Source title: The first deformable nanoscale electronic device is expected to change the way quantum science research
In general, nanoelectronic components inside devices such as smartphones are solid static devices that cannot be deformed once they are designed and fabricated. But physicists in the US report that they have developed a new nano-device that can “morph” into many different shapes and sizes even in solid state. This achievement is expected to fundamentally change the properties of electronic devices and the way atomic-scale quantum materials are studied. Related papers were published in the latest issue of the journal Science Advances.
Because of its good conductivity, gold has become a common component in electronic components. In the latest study, a UC Irvine research team has accidentally discovered that tiny nano-gold wires can slide with very low friction on special crystals called van der Waals materials. Taking advantage of these smooth interfaces, the research team used single-atom-thick graphene to create a new type of electronic device in which the graphene is attached to gold wires that can quickly change configurations.
The findings suggest that devices once considered fixed and static can become flexible and in motion. Researchers can now create nanoscale electronic devices that don’t stick together, with parts that move so that the size and shape of the device can be modified after the device is made and reconfigured into any “look” one desires.
The research team says the significance of the study is that it demonstrates new properties of these materials that can be used to enable radically different device architectures, such as resetting parts of circuits. This research will usher in a new era of quantum science research, fundamentally changing the way this field is researched.
