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

• gradient was induced across the film thickness. This induced a controllable potential gradient across the film thickness, increased the substrate work function by about 0.3 eV, and created a vertical p–n homojunction. Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements revealed that the carrier lifetime of

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

• particular interest since they permit to focus on the specific properties of the molecules that are in direct contact with graphene. These studies benefit from in-depth analysis offered by scanning probe techniques combined with measurements of optical absorption [24][25], photoluminescence [26], or graphene

Synthesis of Cu–Mo/TiO₂ and Co–Mo/TiO₂ photocatalysts for the efficient degradation of organic pollutants in water

• Ilse Acosta,
• Brenda Zermeño,
• Edgar Moctezuma,
• Luis F. Garay-Rodríguez and
• Isaías Juárez-Ramírez

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2026, 17, 559–570, doi:10.3762/bjnano.17.37

• , copper and cobalt, were added at 0.2–0.5 wt %. The co-doped TiO2 photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, N2 physisorption, UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The structural characterization showed stabilization of the anatase phase, and lattice distortion

• separation of photogenerated charges in the photocatalysts, a photoluminescence analysis was performed. Figure 4 shows the photoluminescence spectra of pure titanium oxide and oxides containing Cu–Mo or Co–Mo obtained with an excitation wavelength of 310 nm. A broad signal centered at 392 nm is observed in

• the TiO2 spectrum, which can be assigned to band-to-band recombination [35], which may be caused by the interaction of electrons and holes present in the valence and conduction bands of TiO2 [36]. The photoluminescence spectra of co-doped materials show broad signals centered at 385 and 382 nm for

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

• photoluminescence quantum yield or RedOx chemistry, depend on a complex interplay of local and collective electronic structure aspects [10]. For example, quantum efficiency is strongly influenced by surface structure [11], the fabrication of core–shell and core–multishell architectures [12][13], and the choice 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

• sub-nanometer precision, while also probing vibronic structure and photon statistics in situ. Complementary approaches, such as tip-enhanced photoluminescence, extend this toolbox by enabling nanoscale hyperspectral mapping and photon correlation without charge injection. Together, these techniques

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

• ][157][158][159][160]. TMDCs have two inequivalent valleys in the Brillouin zone, each selectively coupling with one CPL. The extent of valley polarization under CPL excitation and valley-polarized photoluminescence (PL) in TMDCs can be increased by coupling to cPNSs. It has been suggested that cPNSs

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

• sensitivity, specificity, rapid detection, and the ability for real-time analysis. CD- and QD-based biosensors with excellent optical properties such as photoluminescence enable the detection of VB12 at negligible concentrations and in real-world samples with complex matrices. Furthermore, integrating these

Influence of laser beam profile on morphology and optical properties of silicon nanoparticles formed by laser ablation in liquid

• Natalie Tarasenka,
• Vladislav Kornev,
• Alena Nevar and
• Nikolai Tarasenko

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1533–1544, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.108

• ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies, and the correlation of the NP properties with the laser beam profile was studied. Three different beam profiles were selected, namely, a Bessel beam produced using an axicon, an

• structure of the formed NPs were analyzed by means of ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. Particle size and morphology

• recombination of free excitons in a quantum confined system [43][44][45], while the blue and green emissions can be attributed to defect states or surface traps generated during the laser ablation process. For example, the observed photoluminescence can originate from the radiative recombination of

Laser processing in liquids: insights into nanocolloid generation and thin film integration for energy, photonic, and sensing applications

• Akshana Parameswaran Sreekala,
• Pooja Raveendran Nair,
• Jithin Kundalam Kadavath,
• Bindu Krishnan,
• David Avellaneda Avellaneda,
• M. R. Anantharaman and
• Sadasivan Shaji

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 1428–1498, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.104

• . This method is widely utilized for forming thin films primarily for characterization purposes such as XRD, AFM, and photoluminescence (PL). However, apart from factors like strain of the substrate or temperature, if any applied to the substrate, no significant control over the film formation is

Synthesis of biowaste-derived carbon-dot-mediated silver nanoparticles and the evaluation of electrochemical properties for supercapacitor electrodes

• Navya Kumari Tenkayala,
• Chandan Kumar Maity,
• Md Moniruzzaman and
• Subramani Devaraju

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 933–943, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.71

• evidenced from the progressive color change of the solution as shown by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Structural and morphological analysis The optical properties of PG-CDs and PG-CDs-AgNPs were studied using UV–visible spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. An absorption peak at 275 nm

Tailoring of physical properties of RF-sputtered ZnTe films: role of substrate temperature

• Kafi Devi,
• Usha Rani,
• Arun Kumar,
• Divya Gupta and
• Sanjeev Aggarwal

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 333–348, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.25

• -3600 Plus) equipped with Integrating Sphere Assembly (Model-ISR-603) in the wavelength range of 200–2000 nm (accuracy 1 Å) available at Ion Beam Centre, Kurukshetra University. The photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra of ZnTe/Qz films were recorded using a HORIBA Scientific (Fluorescence 3.5

• ]. The dielectric constant and the dielectric loss of the deposited ZnTe films exhibit a similar pattern and were also found to decrease with increasing substrate temperature (see below). Photoluminescence studies Photoluminescence (PL) studies were carried out to analyse the films’ electronic features

• . The photoluminescence occurs when a material absorbs energy higher than its bandgap. In a semiconductor, this leads to the creation of a large number of electrons and holes in comparison to their equilibrium concentration. These generated charge carriers recombine after thermal relaxation, and photons

Fabrication of hafnium-based nanoparticles and nanostructures using picosecond laser ablation

• Abhishek Das,
• Mangababu Akkanaboina,
• Jagannath Rathod,
• R. Sai Prasad Goud,
• Kanaka Ravi Kumar,
• Raghu C. Reddy,
• Ratheesh Ravendran,
• Katia Vutova,
• S. V. S. Nageswara Rao and
• Venugopal Rao Soma

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1639–1653, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.129

• morphology was analysed using field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM); the composition was determined by EDX attached to the FESEM (Carl Zeiss Smart SEM ULTRA 55). Reflectivity was investigated using a UV–vis–NIR spectrometer (PerkinElmer Lambda 750). For photoluminescence (PL) measurements, a

Heterogeneous reactions in a HFCVD reactor: simulation using a 2D model

• Xochitl Aleyda Morán Martínez,
• José Alberto Luna López,
• Zaira Jocelyn Hernández Simón,
• Gabriel Omar Mendoza Conde,
• José Álvaro David Hernández de Luz and
• Godofredo García Salgado

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1627–1638, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.128

• ratio x = [O]/[Si], which is determined by controlling key parameters in the deposition process [2]. This ratio determines optical and electrical properties such as bandgap energy, absorption coefficient, photoluminescence, refractive index, and electrical conductivity [3]. SiOx cannot only be obtained

• exhibited greater photoluminescence compared to those that did not undergo thermal treatment [29]. The SiO species plays an important role in the proposed mechanism; the reaction of SiO with •OH and •H radicals leads to the formation of HSiO and silanes [15]. Silane and silanol species were also found in

Various CVD-grown ZnO nanostructures for nanodevices and interdisciplinary applications

• The-Long Phan,
• Le Viet Cuong,
• Vu Dinh Lam and
• Ngoc Toan Dang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1390–1399, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.112

• . Depending on the morphology and crystal quality, their photoluminescence spectra have only a strong UV emission associated with the exciton radiative recombination, or both UV and defect-related visible emissions with their relative intensity ratio varying with the excitation power density. The obtained

Out-of-plane polarization induces a picosecond photoresponse in rhombohedral stacked bilayer WSe₂

