Nanostructured materials characterized by scanning photoelectron spectromicroscopy

• Matteo Amati,
• Alexey S. Shkvarin,
• Alexander I. Merentsov,
• Alexander N. Titov,
• María Taeño,
• David Maestre,
• Sarah R. McKibbin,
• Zygmunt Milosz,
• Ana Cremades,
• Rainer Timm and
• Luca Gregoratti

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 700–710, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.54

• suitable substrates for characterization by scanning probe microscopy and SPEM. An atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of a typical InP p–n junction nanowire is shown in Figure 2a, confirming a homogeneous shape with a nanowire length of about 2.5 µm and a diameter of about 200 nm, fluctuating only by a

High-temperature epitaxial growth of tantalum nitride thin films on MgO: structural evolution and potential for SQUID applications

• Michelle Cedillo Rosillo,
• Oscar Contreras López,
• Jesús Antonio Díaz,
• Agustín Conde Gallardo and
• Harvi A. Castillo Cuero

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 690–699, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.53

• , atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed that the TaN films exhibit excellent crystallinity and smooth surface morphology, when deposited at optimal temperatures of 750 and 850 °C. The films exhibit superconducting transition temperatures (Tc) ranging from 5.0 to

• . Atomic force microscopy (AFM, XE-70 Park Systems) in contact mode was used to study the surface morphology of the films. The synthesis protocol used in this study was modified from the work reported by Quintanar-Zamora et al. [15] by varying the substrate temperature and the nitrogen pressure. Results

The impact of tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane hole transport layer doping on interfacial charge extraction and recombination

• Konstantinos Bidinakis and
• Stefan A. L. Weber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 678–689, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.52

• in solar cells based on these materials. To do so on operating solar cells, we created samples with exposed cross-sections and examined their potential profile distributions with Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), implementing our comprehensive measurement protocol. Using the Lewis acid tris

• ; hole transport layer doping; Kelvin probe force microscopy; perovskite solar cells; Introduction Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are a promising class of photovoltaic material that exhibits high power conversion efficiencies and relies on a low-cost solution-processed fabrication method [1][2][3][4]. At

• force microscopy (KPFM) is an important tool for conducting such studies, enabling the measurement of the perovskite’s surface potential by monitoring the electrostatic force between the surface and a conductive probe (See Supporting Information File 1, Section 1). This measurement can provide insights

Nanoscale capacitance spectroscopy based on multifrequency electrostatic force microscopy

• Pascal N. Rohrbeck,
• Lukas D. Cavar,
• Franjo Weber,
• Peter G. Reichel,
• Mara Niebling and
• Stefan A. L. Weber

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 637–651, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.49

• of Mainz, Staudingerweg 7, 55128 Mainz, Germany Institute for Photovoltaics, University of Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 47, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.16.49 Abstract We present multifrequency heterodyne electrostatic force microscopy (MFH-EFM) as a novel electrostatic force microscopy

• , enabling the measurement of the local dielectric function over a wide range of frequencies. We demonstrate the reliable operation of MFH-EFM using standard atomic force microscopy equipment plus an external lock-in amplifier up to a frequency of 5 MHz, which can in principle be extended to gigahertz

• nanoscale systems across materials science, biology, and nanotechnology, complementing established methods in the field. Keywords: atomic force microscopy; capacitance gradients; dielectric constant; dielectric spectroscopy; heterodyne frequency mixing; Kelvin probe force microscopy; multifrequency AFM

Polyurethane/silk fibroin-based electrospun membranes for wound healing and skin substitute applications

• Iqra Zainab,
• Zohra Naseem,
• Syeda Rubab Batool,
• Muhammad Waqas,
• Ahsan Nazir and
• Muhammad Anwaar Nazeer

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 591–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.46

• through a capillary, and a high voltage is applied to charge the solution’s particles, which produces an attractive force [54]. When the solution’s surface tension is overcome at a critical voltage, a jet shoots out of the capillary’s tip toward a grounded collector (Figure 2A) [55]. The morphology of

Electron beam-based direct writing of nanostructures using a palladium β-ketoesterate complex

• Chinmai Sai Jureddy,
• Krzysztof Maćkosz,
• Aleksandra Butrymowicz-Kubiak,
• Iwona B. Szymańska,
• Patrik Hoffmann and
• Ivo Utke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 530–539, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.41

• Oxford Instruments. EDX was performed with 6 keV electron beam at 500 pA, and the signals were collected for 60 s. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements were conducted on an NT-MDT NTEGRA Spectra system, and data was analyzed using Gwyddion and Origin software. To accurately obtain the composition

