Artificial designer materials

Project Information

E-DESIGN

Grant agreement ID: 788185

DOI

10.3030/788185

Project closed

EC signature date 23 May 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 31 August 2024

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)

Total cost

€ 2 374 922,00

EU contribution

€ 2 374 922,00

Coordinated by

AALTO KORKEAKOULUSAATIO SR
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 4 - E-DESIGN (Artificial designer materials)

Reporting period: 2023-03-01 to 2024-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

This project is about constructing designer materials where the atomic geometry, interactions, magnetism and other relevant parameters can be precisely controlled. This will be achieved by positioning every atom with the tip of a scanning probe microscope, or by using molecular self-assembly to reach the desired structures. The aim is to realize and engineer several novel quantum materials hosting exotic electronic phases: 2D topological insulators superconductors in hybrid organic-inorganic structures. These classes of materials have not yet been experimentally realized but could enable novel spintronic and quantum computing devices. In addition, we will attempt to realize a tuneable platform for quantum simulation in solid-state artificial lattices, which could open a whole new area in this field.

The artificial designer materials we study are characterized by the engineered electronic response with atomically precise geometries, lattice symmetries and controlled interactions. Such ingredients can result in ultimately controllable materials that have large, robust and quick responses to small stimuli with applications in nanoelectronics, flexible electronics, high-selectivity and high-sensitivity sensors, and optoelectronic components. Longer term, the biggest impact is expected through a profound change in the way we view materials and what can be achieved through designer materials approach.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The project consists of 4 work packages (WPs) and the main emphasis is realizing exotic electronic states in organic-inorganic hybrids, magnet-superconductor structures, and atomic lattices. So far, we have achieved significant advances in the synthesis of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) on weakly interacting substrates (Nano Lett. 2018, ChemPhysChem 2019, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2021, arXiv:2110.13503). We have also demonstrated the formation of topological states and flat bands in 1D atomic lattices (npj Quant. Mater. 2020, Phys. Rev. Research 2020) and in 2D crystalline layers (arXiv:2410.06661).

We have achieved breakthrough results on combining monolayer ferromagnets (VSe2, CrBr3) with superconducting substrates with the aim of realizing topological superconductivity ("Topological superconductivity in a van der Waals heterostructure", Nature 588, 424-428 (2020)). We have continued the work on van der Waals heterostructures and realized an artificial heavy fermion system in 1T/1H-TaS2 vertical heterostructure (Nature 599, 582 (2021)). The latter result has opened a new research topic in the field with several groups globally now working on it.

Finally, towards the end of the project, we have investigated two-dimensional multiferroic materials (Adv. Mater. 2024), which have very exciting prospects both in novel quantum technologies as well as purely scientificially.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The aim of this project is to experimentally realize completely new platforms for artificial quantum materials with engineered electronic properties. The central outcomes of the project are all expected to go significantly beyond the experimental state-of-the-art: demonstrate (1) organic 2D topological insulators in metal-organic frameworks; (2) 2D topological superconductors in hybrid magnet-superconductor structures; and (3) realize a new, tuneable, platform for quantum simulation in solid-state artificial lattices. Reaching these goals would enable electrical devices with completely new operational principles. In addition, from a fundamental point of view, realization of maximally tuneable 2D organic topological insulators and superconductors would be a major breakthrough in condensed-matter physics and materials science.

Artificial lattices assembled atom-by-atom

AFM image of a metal-organic framework

Topological superconductivity in a van der Waals heterostructure