• Guixian Liu,
• Yufan Wang,
• Zhoujuan Xu,
• Zhouxiaosong Zeng,
• Lanyu Huang,
• Cuihuan Ge and
• Xiao Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1362–1368, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.109

• contrast, and characterized by photoluminescence (PL) measurements at room temperature (see Supporting Information File 1, Figure S3). The relative angles between crystalline axes of the top and bottom WSe2 layers were determined by polarization-resolved SHG measurements. The zigzag directions of the two

Mn-doped ZnO nanopowders prepared by sol–gel and microwave-assisted sol–gel methods and their photocatalytic properties

• Cristina Maria Vlăduț,
• Crina Anastasescu,
• Silviu Preda,
• Oana Catalina Mocioiu,
• Simona Petrescu,
• Jeanina Pandele-Cusu,
• Dana Culita,
• Veronica Bratan,
• Ioan Balint and
• Maria Zaharescu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1283–1296, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.104

• and MW ZnO samples, with larger Eg values than those of the manganese-doped samples. Photoluminescence Photoluminescence (PL) measurements are usually used to describe the radiative recombinations of electron–hole pairs in semiconductors exposed to light irradiation. A high PL signal measured for a

• catalyst is generally associated with low photocatalytic activity. Accordingly, various modifiers of semiconductor nanomaterials are used to enhance separation of the photogenerated charges, causing a corresponding decrease of PL emission. The correlation between photoluminescence and photocatalytic

• use in photocatalysis processes (i.e., degradation of oxalic acid). In addition, the measured excitonic PL indicates the need for deeper investigation on the ability of the investigated materials to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) under light irradiation. The photoluminescence signal of the

Realizing active targeting in cancer nanomedicine with ultrasmall nanoparticles

• André F. Lima,
• Giselle Z. Justo and
• Alioscka A. Sousa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1208–1226, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.98

• by biocompatible cyclodextrin with a core size of 1.85 nm [147]. These particles exhibited strong photoluminescence upon excitation at 808 nm, with an emission peak at 1050 nm. Photoluminescence imaging in the second NIR window (1000 to 1700 nm) is advantageous for in vivo deep-tissue imaging as it

• tumor accumulation of the targeted AuNCs reached ≈12% ID, marking a fourfold increase over the control group. Photoluminescence imaging effectively visualized the tumor sites in mice, yielding a ≈3-fold enhancement in emission signal intensity relative to the control animals. 6 Clinical applications of

Green synthesis of biomass-derived carbon quantum dots for photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue

• Dalia Chávez-García,
• Mario Guzman,
• Viridiana Sanchez and
• Rubén D. Cadena-Nava

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 755–766, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.63

• photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). The utilization of biomass as a carbon source offers great opportunities due to its abundance in nature and the wide range of sources available, which exhibit good luminescent and catalytic properties. Focusing on the hydrothermal synthesis method using biomass-derived

• Jobin Yvon Xplora Raman microscope using a 532 nm laser excitation as the power source. The photoluminescence spectra of the samples were obtained with an Agilent Cary Eclipse fluorescence spectrophotometer. It consists of two Czerny–Turner slits (excitation and emission) with a double monochromator and

• ) which promotes the inclusion of heteroatoms into the CQDs. All the prepared CQDs samples presented an intensity ratio (ID/IG) around 1.0, which corresponds to a poor crystallinity in the CQDs and, as a consequence, a high relative content of defects. Photoluminescence spectra Investigating the

Simultaneous electrochemical determination of uric acid and hypoxanthine at a TiO₂/graphene quantum dot-modified electrode

• Vu Ngoc Hoang,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Quang Man,
• Le Vu Truong Son,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Vo Thang Nguyen,
• Le Thi Hong Phong,
• Ly Hoang Diem,
• Kieu Chan Ly,
• Ho Sy Thang and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 719–732, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.60

