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Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025
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Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025

A special issue of Quantum Beam Science (ISSN 2412-382X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2025 | Viewed by 5241

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Liss

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia
Interests: X-ray free electron; in situ investigations; extreme conditions
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As Editor-in-Chief of the journal Quantum Beam Science (ISSN 2412-382X), it is my pleasure to announce the launch of a new Special Issue entitled “Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025”. QuBS is an international, open access journal publishing reviews and original research focusing on the application of quantum beams to the study and characterization of materials in their widest sense, as well as developments in quantum beam sources, instrumentation, and facilities. In this Special Issue, we will publish outstanding contributions in the primary fields covered by the journal, something which we believe will make a great contribution to this research community. The entire Special Issue will be published in book format after its completion.

Quantum beams include synchrotron radiation, X-rays, gamma rays, neutron beams, electrons, lasers, muons, positrons, ions, and extremely strong lasers, while materials can be crystalline, amorphous, magnetic, metallic, ceramic, biologic, hard or soft matter, warm dense matter, functional, structural, and so on. Quantum beam science covers a broad range of disciplines including, but not limited to, solid-state physics, chemistry, crystallography, materials science, biology, geology, earth and planetary materials, and engineering. Examples of investigation topics include phase transformations in alloy development, modulated structures in spintronic systems, crystalline order and disorder, stresses in engineering specimens, changes in amorphous structure, excitations in functional materials, the interior of stars, electrochemistry in ion battery systems, imaging in life sciences, and the propagation of dislocations in crystals.

Submissions are encouraged to present multiple quantum beams for complementary studies, such as neutron and synchrotron radiation or muons and neutrons. Instrumental publications should cover large user facilities, novel developments, sources, spectrometers, diffractometers, functionality, physical- and optical-based backgrounds, scattering, and interaction theories with respect to the application and the fundamentals of the probe.

Submitted papers will be evaluated by the Editors first. Please note that all papers will be subjected to a thorough and rigorous peer review.

Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Liss
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Quantum Beam Science is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • synchrotron radiation
  • X-rays
  • gamma rays
  • neutron scattering
  • free electron lasers
  • muons
  • positrons
  • electron scattering
  • high-strength lasers
  • protons
  • ions
  • extremely strong lasers

