Researchers at NIST have discovered a new way to create moiré patterns in atomically thin crystalline materials, which could revolutionize quantum information applications.
The team deposited ultra-thin semiconductor layers onto a surface, creating a moiré pattern through the periodic alignment and misalignment of atoms in each crystal layer. This pattern forms a landscape of semiconductor quantum dots, acting as “artificial atoms” in the material.
The spacing between these quantum dots can be controlled by adjusting the rotational twist angle between the layers. This tunability could be exploited for encoding quantum information in individual photons generated from each quantum dot.
The research, published in Nature, is a collaboration between NIST and other institutions. This discovery could lead to new quantum-based electronics and devices at the nanoscale.
Keywords: Nanometer, Semiconductor, Quantum Dots, Topological Properties, Nanoscale
