Home » News » Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and the discovery of the “magic angle” of graphene

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and the discovery of the “magic angle” of graphene

The Spanish scientist leads research that revolutionizes quantum physics and paves the way for new emerging technologies

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero always affirms that when one looks towards unexplored areas of Physics, it is likely to find interesting discoveries. His research ranges from the fundamental physics of quantum matter to moiréto the creation of new nanoelectronic, photovoltaic and ferroelectric devices. These developments have potential applications in fields such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence, quantum technologies and energy harvesting. Jarillo-Herrero constantly explores the limits of physics to transform theoretical knowledge into practical advances.

In 2018, it achieved its most notable graphene-related milestone. He discovered that by placing one layer of graphene on top of another with a rotation angle of 1.1 degrees, the material behaves like a superconductor. The researchers called this phenomenon the “magic angle” of graphene.and could be applied in the creation of superconducting transistors and in quantum computing.

This advance has placed Jarillo-Herrero among the most relevant physicists of his generation and has opened new avenues of research in materials physics.

International recognition and the possibility of the Nobel Prize

The Spanish scientist, who currently holds a professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), appears on the list of candidates for the Nobel Prize prepared by Clarivate Analytics. This company, specialized in data analysis, prepares a list of the main candidates for the Nobel Prizes every year. in the categories of Medicine, Physics, Chemistry and Economics. Jarillo-Herrero has already received multiple awards, including the prestigious Wolf Prize in Physics in 2020, which many consider a prelude to the Nobel Prizes.

Last May, Jarillo-Herrero won the VIII Conexus Prize, awarded by the Conexus Madrid-Comunitat Valenciana Foundation, in recognition of his scientific career. The foundation highlighted that its experiments with magic angle graphene represent a milestone in modern physicsand for this reason it is considered one of the favorites for the Nobel Prize. The scientific community sees in their discoveries a basis for the generation of new technologies that could transform the way we understand superconductivity and its applications.

The career of a reference in contemporary physics

Pablo Jarillo-Herrero has always stood out in his training and achievements within the field of physics. He currently holds the title of Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics at MIT.after graduating in Physics from the University of Valencia in 1999 and completing his PhD at the Delft University of Technology in 2005. After a postdoctoral stay at Columbia University, he joined MIT as a professor in 2008 and reached the position of professor in 2018.

Among the numerous awards he has obtained, the Oliver E. Buckley Prize for Condensed Matter Physics in 2020, the Wolf Prize for Physics in 2020 and the Medal of the Royal Spanish Society of Physics that same year stand out. Additionally, she received the Lise Meitner Medal and Distinguished Lecture, awarded by the Nobel Committee in 2021.and in 2022 the United States National Academy of Sciences elected him as a member. His career reflects a life dedicated to exploring the mysteries of physics, while positioning himself at the forefront of scientific research.

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