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  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 2152 KB  
Article
A Compact Cryogenic Environment for In Situ Neutron Diffraction Under Mechanical Loading
by Dunji Yu, Yan Chen, Harley Skorpenske and Ke An
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(4), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040036 - 5 Dec 2025
Viewed by 187
Abstract
Understanding the deformation mechanisms of materials at cryogenic temperatures is crucial for cryogenic engineering applications. In situ neutron diffraction is a powerful technique for probing such mechanisms under cryogenic conditions. In this study, we present the development of a compact cryogenic environment (CCE) [...] Read more.
Understanding the deformation mechanisms of materials at cryogenic temperatures is crucial for cryogenic engineering applications. In situ neutron diffraction is a powerful technique for probing such mechanisms under cryogenic conditions. In this study, we present the development of a compact cryogenic environment (CCE) designed to facilitate in situ neutron diffraction experiments under mechanical loading at temperatures as low as 77 K with a maximum cooling rate of 6 K/min. The CCE features a polystyrene foam cryogenic chamber, aluminum blocks serving as neutron-transparent cold sinks, a liquid nitrogen dosing system for cryogen delivery, a nitrogen gas flow control system for thermal management, a process controller for temperature control, and a pair of thermally isolated grip adapters for mechanical testing. The CCE achieves reliable temperature control with minimal neutron attenuation. Utilizing this setup, we conducted three in situ neutron diffraction tensile tests on a 316L stainless steel at 77, 173, and 298 K, respectively. The results highlight the pronounced effects of cryogenic temperatures on the material’s deformation mechanisms, underscoring both the significance of cryogenic deformation studies and the effectiveness of the CCE. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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13 pages, 2712 KB  
Article
Temporal Variation in Nano-Enhanced Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy (NELIPS)
by Ashraf EL Sherbini and AbdelNasser Aboulfotouh
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(4), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040034 - 28 Nov 2025
Viewed by 198
Abstract
The NELIPS acronym stands for Nano-Enhanced Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy. Within this framework, the temporal variation in the enhanced plasma emissions from pure nanomaterials with respect to corresponding bulk materials was monitored as a function of delay time in the range from 1 to [...] Read more.
The NELIPS acronym stands for Nano-Enhanced Laser-Induced Plasma Spectroscopy. Within this framework, the temporal variation in the enhanced plasma emissions from pure nanomaterials with respect to corresponding bulk materials was monitored as a function of delay time in the range from 1 to 5–11 μs. Six different pure nanomaterials were employed including silver, zinc, aluminum, titanium, iron, and silicon. Radiation from pulsed Nd: YAG laser at wavelength 1064 nm was used to induce both bulk and pure nanomaterial plasmas under similar experimental conditions. Plasma emissions from both targets were monitored via optical emission spectroscopy technique (OES). The spectral line intensities (Signal-To-Noise ratio S/N) from the pure nanomaterial plasma turns out to decline in a constant logarithmic manner but at a slower rate than that from the corresponding bulk material plasma. Consequently, the measured average enhanced emission from different nanomaterials features an increase in an exponential manner with delay time. This trend of increase was accounted for via mathematical elaboration of enhanced emission based on the measured Signal-To-Noise data. Plasma parameters (electron density and temperature) were precisely measured at each delay time as well. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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11 pages, 758 KB  
Article
Measurement of the 33S(n,α)30Si Thermal Cross-Section with Slow Neutrons at ILL
by Javier Praena, Begoña Fernández, Miguel Macías, Ignacio Porras, María Pedrosa-Rivera, Hanna Koivunoro, Marta Sabaté-Gilarte and Fernando Arias de Saavedra
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(3), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9030027 - 22 Sep 2025
Viewed by 815
Abstract
This work is focused on an accurate experimental determination of the thermal 33S(n,α)30Si cross-section. This cross-section is a critical parameter for the potential use of 33S as a cooperative target in boron neutron capture therapy [...] Read more.
This work is focused on an accurate experimental determination of the thermal 33S(n,α)30Si cross-section. This cross-section is a critical parameter for the potential use of 33S as a cooperative target in boron neutron capture therapy or to understand its role in the stellar nucleosynthesis of 36S. At present, there are large discrepancies in this experimental value; therefore, in this work we measured it relative to the 10B(n,α)7Li standard cross-section at the high flux reactor of the Institut Laue-Langevin. The experimental setup was based on a double-sided silicon strip detector. Two 33S samples were used. One 10B sample was used as reference. Particular attention was taken to the characterization of the mass thickness of the samples before and after the experiment because of the high volatility of 33S. Such work was already published in a dedicated paper. A cross-check of the 10B sample was carried out with the neutron flux monitor at the n_TOF-CERN facility. The obtained cross-section of (280 ± 33) mb is significantly higher than the existing data. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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20 pages, 4666 KB  
Article
Strain and Electric Field Engineering for Enhanced Thermoelectric Performance in Monolayer MoS2: A First-Principles Investigation
by Li Sun, Ensi Cao, Wentao Hao, Bing Sun, Lingling Yang and Dongwei Ao
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(3), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9030026 - 18 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1507
Abstract
