Since the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded for research on graphene in 2010, 2-D materials—nanosheets with atomic thickness—have been a hot topic in science. This significant interest is due to their outstanding properties, which have enormous potential for a wide variety of applications. For instance, combined with optical fibers, 2-D materials can enable novel applications in the areas of sensors, non-linear optics, and quantum technologies.
However, combining these two components has so far been very laborious. Typically, the atomically thin layers had to be produced separately before being transferred by hand onto the optical fiber. Together with Australian colleagues, Jena researchers have now succeeded for the first time in growing 2-D materials directly on optical fibers. This approach significantly facilitates manufacturing of such hybrids. The results of the study were reported recently in the renowned journal on materials science Advanced Materials.
To read more, click here.