We report on the electronic properties of straight, 1.6 nm wide, silicene nanoribbons on Ag(110), arranged in a one-dimensional grating with a pitch of 2 nm, whose high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy images reveal a honeycomb geometry. Angle-resolved photoemission shows quantum confined electronic states of one-dimensional character. The silicon band dispersion along the direction of the nanoribbons suggests a behavior analogous to the Dirac cones of graphene on different substrates.

The structural, transport, magnetic and optical properties of the double perovskite A2CrWO6 with A = Sr, Ba, Ca have been studied. By varying the alkaline earth ion on the A site, the influence of steric effects on the Curie temperature TC and the saturation magnetization has been determined. A maximum TC = 458 K was found for Sr2CrWO6 having an almost undistorted perovskite structure with a tolerance factor f ≃ 1. For Ca2CrWO6 and Ba2CrWO6 structural changes result in a strong reduction of TC. Our study strongly suggests that for the double perovskites in general an optimum TC is achieved only for f ≃ 1, that is, for an undistorted perovskite structure. Electron doping in Sr2CrWO6 by a partial substitution of Sr 2+ by La 3+ was found to reduce both TC and the saturation magnetization Ms. The reduction of Ms could be attributed both to band structure effects and the Cr/W antisites induced by doping. Band structure calculations for Sr2CrWO6 predict an energy gap in the spin-up band, but a finite density of states for the spin-down band. The predictions of the band structure calculation are consistent with our optical measurements. Our experimental results support the presence of a kinetic energy driven mechanism in A2CrWO6, where ferromagnetism is stabilized by a hybridization of states of the nonmagnetic W-site positioned in between the high spin Cr-sites.

We use a spatially resolved, direct spectroscopic probe for electronic structure with an additional sensitivity to chemical compositions to investigate high-quality single crystal samples of La(1/4)Pr(3/8)Ca(3/8)MnO3, establishing the formation of distinct insulating domains embedded in the metallic host at low temperatures. These domains are found to be at least an order of magnitude larger in size compared to previous estimates and exhibit memory effects on temperature cycling in the absence of any perceptible chemical inhomogeneity, suggesting long-range strains as the probable origin.

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In order to identify new oxide ion‐conducting materials in the ceria family of oxides, the unique effect of co‐doping is explored and a novel series of Ce0.8Sm0.2–xCaxO2–δ compositions is identified that have enhanced properties compared to the single‐doped Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9 and Ce0.8Ca0.2O1.9 compositions. Moreover, the superior characteristics of the co‐doped Ce0.8Sm0.2–xCaxO2–δ powders prepared by the mixed‐fuel process aid in obtaining 98 % dense ceramics upon sintering at 1200 °C for 6 h. Though a linear increase in conductivity is observed by replacing Sm with Ca, the composition with the maximum amount of Ca and the minimum amount of Sm exhibits a significant improvement in properties compared to the rest in the series. The composition Ce0.80Sm0.05Ca0.15O2–δ exhibits a conductivity as high as 1.22 × 10–1 S cm–1 at 700 °C with minimum activation energy (0.56 eV) and a superior chemical stability to reduction compared to any of the hitherto known (CaSm) compositions. The absence of CeIII, confirmed both from X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X‐ray absorption spectroscopy, strongly suggests that the observed increase in conductivity is solely due to the oxide ion conductivity and not due to the partial electronic contribution arising from the presence of CeIII and CeIV. To conclude, the experimental results on the Ce0.8Sm0.2–xCaxO2–δ series underscore the unique effect of calcium co‐doping in identifying a cost‐effective new composition, with a remarkably high conductivity and enhanced chemical stability to reduction, for technological applications.

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Even though tandem solar cells comprised of mixed-halide perovskites CH 3 NH 3 Pb(I 1−x Br x ) 3 were expected to have much higher efficiency, the observation that they undergo photoinduced phase separation/demixing put forth a limitation to their possible utility. Herein, using temperature dependent photoluminescence studies, we show that the stated photoinduced phase separation occurs only in a narrow temperature range and above a particular bromine concentration. Our observation of the disappearance of phase separation at elevated temperatures suggests the possibility that these tandem solar cells may indeed work better at elevated temperatures. Further, we provide the first experimental proof for the demixing transition temperature as predicted by Bischak et al. and also observe that demixing and remixing temperatures are pinned to crystallographic phase transition temperatures. Longer carrier lifetime of iodide-rich clusters is observed confirming the strong electron−phonon interaction (polaronic effect) which is absent in the initial mixed states.

The possibility of modifying the intermolecular interactions of absorbed benzene-carboxylic acids from coordination to hydrogen bonding by changing their surface coverage is demonstrated through a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations.