Scientists have unveiled a new fabrication technique for the ultra-clean manufacturing of 2D heterostructures—materials just a few atoms thick—that could be used in quantum technology and electronics. Experts from Southampton and Singapore say the method could be used to develop next-generation devices that accelerate research in quantum computing.

The research behind their technique, published in Nature Communications, was developed in collaboration between the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials at the National University of Singapore and the University of Southampton.

Current manufacturing methods to build two-dimensional materials rely on sticky synthetic polymers to assemble the atomic layers. However, these often leave behind microscopic residues that contaminate the tiny structures and disrupt the performance of electronic devices that use them. The research team instead used the natural mineral muscovite, or mica, to stack the atomically thin materials together.

Researchers at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin have developed a new method for trapping and controlling atoms near an ultrathin glass fiber. This has significantly improved the atoms’ ability to store quantum information—an important step forward for future quantum technologies.

Trapping and controlling atoms is one of the technical foundations for using their quantum-mechanical properties—for example, for secure communication in quantum networks or quantum computing. Many novel quantum devices rely on interconnecting atoms using light. For example, atoms are trapped and held near tiny light-guiding structures to enable efficient communication between quantum particles. Until now, multiple laser beams were required to keep the atoms in place within such nanophotonic systems.