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These new configurations, once formed, remain stable even after the external force is removed and can store information, functioning much like a tiny memory unit.
By Pesach Benson, TPS
Israeli researchers revealed an atomic innovation that could pave the way for faster, more efficient memory storage, advanced semiconductors, and even quantum computing technologies, offering a level of precision and control never before seen in material science.
In a Tel Aviv University study released on Wednesday, researchers shared a new method of manipulating the atomic layers of materials such as graphite to create new configurations with unique properties.
“Slidetronics,” as the researchers call it, works by sliding the layers of materials that are held together by weak van der Waals forces, such as graphite, into different stable positions.
Van der Waals forces are weak, short-range forces that occur between atoms or molecules.
Unlike chemical bonds, which involve the sharing or transfer of electrons, van der Waals forces are a result of temporary shifts in the distribution of electrons around atoms or molecules.
The scientists, led by Prof. Ben Shalom and PhD students Maayan Vizner Stern and Simon Salleh Atri, achieved the slidetronic shifts by applying small forces like electric fields or mechanical pressure, which caused the atomic layers to slide into new configurations.
These new configurations, once formed, remain stable even after the external force was removed.
The result is a material that can store information, functioning much like a tiny memory unit.
The findings were recently published in the peer-reviewed Nature Review Physics.
The researchers said that the ability to control these atomic-level structural changes opens up new possibilities for manipulating material properties on demand.
“Like graphite, nature produces many other materials with weakly bonded layers. Each layer behaves like a LEGO brick—breaking a single brick is difficult, but separating and reconnecting two bricks is relatively simple,” said Stern.
“Similarly, in layered materials, the layers prefer specific stacking positions where atoms align perfectly with those in the neighboring layer. Sliding between these positions happens in tiny, discrete jumps—just an atomic distance at a time.”
The researchers also explored how different numbers of layers influence material properties.
For example, three layers of a material with two types of atoms can create six distinct stable materials, each with unique internal polarizations.
With five layers, this number increases to 45 different possible structures. By switching between these configurations, scientists can control electrical, magnetic, and optical properties.
Even graphite, composed solely of carbon, can rearrange into six different crystalline forms, each with distinct electrical conductivities, infrared responses, magnetizations, and superconducting properties, the researchers noted.
The potential applications are vast.
First and foremost, Slidetronics could revolutionize memory storage. By utilizing the ability to shift atomic layers into distinct arrangements, researchers can create ultra-small memory units that are faster, more efficient, and have higher storage capacities than existing technologies.
These tiny memory units could outperform traditional memory storage devices, offering enhanced speed and lower energy consumption.
Additionally, the precise control over atomic layers could lead to the development of advanced semiconductors with customizable electrical properties.
The ability to manipulate materials at the atomic level also holds promise for quantum computing. By controlling the electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of materials, Slidetronics could help develop more efficient qubits—quantum bits that are central to quantum computers, leading to faster and more powerful quantum systems.
Other practical applications include the creation of new superconducting materials or those with specialized magnetic properties, useful in fields like medical imaging, energy transmission, and particle physics.
The precise manipulation of materials could also enable the development of customizable smart materials that adapt to changing conditions, with applications in robotics, aerospace, and medicine.
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