Description
We introduce superlubricant arrays of van der Waals polytypes (SLAP): reconfigurable lattices composed of nanoscale commensurate domains embedded within a structurally superlubricant matrix. This architecture enables electrically driven lattice reorganization at room temperature, giving rise to robust, non-volatile multiferroic responses with exceptionally low switching energies.
I will present: (1) Charge redistribution and shifted electronic dispersions in hBN, TMDs, and graphene polytypes [1–3]; (ii) Stability of these structural phases versus their rapid, reversible reconfiguration through sliding boundary solitons [4]; and (iii) Long-range elastic interactions mediated through the superlubricant medium [5].
Together, these results establish a new, low-energy route for designing and controlling structural phase transitions in vdW materials - opening opportunities for scalable slide-tronic devices and novel structural-electronic functionalities.
[1] 10.1038/s41586-022-05341-5 (Science,2021)
[2] 10.1038/s41586-022-05341-5 (Nature,2022)
[3] 10.1002/apxr.202300095 (ADPR,2024)
[4] 10.1038/s42254-024-00781-6 (NRP.2024)
[5] 10.1038/s41586-024-08380-2 (Nature,2025)
