Edwin Fohtung, Ph.D., a professor of materials science, who recently joined forces with fellow researcher Moussa N’Gom, Ph.D. As a team they explored a new, revolutionary strategy for controlling material behavior. Their study, appearing in the prestigious journal Advanced Materials, unlocks the potential of structured light. They show that it can manipulate and control nanomaterial properties in creative ways. This innovative study offers insights into the atomic changes occurring within individual nanocrystals, providing a deeper understanding of their performance and potential failures.
Fohtung expressed the significance of their findings, stating, “It’s like having X-ray vision into the heart of a single nanocrystal while it’s working.” Now, Fohtung and N’Gom have teamed up, fusing their mastery of optics and materials science. Colectivo SciComm Together, they have successfully moved the needle on realizing and visualizing atomic structures in real time.
Insights into Nanocrystals
Assembling this groundbreaking research team was no small feat. They were able to take 3D images in real-time streetscapes, revealing atomic structural transformations occurring within each individual nanocrystal, especially the bismuth tungstate nanoparticles. Harnessing the capabilities of coherent X-ray imaging, they followed the nanoscale morphology and strain evolution in Bi2WO6. This new technique enabled them to obtain world-first insights into the way these materials behave under different conditions.
“These insights help us understand what drives performance—and failure—at the nanoscale,” he noted. These impacts of this research go far beyond mere theoretical interest; they represent significant potential for future technical innovation and development.
The research marks the first time any team of researchers has been able to modulate the polarization of a given class of ferroelectric materials using “twisted” light. This unique strategy allows us to tune macroscopic material properties. These properties are decisive for a range of applications from clean energy technologies to design of advanced materials.
Implications for Future Technologies
One of the most compelling aspects of this research is its potential impact on non-volatile ferroelectric random-access memory (FeRAM) devices. We know that technology changes every day. Consumers demand devices that are smaller, faster and capable of securely containing greater amounts of sensitive data. Fohtung remarked, “Everybody wants their devices to be smaller, faster, store more information and be more secure.” The results from this unique multi-urban study have the potential to inform new solutions that address these growing pressure points.
By unlocking the ways that structured light can change the properties of materials, researchers will be able to design and implement devices with improved performance, durability, and efficiency. As we demonstrate here, by manipulating polarization textures with optical photons, we can create out-of-equilibrium configurations. This innovation has the promise to propel a new era of breakthroughs in device performance.
These results demonstrate that coherent X-ray imaging and structured light can be an effective combination. That’s because when they look at their computer nano lab, they can picture and actually interact with nanoscale materials. This dual approach leads to a deeper understanding of material behavior that has the potential to catalyze future innovations in energy, defense, and biomedical industries.
Future Directions and Applications
Moving forward, Fohtung and his team look to continue exploring the implications of their research on clean energy technologies. The ability to control material properties at such a granular level could lead to advancements in energy storage solutions and other sustainable technologies. The team’s research unlocks design routes to materials that are more in line with global designs to transition to clean energy.
The implications extend well beyond screens. They have major implications for infrastructure, manufacturing, and other industries that depend on material properties to ensure performance. From computers to clean technology, the possibilities are immense and far-reaching.
These research results are published at DOI 10.1002/adma.202504445. Scholars and industry experts are welcome to use this detail as a springboard to dig further into the complicated methodologies and results of this ground-breaking study.