MIT

Made of a single layer of carbon atoms linked in a hexagonal honeycomb pattern, graphene’s structure is simple and seemingly delicate. Since its discovery in 2004, scientists have found that graphene is in fact exceptionally… Read More »Researchers map tiny twists in “magic-angle” graphene

Any device that sends out a Wi-Fi signal also emits terahertz waves —electromagnetic waves with a frequency somewhere between microwaves and infrared light. These high-frequency radiation waves, known as “T-rays,” are also produced by almost… Read More »Energy-harvesting design aims to turn Wi-Fi signals into usable power

At the heart of any electronic device is a cold, hard computer chip, covered in a miniature city of transistors and other semiconducting elements. Because computer chips are rigid, the electronic devices that they power,… Read More »Engineers mix and match materials to make new stretchy electronics

Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics Pablo Jarillo-Herrero was awarded the 2020 Wolf Prize in Physics for his experimental contributions to breakthrough developments in twisted bilayer graphene research, which uncovered unique electrical properties with the… Read More »Pablo Jarillo-Herrero wins Wolf Prize for groundbreaking work on twistronics

MIT professor of biological engineering James Collins and professors of physics Pablo Jarillo-Herrero and Richard Milner have been awarded top prizes from the American Physical Society. Jarillo-Herrero, the Cecil and Ida Green Professor of Physics,… Read More »American Physical Society honors three MIT professors for physics research

A hundred years ago, “2d” meant a two-penny, or 1-inch, nail. Today, “2-D” encompasses a broad range of atomically thin flat materials, many with exotic properties not found in the bulk equivalents of the same… Read More »Creating new opportunities from nanoscale materials

The ultimate degree of control for engineering would be the ability to create and manipulate materials at the most basic level, fabricating devices atom by atom with precise control. Now, scientists at MIT, the University… Read More »Manipulating atoms one at a time with an electron beam

One of the most fundamental chemical reactions that takes place in energy-conversion systems — including catalysts, flow batteries, high-capacity energy-storing supercapacitors, and systems to make fuels using solar energy — has now been analyzed in… Read More »Thermodynamic insights could lead to better catalysts

The next time you set a kettle to boil, consider this scenario: After turning the burner off, instead of staying hot and slowly warming the surrounding kitchen and stove, the kettle quickly cools to room… Read More »Exotic “second sound” phenomenon observed in pencil lead