• composite (TiO2/GQDs) obtained by in situ synthesis of GQDs, derived from coffee grounds, and peroxo titanium complexes was used as electrode modifier in the simultaneous electrochemical determination of uric acid and hypoxanthine. The TiO2/GQDs material was characterized by photoluminescence, X-ray

• microscope (SEM), Hitachi (Japan). UV–vis absorption spectroscopy measurements was carried out on an 8453 UV–vis spectrophotometer, Agilent, USA. Photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy measurements were performed on a FL3C-22 spectrophotometer, Horiba, USA. Synthesis of TiO2/GQDs Peroxo titanium complexes were

• capability of the nanomaterials. Low LODs, high reproducibility, and simple procedures for surface modification and analysis can be considered as the advantages of the proposed DPV method. Images of aqueous suspension of TiO2/GQDs samples (a) under white light and (b) under UV light. (c) Photoluminescence

Elastic modulus of β-Ga₂O₃ nanowires measured by resonance and three-point bending techniques

• Annamarija Trausa,
• Sven Oras,
• Sergei Vlassov,
• Mikk Antsov,
• Tauno Tiirats,
• Andreas Kyritsakis,
• Boris Polyakov and
• Edgars Butanovs

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 704–712, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.58

• the average bond length and thus result in a reduction in the elastic modulus [31][32][33]. For example, Wang et al. [34] showed that ZnO NWs with a higher density of oxygen vacancies, inferred from photoluminescence measurements, exhibited significantly (up to 20%) lower Young’s modulus. Wang et al

• . [35] measured a lower (up to 16%) elastic modulus for Al2O3 NBs in comparison to the theoretical value and attributed this difference to oxygen vacancies within NBs. As per our previous study [36], our as-grown Ga2O3 NWs exhibit a strong photoluminescence band related to oxygen vacancies, indicating a

• thus anisotropy in mechanical properties, are the most probable causes of the significant data scattering of the measured elastic moduli, the reason for the considerable decrease in comparison to the bulk value remains unclear. Our previous study of the as-grown Ga2O3 NW photoluminescence [36] implied

Aero-ZnS prepared by physical vapor transport on three-dimensional networks of sacrificial ZnO microtetrapods

• Veaceslav Ursaki,
• Tudor Braniste,
• Victor Zalamai,
• Emil Rusu,
• Vladimir Ciobanu,
• Vadim Morari,
• Daniel Podgornii,
• Pier Carlo Ricci,
• Rainer Adelung and
• Ion Tiginyanu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 490–499, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.44

• produced material is investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), while its crystalline and optical qualities are assessed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, respectively. We demonstrate possibilities for controlling the composition and the crystallographic

• recombination [35]. Therefore, the photoluminescence properties of the prepared aero-ZnS materials, including the near-bandgap emission, are similar to those inherent to semiconductor ZnS single crystals. The PL band around 2.4 eV is also excited by intraband-energy radiation with a wavelength of 405 nm (3.06

• impurities are present in the photoluminescence spectra, including those associated with surface states. Taking into account that, according to previous reports, the surface states, including those related to oxygen species adsorbed at the aeromaterial surface, play an important role in photocatalytic

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under visible light by cobalt ferrite nanoparticles/graphene quantum dots

• Vo Chau Ngoc Anh,
• Le Thi Thanh Nhi,
• Le Thi Kim Dung,
• Dang Thi Ngoc Hoa,
• Nguyen Truong Son,
• Nguyen Thi Thao Uyen,
• Nguyen Ngoc Uyen Thu,
• Le Van Thanh Son,
• Le Trung Hieu,
• Tran Ngoc Tuyen and
• Dinh Quang Khieu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 475–489, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.43

• electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet–visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometry, and nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms. Cobalt ferrite crystals of around 8–10 nm and

• degradation and other dyes. Keywords: cobalt ferrite; graphene quantum dots; methylene blue; Introduction Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have unique properties, including photoluminescence, biocompatibility, slight chemical toxicity, inertness, and excellent photostability [1][2]. Graphene quantum dots