Optimizing thermoelectric (TE) performance in two-dimensional materials has emerged as a pivotal strategy for sustainable energy conversion. This study systematically investigates the regulatory mechanisms of uniaxial strain (−2% to +2%), temperature (300–800 K), and out-of-plane electric fields (0–1.20 eV/Å) on the thermoelectric properties [...] Read more.
Optimizing thermoelectric (TE) performance in two-dimensional materials has emerged as a pivotal strategy for sustainable energy conversion. This study systematically investigates the regulatory mechanisms of uniaxial strain (−2% to +2%), temperature (300–800 K), and out-of-plane electric fields (0–1.20 eV/Å) on the thermoelectric properties of monolayer MoS2 via first-principles calculations combined with Boltzmann transport theory. Key findings reveal that uniaxial strain modulates the bandgap (1.56–1.86 eV) and carrier transport, balancing the trade-off between the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity. Temperature elevation enhances carrier thermal excitation, boosting the power factor to 28 × 1010 W·m−1·K−2·s−1 for p-type behavior and 27 × 1010 W·m−1·K−2·s−1 for n-type behavior at 800 K. The breakthrough lies in the exceptional suppression of lattice thermal conductivity (κ1) by out-of-plane electric fields—at 1.13 eV/Å, κ1 is reduced to single-digit values (W·m−1·K−1), driving ZT to ~4 for n-type MoS2 at 300 K. This work demonstrates that synergistic engineering of strain, temperature, and electric fields effectively decouples the traditional trade-off among the Seebeck coefficient, conductivity, and thermal conductivity, providing a core optimization pathway for 2D thermoelectric materials via electric field-mediated κ1 regulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 4770 KB  
Review
Japanese Sword Studies Using Neutron Bragg-Edge Transmission and Computed Tomography
by Yoshiaki Kiyanagi, Kenichi Oikawa, Yoshihiro Matsumoto, Joseph Don Parker, Kenichi Watanabe, Hirotaka Sato and Takenao Shinohara
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(4), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040033 - 24 Nov 2025
Viewed by 294
Abstract
Japanese swords have a history of more than one thousand years and are recognized as metallic art objects. The sword-making process is not clearly understood, especially for old swords made before about 1600 A.D. Knowledge of structural information such as crystallite sizes and [...] Read more.
Japanese swords have a history of more than one thousand years and are recognized as metallic art objects. The sword-making process is not clearly understood, especially for old swords made before about 1600 A.D. Knowledge of structural information such as crystallite sizes and anisotropy is important to understand the sword characteristics and the sword-making process. Bragg-edge transmission imaging is a useful noninvasive method that can extract this structural information continuously over a wide area of the sword. Neutron CT is powerful enough to detect quenched areas, voids, and precipitates. Using both methods, we measured more than 10 swords and obtained information on the two-dimensional crystallite size distribution, anisotropy parameter, lattice plane spacing, and quenched regions. Comparison of the results indicated the following features: the crystallite size distributions showed two patterns: an almost uniform distribution of small-sized crystallites, and mixed distributions of large- and small-sized crystallites. The patterns were observed in different eras and places. The preferred orientation showed different patterns, and strain areas due to quenching were observed in many swords. The quenched area showed a trend that the quenching was weaker for old swords than newer ones. CT images showed the boundaries of the quenched regions and a void in the layered structure for one sword, for which a layered structure was confirmed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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65 pages, 2194 KB  
Review
Advances in Pulsed Liquid-Based Nanoparticles: From Synthesis Mechanism to Application and Machine Learning Integration
by Begench Gurbandurdyyev, Berdimyrat Annamuradov, Sena B. Er, Brayden Gross and Ali Oguz Er
Quantum Beam Sci. 2025, 9(4), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/qubs9040032 - 5 Nov 2025
Viewed by 1520
Abstract
Pulsed liquid-based nanoparticle synthesis has emerged as a versatile and environmentally friendly approach for producing a wide range of nanomaterials with tunable properties. Unlike conventional chemical methods, pulsed techniques—such as pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL), electrical discharge, and other energy-pulsing methods—enable the [...] Read more.
Pulsed liquid-based nanoparticle synthesis has emerged as a versatile and environmentally friendly approach for producing a wide range of nanomaterials with tunable properties. Unlike conventional chemical methods, pulsed techniques—such as pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL), electrical discharge, and other energy-pulsing methods—enable the synthesis of high-purity nanoparticles without the need for toxic precursors or stabilizing agents. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamental mechanisms driving nanoparticle formation under pulsed conditions, including plasma–liquid interactions, cavitation, and shockwave dynamics. We discuss the influence of key synthesis parameters, explore different pulsed energy sources, and highlight the resulting effects on nanoparticle size, shape, and composition. The review also surveys a broad spectrum of material systems and outlines advanced characterization techniques for analyzing synthesized nanostructures. Furthermore, we examine current and emerging applications in biomedicine, catalysis, sensing, energy, and environmental remediation. Finally, we address critical challenges such as scalability, reproducibility, and mechanistic complexity, and propose future directions for advancing the field through hybrid synthesis strategies, real-time diagnostics, and machine learning integration. By bridging mechanistic insights with practical applications, this review aims to guide researchers toward more controlled, sustainable, and innovative nanoparticle synthesis approaches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Quantum Beam Science: Feature Papers 2025)
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