Research summary
Yi Cui's publication record assembles semiconductor nanowires into functional electronic and sensing devices and extends that materials-design philosophy to two-dimensional layered systems and high-energy lithium-sulfur batteries. A 2001 Science report demonstrates that boron-doped silicon nanowires, when surface-functionalized with amine or oxide groups, act as real-time electrically transduced sensors whose conductance varies linearly with pH over a wide range, with the response interpreted in terms of protonation- and deprotonation-driven surface charge [1]. The same platform, modified with biotin or antibody ligands, detects streptavidin down to picomolar concentrations and supports reversible, concentration-resolved antibody and Ca2+ binding measurements, establishing nanowire field-effect sensors as a route to label-free biological and chemical detection. A second 2001 Science paper shows that boron- and phosphorus-doped silicon nanowires can serve as bottom-up building blocks for nanoscale electronics assembled without conventional lithographic fabrication [3]. Crossed p- and n-type nanowire junctions yield passive diodes with planar-like rectifying transport, while heavily and lightly n-doped wires crossing a common p-type base function as bipolar transistors with common-base and common-emitter current gains of 0.94 and 16. The work argues that nanowire crossbar geometries provide a scalable path toward complex semiconductor circuits. A 2013 ACS Nano review surveys two-dimensional materials beyond graphene, organizing transition-metal dichalcogenides, oxides, and related van der Waals systems by chemical class and outlining solution-, substrate-, and wafer-scale preparation routes [2]. The article supplies practical guidance for identifying and characterizing single-layer-thick samples and previews emerging local and global probes of their structure and properties. A 2016 Chemical Society Reviews article addresses lithium-sulfur batteries as a candidate high-energy-density storage technology for grid and electric-vehicle applications, summarizing the underlying electrochemistry, dissolution and shuttle challenges of polysulfide intermediates, and design strategies that encapsulate sulfur within carbon hosts or alternative polymer and oxide frameworks [4]. Theoretical results are used to rationalize host-guest interactions and motivate the choice of cathode architectures. Across these works, the recurring theme is that controlled low-dimensional materials enable both new device modalities and incremental gains in established energy and sensing applications.
Recent publications
- High-performance lithium battery anodes using silicon nanowiresDOI
- Reviving the lithium metal anode for high-energy batteriesDOI
- Nanowire Nanosensors for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of Biological and Chemical SpeciesDOI
- Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in Two-Dimensional Materials Beyond GrapheneDOI
- The path towards sustainable energyDOI
- Indium phosphide nanowires as building blocks for nanoscale electronic and optoelectronic devicesDOI
- Pathways for practical high-energy long-cycling lithium metal batteriesDOI
- Functional Nanoscale Electronic Devices Assembled Using Silicon Nanowire Building BlocksDOI
- Designing high-energy lithium鈥搒ulfur batteriesDOI
- A pomegranate-inspired nanoscale design for large-volume-change lithium battery anodesDOI
The lab page does not clearly state student acceptance status. Email the professor directly to confirm.
How to apply
Email Yi Cui 6-12 months before your application deadline. Read several recent papers and reference specific work in your message. Use our how to email a Japanese professor guide for the proven email structure.
For applications via MEXT scholarship: see our MEXT 2027 complete guide and university-specific University Recommendation track.
External profiles
- ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6103-6352
- OpenAlex: openalex.org
Profile compiled from public sources (Researchmap, OpenAlex, Nagoya University faculty directory). Last refreshed 2026-05. Report incorrect information.