Highly uniform and dense, hexagonal noble metal nanoparticle arrays were achieved on large-area transparent glass substrates via scalable, parallel processing of block copolymer lithography. Exploring their localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) characteristics revealed that the Ag nanoparticle array displayed a UV-vis absorbance spectrum sufficiently narrow and intense for biosensing application. A highly-sensitive, label-free detection of prostate cancer specific antibody (anti-PSA) with sub-ng ml À1 level detection limit (0.1$1 ng ml À1) has been accomplished with the plasmonic nanostructure. Our approach offers a valuable route to a low-cost, manufacture-scale production of plasmonic nanostructures, potentially useful for various photonic and optoelectronic devices.

Highly efficient ITO-free polymeric electronic devices were successfully demonstrated by replacement of the ITO electrode with a solution-processed PEDOT:PSS electrode containing Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Polymer solar cells (PSCs) and light emitting diodes (PLEDs) were fabricated based on poly(5,6-bis(octyloxy)-4-(thiophen-2-yl)benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole) (PTBT):PC 61 BM and Super Yellow as a photoactive layer, respectively. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect and improved electrical conductivity by the Ag NPs clearly contributed to increments in light absorption/emission in the active layer as well as the conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS electrode in PSCs and PLEDs. The ITO-free bulk heterojunction PSCs showed a 1% absolute enhancement in the power conversion efficiency (3.27 to 4.31%), and the power efficiency of the PLEDs was improved by 124% (3.75 to 8.4 lm W À1 ) compared to the reference devices without Ag NPs. The solution-processable conducting polymer, PEDOT:PSS with Ag NPs, can be a promising electrode for large area and flexible optoelectronic devices with a low-cost fabrication process. Broader contextAs a result of efforts to nd new renewable energy sources by replacing environmentally harmful fossil fuels and nuclear power plants, solar cell technologies have been intensively studied for last few decades. In particular, a polymer solar cell (PSC) is one of the promising energy sources because of its advantages such as low cost, mechanical exibility and solution processability for large area devices. However, indium-tin-oxide (ITO) used as an electrode is against cost-effective and exible device fabrication due to its increasing cost and brittleness. Hence, many efforts to replace ITO with solution-processable exible electrodes have been tried recently. A highly conductive polymer, poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has been highlighted with its high conductivity and exibility. Here, we report that silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) increase conductivity of the PEDOT:PSS electrode and contribute to increments in light absorption/emission in an active layer via surface plasmon resonance in PSCs and polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). Therefore, the conducting polymer electrode with the Ag NPs is a promising approach to overcome the limitations of ITO for PSC and PLEDs.

Copper cobaltite (CuCo2O4) porous structures with different morphologies are prepared through a hydrothermal method and subsequent annealing process. The tunability of morphologies is succeeded by simply regulation of solvent medium and amount of the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) which is served as structure directing agent. All the prepared samples have a mesoporous nature. Specifically, the CuCo2O4‐porous structures with flowers morphology have a higher surface area (43.2 m2 g−1) and porosity (0.18 cm3 g−1) than the other porous nano structures such as flakes, blades and wires. The maximum specific capacity of CuCo2O4‐Flowers is 466.4 C g−1 at a current density of 2 A g−1. The cycling stability of CuCo2O4‐Flowers shows capacity retention of 86.3 % at a high current density of 15 A g−1 after completion of 5000 charge‐discharge cycles. The electrochemical results demonstrate that the CuCo2O4‐Flower shows superior performance than the CuCo2O4‐Flakes, Blade and Wires.

The optical and morphological properties of the vacuum-evaporated silver (Ag) nanoparticulate films on softened polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) modified with the 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) and 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) dopants are reported. The topography of the particulate films is characterized by the field-emission scanning electron microscopy. The optical spectra broadening, red-shift, and the increase in the intensity values of the plasmonic resonance peak with the nature of dopant have a strong dependence on the particle size, shape, and inter-particle separation. The conducted experimental optical studies are supported by Finite Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulation results. Quantitative analysis of the Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Raman Spectroscopy studies confirm the surface modification of Ag nanoparticulate films on doped PVA substrates. The amount of polymer-metal interaction caused by the strongly interacting silane groups of the dopants and their influence on the morphology and optical properties are discussed.

Coupling of spin and heat currents enables the spin Nernst effect, the thermal generation of spin currents in nonmagnets that have strong spin−orbit interaction. Analogous to the spin Hall effect that electrically generates spin currents and associated electrical spin−orbit torques (SOTs), the spin Nernst effect can exert thermal SOTs on an adjacent magnetic layer and control the magnetization direction. Here, the thermal SOT caused by the spin Nernst effect is experimentally demonstrated in W/ CoFeB/MgO structures. It is found that an in-plane temperature gradient across the sample generates a magnetic torque and modulates the switching field of the perpendicularly magnetized CoFeB. The W thickness dependence suggests that the torque originates mainly from thermal spin currents induced in W. Moreover, the thermal SOT reduces the critical current for SOTinduced magnetization switching, demonstrating that it can be utilized to control the magnetization in spintronic devices.