N₂⁺-implantation-induced tailoring of structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics of sputtered molybdenum thin films

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

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 495–509, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.38

• the same nominal film thickness after implantation. Keywords: atomic force microscopy; grazing angle X-ray diffractometer; Keithley parametric analyzer; Mo thin films; RF sputtering; spectroscopic ellipsometry; Introduction Molybdenum thin films have garnered significant attention in diverse

• of 1.5405 Å. Measurements were conducted with a fixed incident angle of 0.5°, and the X-ray tube was operated at 40 kV and 40 mA. The surface morphology was analyzed using a Bruker Multimode-8 atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical characteristics of the molybdenum thin films were analyzed using

• thickness increased from 150 to 300 nm, signifying a reduction in interplanar spacing. The decrease in interplanar spacing is a direct consequence of the compressive force induced by nitrogen implantation. During the deposition process, Mo thin films exhibit different types of stress due to changes in

Performance optimization of a microwave-coupled plasma-based ultralow-energy ECR ion source for silicon nanostructuring

• Joy Mukherjee,
• Safiul Alam Mollick,
• Tanmoy Basu and
• Tapobrata Som

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 484–494, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.37

• confirm the formation of nanostructures as observed from atomic force microscopy (AFM) images. The thickness of the amorphous thin layer is in good agreement with Monte Carlo simulations (SRIM) [31]. The article further investigates and explains the optical response (by UV–vis spectrometry) of the

Impact of adsorbate–substrate interaction on nanostructured thin films growth during low-pressure condensation

• Alina V. Dvornichenko,
• Vasyl O. Kharchenko and
• Dmitrii O. Kharchenko

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 473–483, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.36

• calculating the effective potential V(x) related to the reaction force Equation 10 as . The form of the potential V(x) at different points of the stability diagram at α = 0.03 is shown in Figure 2b. From Figure 2a, one finds that an increase in the adsorption rate α requires smaller values of the interaction

ReactorAFM/STM – dynamic reactions on surfaces at elevated temperature and atmospheric pressure

• Tycho Roorda,
• Hamed Achour,
• Matthijs A. van Spronsen,
• Marta E. Cañas-Ventura,
• Sander B. Roobol,
• Willem Onderwaater,
• Mirthe Bergman,
• Peter van der Tuijn,
• Gertjan van Baarle,
• Johan W. Bakker,
• Joost W. M. Frenken and
• Irene M. N. Groot

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 397–406, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.30

• , capable of studying materials under industrially relevant conditions. Here we show current developments of the ReactorAFM/STM, implementing a qPlus sensor to add the ability of combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) techniques to study the geometric and electronic

• conductive substrate limits STM techniques in relevant industrial applications involving such more complex catalysts. For this reason, an atomic force microscopy (AFM) version of the high-pressure STM employing a quartz tuning fork (QTF) was introduced to overcome this limitation [16]. Unlike STM, which uses

• –Tropsch synthesis (FTS). Challenges while applying a tuning fork as force sensor A drawback of the QTF as a force sensor is that its temperature sensitivity increases with increasing temperatures; in fact, it can even serve as a micro temperature sensor [18]. As a result, temperature fluctuations while

Development of a mucoadhesive drug delivery system and its interaction with gastric cells

• Ahmet Baki Sahin,
• Serdar Karakurt and
• Deniz Sezlev Bilecen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 371–384, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.28

• one of the driving force behind mucoadhesion [57]. Therefore, the presence of the Eudragit polymer layer on the designed nanoparticles is beneficial for the enhancement of the electrostatic interactions between the nanoparticles and the gastric mucus, thus increasing their entrapment into the mucus

Vortex lattices of layered HTSCs at different vortex–vortex interaction potentials

• Valerii P. Lenkov,
• Anastasia N. Maksimova,
• Anna N. Moroz and
• Vladimir A. Kashurnikov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 362–370, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.27

• distances greater than 10λ, repulsion is observed). In this work, the formation of vortex clusters and their motion under the action of the Lorentz force were investigated. Since their interaction potential is similar to intertype, our results are applicable to them. A description of the mechanism of the

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

• the optical bandgap of the films can be tuned from 1.47 ± 0.02 eV to 3.11 ± 0.14 eV. The surface morphology of the films studied using atomic force microscopy reveals that there is uniform grain growth on the surface. Various morphological parameters such as roughness, particle size, particle density

