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Reconfiguring Moiré Quantum Materials on Demand through Strain Engineering

Project description

Unlocking the true potential of moiré materials

Moiré materials, derived from twisted layers of 2D crystals, represent a new class of materials. Their capacity to create highly tunable lattices of strongly correlated fermions could lead to groundbreaking discoveries across various research fields. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the ReMoIDS project will develop a cryogenic in situ strain engineering solution for moiré heterostructures. The project will focus on semiconducting twisted bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides and leverage the unique properties of multiple 2D materials. This approach will enhance the precision of moiré geometry and periodicity, enabling improved tunability. Additionally, the project will explore the integration of optical techniques to further expand the potential of these materials.

Objective

The rise of moiré materials based on twisted layers of two-dimensional (2D) crystals constitutes arguably one of the most exciting opportunities in the manipulation of synthetic quantum materials. Moiré materials provide an unprecedented ability to create highly tunable lattices of strongly correlated fermions with energy scales and interaction strengths that have previously been unobtainable in ‘conventional’ or other synthetic quantum materials. These properties endow moiré materials with the ability to realize experimental implementations of quantum Hamiltonians such as the Hubbard model and provide new insights into regimes not accessible by the current theoretical approaches. However, to unlock the true potential of moiré materials and navigate their rich quantum phase diagrams, a new functionality needs to be added: a wide-ranging in-situ tunability of the moiré lattice geometry and Hubbard energy scales at cryogenic temperature.

ReMolDS aims to address this challenge by introducing cryogenic in-situ strain engineering to moiré heterostructures. Our project will focus on semiconducting twisted bilayer transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) as a prototype system. The superlubricity and robust mechanical properties of 2D materials will be leveraged to achieve extensive in-situ heterostrain at cryogenic temperatures. This innovative approach will enable precise control over the moiré geometry and periodicity, significantly expanding the tunability of these materials. We will employ optical techniques to investigate the emergent quantum phase diagrams as the moiré geometry transitions between different lattice structures, from triangular to anisotropic triangular, rectangular, and even quasi-1D configurations. Our unprecedented ability to in-situ tune and optically readout the energy scales of moiré materials with reconfigurable lattice geometries at cryogenic temperatures will guide the quest for novel exotic and technologically relevant phases of matter.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

Keywords

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Funding Scheme

HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships

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Call for proposal

(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01

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Coordinator

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY
Net EU contribution
€ 260 347,92
Address
RICCARTON
EH14 4AS Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Region
Scotland Eastern Scotland Edinburgh
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost
No data