Breakthrough in ‘wonder’ materials paves way for flexible tech

Electronic devices set to become smaller, flexible and highly efficient - following University of Warwick research on 2D materials. Researchers measured the electronic structure of stacks of 2D 'wonder' materials - atomically thin, highly conductive, and extremely strong materials - for first time Understanding the electronic structures will allow scientists to find optimal materials for efficient semiconductors in nano-circuitry Gadgets are set to become flexible, highly efficient and much smaller, following a breakthrough in measuring two-dimensional 'wonder' materials by the University of Warwick. Dr Neil Wilson in the Department of Physics has developed a new technique to measure the electronic structures of stacks of two-dimensional materials - flat, atomically thin, highly conductive, and extremely strong materials - for the first time. Multiple stacked layers of 2D materials - known as heterostructures - create highly efficient optoelectronic devices with ultrafast electrical charge, which can be used in nano-circuits, and are stronger than materials used in traditional circuits. Various heterostructures have been created using different 2D materials - and stacking different combinations of 2D materials creates new materials with new properties. Dr Wilson's technique measures the electronic properties of each layer in a stack, allowing researchers to establish the optimal structure for the fastest, most efficient transfer of electrical energy. The technique uses the photoelectric effect to directly measure the momentum of electrons within each layer and shows how this changes when the layers are combined.