Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TITAN (Tailoring Quantum Matter on the Flatland)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2022-09-01 al 2025-02-28
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.
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.