby creating strain-controlled single photon polarization. These findings indicate that extended 1D strain fields modify the exciton confinement landscape in a manner that is consistent with reduced sensitivity to intrinsic decoherence channels. Our approach offers a complementary route for coherence enhancement and could be combined in future work with resonant excitation or cavity-coupling schemes toward reaching the regime of single-photon indistinguishability.

Ti3+ and Cu codoped TiO2 nanophotocatalysts, denoted as Cu-BTTNs, were synthesized via a modified solvothermal method. The phase composition, surface morphology, and microstructure characteristics of the material were systematically characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). Their photocatalytic performance was evaluated under simulated visible light irradiation (xenon lamp). Using Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) as model bacteria, Cu-BTTNs (200 μg/mL) inactivated 99.74% of S. aureus and 97.26% of E. coli within 12 min (initial concentration: 1 × 106 CFU/mL). Simultaneously, they degraded 96.83% of Rhodamine B (RhB, 10 mg/L) within 15 min at a catalyst dosage of 1.5 mg/mL. Radical trapping experiments identified photogenerated holes (h+), superoxide anions (·O2–), and hydroxyl radicals (·OH) as the predominant reactive species responsible for bacterial inactivation and pollutant degradation. These results demonstrate that Cu/Ti3+ codoped TiO2 holds significant potential as a high-performance antibacterial material and an effective catalyst for dye wastewater treatment, providing a theoretical foundation for practical environmental applications.

The growth of colloidal ZnSe nanorods with controlled crystallographic orientation and size has attracted much attention for exploring their anisotropic properties and size-dependent properties. Herein, a solution-processed strategy was developed to synthesize ⟨002⟩-oriented wurtzite (w-)ZnSe nanorods by heating zinc carboxylate and selenium (Se) in 1-dodecanethiol and oleylamine. The higher molar ratio of zinc stearate (ZnSt2) to Se and the longer carbon chain length of zinc carboxylate both led to the growth of w-ZnSe nanorods with smaller diameter and length due to the steric hindrance effect. The ⟨002⟩-oriented w-ZnSe nanorods exhibited diameter-dependent excitonic energies and tunable photoluminescence (PL) emissions.

Arsenic contamination in drinking water continues to pose serious risks to public health, particularly because detection of its most toxic trivalent form remains a challenge. In this work, glutathione-templated copper nanoclusters (Cu NCs) were prepared via a chemical reduction approach, yielding red-emissive, water-dispersible, and stable nanoprobes. These Cu NCs show weak photoluminescence at 644 nm when excited at 370 nm, and their fluorescence is notably enhanced in the presence of As3+ due to aggregation-induced emission. The sensing approach allows reliable quantification of As3+ down to 1.27 μM with excellent linearity (R2 = 0.9995), high reproducibility across multiple measurements, and high selectivity against common metal ions, nonmetallic interferents, and complex biological matrices. The method was successfully validated using MCF-7 cell lysates and Drosophila melanogaster gut tissues, where significant fluorescence enhancement (p < 0.01) confirmed As3+ detection. The Cu NCs also enable clear fluorescence imaging of intracellular As3+ in Drosophila melanogaster tissues and MCF-7 human cell lines, demonstrating increased fluorescence both within the tissue and at the cellular level, which confirms their biocompatibility and suitability for biological studies. Structural and surface analyses (TEM, AFM, FTIR, XPS) show that the nanoclusters are consistently templated and well-formed. Overall, this study demonstrates that GSH-templated Cu NCs are scalable and cost-effective as practical probes for both As3+ detection and bioimaging, making routine monitoring of environmental and biological arsenic exposure possible.

