The interdisciplinary team in IRG 1 seeks to leverage strainscapes (combinations of anisotropic strain, strain gradients and interfacial heterostrain) to direct information and energy at the nanoscale. Starting with highly deformable 2D materials, we use strainscapes to produce a new class of materials whose symmetry, topology, and electronic structure can be designed and patterned at the nanoscale (Figure 1). Our goal is to establish the basic science for how strainscapes may be used to manipulate the flow of charge, spin, and energy across length scales.
This work will:
Advance the understanding and design of strain-driven processes of nanomaterials for emerging technologies like stretchable or wearable electronics and mobility engineering for heterogeneous integration in 2D integrated circuitry and next-generation nanomanufacturing.
Produce new avenues to control and pattern exotic electronic properties such as superconductivity, topological phases, protected edge states, or spin textures.
Enable novel paradigms for manipulating and directing carriers at the nanoscale, providing the fundamental basis for novel electronic, spintronic, excitonic or quantum devices.
