For some 50 years scientists have worked to harness Bloch oscillations, an exotic kind of behavior by electrons that could introduce a new field of physics—and important new technologies—much like more conventional electronic behavior has led to everything from smart watches to computers powerful enough to get us to the Moon.
Now, MIT physicists report on a new approach to achieving Bloch oscillations in recently introduced graphene superlattices. Graphene, a material composed of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in hexagons resembling a honeycomb structure, is an excellent conductor of electricity. Its electronic properties undergo an interesting transformation in the presence of an "electric mesh" (a periodic potential), resulting in new types of electron behavior not seen in pristine materials. In a recent issue of Physical Review Letters, the scientists outline why graphene superlattices may be game changers in the pursuit of Bloch oscillations.
To read more, click here.