Special Issue on the 40th Anniversary of University of Macau

Abstract

In this special issue of Small, we are delighted to present exciting research findings from the University of Macau (UM), which marks its 40th anniversary this year. UM was founded in 1981 as the first modern university in Macao. In 2014, it was relocated to its new campus on Hengqin Island, which has provided a strong impetus for its advancement in a wide range of research areas, including science at the nano- and microscale. Moreover, the university has established a strategic ‘3+3+3+3’ research blueprint, with the four ‘3s’ referring to three state key laboratories (State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, and State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City), three emerging research fields (precision medicine, advanced materials, and regional oceanology), three interdisciplinary research fields (cognitive and brain sciences, data science, artificial intelligence and robotics), and three research platforms for the humanities and social sciences (Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Centre for Macao Studies, and Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management). Most papers in this special issue highlight the work of researchers in UM's Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME), Faculty of Health Science (FHS) and the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS). IAPME takes a well-balanced approach to fundamental and applied research to bridge the gap between pure science and engineering, in such areas as sustainable new energy and environmental materials, photoelectric converting materials, biomedical materials, quantum information and optical metamaterials, and nanoscale functional materials. Meanwhile, FHS focuses on precision medicine for personalised cancer treatment, stem cell and development, and bioimaging and structural biology, through its four research centres and four core facilities equipped with state-of-the-art research infrastructure. ICMS hosts the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, striving to carry out cutting-edge research projects, nurture high-calibre talent, and transform industries with innovative research. This special issue covers topics such as optoelectronic devices (solar cells, light-emitting diodes and photodetectors), electrochemical batteries, catalysis, bioimaging and biochemicals. Shen et al. (2101316) proposed a tandem structure to simultaneously reduce the carrier transit time and resistance-capacitance time of an organic photodetector and achieved a record response speed of 146.8 ns. This tandem organic photodetector shows potential in applications on wireless transmission systems. Xing et al. (2100560) reported the phase tailoring of quasi-2D perovskite at fixed large spacer cation ratio, in which two different short cations are utilized to compete with large spacer cation, thus successfully tuning the crystallisation dynamics and final-phase distribution. Xing et al. (2100809) also reviewed advances in non-linear phonics in low-dimension perovskites and discussed the field's current challenges and future directions. Sun et al. (2103514) summarised the development of quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskite solar cells, giving an in-depth discussion of the basic crystal structure, properties, and photovoltaic performance of such cells. Wang et al. (2101359) proposed a potassium bromide-enriched surface passivation method for the fabrication of CsPbBr3 nanoplates, which shows a blue emission of a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 87% with excellent photo and thermal stability. Qu et al. (2102325) reviewed synthesis strategies and current approaches for modulating optical properties of carbon dots (CDs) over the deep-red to near-infrared region. Cai et al. (2100246) introduced patterned sapphire substrates (PSS) to construct MoS2-based photodetectors with improved response performance. Pan et al. (2101482) reported