Intelligent devices are rapidly evolving from single-function perception to multidimensional, networked sensing systems that mimic biological sensory capabilities. A critical requirement for such systems is the ability to monitor deformed surfaces over multidirections. However, most existing flexible sensors are typically limited to unidirectional strain detection under quasi-static conditions. Here, we developed an orientation-sensitive flexible strain sensor featuring an equilateral triangular silver nanowire pattern integrated with graphene/carbon nanotube electrodes. This design enables simultaneous acquisition of both the strain magnitude and direction on deformable surfaces. The sensor achieves an exceptionally low strain detection limit of 0.005%, a fast response time of 8.4 ms, cyclic stability exceeding 9000 cycles, and high angular resolution. Devices incorporating this sensor can conveniently capture multidirectional strain distributions during human joint motion and physiological activities and also dynamically record microstrains in metal fatigue testing at frequencies up to 35 Hz.

Electrohydrodynamic printing enables high-resolution fabrication via nanoscale charged droplets. However, droplet trajectories are sensitive to electric field distortions over nonuniform substrates like coplanar electrodes (CEs). We systematically investigated passive droplet deflection during nanoscale printing on CEs through simulations and experiments. The electrode gap length and nozzle position are identified as key governing factors. A quantitative model relating these parameters to the deposition offset enables trajectory prediction. By applying adaptive speed and dynamic voltage control, continuous conductive silver nanocrystal lines with a 61.1 nm width are fabricated. This work provides a framework for enhancing printing precision in microelectronics and digital manufacturing.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a key reactive species in physiological pathways and environmental systems; however, its abnormal accumulation poses serious risks to human health, underscoring the need for highly sensitive, reliable, and enzyme-free detection platforms. Herein, we report the rational design of NiCo2O4/Ti3C2TX (MXene) nanohybrids as advanced nanoscale electrocatalysts for nonenzymatic H2O2 sensing. The nanohybrids were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal strategy, in which the introduction of Ti3C2TX nanosheets modulates the crystallization and growth kinetics of NiCo2O4, directing the formation of hierarchical urchin-like and sheet-like microflower architectures composed of ultrathin nanosheets. This nanoscale structural organization markedly enhances electron transport, electrolyte penetration, and exposure of catalytically active sites. The optimized NiCo2O4/Ti3C2TX electrode exhibits a wide linear detection range of 1–110 μM with a sensitivity of 9.31 μA μM–1, while increased MXene loading further improves the sensitivity to 27.82 μA μM–1 over a linear range of 1–80 μM. The superior electrocatalytic performance arises from the high electrical conductivity of Ti3C2TX nanosheets, the abundance of redox-active sites in NiCo2O4 and strong interfacial coupling within the heterostructured nanohybrid. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal enhanced H2O2 adsorption (−1.4 eV) and accelerated interfacial charge transfer at the NiCo2O4/Ti3C2TX interface compared with pristine NiCo2O4 (−1.1 eV), in excellent agreement with experimental results. Moreover, the sensor demonstrates outstanding stability, reproducibility, and selectivity toward common interferents, along with successful applicability in biological and food samples.

Escherichia coli O157:H7 represents a major public health threat primarily because of its ability to induce severe gastrointestinal diseases. However, detection in complex biological matrices requires a sensitive, rapid, user-friendly biosensor with high specificity. Herein, we report a hierarchically self-assembled SERS probe, as a central component to the biosensor, Au NanoOctopus (AuNOs)@biosilent Raman reporter 4-mercaptobenzonitrile (4-MBN)@nucleic acid aptamers, designed for the specific capture, ultrasensitive, and interference-free determination of E. coli O157:H7. The Au NanoOctopus enhances the Raman signal of 4-MBN at 2225 cm–1 by a factor of 2.6 × 107, enabling the reduction of the detection limit of SERS biosensors for E. coli O157:H7 in real samples to 1.09 colony-forming unit (CFU) per mL for the first time. The entire process could be completed within 30 min. In the actual measurements of samples such as raspberry juice, this biosensor demonstrated excellent performance: the recovery rate reached 94.33–108.00%, the relative standard deviation was 1.74–7.90%, and the detection results were highly consistent with those obtained using the lytic broth agar plate method. The results of this method were consistent with those derived from the lysogenyl broth agar plate method. These findings suggest that the developed SERS biosensor holds great potential for the quantitative and sensitive screening of E. coli O157:H7 in food safety applications.