• ) and ultraviolet light (254 nm, right); (b) photoluminescence excitation (PL) and photoluminescence emission spectra (PLE) of the GQDs; (c) XRD pattern of GQDs; (d) PL spectra of supernatants from prepared CF/GQD suspensions. (a) FTIR spectra of CF/GQDs and CoFe2O4; (b, c) Raman spectra; (d) TG/dTG

Investigating ripple pattern formation and damage profiles in Si and Ge induced by 100 keV Ar⁺ ion beam: a comparative study

• Indra Sulania,
• Harpreet Sondhi,
• Tanuj Kumar,
• Sunil Ojha,
• G R Umapathy,
• Ambuj Mishra,
• Ambuj Tripathi,
• Richa Krishna,
• Devesh Kumar Avasthi and
• Yogendra Kumar Mishra

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 367–375, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.33

• photoluminescence spectroscopy. Stupp et al. [14] have explored possible applications of self-assembly of biomolecules with controlled stereochemistry in materials technology. However, the fundamental reasoning behind how this self-organization process evolves in terms of defect creation or damage still needs to be

Determining by Raman spectroscopy the average thickness and N-layer-specific surface coverages of MoS₂ thin films with domains much smaller than the laser spot size

• Felipe Wasem Klein,
• Jean-Roch Huntzinger,
• Vincent Astié,
• Damien Voiry,
• Romain Parret,
• Houssine Makhlouf,
• Sandrine Juillaguet,
• Jean-Manuel Decams,
• Sylvie Contreras,
• Périne Landois,
• Ahmed-Azmi Zahab,
• Jean-Louis Sauvajol and
• Matthieu Paillet

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 279–296, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.26

• transition to a direct bandgap semiconductor with very high photoluminescence quantum yield when thinned down to a monolayer [13][14][15][16][17]. Its unique electronic and optical properties could provide an edge in many future applications. The multilayers MoS2 structures are of the most common 2Hc type

• growth of wafer-scale MoS2 thin films on SiO2/Si substrates by direct liquid injection pulsed-pressure chemical vapor deposition (DLI-PP-CVD) using low-toxicity precursors [27]. Such MoS2 thin films showed good stoichiometry (Mo/S = 1.94–1.95) and the potential for high photoluminescence quantum yield

• signal in the wavelength range of photoluminescence emission (around 650 nm). The third parameter to define is the power of the 532 nm light, Pλ, impinging the sample. Much of the Raman information available to evaluate the thickness of MoS2 flakes is based on the following parameters: (i) on precise

CdSe/ZnS quantum dots as a booster in the active layer of distributed ternary organic photovoltaics

• Gabriela Lewińska,
• Piotr Jeleń,
• Zofia Kucia,
• Maciej Sitarz,
• Łukasz Walczak,
• Bartłomiej Szafraniak,
• Jerzy Sanetra and
• Konstanty W. Marszalek

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 144–156, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.14

• [39][40]. One of the main existing challenges in synthesizing QDs is to increase their photoluminescence efficiency while simultaneously shifting the photoluminescence maximum to longer wavelengths. Initial applications focused on OLEDs. CdSe/ZnS quantum dots are luminescent inorganic nanostructures

• ultraviolet with a small exponentially decreasing band up to 500–600 nm (Figure 2). The absorption band maximum is about 260 nm in the solid state (quartz was used as reference) and 330 nm in chloroform solution. The photoluminescence spectra, excited by a 405 nm laser, are shown in Figure 3. This type of

• P3HT:PC71BM:QDs (ratio 1:0.5:0.5) measured in solution. In the case of absorption, spectrum shape and absorption range remain unchanged. The addition of quantum dots slightly increases the intensity in the range from 350 to 550 nm compared to the base P3HT:PC71BM array. In the case of photoluminescence spectra