Tailoring Quantum Matter on the Flatland

Projektinformationen

TITAN

ID Finanzhilfevereinbarung: 101039500

DOI

10.3030/101039500

EK-Unterschriftsdatum 4 Februar 2022

Startdatum 1 September 2022

Enddatum 31 August 2027

Finanziert unter

• European Research Council (ERC)

Gesamtkosten

€ 1 976 126,00

EU-Beitrag

€ 1 976 126,00

Koordiniert durch

JYVASKYLAN YLIOPISTO
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TITAN (Tailoring Quantum Matter on the Flatland)

Berichtszeitraum: 2022-09-01 bis 2025-02-28

Zusammenfassung vom Kontext und den Gesamtzielen des Projekts

In condensed matter physics, designer materials offer exciting opportunities to discover new kinds of physical behaviors that are hard to find in natural materials. A major challenge is to combine different materials in a way that keeps their unique quantum properties intact, while also controlling how they interact. This is where advanced nanofabrication techniques come in, but the complexity of such systems makes further progress difficult.

In my research, I will use special layered materials, known as van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures, to create and study unusual quantum states of matter. My main goal is to develop and explore two-dimensional (2D) topological superconductors—a type of material with unique electrical properties that could lead to breakthroughs in quantum technology.

Once these materials are created, I will use various external factors, like magnetic fields, temperature changes, and chemical adjustments, to manipulate their behavior. I will also investigate how the moiré effect, a pattern that forms when two layers of material overlap at slightly different angles, can be used to further control these superconducting states.

Finally, I aim to combine these 2D superconductors with special materials called ferroelectrics to build tiny, reprogrammable circuits. These circuits could allow us to control superconductivity using electric fields, opening up new possibilities for future technologies.

To achieve this, I will use a technique called molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) to precisely create clean, high-quality materials, and then study their properties at extremely low temperatures using advanced microscopy tools. This combination of techniques will give me an unprecedented look at the atomic structure and electronic properties of these fascinating new materials.

Arbeit, die ab Beginn des Projekts bis zum Ende des durch den Bericht erfassten Berichtszeitraums geleistet wurde, und die wichtigsten bis dahin erzielten Ergebnisse

Our project is progressing in multiple directions according to our goals, with the main achievement so far being the Visualization of Unique Properties in Ultra-Thin Materials.

For the first time, we have have captured atomic-level images of a special property called multiferroicity in a single layer of material. Multiferroicity, which involves both magnetic and electric properties, is extremely difficult to achieve in ultra-thin, two-dimensional materials. This breakthrough enhances our understanding of these properties at the smallest scale and paves the way for controlling advanced materials, like superconductors, using electric fields.

Fortschritte, die über den aktuellen Stand der Technik hinausgehen und voraussichtliche potenzielle Auswirkungen (einschließlich der bis dato erzielten sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen und weiter gefassten gesellschaftlichen Auswirkungen des Projekts)

our work represents a significant leap beyond current technology, introducing new methods for studying ultra-thin materials with these unique properties. By using advanced imaging techniques, scientists can now explore how unusual quantum effects occur in such systems, opening up exciting new possibilities in technology and materials science.