MIT physicists have created three-dimensional “moiré crystals” that simulate the behavior of electrons in four dimensions, potentially unlocking new avenues for electronic applications and the study of higher-dimensional physics. These novel crystals, constructed from twisted layers of two-dimensional materials like graphene, generate a “moiré superlattice” mathematically equivalent to a fourth dimension of space; within them, electrons act as if they can teleport in and out of this synthetic fourth dimension via a process called quantum tunneling. Unlike typical quantum tunneling, physicists have now measured that these electrons behave as if they have traveled to and from another world, effectively experiencing a fourth dimension. In a paper published recently in Nature, the team realizes a scalable technique for producing high-quality moiré materials, overcoming a materials limitation for advanced electronic applications and offering a realistic approach to realizing theoretical predictions of higher-dimensional superconductivity.
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