• ) spectrophotometer under 320 nm excitation produced by a xenon arc lamp. For investigating the surface topography, atomic force microscopy (AFM) micrographs of ZnTe/Qz films were recorded (scan area 2 × 2 µm2) using a Bruker multimode-8 AFM in the ScanAsyst mode at the Ion Beam Centre, Kurukshetra University. The

Graphene oxide–chloroquine conjugate induces DNA damage in A549 lung cancer cells through autophagy modulation

• Braham Dutt Arya,
• Sandeep Mittal,
• Prachi Joshi,
• Alok Kumar Pandey,
• Jaime E. Ramirez-Vick,
• Govind Gupta and
• Surinder P. Singh

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 316–332, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.24

• -resolution transmission electron microscope (Technai G2 F30 STWIN, Japan), field emission scanning electron microscope (FEI, Quanta FEG 450, USA), and atomic force microscope (Nanoscope, Veeco V, USA) [28][29][30]. Cell culture A549 cells from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA, USA

• ][51]. Further, the morphology and topography of GO nanosheets were analyzed employing atomic force microscopy. Supporting Information File 1, Figure S2 reveals the appearance of few layered interlocked GO nanosheets, and the topographical analysis reveals the thickness in the range of 0.6 to 1.06 nm

• GO and GO–Chl nanoconjugate via UV–vis, FTIR, Raman Spectroscopy, FESEM, and HRTEM. Figure S2 shows the atomic force microscopy-based topographical analysis of GO nanosheets. Figure S3 represents the XPS survey spectra of GO, GO–Chl, and Chl. Table S1 shows the summary of fitting parameters for the

Enhancing mechanical properties of chitosan/PVA electrospun nanofibers: a comprehensive review

• Nur Areisman Mohd Salleh,
• Amalina Muhammad Afifi,
• Fathiah Mohamed Zuki and
• Hanna Sofia SalehHudin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 286–307, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.22

• , including irregular fluid jet movement, variations in surface tension, and sensitivity to external parameters such as temperature, humidity, and airflow. These factors can disrupt the uniformity of the fiber formation. When the fiber jets are drawn in the direction of the electric field force, the polymer

• . When an external force is applied to electrospun nanofibers, the load is distributed across a network of thousands of fibers. However, because of their random orientation, the force is not evenly distributed. In some cases, the load is concentrated on a single fiber, which can result in significant

• ]. Electrospinning involves applying a high voltage to a polymer solution delivered through a nozzle or capillary [71]. The electrostatic charge builds up at the tip of the droplet, and when the repulsive force of the charges overcomes the droplet’s surface tension, a cone-like jet, known as the Taylor cone, forms

Recent advances in photothermal nanomaterials for ophthalmic applications

• Jiayuan Zhuang,
• Linhui Jia,
• Chenghao Li,
• Rui Yang,
• Jiapeng Wang,
• Wen-an Wang,
• Heng Zhou and
• Xiangxia Luo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 195–215, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.16

• photothermal conversion of iron oxide minimizes the necessary laser energy. The mechanical force generated by laser-induced VNBs enables the selective destruction of single corneal cells. The PLA films aid in precisely positioning the photothermal therapy, restrain the dispersion of iron oxide nanoclusters

Probing the potential of rare earth elements in the development of new anticancer drugs: single molecule studies

• Josiane A. D. Batista,
• Rayane M. de Oliveira,
• Carlos H. M. Lima,
• Milton L. Lana Júnior,
• Virgílio C. dos Anjos,
• Maria J. V. Bell and
• Márcio S. Rocha

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 187–194, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.15

• , Minas Gerais, Brazil Departamento de Ciências Naturais, Universidade Federal do Acre, Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil 10.3762/bjnano.16.15 Abstract We use optical tweezers and atomic force microscopy to investigate the potential of rare earth elements to be used as anticancer agents in the development of new

• what occurs with classical DNA condensing agents such as polycations and depletants. Keywords: DNA; optical tweezers; rare earth elements; single molecule force spectroscopy; Introduction The development of new drugs to treat human diseases is a field of singular importance that usually involves

• -molecule force spectroscopy using optical tweezers (OT) on DNA complexes formed with the three rare earths at various concentrations. The mechanical properties of these complexes were then determined as a function of the element concentration. From these data, the physical chemistry of the interaction was

A review of metal-organic frameworks and polymers in mixed matrix membranes for CO₂ capture

