Anharmonic Effects in Ordered Kesterite-Type Cu2ZnSnS4

We performed an in-depth investigation and analysis of the effect of temperature on the Raman-active A-modes of bulk kesterite-type Cu2ZnSnS4 within the 300–460 K temperature range. We acquired the individual contributions to each Raman mode, namely, the thermal expansion and anharmonic interactions terms responsible for the Raman shift and broadening with temperature. Our results indicate that the Raman shift with temperature is dominated by the thermal expansion term, whereas the broadening is mainly governed by three-phonon damping processes in this material. Considering relevant results from the literature, it appears that dimensionality is a key factor in regulating the dominant phonon decay mechanism.

A Fungal Secretome Adapted for Stress Enabled a Radical Wood Decay Mechanism

Brown rot fungi play a critical role in carbon recycling and are of industrial interest. These fungi typically use reactive oxygen species (ROS) to indiscriminately “loosen” wood cell walls at the outset of decay.

De Sitter decay through goldstino evaporation

We study supergravity theories with supersymmetry intrinsically non-linearly realized supported only by four-form flux. We demonstrate that supersymmetry can be restored by the evaporation of the goldstino multiplet. Such procedure requires the existence of a super-extremal 2-brane, in accordance with the WGC, and suggests an imminent decay in de Sitter supergravity, leaving the system to relax in supersymmetric AdS after the transition. In particular, the same decay mechanism also implies that the KKLT de Sitter vacua are short-lived. Our findings thus provide an effective realization of KPV-type of decays within 4D supergravity and in this way may reconcile the nilpotent superfield constructions of de Sitter with some aspects of the swampland program.

Recent advances in understanding and relieving capacity decay of lithium ion batteries with layered ternary cathodes

This review focuses on the capacity decay mechanism and enhancement strategies for layered ternary lithium ion batteries.