Atomic scale heterostructures offer unique possibilities for new material properties that emerge from the chemical bonding at the material interfaces rather than from the bulk. Often this idea is brought forward using two-dimensional van-der-Waals bonded crystals. In contrast here, researches show that the same concept can also be applied to traditional semiconductors with atomic-level control over the individual few-monolayer-thick sheets using epitaxial methods. The enhanced interlayer bonding strength [more...]

Nanotechnologies utilize physical and chemical properties which arise by shrinking a material in size to the nanometer length scale. The structural stability of nanoscale building blocks is a central aspect in nanoscience as it governs the long-term stability of a device. Function, however, is only achieved once a device is energized, which is why nanotechnologies require materials which are structurally stable under operation conditions.
On the atomic level, the structure is prone to ultrafast motions that [more...]