• Charlotte Skjold Qvist Christensen,
• Nicholas Hansen,
• Mahboubeh Motadayen,
• Nina Lock,
• Martin Lahn Henriksen and
• Jonathan Quinson

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 155–186, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.14

Instance maps as an organising concept for complex experimental workflows as demonstrated for (nano)material safety research

• Benjamin Punz,
• Maja Brajnik,
• Joh Dokler,
• Jaleesia D. Amos,
• Litty Johnson,
• Katie Reilly,
• Anastasios G. Papadiamantis,
• Amaia Green Etxabe,
• Lee Walker,
• Diego S. T. Martinez,
• Steffi Friedrichs,
• Klaus M. Weltring,
• Nazende Günday-Türeli,
• Claus Svendsen,
• Christine Ogilvie Hendren,
• Mark R. Wiesner,
• Martin Himly,
• Iseult Lynch and
• Thomas E. Exner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 57–77, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.7

Advanced atomic force microscopy techniques V

• Philipp Rahe,
• Ilko Bald,
• Nadine Hauptmann,
• Regina Hoffmann-Vogel,
• Harry Mönig and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 54–56, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.6

• 10.3762/bjnano.16.6 Keywords: AFM; atomic force microscopy; conductivity; drift correction; force spectroscopy; NC-AFM; non-contact atomic force microscopy; resistivity; tip–surface interaction; With the restrictions on travelling and social distancing lifted, we were delighted to continue two series of

• meetings on atomic force microscopy (AFM), the 23rd International Conference on Non-Contact Atomic Force Microscopy (NC-AFM) held in Nijmegen (Netherlands) and the 6th International Workshop on Advanced Atomic Force Microscopy Techniques held in Potsdam (Germany). The strong advance in the field and the

• high quality of the presentations motivated us to establish this thematic issue in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology for compiling the latest results on developments and applications of atomic force microscopy techniques. Atomic force microscopy, a technique soon celebrating its 40th anniversary

Mechanistic insights into endosomal escape by sodium oleate-modified liposomes

• Ebrahim Sadaqa,
• Satrialdi,
• Fransiska Kurniawan and
• Diky Mudhakir

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1667–1685, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.131

Attempts to preserve and visualize protein corona on the surface of biological nanoparticles in blood serum using photomodification

• Julia E. Poletaeva,
• Anastasiya V. Tupitsyna,
• Alina E. Grigor’eva,
• Ilya S. Dovydenko and
• Elena I. Ryabchikova

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1654–1666, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.130

• . The former is tightly linked the surface of the NPs and is stable when isolating the NPs, which allows for determining its protein composition [4][5][6][7]. In contrast, the components of the soft corona are weakly bonded to the underlying hard one and are easily separated by the slightest force. The

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

• density (kg·m−3), p is the pressure (Pa), F is the volume force vector (N·m−3), Cp is the specific heat capacity at constant pressure (J·kg−1·K−1), T is the absolute temperature (K), q is the heat flux vector (W·m−2), qr is the heat flux vector by radiation (W·m−2), I is the identity matrix (unitless

Natural nanofibers embedded in the seed mucilage envelope: composite hydrogels with specific adhesive and frictional properties

• Agnieszka Kreitschitz and
• Stanislav N. Gorb

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1603–1618, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.126

• atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), SEM, or cryo-SEM [45][57][63][64][65][66]. Very often, the procedures for preparing mucilage envelope samples can destroy and/or influence the organisation of polysaccharides, making the analysis of spatial structure of the mucilage

• brasilianum [121] or the human-mediated dispersal of Plantago asiatica seeds [122]. The mucilage envelope reveals its adhesive properties in a hydrated state. However, just after the seed hydration and mucilage envelope formation, the adhesion force is very low. With the loss of water, adhesion increases and

• cemented to the substrate (glass, soil, or animals) [29]. The results of our studies on adhesive force measurements of dried-in-contact seed mucilage gave us rather unexpected results. The mucilage (of individual seed samples) demonstrated adhesive properties even better than the commercial UHU glue (UHU

Ultrablack color in velvet ant cuticle

• Vinicius Marques Lopez,
• Wencke Krings,
• Juliana Reis Machado,
• Stanislav Gorb and
• Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2024, 15, 1554–1565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.15.122

• most predators fear their panful stings and venom, but also because of their hard exoskeleton [29][30]. The sculptured cuticle may have a similar structure and force-resisting mechanisms as other wasps [34]. In some wasp species, the sculpturing of the cuticle and the lamellae terraces may form an