Twisting 2D Materials Gave Physicists a New Way to Engineer Matter

Placing two lattices - like window screens - on top of each other and twisting one layer compared to the other creates intriguing patterns. In fact, there are toys based on the designs that emerge, called moiré patterns. But moiré patterns aren't just visually interesting. At the nanoscale, this phenomenon reveals properties that could form a foundation for new technologies. In 2009, a team led by Eva Andrei at Rutgers University supported by the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science started researching stacked layers of two-dimensional materials. Two-dimensional materials are only a single atom thick. They have bizarre properties compared to their thicker cousins. For example, graphene is the flat, two-dimensional version of graphite - the "lead" material in pencils. Despite the fact that graphite is soft, graphene is the strongest material ever found. What Andrei's team found led to a whole new field of research in physics, called "twistronics." The prestigious Kavli Prize in Nanoscience recently recognized Andrei as well…