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Macroscopic self-reorientation of interacting two-dimensional crystals

Author

Listed:
  • C. R. Woods

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • F. Withers

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • M. J. Zhu

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • Y. Cao

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • G. Yu

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • A. Kozikov

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • M. Ben Shalom

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester)

  • S. V. Morozov

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester
    Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials RAS
    National University of Science and Technology ‘MISiS’)

  • M. M. van Wijk

    (Institute for Molecules and Materials,Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • A. Fasolino

    (Institute for Molecules and Materials,Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • M. I. Katsnelson

    (Institute for Molecules and Materials,Radboud University, Heyendaalseweg 135, 6525 AJ Nijmegen, The Netherlands)

  • K. Watanabe

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • T. Taniguchi

    (National Institute for Materials Science)

  • A. K. Geim

    (Centre for Mesoscience and Nanotechnology, University of Manchester)

  • A. Mishchenko

    (National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester)

  • K. S. Novoselov

    (School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester
    National Graphene Institute, University of Manchester)

Abstract

Microelectromechanical systems, which can be moved or rotated with nanometre precision, already find applications in such fields as radio-frequency electronics, micro-attenuators, sensors and many others. Especially interesting are those which allow fine control over the motion on the atomic scale because of self-alignment mechanisms and forces acting on the atomic level. Such machines can produce well-controlled movements as a reaction to small changes of the external parameters. Here we demonstrate that, for the system of graphene on hexagonal boron nitride, the interplay between the van der Waals and elastic energies results in graphene mechanically self-rotating towards the hexagonal boron nitride crystallographic directions. Such rotation is macroscopic (for graphene flakes of tens of micrometres the tangential movement can be on hundreds of nanometres) and can be used for reproducible manufacturing of aligned van der Waals heterostructures.

Suggested Citation

  • C. R. Woods & F. Withers & M. J. Zhu & Y. Cao & G. Yu & A. Kozikov & M. Ben Shalom & S. V. Morozov & M. M. van Wijk & A. Fasolino & M. I. Katsnelson & K. Watanabe & T. Taniguchi & A. K. Geim & A. Mish, 2016. "Macroscopic self-reorientation of interacting two-dimensional crystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-5, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms10800
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10800
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    Cited by:

    1. András Pálinkás & György Kálvin & Péter Vancsó & Konrád Kandrai & Márton Szendrő & Gergely Németh & Miklós Németh & Áron Pekker & József S. Pap & Péter Petrik & Katalin Kamarás & Levente Tapasztó & Pé, 2022. "The composition and structure of the ubiquitous hydrocarbon contamination on van der Waals materials," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Junxiong Hu & Junyou Tan & Mohammed M. Al Ezzi & Udvas Chattopadhyay & Jian Gou & Yuntian Zheng & Zihao Wang & Jiayu Chen & Reshmi Thottathil & Jiangbo Luo & Kenji Watanabe & Takashi Taniguchi & Andre, 2023. "Controlled alignment of supermoiré lattice in double-aligned graphene heterostructures," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-8, December.

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